Vegetarian takoyaki in Taichung – Stuffed with king oyster mushrooms & plenty of seaweed!

Text & Photos byOrange Dog Loves Candy

After trying Kansai-style takoyaki in Japan (the taste didn’t suit me at all), you can truly appreciate how delicious Taiwanese takoyaki is XD Actually, I’ve always quite liked Japanese-style takoyaki. After all, the fact that people line up every day at Fengjia isn’t just about the reputation. Since the days of Japanese-style takoyaki, this foreign dish has unknowingly become one of the foods that accompany our growth memories. We don’t eat it often, but occasionally we crave a nostalgic bite. Recently, I saw netizens recommending 【Autumn Town Mushroom Takoyaki】 on Zhongmei Street, which is very popular—but apparently it’s a vegetarian version. There were always quite a few people in line whenever I passed by, so I decided to queue up and give it a try today.

Near the intersection of Zhongmei Street and Xiangshang Road, there are three popular queue-worthy spots: KOI Thé, Granny’s Egg Waffles, and Autumn Town Mushroom Takoyaki. Every afternoon, customers just show up and wait their turn XD. At first, I actually had no idea what Autumn Town Mushroom Takoyaki sold—just that there was always a line in front of the stall. The space, about two stalls wide, isn’t very big and isn’t particularly eye-catching, but as you walk by, you can smell the aroma wafting through the air. After searching online again, I found out it’s a pretty popular mushroom takoyaki.

Luckily, there wasn’t much of a line today, but each person buys at least two or three boxes, so you still have to wait about ten minutes or so. After all, it’s made fresh to order. The special part seems to be that they replaced the usual takoyaki filling with large chunks of king oyster mushrooms—the rest of the preparation method is the same, and the price is similar too. One box is 40 NT$, but there are small and large sizes. The large size is 60 NT$ and comes with three more pieces. The small box only comes in one flavor, while the large box lets you choose two flavors together or stick with a single flavor.

The auntie said you can call ahead to reserve your order and pick it up later, so you don’t have to wait in the scorching summer heat. Even though she’s managing everything on her own—taking orders, frying the takoyaki, handling payments, and keeping track of customer order numbers—she’s quite friendly and easy to chat with.

Otherwise, normally speaking, waiting just fifteen minutes today was pretty fast. Each box has six pieces for 40 NT$, and there are many flavors, though they probably just differ in seasonings. It was my first time here, so I didn’t know what to get, and I went with a safer, more classic flavor to try.

【Seven-Spice Chili Mushroom Takoyaki │ Small │ 40 NT$ for 6 pcs】

From the making process, aside from the batter, they also add a lot of cabbage and a big chunk of king oyster mushroom. The outside is pan-fried to a crispy texture, but the inside still has a hot, runny batter, and you can taste the Q-textured, tender king oyster mushroom.

The outside is also brushed with sauce, then sprinkled with a generous amount of seaweed flakes (they’re actual flakes, not strands!), plus mayonnaise and seven-spice powder. The seaweed flakes are really given in abundance—they almost completely cover the takoyaki. The mayo isn’t too heavy, and the spiciness of the seven-spice powder is actually quite mild. But the takoyaki itself is pretty delicious—it feels a bit less greasy than regular takoyaki. It’s quite tasty, and I think it’s pretty rare in Taiwan to see someone using king oyster mushrooms instead of octopus to make these.

【Original Flavor Mushroom Takoyaki │ Small │ 40 NT$ for 6 pcs】

Other than not having the seven-spice powder, everything else is the same. What’s not mentioned much is that the takoyaki are pretty big. The original flavor is more straightforward and classic. The king oyster mushroom chunks are all about the same size—Q-textured, juicy, and pretty delicious. Eating two boxes by myself was a bit filling.

Maybe it’s just my impression, but compared to Japanese-style takoyaki, Autumn Town Mushroom Takoyaki is less greasy, has more substantial fillings, and the flavors are milder but still quite good. However, it’s probably best to follow the auntie’s advice and call ahead to reserve, so you don’t end up waiting in line for nothing. I really like it—the online reviews are good too. Interested folks should definitely give it a try.

Autumn Town Mushroom Takoyaki – Xiangshang Market │ West District
Address: No. 155, Zhongmei Street, West District, Taichung City
Phone: 0965593668
Business Hours: 2:30 PM – 9:00 PM
Note: Open daily, reservations available

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