Midday Taiwanese Fried Snacks in Nantun, Taichung – Crispy Fresh Oyster Fritters & Crunchy Meatball Soup for a Satisfying Meal

Text & Photos /Orange Dog Loves Candy

In this era of ever-rising prices, when hunger strikes in the afternoon, a local Taiwanese fried snack stall is probably the best comfort. The so-called local fried snack stall is exactly what this article is about – the fried food stall, which may look like just a small food stand but can offer some surprisingly tasty options. This kind of casual food culture has been popular in Taiwan since earlier times, providing a quick and flavorful bite. Some of the more famous ones are the oyster omelet, stinky tofu, or fried chicken steak, all of which are quite popular choices. When I first passed by, a friend immediately recommended Nantun Road’s Temple Front Fried Snacks; although I hadn’t heard of it before, I decided to give it a try based on the recommendation.

The location of this Nantun [Miaokou Fried…] isn’t very intuitive, probably because it doesn’t have a very noticeable sign, as my Google search kept leading me to other places, so please look for the CPC (Chinese Petroleum) gas station at the intersection of Zhongming South Road and the first section of Nantun Road, which is not far ahead.

This Miaokou Fried | The restaurant is located on the small street between Zhongzheng Road and Minsheng Road. Walk along Zhongzheng Road to Lane 32, and you’ll see a small yellow sign that says ‘Fried Chicken Shop’, and that’s it.

There’s a huge banyan tree above, with Deshungong behind it, and only the boss lady bustling about by herself.Actually called a shop, it’s more like a simple tin-roof shack with just four tables where you can sit however you like.

On the other side are two deep fryers, and next to them on the workbench are several pots where the boss lady keeps her ingredients for easy access while cooking.

To order, just tell the boss lady directly. The MENU clearly lists the items and their prices – oyster fritters and meat fritters are both 35 NT each, while other items are mostly between 10 to 20 NT per portion. (PS. There are also fried king oyster mushrooms, but since I was alone today and couldn’t finish them, I didn’t order any.) Although there’s no unlimited pork blood soup like at Ding Ji, they do sell both meatball soup and pork blood soup.

Here, nothing is pre-fried and left sitting out to cool – everything is made to order: the boss lady wraps the ingredients fresh, dips them in batter, and fries them on the spot, so you get hot, freshly fried snacks. Since there aren’t many customers, mostly locals or regulars, each order doesn’t take too long.

That said, they open pretty late, until 10:30 PM. While waiting, I chatted a bit with the boss lady. She said she’s been selling here for over 20 years. I rarely come to this area, though I’ve noticed the stall a few times in the past.

[Oyster Fritter / 35 NT + Meat Fritter / 35 NT + Rice Sausage / 15 NT + Fried Tofu / 10 NT + Fried Rice Cake / 20 NT] A little pity is that there aren’t any vegetable fritters here – I think that would make it perfect. Honestly, ordering this much for one person is a bit much XD, though the meat and oyster fritters are slightly pricier.

Speaking of which, let’s start with the star – the [Oyster Fritter]. Compared to last week’s Ding Ji oyster fritter, the oysters here are a bit smaller, cut into quarters, with a crispy yet perfectly thin outer layer. The color is a bit darker, and they’re stuffed with plenty of chives, but the oysters still have good freshness. The boss lady sprinkled just a hint of pepper, making the flavor a bit stronger and more fragrant than Ding Ji’s milder version. I actually prefer the taste here at Miaokou – it’s richer and more to my liking, though the oysters are a bit smaller.

The other star – the [Meat Fritter] – replaces oysters with pork. The pork inside is juicy and flavorful, paired wonderfully with the crispness of the chives. The combination is just perfect, and the taste goes without saying.

Also, it seems the pork is pre-marinated, and I thought it tasted quite good. I actually liked the meat fritter even more than the oyster one.

The rice sausage is first coated in batter and then fried, so the crispy skin isn’t very noticeable, but the chewiness of the sticky rice remains. Though compared to the other items, the rice sausage isn’t as outstanding.

The fried tofu – I also had it at Ding Ji last week, and it was bland and tasteless, not even bringing out the original flavor through its simplicity. Here at Miaokou, the tofu is pre-cut into small pieces and coated before frying, so the batter fully wraps each piece. When you bite in, besides a faint saltiness (from the pepper), you can also taste the slight tenderness of the tofu itself. I quite liked it.

The fried rice cake is soft, chewy, and slightly sweet, though it also goes well with a bit of chili sauce. Overall, it’s a highly recommended flavor, though the meat and oyster fritters are a bit on the oily side.

[Meatball Soup / 20 NT] The broth is clear and light, with a few bits of chopped chives floating and five white fish balls gently bobbing. The soup has a subtle saltiness and aroma, likely from some added winter melon preserved vegetable and other seasonings. The fish balls aren’t overly bouncy – they have a natural softness with a slight chew, and the whole bowl of soup is actually quite tasty.

It’s 3:30 in the afternoon, the sun is strong, and it’s hot. This is an open-air stall, with at most a tin roof to block the sun, or perhaps the cool shade from the big banyan tree. Sitting here without a fan, even after having a bowl of hot soup, it doesn’t feel stuffy. Chatting with the boss lady occasionally, focusing on eating, checking your phone now and then – even though you’re right by the busy Nantunlu (Nantun Road), it still feels leisurely and relaxing.Most importantly, I love the texture and flavor of their fried snacks. They’re really delicious. If you’re also a fan of Taiwanese-style fried chicken, although this place doesn’t have a particularly eye-catching sign, it’s still definitely worth trying.

[Deshungong Nantunmiaokouzha|Junkaobr /> Address: Next to Lane 232, Section 1, Nantun Road, West District, Taichung City (by the side of Nantun Road)
Phone: NONE
Business Hours: 3:00 PM – 10:30 PM
Note: Irregular holidays, located near Da Zhong South Street on Nantun Road

Orange Dog Loves Candy Blog Orange Dog Loves Candy FB Fan Page