Banqiao Family-Run Three-Generations Meatball Noodle Shop – Silky, Q-textured, and Chewy Pork Meatballs

Text & Photos /Xiao Hu’s Dream Food Blog

Recently, I traveled to southern Taiwan with a very famous food critic. Naturally, I couldn’t resist asking her for hidden gems along the way. Coincidentally, one of her recommendations was in my own “territory” — Banqiao District — so as soon as I got back from the south, I rushed there. Honestly, the meatballs here are really delicious, and I’m especially satisfied with the broth.

The area around Huangshi Market behind Banqiao MRT Station has always been, in my opinion, where Banqiao’s street food shines the most in both quality and variety. It feels like Taipei’s Dadaocheng or Wanhua — if only it weren’t a bit too far from my home, I could eat all three meals here!!

After some research, I found out that this Qiu family’s shop, famous for its oily rice and meatballs, has been passed down to the third generation. It’s not easy to survive this long without real skill these days (laughs). The shop is located right across from Huangshi Market on Beimen Street, making it quite easy to find.

In this sweltering season where you sweat just walking outside, it’s truly a blessing when a street food stall has air conditioning XD. The dining environment is also pretty clean, which is rare for a food spot near a market XXD.

Their menu features oily rice as the main staple, with plenty of soup and noodle options. More uniquely, they also offer cold noodles and sushi XD. And because their meatballs and oily rice are so famous, they also provide takeout by weight.

In the past, I could finish a meal like this on my own just fine, but now it’s a bit of a stretch. Still, I couldn’t help but add some dry noodles… As for pricing, it’s fairly reasonable for Banqiao.

Oily rice (medium portion) – NT$30.For some reason, oily rice in this part of Banqiao usually has a sesame oil aroma, and you don’t really need to add sweet chili sauce. It tastes great on its own. The texture of the oily rice is slightly “grainy” but not unpleasantly so. Without the sauce, it has a particularly fragrant and simple taste. The pork shreds are a bit dry, but the mushroom strips are delicious. Overall, it meets the standard for oily rice in this area, though it’s not exceptionally amazing.

The dry noodles are made with finer oil noodles, but they lack the alkaline flavor from my childhood memories. They’re not overcooked and retain a slight crispness. The sauce is mainly soy sauce and fried shallots, sweet and savory — smooth but nothing extraordinary, just decent overall.

Pork belly is my second choice after intestines. The meat is well-prepared, with both lean and fatty parts flavorful. The chili soy sauce served on the table has an old-school flavor.

Finally, the star of this review — the meatballs. I ordered the mixed meatballs for NT$55. The squid meatballs are crispy, Q-textured, soft, and delicious. The pork meatballs have a light starch coating that enhances their smoothness, and the meat strips are quite chewy with a well-balanced sweetness.

And then there’s my favorite part — the broth. The broth is slightly sweet but carries a deeply loved garlic-infused savory aroma. The hint of egg flower in the soup also adds a silky texture, making it incredibly tasty. But it’s undeniable that it leaves a slightly sweet aftertaste.

Qiu Family Oily Rice & Meatballs
Address: No. 42, Beimen Street, Banqiao District, New Taipei City
Phone: 02 2960 5635
Business Hours: 07:00–19:00

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