Don’t rush off after finishing the taiyaki—mix the leftover sauce with the broth for an unexpectedly delicious treat.

Text and photos byXiaohu’s Dream Food Blog

I deliberately checked my previous post, 【Following Shu Guozhi’s Snack Hunt #77】【Da’an Station Eats】The Dumpling Delight, which was published on May 5th. That means I haven’t followed the footsteps of Shu Guozhi, known as the “Godfather of Snacks,” for nearly three months. The main reasons I haven’t tracked, eaten, or written about his recommendations are, first, I’ve been genuinely busy with all sorts of miscellaneous tasks, and second, the information I currently have about him is either about places outside Taipei or shops that don’t particularly interest me.

Followers of this series will know that I’ve already covered most of the snacks documented in Shu Guozhi’s 【Following Shu Guozhi’s Snack Hunt】Taipei Snack Journal Full Directory (Unfinished), with only a few left. Ever since he stopped writing for “CommonWealth Magazine,” the only regular publication where I could follow his recommendations was the monthly “High-Speed Rail Magazine,” which comes out once a month. Among those, only one was in Taipei—the Dongmen Snacks, formerly near Dongmen Market, then moved to Lane 216, and now to its current address—which was featured in Issue 55 of the High-Speed Rail Magazine.

Additionally, Shu Guozhi’s new book on snacks across Taiwan is set to be published in “August,” which has delighted both Xiaohu and Shu’s fans.

Upon arriving at the shop, I was unexpectedly greeted by a bright interior—it didn’t feel like a traditional old shop at all, yet it is indeed an established old establishment.

Take a look at the customer signatures on the wall—they were all “moved” here from the old shop near Dongmen Market. The autographs of celebrities on the wall are truly a “beautiful” sight, with many dating back to before 2000.

Looking closely, I was surprised to spot what must be “Jin Ruiyao,” a name familiar to those from the fifth and sixth grades... She was a star back in the day, alongside idols.

The items sold on the wall are quite simple—just a few savory snacks and various ice desserts. Unfortunately, my favorite salty rice balls won’t be available until after September.

First, of course, I ordered the “taiyaki” that Shu Guozhi specifically recommended. This humble street food, known as “oden” in Japan, was called “cai tou lu” in my childhood in Keelung. This snack isn’t hard to find in Taipei, and there are even several shops famous for it. But honestly, none of them capture the taste of the “cai tou lu” from my childhood—not to mention that “jiguwa” is now rarely seen. Of course, this bowl didn’t have it either, but you can still find it in some southern noodle shops and certain markets. Sometimes, I really miss its flavor.

Overall, I’d say the taiyaki at Dongmen Snacks is fairly close to the taste memories of my childhood, but if I really think hard, maybe the sauce is the key. However, I don’t recall there being “pig’s blood cake” back then—just pig’s blood—and fish balls were also quite rare.

Accompanying me that day was the veteran foodie Qiang Ge. After finishing the last bite of “taiyaki,” he took the empty bowl with the remaining sauce to the counter. Within a minute, he returned with this bowl that transported my taste memory back to Keelung thirty years ago... damn, it was so good, so simple.

I remember when I had little pocket money as a kid, I’d just order the cheaper pig skin or “cai tou,” then beg desperately for more “broth” until the auntie at the shop would glare at my young, fragile soul with a fierce look... As for pricier items like “jiguwa,” I could only try them when I had a bit more money or during Chinese New Year with my red envelope cash.

It’s been quite a while— at least half a year—since I last had noodles. I can’t even remember when I last wrote about them. But instinctively and habitually, my first spoonful went straight for my favorite “pork intestines” ↓.

The intestines aren’t thick or chunky, and the texture lacks that satisfying chewiness, but they’re sweet, tasty, and oily enough to instantly reignite my long-lost passion for noodles. ...Unfortunately, after a couple more bites, a powdery taste suddenly emerged—subtle at first, but growing stronger the more I ate. Though faint and toward the end, it still slightly dampened my enjoyment of the bowl, even though it was overall delicious, especially the intestines.

Finally, this bowl of shaved ice was also something Shu Guozhi mentioned trying in his article. What’s special is the addition of old-fashioned wheat jiao. This ingredient might be rare nowadays, but it was fairly common in my childhood “shaved ice” treats.

The first bite told me it was delicious—whether it was the red beans, milk, or even the wheat jiao, all had a familiar, delightful taste. But to be honest, it was only decent. However, the second bite revealed a hint of a surprising “flavor” at the end.

Seeing my reaction, Qiang Ge mimicked me by scooping up half a spoonful of the shaved ice, just touching the “syrup,” took a sip, then pointed his spoon at me and smiled faintly. Suddenly, I smiled too. I wonder if you remember how in Xiaohu’s post #23: 【Dadaocheng】Ganzhou Street Shave Ice, I mentioned that the ice—or more accurately, the syrup—was the best shaved ice syrup I’d ever had, with its magic lying in the perfect ratio of half black sugar (for aroma) and half second-refined sugar (for sweetness).

Well, this shaved ice’s “caramel” aroma made it the second time I fell for a shop’s “syrup.” It suddenly reminded me of a food critic mentioning the method of “frying sugar first” before pouring in hot water to make “syrup.” I’m not entirely sure if this shop makes their syrup that way, but that incredibly enticing caramel aroma upon the first sip was absolutely phenomenal. I highly recommend visitors here take the time to savor the wonders of this “syrup.”

Issue 55 of the High-Speed Rail Magazine is placed right on the ice chest with the shaved ice ingredients, even conveniently opened to the page featuring Shu Guozhi’s article.

【Dongmen Snacks】
Address: No. 17, Lane 5, Section 4, Ren’ai Road, Taipei City
Phone: (02) 2721-6138
Business Hours: 11:00 AM – 9:30 PM, Closed on Sundays

Xiaohu’s Dream Food Blog
If “eating” is just about filling your stomach, then “food” would be far too boring~~~