Hidden in a residential area, Guo Family Rice Cake – Fragrant, not greasy, and packed with generous fillings

Text and photos byXiaosheng

Guo Family Rice Cake is the second-best rice cake shop in Tainan after Da Dao Rice Cake. Moreover, it’s conveniently close to my home, which is perfect for someone like me who loves rice cakes.

The Tainan snack that Xiaosheng is introducing this time is Guo Family Rice Cake. I came across this rice cake shop by chance online. It's located on Rendong Road in East District. The area is actually a residential neighborhood, quite far from the city center but relatively close to the Rende Interchange. With such a homely storefront, it’s mainly frequented by locals from nearby residences. My home is very close to Guo Family Rice Cake, so I’ve been here several times.

Rice Cake (Small NT$30, Large NT$50): Aside from rice cake and minced pork rice, the shop only offers Four Treasures Soup, plus marinated eggs and marinated meatballs. Their menu is quite limited. Since I don’t like Four Treasures Soup, when I come to Guo Family Rice Cake, I usually just get the rice cake. The portion of ingredients in Guo Family Rice Cake is very generous — besides braised pork, the rice cake also contains shredded fish, peanuts, and cucumber, all in large amounts.

The portion of cucumber that comes with the rice cake is quite generous, and it has a crisp, fresh taste that effectively cuts through the richness of the rice cake.

With one bite of the rice cake, the distinct texture of the individually cooked sticky rice grains told me it was different from others. The texture is similar to that of Da Dao. Though I’m not sure about the rice variety, it’s definitely one of those delicious kinds of rice cake. The braised pork is fatty but not greasy, and paired with the flavor of shredded fish, it’s really wonderful. The aroma of the braising sauce isn’t as strong as Da Dao’s, but the greasiness is much less. Guo Family Rice Cake is truly excellent — it really hits the spot for me.

Marinated Meatballs (NT$5): Each meatball is just five dollars, and they’re well-seasoned with a nice bounce to the texture. They’re a great pairing with the rice cake. Since I love rice cake, I’ve tried tons of rice cake shops in Tainan. But honestly, not many have really caught my attention. Guo Family Rice Cake is the second shop, after Da Dao, that has truly interested me. Plus, it’s so close to my home, so I’ll definitely be coming here often whenever I crave rice cake. Such good flavors shouldn’t stay hidden.

[Guo Family Rice Cake]
Address: No. 62, Rendong Road, East District, Tainan City
Phone: (06)2884748

Xiaosheng’s Wandering Journey
Every journey, every trip is a pursuit. Though I may not be entirely sure what I’m searching for, what I ultimately gain often exceeds my expectations. And so, my wandering journey will continue without end.