The night market r minced pork rice shop sells out just 8 minutes after opening – the tender texture melts in your mouth without being greasy

Text & Photos /Orange Dog Loves Candy

The movie “You Are the Apple of My Eye” introduced me to two things about Changhua.
First: Changhua’s rice balls are incredibly diverse, each with its own loyal fans, and all of them are delicious.
Second: I almost thought Changhua only had rice balls, and didn’t notice that the even more soul-satisfying r minced pork rice was actually the wildly popular snack. That’s why I occasionally take a train from Taichung to Changhua. As soon as you exit the train station, the entire radial area is like a food map filled with the aroma and temptation of delicacies. After walking around and sampling a few stalls, you’ll leave with a satisfied stomach in the afternoon. On this day, on a sudden whim, I gathered two friends to revisit Changhua’s food map, and we overheard someone mention the night market r minced pork rice. For someone like me who prefers fattier braised pork and is indifferent to lean meat, how could I pass up a recommendation like this?! Following the schedule, it reportedly opens at 3:30 PM and there’s usually a small line, so we arrived at around 3:15 PM.

The night market r minced pork rice has been operating locally for 40 years. The founder, known as Master Afu, has now been succeeded by the second-generation owner. It’s no exaggeration to say it’s astonishing!!! Even if it were May Day, a national holiday when everyone is celebrating and on vacation – at 3:30 PM.

Fifteen minutes before closing, the area in front of the store, across the street, and even inside was packed with people. There were no aliens like Do Min-joon or actors like Jung Kyung-ho, but it reminded me of the huge line I recently saw at Caffe Bene, the Korean coffee shop in Taichung XD. I thought today they were giving away five free meals with every purchase, or that you could eat a bowl for free. Everyone was practically red-eyed, waiting for the moment it opened.

Although I’d heard about the [night market r minced pork rice]’s immense popularity, the scene was still outrageously exaggerated. All I could hear was the boss constantly shouting for everyone to draw a number first and then wait across the street instead of blocking the road. As a clueless newcomer, I obediently drew a ‘No. 25’ number and waited patiently.

When it hit 3:30 PM, they started calling numbers in order. Just eight minutes after opening, the boss hung a ‘Sold Out’ sign on the door. This must be the fastest-selling shop I’ve seen in Taiwan so far – selling out in just eight minutes, leaving many latecomers almost in tears. Mainly because once the first batch of numbers is gone, the boss directly puts up the sign. Since each number doesn’t guarantee how many bowls will be sold, he waits until the first batch is done before possibly releasing a second round. So there I saw a regular customer. Upon hearing the numbers were gone, no matter how much the boss urged him to come back the next day, he insisted on waiting right there until the very last bowl at around 5 PM before leaving XDDD – talk about loyalty.

Although the weather was rainy and overcast that day, not a single person wanted to leave because of the rain – including me, who waited 1 hour and 15 minutes, finally getting called for No. 25, but only to wait for a seat, not to be seated immediately.

But don’t think they’re slow – because the boss and his wife were busy non-stop, greeting and chatting with customers, soothing tempers, and quickly serving rice and soup to those dining in. In short................. this place really felt like a protest scene or a battlefield.

For the price list, their r minced pork rice costs 45 NT$, which I guess is considered a bit pricey for Changhua, since the average price for a bowl there is under 40 NT$. But despite being more expensive, it still attracts a lot of customers. The other soups are reasonably priced, but what’s worth noting is that next to the r minced pork rice, there’s also a chicken leg rice – a hidden gem known only to locals. Since I’d already queued up, I had to try everything I could.

[Signature r Minced Pork Rice / 45 NT$]
Changhua’s r minced pork rice is a bit different from ours in Taichung. There aren’t many side dishes – just braising sauce, white rice, and a piece of braised r minced pork. It may look unremarkable, but the essence is all in that piece of r minced pork. Unlike in Taichung, where you get free pickled vegetables, but the prices are also much more affordable. The night market version is actually a bit pricier. You can tell the vendor whether you want fatty or lean meat – since I prefer fatty meat, I went with that XD. But actually, the shop also offers a well-balanced mix of fat and lean that looks even better.

You can also opt for all-lean meat if you prefer a more substantial texture. It’s a good choice. The all-lean option sometimes even comes with cartilage (if you get that, it feels like winning a prize, because it’s just as tender and flavorful, though the taste experience is a bit different!). The fatty part glistens with translucent oil, with a faint brown hue from the braising, but it’s slightly sticky when picked up. The moment it melts in your mouth, the rich aroma of fat spreads, without any of the greasiness you’d expect. The aftertaste has a hint of sweet sauce.

The lean part may not quite melt in your mouth, but it’s soft and tender, easy to chew. Though it’s a bit smaller than the portions in Taichung, one bite made me smack my lips in delight. Even the slight stickiness of the sauce on my fingers made me lick it a few times. No wonder so many people ordered two bowls – after waiting so long, it’s the only way to feel fully satisfied. And the rice in the r minced pork rice, which I care about most, is also well-cooked. I hate mushy rice, but theirs isn’t like that. Each grain is soft, lightly infused with the fragrance of the braising sauce. I wouldn’t call it perfect, but it’s definitely a bowl of r minced pork rice I’ll fondly remember.

[Signature Chicken Leg Rice / 45 NT$]
This bowl of chicken leg rice reminded me of my grandmother’s cooking. On holidays when I was a kid, my family would braise a pot of meat, which included braised chicken legs, pork belly, braised eggs, and braised kelp. My grandmother got me hooked on the flavors of that braised pot from a young age. It’s said that compared to the signature r minced pork rice, this bowl of braised chicken leg rice is even more popular among regulars (and sells out even faster). The chicken legs are cleanly prepared, smooth and glossy. The chicken meat can be easily separated from the bone with chopsticks, but it’s not overly tender – it’s soft and juicy, with the aroma of the braising sauce released as you chew. It’s a nostalgic old-school flavor.

[Shredded Meat Soup / 30 NT$]
Although I also like Changhua’s shrimp ball soup, this shredded meat soup intrigued me more. It contains bamboo shoots, wood ear mushrooms, and shredded pork. The light brown broth has an old-fashioned dried bonito aroma. A small surprise is how the shredded pork is handled. Usually, in things like street-side shredded pork noodle soup, the pork is at least not dry, but not necessarily springy or tender either. However, even this small detail is executed perfectly at the night market r minced pork rice. It’s sweet and delicious. I think this soup is even better to drink than the meatball version.

I usually make fun of how much Taipei people love to queue up on TV, but who would’ve thought a simple bowl of rice could drive people to crazy lengths? Later I found out it was recently featured on a travel food show, and it seems “Food Safari” has also been here. After all, the promotional power of food shows these days is truly astonishing. Though I heard they’ve always had lines here. I don’t know if locals are all fans of this night market r minced pork rice, but I did see an elderly man who was determined to eat it no matter what XD. For someone like me who loves r minced pork rice, it’s truly a love-hate kind of dish. Being so far away in Changhua makes me crave it, but the thought of waiting an hour in line is torture. If you’re also a fan of fatty meat, this [night market r minced pork rice] in Changhua is definitely worth trying. Here’s a traveler’s firsthand account!

Oh, and forgot to mention, it usually stays open until 6 PM, though lucky ones might catch it closing at 5:30 PM!

[Night Market r Minced Pork Rice, Chenggong Road │ Changhua]

Address: No. 10, Chenggong Road, Changhua City, Changhua County
Phone: 04-7287567 (You’re not seriously hoping for delivery, are you?)
Business Hours: 3:30 PM – 6:00 PM (Lucky ones might catch it closing at 5:30 PM)
Reminder: Irregular closing days. We recommend arriving to queue up one hour early. I’m not joking XD
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