A delicious find known only to locals—shrimp so abundant it almost hides the rice beneath

Text and photos by /Orange Dog Loves Candy

Without digging deep, Taipei’s vast array of snacks might be limited to just the usual magazine favorites. But during this New Year’s trip—braving the crowds in search of street food—I stumbled upon a shop I’d never noticed before. One standout dish? This “shrimp rice.” In the past, if you’d asked me about shrimp rice, I’d probably only have mentioned Jipin, Aizai Cheng, and Hao Difang...

Their shop isn’t small, and it’s located on Hai’an Road, where tourists tend to gather the most. A simple shrimp rice dish actually combines techniques from early Taiwanese-Japanese cuisine. That finger-licking bonito broth aroma? Truly unforgettable—I couldn’t help but savor it again and again.

And the use of burnt shrimp—its role is actually quite significant in Tainan street food. The shrimp shells are tough, the flavor bold and intense. Think of those two bright red accents on danzai noodles, the shrimp sauce simmered from shrimp heads in shrimp meatballs, or even the old-style bowls...

The clever use of shrimp may seem like a supporting role, but it’s actually an indispensable highlight. And this [Mingqing Shrimp Rice] is, I think, a hidden gem well worth recommending.
Shrimp rice wasn’t originally on my list of ten eats in one day, but a group of friends from Taipei who were visiting Tainan called me suddenly in the evening asking where they could find shrimp rice around the West Central District. To help them find a nearby spot, I stumbled across Mingqing Shrimp Rice online...

I have to admit I’d never seen any reviews about it before—even while eating at the neighboring Ah Zhong Fish Porridge, I hadn’t noticed it. But the tempting online photos, showing shrimp piled so high you could barely see the rice, immediately drew me all the way over from Bao’an Road.

The shop itself is pretty similar to Ah Zhong’s—old and small, with no particularly special decor. The sign above the door is dim and faded at night, making it less likely to catch tourists’ eyes. But apparently, it’s a favorite among many locals (which means not many tourists know about it yet).

I think it’s probably because of the New Year holiday that the place was fairly crowded. There aren’t many seats, but the turnover is pretty quick—though empty spots often fill up again in no time. Interestingly, one or two tables were locals bringing relatives or friends.

The staff kept raving about how delicious everything is (I totally get that pride ^^), and after the dishes arrived (if you ignore the prices for a moment), the friends they’d brought were genuinely shocked—XDDD. After all, where else can you find shrimp rice piled so generously? Or fried spaghetti with toppings and portions that are practically exploding?


And the char siu here is really grilled over charcoal—too bad I was already pretty full and didn’t order any. I’m not sure if the staff are all family, but the owner’s wife was super friendly. She didn’t go out of her way with service, but her warmth felt just like a mother’s.


Glancing at the price list on the wall, I was a little surprised—most dishes start at 60 or 70 NT$. I kept thinking, how does this place attract so many people at these prices? After all, this is Tainan, not Taipei. A bowl of shrimp rice or char siu rice over 50 NT$ is already considered expensive. But since I was already here and had already eaten seven other places, I had to find out what made these high prices worthwhile (curiosity really does conquer all XDDDD).

[Shrimp Rice / 70 NT$]—the last time I ate at Jipin, they had just raised their price to 45 NT$, which I thought was already a bit painful. But the taste won me over in the end XDD. Who would’ve thought Mingqing’s prices would go even higher? So ordering it gave me quite the internal struggle.

At Mingqing, the shrimp is first stir-fried in lard, then mixed with chopped onions and maybe a touch of sugar. After frying, it’s combined with white rice and drizzled with a “mysterious sauce” (probably bonito broth?). But the stir-fry color isn’t very dark.


The top is covered with shrimp in a light pinkish hue, and the onions hide the rice almost completely. For a moment, I worried the flavor might not be as bold as Jipin’s shrimp rice.


But that small worry turned out to be completely unnecessary. The grains of rice, soaked in the savory broth, are soft but not mushy. The flavor is somewhat sweet—maybe from the sugar, the onions, or even the broth—but it’s rich. The shrimp are crispy and tender, with a satisfying texture. At 70 NT$, it’s pricey, but the portion is incredibly generous, with barely any space left in the bowl. It’s truly made with quality ingredients, no wonder everyone loves it.

[Fried Spaghetti / 75 NT$]—it’s a mix of stir-fried spaghetti with various ingredients. Since I’d just eaten danzai noodles at the little park earlier, ordering spaghetti here made me laugh at myself for going in circles XDD. But honestly, their fried spaghetti is really great—green onions, pork, shrimp, and cabbage, not to mention.


The noodles are stir-fried until Q (chewy) and fragrant, though with a slightly sweet, rich Tainan flavor—it actually reminded me more of Japanese-style yakisoba.


But the noodles themselves are springier than the ones at the little park’s danzai noodles. The portion is probably enough for two people, so order accordingly.

The prices might give you a slight shock, but the first bite will probably change your mind. After eating, I was just glad my Taipei friends asked me about the shrimp rice—that’s how I ended up discovering this place by accident.

I don’t know if it’s an old shop, but it definitely has its own unique flavor beyond the famous names. Though I might still prefer Jipin’s shrimp rice a bit more—Mingqing’s is a bit sweeter and lacks some aroma—but I truly think it’s a special and worthwhile snack to try.

I remember sharing it on FACEBOOK afterward, and some locals hoped I wouldn’t recommend it in case it gets overrun by tourists. But when there’s something good, how can you keep it all to just Aizai Cheng and Jipin XD?
 

【Mingqing Shrimp Rice】

Address:No. 270, Section 2, Minzu Road, West Central District, Tainan City
Phone:06-2221860
Business Hours:11:30 AM～08:00 PM
Consumption Tip:You can order more dishes by choosing two or three at a time
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