Black rubbery fish cake stuffed inside a flatbread — a hearty and chewy specialty "Chaopai Flatbread"

▲Flatbread with black rubbery fish cake: the Chaopai Flatbread is sliced open, then topped with soy paste, sweet chili sauce, and finally layered with freshly fried black rubbery fish cake slices.

Photos & Text /Shadow


Next to the Dongmen (East Gate) of the Old City in Zuoying, there’s a rather unassuming northern-style charcoal-grilled flatbread shop. Renowned food writer Hu Tianlan once introduced the shop’s military dependents’ village flavors in her Business Weekly column, and recently a food TV program featured it, catching our attention. We decided to set aside time to check out this unique Chaopai Flatbread.

Having taken over the craft of making flatbreads from his father, and making a living from it, decades have flown by. Maintaining a consistently simple style, the plain shop has no fancy decor — the most eye-catching things at the entrance are probably the three charcoal ovens, which we heard were custom-built by the owner himself.


Every day, starting early in the morning, they knead dough and bake flatbreads, opening for business in the morning. We were lucky enough to catch the owner taking freshly baked flatbreads out of the oven. The heat radiating from the steaming oven was almost unbearable up close, but the owner seemed completely accustomed to such working conditions.


The first rays of dawn illuminate the freshly baked flatbreads, making them shine brightly. The dense flatbreads clink against each other with a crisp sound. Back in the early days of the military dependents’ villages, life was tough, and people used flour to come up with all sorts of snacks. As time passed, these village flatbreads have become what people now call traditional military dependents’ village flavors. In the past, they were for filling stomachs; now, they evoke nostalgia. Though the flatbreads are eaten across different times and spaces, the feelings they bring are quite different.

The owner’s wife was very friendly, chatting with us and generously allowing us to take photos. On the table were small dough balls waiting to go into the oven — they looked so tempting we almost wanted to pinch one.


The owner’s wife had blown up and posted Hu Tianlan’s column on the wall, her expression full of pride. Later, when we mentioned that the iPlay Channel had also featured the shop, she suddenly remembered that the show had come to film just over a month ago.


The shop’s signature Chaopai Flatbread is said to have gotten its name because customers thought its shape resembled the plaque officials held when paying respects to the emperor in ancient times.

Who would’ve thought eating flatbread could also be educational? Flatbread was originally called “Hu Bread,” and only spread to China after Zhang Qian opened up the Western Regions during the Han Dynasty. Who would’ve imagined such a small flatbread has thousands of years of historical evolution behind it.


Chaopai Flatbread goes on sale at 11:00 AM and sells out until closing. Other types of flatbreads start coming out around 9:30 AM. If you want to try the Chaopai Flatbread, be sure to keep an eye on the selling hours.


Chaopai Flatbread: 20 NT$ — the thick, palm-sized flatbread boasts tempting scents of scallion, charcoal, and sesame. It’s much chewier than I expected. Having one of these for breakfast will definitely fill you up.

Flatbread with Black Rubbery Fish Cake (35 NT$), also called the “Chinese Hamburger” — the military dependents’ village folks love tweaking their flatbreads a bit, just like the pocket-flatbreads from Haiqing.

The fried black rubbery fish cake slices are delightfully chewy. Paired with the thick flatbread, especially the parts dusted with white sesame on top, they’re wonderfully crispy. The sauces add a touch of salty-sweet flavor. This one is quite hefty, and every bite requires a wide-open mouth — but when the food is this good, who cares about appearances?


After trying the Chaopai Flatbread, let’s introduce the smaller ones. The shop offers four types of flatbreads, each about the size of a palm, perfect for afternoon tea or dessert.


Brown Sugar Flatbread (15 NT$): The flatbread you get is piping hot. You’ll notice these flatbreads are a bit different from others — typically, flatbreads have flaky layers that crunch with every bite, but this shop’s flatbreads, though also layered, are very dense.

They have a cookie-like chewiness, staying crisp even when cooled. We especially love the brown sugar ones — the sweetness is never cloying, and paired with the sesame aroma of the flatbread, it’s simply delicious.


Savory Flatbread (15 NT$): The only savory option among the four, it’s stuffed with seasoned scallions. The savory and nutty flavors dance on your palate, growing more aromatic the more you chew.


Red Bean Paste Flatbread (15 NT$): We were worried the red bean flavor might be too sweet, but it turned out surprisingly well-received by us. The mellow taste of the red beans, without being overly sugary, pairs perfectly with a good cup of tea.


Sesame Flatbread (15 NT$): Black sesame mixed with sugar — the more you chew, the longer the sesame fragrance lingers in your mouth. Even if you’re the type to eat a lot, it never feels sickly sweet.


The uniquely shaped Chaopai Flatbread represents the connection between the owner and the previous generation. To others, it might just be a simple flatbread, but these plain-looking little breads carry the transformation of China’s millennia-old food culture, thriving within the military dependents’ villages. Being able to inherit the traditional flavors of those villages is surely an honor beyond compare.

Because it’s not easy to persist in doing simple things — just like how the owner makes flatbreads, day after day, year after year. Isn’t that spirit truly moving? Next time you’re in Zuoying, be sure to try these hearty Chaopai Flatbreads.


【Northern Charcoal-Grilled Flatbread Shop】

Address:No. 307, Chengfeng Rd., Zuoying District, Kaohsiung City
Phone:07-5889381
Business Hours:09:30～17:30
Steamed cake production time:11:00～17:00 (until sold out)
Days off:Saturdays
ShadowA site dedicated to introducing local snacks in Kaohsiung and Pingtung. We hope to find more food enthusiasts through sharing. Everyone is also welcome to leave messages on the “Food Enthusiasts’ Wall” in the “Food Lovers Club” with the address, shop name, and recommended dishes of your hidden gems. A food review will be shared with you soon!

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