Excellent！Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and never gets stuck in your teeth – this crispy fried chicken cutlet has been a lifelong favorite for locals.

Written & Photos by /Orange Dog Loves Candy

Pearl milk tea paired with a crispy chicken cutlet – how many of us looked forward to this as an afternoon snack back in school? Forget about calories and weight gain for a moment – the year fried chicken cutlets blew up, eating two or three slices a week was a must.

I attended university in Kaohsiung, where our campus was on Guanyin Mountain with barely any late-night snacks available. I remember there was a famous and delicious Ah Liang Fried Chicken Cutlet at Dasha District at the foot of the mountain. There was always a huge line, and I often willingly rode my bike down the mountain for 15 minutes, queued for 20 minutes to buy one, then rushed back up.

Not to mention during military service – whenever the squad leader allowed everyone to order chicken cutlets, it felt like a royal decree showering us with gold. So this deep-fried delight that can lead to weight gain somehow carried the memories of youth for so many.

Which brings us to this two-day trip to Miaoli. On our way back to Taichung, we passed through Shenkang feeling slightly hungry. Out of nowhere, I found [Ah Guo Fragrant Chicken Cutlet] online, a place that locals couldn’t stop recommending. Given how many people said they’d eaten there since childhood, I decided to track it down even without an address online.

The only address I could find online was just a few words: “Intersection of Zhongshan Road and Minsheng Road.” A Google Maps search revealed only two noticeable landmarks nearby: the Shenkang Shekou Post Office and Shenkang Junior High School. Half-skeptical, we followed Zhongshan Road to the intersection, but saw absolutely no sign of the shop.

Locals know where it is, so they don’t need an address. But for outsiders, it’s tough. I stood at the intersection looking around for five minutes before my hawk eyes spotted…


a tiny piece of canvas with super tiny letters – you’d need 20/20 vision to see [Ah Guo Fragrant Chicken Cutlet]. Seriously, those letters were almost impossible to notice. The acrylic letters on the small food cart had faded from the sun and were barely visible. Interestingly, most chicken cutlet shops open around 3 or 4 PM.


That’s when students get out of school and parents come home from work, so they stop by for a little snack or treat their kids. But Ah Guo opens at 10 AM and runs a full 12-hour marathon until 10 PM. The young owner said people in Shenkang just like to eat chicken cutlets in the morning, XDDD (which reminded me of the market fried chicken that sells out crazy early at Yuanli Market in Miaoli).


Though this isn’t central Taichung, the prices for chicken cutlets aren’t particularly cheap – one costs NT$50, and adding a drink brings it to NT$60. Prices for other items are as clearly marked as this nearly invisible price list. I’m guessing if so many people say they’ve been eating here since childhood, it’s probably been around for at least ten years?

Around 3 PM, the cutlets were already prepared on the counter, ready to be coated. Since you can also call ahead to order, that’s probably another local secret – I couldn’t even find the shop, let alone call. Cooking to order likely helps avoid the impact of traffic fumes and grease on food hygiene due to the busy roadside location.

So the fryer is almost entirely enclosed in acrylic. But the serving speed is fast – just wait seven or eight minutes after ordering. After all, there’s usually a line.


[Signature Fragrant Chicken Cutlet / NT$50 / Mildly Spicy] I’m not very experienced – this was my first time photographing a chicken cutlet, so it might not look that appetizing. Based on its crispy coating, it’s the more traditional style. The crust is thin and crispy, with a slightly granular texture. It’s completely different from the hard, ultra-crispy style of 3Q chicken cutlets.


The outer coating is fried to just the right level of dry crispiness, and it’s not greasy at all. Though mildly spicy, the spice isn’t overpowering, and the salt-pepper mix isn’t too salty either. The tender chicken is juicy and doesn’t get stuck in your teeth.

Take a big bite – since it was freshly fried, it’s still a bit hot T_T. The inside is tender chicken with a slight grainy texture, releasing just the right amount of juice with fat and sweetness. There’s also a faint herbal aroma – not sure if it comes from the coating or the marinade.

Anyway, the taste is exactly the same as my earliest memories of chicken cutlets. I’m a classicist and love this style of chicken cutlet. A fellow traveler, a pregnant woman who loves chicken cutlets, also confirmed it’s delicious, XD.


[Fried Chicken Wings / NT$20 / Each] These come with drumstick meat. Some say they’re so good you won’t want to leave even the bones. I truly believe that – these wings don’t leave your hands overly greasy, though I didn’t see them using any oil-draining process.

The tender meat and crispy skin make you not want to stop gnawing – even the leg bone has juicy meat. No wonder locals recommend it. It’s definitely delicious. I just happened to pass through Shenkang, and it was my first time there. Eating at Ah Guo Fragrant Chicken Cutlet by chance, I can only say the locals’ recommendation is spot-on. It’s a chicken cutlet that’s completely satisfying – probably the flavor so many have grown up with, because it’s the original taste.

But I won’t exaggerate and say you absolutely must go out of your way to try it. Nowadays, there are endless fried chicken cutlet stalls across Taiwan, some even expanding overseas. While each place has its own flavor, the difference in taste isn’t drastically huge.

But if you happen to be passing through or near Shenkang, it’s definitely worth stopping by for a cutlet to reminisce about your youth. It’s genuinely tasty fried food. Simple thoughts shared with you all – Up!!


[Shekou Ah Guo Fragrant Chicken Cutlet]

Address:No. 568-4, Zhongshan Rd., Shekou Li, Shenkang Dist., Taichung City
Contact Number:04-25617758
Business Hours:10:00 AM ~ 10:00 PM
Consumption Reminder:You can call to make a reservation in advance.
=========================================
Orange Dog Loves Candy Blog　Orange Dog Loves Candy Facebook Fan Page