Scallion Pancakes, Garlic Pork Soup, and Spring Roll Ice Cream — Three Must-Try Dishes in Yilan

Text & Photos /Gui Xiaosun

Coming back from Yilan, I’m not sure if it was because I rested too well, but I actually felt less inclined to type on the keyboard XD Although it was only a three-day trip and I took a five-day leave, I still found myself immersed in that slow, tranquil pace. Even eating felt incredibly relaxing.

This trip to Yilan wasn’t overly packed. Since I hoped to visit again — perhaps in a different season — I planned a schedule that felt just right. First, let me share the garlic pork soup I had upon arriving in downtown Yilan, and the Ke’s Scallion Pancakes and Wu’s Peanut Roll Ice Cream, must-tries when you’re in Jiaoxi.





You know how it is — life is full of plans, but changes happen. I thought going on a weekday, and not even a Monday, the Beimen Garlic Pork Soup wouldn’t be closed. But alas, it was my luck to hit their off day.

But it turned out well, as I discovered “Qiao Yan,” a place that had just opened in September, at the intersection of Jiucheng North Road and Zhongshan Road. Seeing the crowd, I figured, since I was already there, why not give it a try. Since I’d never tried Beimen or Chuancheng, I can’t compare, but I really liked their garlic pork soup — I just love scallions, ginger, and garlic.

I’m not sure if the shop has already built up a huge following or if everyone else was also turned away elsewhere that day, but the crowd was unreal. There were both takeout and dine-in customers, and most didn’t seem to be tourists — the takeout line clearly had locals.


And both the takeout and dine-in lines were well-organized, with separate queues so even if you had to wait, you weren’t confused about what to do. Whether it’s great management by the owner or just lovely customers XD. Both the pork soup rice and pork soup noodles are 45 NT$, and the portion is just right — not too little.

The garlic flavor in the broth is really fragrant, and the pork meatballs are made from whole pieces of meat. I also noticed the base — lots of minced garlic. That’s probably the highlight. I didn’t get unlucky this time, and it was my first time trying garlic pork soup. Next time, I’ll definitely have to go to Beimen or Chuancheng to see how they compare.




We arrived in Yilan around 1:00 pm, quickly had the garlic pork soup, then drove to “Jimmy Liao Square.” That area was pretty lively, so I’ll switch things up a bit and include the nearby Jiaoxi snacks here.

It takes about 10 minutes to drive from downtown Yilan to Jiaoxi, the roads are easy to find and straightforward. That’s also where I first discovered that area full of “hot spring hotels and inns”! XD

Especially near Tangwei Hot Springs, it becomes even more obvious. But since the road isn’t very wide, and it wasn’t even a long holiday that day, traffic jams were surprisingly common. The flow of cars along the whole Jiaoxi road was crazy. Later, I tried taking some side streets — Ren’ai Road and Zhongxiao Road — back to my accommodation at Green Motion Hot Spring, and was happily surprised to find a route without traffic.

So if you come to Jiaoxi and it happens to be a holiday, definitely check if there are alternative routes. Otherwise, even less than a kilometer could take you half an hour.



Look at those two lines of people — yep, these are two of the most famous, must-queue spots in Jiaoxi: 1. Ke’s Scallion Pancakes and 2. Wu’s Peanut Roll Ice Cream. But I was already full from the pork soup, and seeing those two lines — Ke’s line was longer than Wu’s — so I chose Wu’s.

But even Wu’s had a 15-minute wait, and Ke’s would’ve been at least half an hour, so I couldn’t introduce Ke’s Scallion Pancakes this time. You’ll just have to imagine the aroma with me XD




Peanut roll ice cream is something you might find at night markets, but trying it in Yilan for the first time was a new experience for me. Being local, I had high expectations. Watching the owner and the kids working diligently, shaving down each piece of peanut candy by hand, I really wondered if using a machine would make a difference? Just watching their movements made my hand hurt.






Spring roll wrapper, two scoops of classic ice cream, a generous amount of peanut candy, and they’ll ask if you want cilantro or not. Each serving isn’t large — they only make about six at a time — so if you arrive when there’s a big group ahead, the wait feels extra long. But that’s how it is with popular snacks. When you’re traveling, you just have to try them.



The roll is pretty big — the largest one I’ve ever had before. And even before biting in, you can smell the peanut fragrance — it gets your mouth watering. Take a bite, and your eyes will light up, seriously. The aroma of the peanut candy is super fresh and pure, and since it’s shaved into flakes, it adds a nice chewy texture.

The ice cream tastes like the kind you’d get from an old-fashioned pushcart, and the spring roll wrapper is so fresh it doesn’t feel soggy at all — it’s seriously delicious. If you love this kind of flavor, you have to try the authentic version.




The drive from Taichung, via National Highway 1, 3, and 5 — believe it or not, this was my first time driving to Yilan for a trip. The two-plus-hour journey let me watch the scenery change the whole way.

Especially going through tunnel after tunnel, and then entering the Hsuehshan Tunnel for about 15 minutes. Driving through, you really feel like you need to put on some music or you’ll fall asleep. So I had prepared music in the car — listening to Tao Zi’s new songs, relaxing and mature.

One of the biggest impressions I got driving from National Highway 5 into Yilan was: “Yilan is so flat!” For people from Taipei, Yilan probably feels very open. But for me, coming from Taichung, it really gave off a Nantou vibe — that perfect distance from the city, like a suburb you can easily reach.

There aren’t many types of snacks, mostly scallion pancakes and soup dumplings. The night market area isn’t huge, and popular snacks get cleared out fast. But you’ll find yourself falling in love with one homestay after another, seeing them comfortably nestled on vast stretches of land, with maybe no houses around, just green space and farmland.

I kept my itinerary relaxed this time because winter is a season for slowing down. On the first day in Jiaoxi, I stayed at a hot spring resort I liked: Green Motion Hot Spring. It’s technically a homestay, but with resort-level quality. On the second day in Wujie, I stayed in my first-ever castle: Saint Helene. The host was as gentle and warm as the house itself.

Stay tuned as I slowly share more. Here’s some info on the shops I found online for your reference. The opening hours for Beimen Garlic Pork Soup are from their official website, but for some reason, they were closed on Wednesday, which was the day I went XD

Article Author:[Enjoy Life Without Boredom. Gui Xiaosun]

【Beimen Garlic Pork Soup】

Store address:No. 141, Jiucheng North Road, Yilan City
Business hours:9:00–17:00, until sold out (closed on Tuesdays)

Second branch address:No. 159, Jiucheng North Road, Yilan City
Business hours:11:00–19:00, until sold out (closed on Tuesdays)

[Qiaoxi Ke’s Scallion Pancake]

Address:No. 128, Section 4, Qiaoxi Road, Qiaoxi Township, Yilan County
Business hours:9:00–18:00, until sold out

[Wu’s Peanut Roll Ice Cream]

Address:Next to Qiaoxi Ke’s Scallion Pancake
Business hours:12:00–18:00