Tainan’s shrimp fish ball soup has been fragrant for over sixty years！ The classic pork belly rice is sweet with a hint of salt

Text & Photos /Xiao Sheng’s Wandering Journey

As someone who’s always on the hunt for tasty pork belly rice in Tainan, this time I discovered a shop that’s been around for more than sixty years — the Third Generation Shrimp Fish Balls. The pork belly rice here has an exceptionally unique flavor, different from the traditional Tainan-style versions. Moreover, the ingredients in the fish ball soup are also incredibly praiseworthy. Once you try it, you’ll fall in love with the taste.

Shrimp fish balls, pork belly rice, and other street snacks are famously delicious in Tainan. As Taiwan’s most historic ancient capital, many eateries here have a long history, passed down from generation to generation. That’s why today we’re introducing a time-honored shop that has thrived for over sixty years and is now in its third generation — the Third Generation Shrimp Fish Balls.

The Third Generation Shrimp Fish Balls is located on Fuzhong Road in Tainan City. I’ve walked past this road countless times but usually stick to the same few snack shops I’m familiar with, so I never tried this place. The reason I came was because one day, while chatting with my sister about pork belly rice, she unexpectedly mentioned how good this shop is. As someone who loves pork belly rice, I couldn’t pass up the chance, so I came specially to indulge.

The name of the shop — Third Generation Shrimp Fish Balls — is concise and powerful; you can tell right away which generation is running it. This old shop is always bustling at mealtimes. I hadn’t really noticed it before, but looking at the interior decor, you can tell the shop has been renovated. It’s clean and bright, though you can’t really see the old-shop vibe. However, the flavors are genuinely classic and nostalgic.

Coming to the third generation, besides the pork belly rice, you definitely shouldn’t miss their signature shrimp fish balls. They’re even written on the signboard as the shop name, so they must have something special. But looking at the menu, their variety of soups is extensive. If you want to try all the ingredients, you could order the Super Combo Soup, but the price is honestly not cheap. So in the end, we just went with the Signature Combo Soup to give it a try.

The dishes we ordered this time were pork belly rice, Signature Combo Soup, blanched greens, fried tofu, and braised pork intestines. The food came out super quickly — not long after we ordered, our dishes were already on the table.

Fried tofu (NT$10), braised pork intestines (NT$20). Let’s start with the side dishes. The fried tofu is soaked with rich braising sauce and is extremely tasty and satisfying with rice. And when I saw the braised pork intestines were only NT$20, I was shocked — how could it be so cheap? But when the pork intestines arrived, I realized it’s because there were only about five or six pieces. XD. Though the portion is small, the pork intestines are melt-in-your-mouth tender and well-seasoned. They’re really delicious, and I’ll definitely order them every time I come.

Signature Combo Soup (NT$100). The Signature Combo Soup includes ingredients like fish maw, fish skin, steamed fish paste, stuffed dumplings, and three-color fish balls. Additionally, you must add deep-fried dough sticks and chives to make it truly taste like a Tainan-style soup.

I thought this soup would be just an ordinary one, but the ingredients turned out to be amazingly delicious. The fish maw is richly flavorful, the fish skin has a texture that’s different from the usual melt-in-your-mouth kind — it’s firmer and more substantial. The three-color fish balls are delightfully chewy, the steamed fish paste has a nice crispy texture, and the stuffed dumplings are my absolute favorite — their flavor is incredibly fresh and delicious. This bowl of soup contains many different ingredients, each with its own unique taste and texture, and they’re all exceptionally good. That’s why I absolutely love the Third Generation’s combo soup. I rarely think a soup can be this delicious.

Pork belly rice (NT$20). The pork belly rice comes with garnishes like melon seeds, scallion oil, and cilantro. What makes this pork belly rice different from others is that while most have a darker sauce, this one has a lighter, whiter sauce. It still uses melt-in-your-mouth fatty pork, but the flavor is truly magical. Usually, pork belly rice is salty with a hint of sweetness, but this one is sweet with a touch of saltiness. In other words, the Third Generation’s pork belly rice is the authentic Tainan flavor — sweet. It was actually the first time I’d had pork belly rice with such a noticeable sweetness, but it’s still pretty delicious. Though I think people who aren’t used to Tainan flavors might be surprised.

The Third Generation Shrimp Fish Balls really has its own unique charm. Trying such classic-flavored pork belly rice was truly an eye-opener for me. Besides the pork belly rice, the combo soup is also a must-order dish. If you come here, ordering a serving of pork belly rice along with the combo soup would be absolutely perfect.

Third Generation Shrimp Fish Balls
Address: No. 210, Section 1, Fuzhong Road, West Central District, Tainan City
Phone: (06)220 9539
Business Hours: 06:00–13:30 & 17:00–20:00

Xiao Sheng’s Wandering Journey
Every journey, every trip is a quest. Though I’m not entirely sure what I’m searching for, what I ultimately gain is always more than I expected. And so, my wandering journey will continue endlessly.