Vintage flavor on a stool chair — First taste of the Hanching Stool Chair Rice Balls in Taichung

Reported by Hong Sheng-yi / Taichung

There are many delicious local snacks, but if you’re talking about rice balls, then you must try the “Stool Chair Rice Balls” located in Hanching, Taichung. For visitors, it’s a fun and unique dining experience. The shop has no signboard or menu — it’s very simple: rice balls, that’s it. The pricing is simple too. But you’ll see all the customers, including the owners, happily sitting on traditional wooden stools, enjoying their bowl of rice balls.

▲ What are these people queuing for? (Photo / Reporter Hong Sheng-yi)

Unlike the standing-style Ah Zong Mian Xian noodles in Taipei’s Ximending, the “Stool Chair Rice Balls” get their name because customers can only enjoy their meal while sitting on a stool. According to locals, this rice ball shop actually has another name.“Hanching Tsai Family Rice Balls” or “White-Haired Tsai Rice Balls.”The original menu only included rice balls, zongzi, and meatball soup, but later pork blood soup was added. Due to rising prices, the rice balls — from the first-generation “Rice Ball Uncle” (as locals called him) to the current fourth generation — have seen their price increase from NT$10 to NT$30.

▲ %枷殖∮腥?鋈庠膊??桓龈涸鹗涨??肟辏?桓龈涸鹫ㄈ庠玻?硪桓龈涸鸫?硖坦?娜庠病（Photo / Reporter Hong Sheng-yi）

Currently, most rice balls in Taiwan are either steamed or fried. The central Taiwan-style rice balls, such as the famous Ah Zhang Rice Balls in Changhua and those from Beimenkou, are all fried, just like these Stool Chair Rice Balls. There are three “Rice Ball Uncles” here: one handles payments and tableware, one fries the rice balls, and another prepares the blanched ones. The outer skin of the rice balls is made from sweet potato starch mixed with rice flour, and the filling consists of bamboo shoots bought daily from the market by the rice ball makers, paired with lean pork from the hind legs. As for the meatball soup, pork blood soup, and zongzi, we won’t go into detail.

▲ %及宓嗜庠彩钦ㄈ庠玻??艘话憬戳希?部梢砸勒崭鋈讼埠眉由侠苯矗?庠采戏饺魃系氖谴心?（Photo / Reporter Hong Sheng-yi）

▲ The filling of the rice balls is made from pork hind leg and bamboo shoots, giving it a very old-school flavor. (Photo / Reporter Hong Sheng-yi)

In our reporter’s hands-on experience, the rice ball skin is thin yet very chewy. The filling uses lean meat and diced bamboo shoots, which tastes somewhat plain, but when dipped in the black sauce and paired with chili sauce, it improves a bit. The overall quality is average, but if you’re passing through the area, it’s worth a visit.

Fellow diner Hong Yong-rui commented, “The rice balls are only the size of a fist. I had to eat three to feel full. One costs NT$30, which is a bit expensive (though he didn’t know that Taipei rice balls cost NT$40). But the taste is very nostalgic, and it’s fun everyone sitting on stools to eat.” Another female customer, Zheng Meng-ye, said, “I prefer rice balls with sweet white sauce. The filling is just bamboo shoots + sliced meat, with some chopped scallions on top. The meat isn’t marinated. For NT$30, it’s a bit pricey. It’s not bad, but personally I don’t think it’s worth the wait, and they’re so small.”

▲ According to locals, the price of Stool Chair Rice Balls has gone from NT$10 per piece 20–30 years ago to NT$30 now, but the size remains the same. (Photo / Reporter Hong Sheng-yi)

[Stool Chair Rice Balls (White-Haired Tsai Rice Balls)]

Address: No. 187, Zhongshan Road, Qingshui District, Taichung City
Phone: 04-6232592
Business hours: 1:30 pm – 5:00 pm (until sold out)

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