The sticky, savory flavors of Kaohsiung: Pork Fried Rice that makes your stomach do a “triple flip”

Text & Photos / Ji Zihong  Excerpted from / “I Love Kaohsiung, and Also Snacks, Strolls, and Killing Time” published by Bird Society

Pork Fried Rice — you could always eat another bowl even when you’re full
When you’re hungry, living in Kaohsiung feels like a blessing. A friend told me that within a two-kilometer radius, there are delicious, affordable eats everywhere. Especially when you spot a stall with the words “pork fried rice” written on it, your heart—and your stomach—can’t help but flutter, then flutter again, then do a triple flip.

In the north, it’s called “lu rou fan” (braised pork rice), while in the south, it’s known as “pork fried rice.” Of course, the toppings also differ. Lu rou fan features mostly skin and fat, diced with more fat than lean meat. Pork fried rice, on the other hand, uses lean pork or ground pork, with each grain distinctly visible and wonderfully fragrant. The first time I was blown away by pork fried rice was at Ah Jin’s Noodle Shop in Yancheng District. Going to a noodle shop not for noodles but for pork fried rice says it all—this bowl of rice is simply too fragrant and flavorful. It may sound a bit rude, but the aroma reminded me of opening a can of braised pork as a child, where the mouthwatering smell would instantly make your stomach growl. That nostalgic scent fills the rice, as the pork juices seep through every gap between the grains, blending perfectly to create the ultimate pork fried rice experience.

Recently, I discovered another pork fried rice spot that’s even more irresistible—it’s Guo Family Pork Fried Rice on Jintian Road in Xinxing District. It’s somewhat like a self-service setup, where you can pick from a few side dishes and pair them with a bowl of pork fried rice and miso soup. It’s an over-the-top value lunch combo with amazing texture and all for just around fifty NT. This pork fried rice is love at first bite—the rice and pork topping are a perfect match, so rich and aromatic that you’ll find yourself eating way too fast, often having to call the boss over for “another bowl” before you’ve even finished the sides.

Pork fried rice is just that kind of southern comfort food—a humble dish you can’t help but keep eating bowl after bowl, swallowing it all down before thinking twice.

Hand-pulled noodles q? Big bowl, extra spicy, more cilantro
Taipei has Ah Zong’s Hand-Pulled Noodles that taste best standing up, but in Kaohsiung, you can sit down and savor hand-pulled noodles q? at leisure. In Taipei, you usually get intestines and oyster hand-pulled noodles, while in Kaohsiung, the bowl includes intestines, fish paste, and lean meat chunks. Taipei adds spicy oil for heat, but in Kaohsiung, sweet chili sauce—not spicy—is a must. The broth itself is slightly sweet, giving the whole bowl that quintessential sweet southern flavor.

The first bowl of hand-pulled noodles q? I ever had is from a snack shop in Building 9 of Guomao Community in Zuoying. They also sold stewed fish balls there. Every Sunday after playing basketball with friends, we’d head here and say to the boss lady, “One bowl of hand-pulled noodles q?, one iced milk tea, please!” This version only had noodles, lean meat, and fish paste cubes—no intestines or oysters. So when I later tried intestines-and-oyster hand-pulled noodles in Taipei, I was quite surprised—as if going to Yilan and finding a scallion pancake without any meat inside. To me, it was unbelievable.

Recipes vary, but I still prefer the sweeter style of hand-pulled noodles q?. Besides the shop in Guomao Community, there’s also a place in Zhongzheng Market in Xinxing District that serves that nostalgic sweet taste I love. Located at the intersection of Kaifeng Street and Fu Heng Road, their small bowl is thirty-five NT—enough for a guy to have a filling lunch. Ask the boss to pile on the cilantro, and don’t miss the sweet chili sauce on the table. Pour a few swirls over your noodles, or even draw tic-tac-toe on top—it won’t be too salty or spicy and will taste even better.

The last spot I want to recommend is right where I currently live, in Yancheng District—Sha Zi Di Hand-Pulled Noodles q? on Dali Street. This shop has been around for over 30 years. It originally operated as a street stall inside Sha Zi Di Market, and after the market was turned into a park, it moved to its current location on Dali Street. The shop is very clean, and although I didn’t know about it growing up, the taste is very similar to the one in Guomao Community. With these three favorite bowls of hand-pulled noodles q?, the memory map of Kaohsiung’s flavors warmly and stickily connects my past and present selves.