Sauce oozes out from the seams — the nameless alleyway stinky tofu joint that’s “just awful”

Reported & photographed by You T-Ru / Taipei

What does a truly delicious “hidden gem” actually look like? Located in a lane off Tong’an Street near Guting Station in Taipei, there’s an ultra-popular hidden gem of a food spot. With no official name, no precise operating hours, and only five items on the menu — stinky tofu, vermicelli, vermicelli soup, meatball soup, and rice balls — it’s always bustling with customers year-round. Once everything sells out each day, whether you’re a regular or a first-timer, the boss lady will bluntly declare, “Sold out, come back tomorrow!” This opening line leaves many sighing that this place is truly “just awful.”


▲This is the bowl of stinky tofu that makes many people “sigh at the smell.”

Wait, don’t get it wrong — this “just awful” isn’t about the taste,but rather an exclamation of“how hard it is to get to eat here.”“I come here every day after school, but the rice balls are always sold out — how does that happen?” When reporters visited this nameless eatery, they happened upon a high school girl loudly complaining at the storefront. As she flicked her hair in frustration, the boss lady at the stall, as usual, gave a merciless shake of the head: “Sold out, come back tomorrow!” Her firm tone was enough to make anyone nervous. “Then do you still have stinky tofu and vermicelli soup?” “Just the last two bowls left.” The last two bowls of stinky tofu and vermicelli shimmered in the pot. I quickly ordered one of each to see just how irresistible this hidden gem really is.


▲This snack stall, open for over 20 years, has no signboard or name.
Let’s tentatively call this nameless hidden gem the“Tong’an Street Vermicelli Soup”stall. The vermicelli soup here is different from other shops’ offerings like pork intestine or oyster vermicelli — it’s a combo of meatball soup and clear vermicelli. A bowl of clear vermicelli is drizzled with rich meatball sauce, then topped with a spoonful of the shop’s signature satay sauce. Stir it all together, and the fragrant broth melds with the tender, well-seasoned vermicelli. The smooth texture combines with sweet, salty, and savory flavors bursting in your mouth. One spoonful brings together radish, meatballs, pork intestines, and more — truly a premium delicacy among vermicelli dishes.


▲The black dollop of sauce sprinkled on the vermicelli soup is the shop’s homemade satay sauce.


▲Scoop out a spoonful, and it’s piled high with fillings.
Besides the vermicelli soup, the stinky tofu is also exceptional. Made with a secret master broth where dried shrimp is the key ingredient, the stinky tofu is simmered in the pot for a long time, soaking up the flavors. When scooped into the bowl, cilantro is sprinkled on top, and the sweet aroma of shrimp and the fragrance of cilantro waft through the air. Each porous piece of tofu is saturated with juice. A single serving comes with two large pieces — enough for one person. The first bite releases the sweet and savory shrimp broth flavor, followed by the rich taste of stinky tofu. Paired with cilantro, chili, and scallions from the broth, it’s incredibly satisfying.


▲The sauce from the stinky tofu oozes out from the cracks in the tofu — looks absolutely delicious.

“Our stinky tofu here — even foreigners can get into it,” says the boss. The Tong’an Street Vermicelli Soup, which has been open for over 20 years, is a childhood favorite for many locals and also draws in foreigners “drawn by the aroma.” According to the boss lady, some regulars even take the stinky tofu broth home to cook hotpot or instant noodles, because this old shop isn’t always available when you want it.

【Tong’an Street Vermicelli Soup】
Address: No. 85-1, Tong’an Street, Zhongzheng District, Taipei City
Phone: 02-23684231


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