50-Year-Old Flavor: Ah Cai Ma’s Sweet Soup in Huaxi Street, Taipei, Brings Back Childhood Memories

Located at the end of Huaxi Street Night Market, “Ah Cai Ma” may not have the most prime location, but it is far from the noisy hustle at the front section. With its clean shopfront and peaceful environment, sitting leisurely on the stools allows you to savor every bite more carefully. Especially during the peak of summer, enjoying a bowl of rock sugar white fungus and lotus seed soup, the silky-smooth white fungus paired with the mildly sweet, refreshing and delicious sweet soup instantly cools you down from head to toe, banishing all summer heat.

▲ Without relying on ice cubes to cool down, the refreshing white fungus and lotus seed soup instantly cools the body upon drinking, bringing a wave of chill. (Photo / Reporter Hong Lingju)

Even in the hot summer months, both cold and hot sweet soups are available here, which is the biggest feature of the shop. No matter when you visit, you can always find peanut soup, red bean soup, and white fungus and lotus seed soup. As for the usually popular rice cake and longan congee, it is replaced by summer-limited mung bean soup from June to September. But one thing you won’t get when eating cold desserts here is “ice cubes.”Owner Ko Delong explains that all sweet soups are made in a simple and natural way—ingredients are boiled with just water and then sugar is added. For the frozen items, they’re simply refrigerated without using factory-made ice blocks, due to concerns over bacterial counts.

▲ Ah Cai Ma’s peanut soup is top-notch, with each tiny peanut soft yet intact, giving off a rich aroma. (Photo / Reporter Hong Lingju)

When you come here, you musttry the must-eatpeanut soup,whether with an egg, glutinous dumplings, puffy pancakes, or fried dough sticks—the many different ways to enjoy it all bring unique flavors. Ko Delong mentions that because peanuts from Yilan’s sandy soil are less prone to getting mushy, despite the higher cost, they are still chosen as the main ingredient. Each batch of peanut soup requires 7–8 hours of simmering—a labor-intensive process aimed at extracting the richest peanut fragrance. Only when served hot can its true flavor really shine through.

▲ There may not be many sweet items on the menu,but these few classics that stick to tradition and timeless flavors have conquered many taste buds, making this old shop “sweet” for nearly 50 years. (Photo / Reporter Hong Lingju)

Since its establishment in 1965, Ah Cai Ma’s sweet soup offerings have barely changed. Though the selection isn’t extensive, each item is a signature dish. Having stood the test of time, second-generation owner Ko Delong says with character: “Just the peanut soup alone can be served in multiple ways, so we insist on not going for flashy business tactics. Aside from slightly adjusting sweetness to cater to modern tastes, the classic nostalgic flavors remain largely unchanged—we aim to pass on the old-time taste.”

※ Shop Information:
Shop Name: Ah Cai Ma Sweet Soup
Address: No. 3, Huaxi Street
Business Hours: 15:30–21:30 in summer, 14:00–22:00 in winter, closed every Thursday
Phone: 02-23618697
 

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