Taoyuan’s “Fresh Fish Soup” Specialty Shop – Refreshing Ginger-Shredded Sailfish Porridge & Crispy Grilled Fish Rice

Text & Photos /Viviyu

Ever since I tried the Guazi Meat Rice near the temple in Taoyuan’s Daimiao area, I discovered there are quite a few late-night food spots—small eateries that only operate after dark. By day, they’re vendors at Yonghe Market, but at night, they transform intoLian Ge’s Fresh Fish Soup. I had originally planned to get some noodles, but the moment I saw the fresh fish soup, I switched my target. It’s simply because I love fish, and seeing the crowd of diners sealed the deal—that’s the one for me!

It was this fresh fish soup’s signboard that caught my eye. Though it’s just a street stall, many delicious snacks are hidden in unassuming little stands like this.

By day, it’s a Yonghe Market vendor; by night, it becomes a food stall. Despite the simple setup, they even serve grilled fish.

Having dinner at the roadside pavilion—I know some people care more about decor and ambiance, and might prefer restaurants—but I’m totally fine with street food, so I came to give it a try, Up~

Lian Ge’s Fresh Fish Soup is, of course, mainly about fish dishes. Aside from being made into soup, it can also be prepared as porridge or grilled fish, and the prices are quite fair.

The owner preps the fresh fish ingredients in advance, and each portion is just the right amount for one serving. I found the fish slices to be generous and made with real, quality ingredients.

Braised Pork Rice – NT$40

The kids love braised pork rice, so we went with this Taiwanese classic. You can tell the pork is hand-chopped, the braising sauce is fragrant, and it comes with shredded bamboo shoots, which keeps the flavors interesting.

Fish Skin Soup – NT$70

Squid Fish Skin Soup has been a recent favorite in our family. If we see fish skin at the market, we often buy it to cook at home. Personally, I prefer the southern-style fish skin soup with fish paste—it has a richer texture—but up north, plain fish skin seems more common. Cooked with some shredded ginger and rice wine, the soup is refreshing and warms you right up.

Sailfish Porridge – NT$110

I originally wanted to have sailfish soup, but I also craved fresh fish porridge. The owner’s wife suggested I just go for the sailfish porridge, and that’s when I learned all fish soups can be turned into porridge for just an extra NT$10. No hesitation there—I went for the sailfish porridge. Sailfish is also great for kids since it has hardly any bones. Made as a traditional Taiwanese-style porridge, it has a refreshing taste, seasoned with green onions and shredded ginger.

Grilled Fish Rice – NT$70

If you want grilled fish rice, you’ll have to wait a bit—the owner will warn you it takes about 15 minutes to prepare. But I think good food is worth the wait. The grilled fish has all the fat rendered out, making it nice and crispy, while the flesh itself is tender and delicate. Next time, I want to just order a whole grilled fish to enjoy.

If there are any additional dishes, they’ll be written on the signboard for everyone to see—like grilled salted pork, for instance. I had a simple yet satisfying dinner at Lian Ge’s Fresh Fish Soup, left feeling warm and content, and headed home, still on my mission to explore more Taoyuan street snacks~

Lian Ge’s Fresh Fish Soup
Address: No. 262, Zhongzheng Rd., Taoyuan District
Phone: 0933 250 177
Hours: 17:00–01:00 (Closed Mondays)

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