Untitled Glutinous Rice at Dihua Street, Taipei – Savor the Pure Aroma of Sticky Rice!

Text & Photos byXiao Hu’s Food Dreams

A foodie who had traveled all across Taiwan once told me, “Taiwanese street food is profound and extensive – you can’t possibly say you’ve tried it all in a lifetime.” I vaguely remember he really loved glutinous rice, and through him, I learned about several places that serve it, especially around Dadaocheng. Though not every experience was satisfying, each one left a unique impression. He also mentioned that glutinous rice varies between northern and southern Taiwan, but he insisted that just exploring the varieties in Dadaocheng alone would be enough to keep you discovering. That said, although I claim Yansan Night Market is my favorite night market without question and have written about many snacks nearby, I’d never actually tried this one. No, I hadn’t even heard of it. But after just one bite, I almost gave up the title of “best glutinous rice” to it.

I don’t really want to be too specific about where this shop is because the person who led us there advised me not to write it down, lest we ourselves won’t be able to eat there later (laughs). However, I figure if you want to try this glutinous rice, you’ll have to wake up super early, and not many foodies can manage that (laughs). So I only took a close-up photo – if you can find it, great; if not, don’t ask me (laughs again).

Seeing the simple “MENIU” sign flanked by a couplet suddenly made me want to talk about “glutinous rice,” or more precisely, why Dadaocheng and Datong District have so many glutinous rice vendors, and why the quality is generally so high. The main reason is that in the early days, Taipei Bridge used to be a gathering spot for day laborers (workers without fixed jobs), and foremen or bosses would drive trucks there to pick up suitable workers. “You, you, you – get on the truck,” and just like that, the workers were taken from Taipei Bridge to work and brought back after their shifts. These workers needed a filling meal before starting their day, and glutinous rice, braised pork rice, and “q” meat rice were the best options. After Taipei Bridge was renovated, the laborers no longer gathered there, so most of these vendors moved to what is now Yansan Night Market and the surrounding areas of Dadaocheng.

Many of these worker-oriented vendors offered something called a “half bowl.” For one, these workers often didn’t have much money, and for another, some felt one bowl wasn’t enough while two was too much – hence the thoughtful naming. Yes, since we visited several glutinous rice shops in a row with a local friend who knew the area well, we ended up trying four or five places that day. For the first one, we wanted to save some appetite, so we each ordered a half bowl. The boss served it to us warmly, not showing any displeasure even though business was booming early in the morning and the place was nearly full.

What kind of soup to pair with glutinous rice varies by region and personal preference, but in Dadaocheng, it’s almost always fish ball soup – specifically Fuzhou fish balls with meat filling inside. I think this might be because Dadaocheng developed early and had a large population of Fuzhou immigrants.

These fish balls are on the softer side in texture. I know many people prefer fish balls with a bouncier chew, like the very famous ones in Dadaocheng. But after a certain brother explained how fish balls are made, I started to become wary of those extra-chewy fish balls and the effort that goes into them… Instead, I grew fond of these softer ones. As for flavor, I don’t think this one is particularly special – it’s just nicely balanced and easy to eat.

Now, let’s talk about this bowl of glutinous rice where each grain is distinct and stands out clearly. Before even taking a bite, just looking at the shiny, plump grains made me think it would taste amazing. Then, drizzled with rich, all-fat pork lard, it made my mouth water, and I couldn’t care less that I hadn’t eaten such a hard-to-digest dish so early in ages.

What’s interesting about this glutinous rice is the flavor when it hits your mouth – there’s no scallion oil or any other unrelated taste, just the pure scent of sticky rice. The texture is perfectly suited to my teeth – it has a slight rice fragrance but softens immediately upon biting, growing sweeter and more flavorful the more you chew. After you’ve fully enjoyed the sweet richness of the rice, the scallion oil and other aromas emerge slowly, even accompanied by a hint of cinnamon. With just one bite, you’ll realize the pork lard topping could be anything – or not there at all – and it wouldn’t matter. Even I think this melt-in-your-mouth pork lard is top-notch. This might be the first time I’ve thought such delicious pork lard is actually a bit of a distraction (laughs). According to my guide, the sweet chili sauce on the table is also pretty tasty, but this glutinous rice suits my palate so well that I polished it off before the sauce even got a chance to shine...

PS: I just noticed the guy on the right in the photo giving me a “YAY” sign (laughs). If you’re that guy and you see this photo, come claim your prize (laughs again).

Untitled Glutinous Rice Stall at the Entrance of Dihua Street, Yansan Night Market(Next to the parking lot opposite Lao Pai Zhang)
Business Hours: 6:00 AM (until sold out, usually around 9:00 AM)

"Xiao Hu’s Food Dreams
If “eating” is just about filling your stomach, then “food” is simply too boring~~~"