Kaohsiung’s Nighttime “Cat Food Truck” Specializes in Homemade Dashi Oden

Text & Photos byHu Li Xiao Hai Hai

The night-only Maneki Neko Yudetamago is an adorable cat-themed food truck offering delicious Japanese-style oden. Carefully selected fresh ingredients are paired with a homemade bonito broth to deliver a rich and savory flavor. The owners, a husband-and-wife duo, originally worked in Taoyuan but returned to Kaohsiung driven by their passion for cooking. They continuously experiment with broths and sauces to offer exclusive and creative ways to enjoy oden. By adding miso sauce to the Japanese oden, you can enjoy a two-in-one soup experience. Noodles paired with garlic-spicy sauce are incredibly satisfying. These unique new ways of enjoying low-calorie oden dishes make people fall in love at first bite — definitely worth a try.

▲ Maneki Neko Yudetamago uses carefully selected ingredients and homemade bonito broth to serve Japanese oden that even the owners’ family loves. Some may think the prices are a bit high, but the quality is comparable to izakaya offerings, making it quite reasonable in comparison.

▲ The owner uses whole katsuobushi to shave his own bonito flakes for the broth, resulting in a uniquely rich umami taste. Because they focus on simple and authentic cooking methods, the dish feels light on the stomach too.

▲ Every ingredient here is carefully chosen for its deliciousness, including handmade fish cakes, yuba tofu, custom handmade meatballs, and less common imported items like Japanese kamaboko slices, peony fish cakes, fried bean curd sheets, and potato salad balls — all very popular.

▲ At Maneki Neko Yudetamago, you can order from the menu or pick your own ingredients. Hu Li picked some of her favorites and a few crowd-pleasers — she wants to try them all (laughs).

▲Peony Fish Cake– The seared outer layer of the peony fish cake absorbs more broth, and its chewy texture bursts with juicy flavor.

▲Scallop Flavor Yaki / Hokkai Shell– The scallops are cooked to bring out a sweet umami taste, while the Hokkai shell has a soft, delicate texture with a silky feel, offering a particularly rich flavor.

▲Tender Pork Tendon– The pork with a bit of tendon has a bouncy, full texture, and after boiling, you can taste the rich flavor of the bonito broth.

▲Layered Tamagoyaki– Hu Li loves layered tamagoyaki because it soaks up the flavorful broth, and every bite bursts with juicy goodness and a deep egg aroma.

▲Edo River Crab Claw Balls– These adorable crab claw balls let you hold the claw while eating. The fish paste is tightly wrapped around the crab meat, delivering juicy and delicious flavors.

▲Handmade Fish Cakes– The handmade fish cakes are firmer and more filling, with a slight chewy bounce.

▲Handmade Meatballs– All the meatballs at Maneki Neko Yudetamago are handmade by skilled makers. Flavors change from time to time. Hu Li recently tried a new variety called “zombie meatball” (ginger meatball), which had a rich, savory flavor, juicy sweetness, and was elevated by the ginger.

▲Fried Bean Curd Sheet– The fried bean curd sheet absorbs the broth well, becomes soft and tasty after boiling, isn’t greasy, and is very filling.

▲Baby Bok Choy– When enjoying Japanese oden, you must try baby bok choy. The carefully selected bok choy is tender and retains a nice crunch even after being boiled.

▲Seasonal Vegetables– Maneki Neko Yudetamago places great emphasis on ingredient freshness and insists on buying seasonal vegetables. They go to the market daily to handpick a variety of specialty or uncommon greens.

▲ Seasonal vegetables with homemade bonito broth are lower in calories, making them perfect as a late-night snack.

▲ Pure white turnips, delivered straight from the farm, are simmered in a bonito broth until tender and almost melt-in-your-mouth soft, bursting with a uniquely sweet and savory flavor.

▲ Hu Li absolutely loves the broth of the Maneki-neko (lucky cat) yakidofu in teriyaki-style—unlike the usual mackerel or other common fish varieties used to make shredded dried bonito, this shop carefully selects fresh bonito slices made from premium tuna meat that’s steamed, roasted, and then traditionally charcoal-cured. The bonito retains the natural sweetness of the fish while also offering a distinctive smoky aroma.

▲ Since the homemade bonito broth is relatively light, you can add the rich miso sauce if you find it too mild. The miso sauce and the garlic-spicy sauce are both signature, handmade condiments. Many customers come just for these sauces, as they’re labor-intensive to make in small batches, so they’re available only in limited quantities.

▲ Adding the exclusive rich miso sauce to the refreshing bonito broth enhances the fragrance and layers of the soup.

▲ On the left is the original white turnip soup in the bonito broth base, while on the right, miso sauce has been added, giving it a light milky white hue. It tastes rich and deeply savory, making the one-soup-two-ways experience incredibly satisfying.

▲Instant noodles (Prince brand)— When you visit Maneki-neko yakidofu, you must try their instant noodles. The shop owner recommends her favorite way to enjoy them: with her special garlic-spicy sauce, which is aromatic and incredibly tasty.

▲ Mix the special garlic-spicy sauce with the instant noodles, and the aroma will instantly hit you, making your mouth water. The flavor is spicy and bold, leaving you craving another bowl. The shop owner usually orders a portion of noodles or glass noodles, paired with vegetables, sliced bean curd sheets, and tender pork, along with garlic-spicy sauce and a bit of bonito broth. It’s hearty and fulfilling—everyone should give this combo a try.

▲ Menu at Maneki-neko yakidofu.

▲ The owner and shopkeeper are huge cat lovers—the food truck is decorated with numerous Maneki-neko dolls, and even the exterior is painted with cute cat designs.

▲ The Maneki-neko yakidofu food truck is located at the intersection of Ziyou 1st Road and Chaha’er 1st Street, near Kaohsiung Medical University. It has many regular customers who come for Japanese-style oden, and the place gets quite busy during meal times.

Maneki-neko yakidofu stays open until late and after 10 PM sets out small wooden tables where you can sit and enjoy Japanese oden. It’s a lovely spot for a late-night snack, full of cozy atmosphere. Hu Li especially loves the owner’s carefully selected fresh ingredients paired with the homemade bonito broth—it’s deliciously fresh. The miso-enhanced broth is even richer and more mellow, perfect for warming you up. And you must try the shop owner’s favorite combo: noodles or glass noodles topped with garlic-spicy sauce—it’s truly scrumptious. Recommended for anyone who wants to try unique Japanese oden and loves this adorable cat-themed food truck.

Maneki-neko yakidofu – Japanese Oden
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Phone: 0968-972982
Address: Please refer to the fan page for daily locations
Business hours: Monday to Sunday 18:15–01:00, closed on Saturdays

Hu Li, smiling happily
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