Locals' breakfast choice: The unnamed egg pancake in Sanchong, New Taipei — served with an iron clip, super unique

Text and photos by /Zhou Huahua

Ever since joining a foodie group, I’ve been constantly tempted by all kinds of food. One day, when I saw this novel iron-clip omelet pancake, I immediately tagged my friend from Sanchong. Do even breakfasts in Sanchong have to be this epic? It was a rare daytime visit to Sanchong with some extra time on our hands, and despite the light rain that had just started, we decided to rush over for breakfast anyway.

Sanchong Elementary School Handmade Iron-Clip Omelet Pancake & Scallion Pancake
Recommendation Rating: ★★★☆☆ 3 stars
Short Review: A recommended omelet pancake in Sanchong—eating a fried iron-clip omelet is a uniquely fun experience.

My friend in the back seat navigated like a pro, weaving through alleys and quickly getting us there. The breakfast spot is located at the corner of Xiujiang Street near Ren’ai Street. It’s just a 3-minute walk from Sanchong Elementary School MRT Station. There’s no signboard, no official name. Locals reportedly call it “The Nameless Omelet Pancake on Xiujiang Street,” while Google lists it as “Sanchong Elementary School Handmade Iron-Clip Omelet Pancake & Scallion Pancake.” But if you hear people refer to it as “Sanchong’s Nameless Omelet Pancake” or “Sanchong’s Iron-Clip Omelet Pancake,” they’re talking about this same place. A nameless shop often comes with many names.

Hidden within a residential area, its bright red signboard is very eye-catching—you won’t miss it. Business is pretty brisk on weekends and daytime hours, almost fully seated, but it actually stays open until 6:30 PM. You could also choose to come during an off-peak afternoon slot.

The simple menu is written on the wall, with prices ranging from NT$10 to NT$35—very affordable. In addition to the signature omelet pancakes and scallion pancakes, there are also options like steamed buns, rice balls, Chinese fried dough sticks with flatbread, xiaolongbao (soup dumplings), and sweet or savory soy milk. With not too many items, it’s pretty much your standard Chinese-style breakfast shop setup. Most people come here for the omelet pancakes though.

The auntie expertly “fries” the omelet pancakes, which is somewhat similar in concept to Hualien’s fried scallion omelet pancakes—but the presentation of the egg is completely different. The wrapper is handmade by the shop, and yet it’s sold at such an affordable price. All I can say is, Sanchong is truly a wonderful place. Despite being packed with customers, the service is super fast—the pancakes are ready and served in the blink of an eye.

Scallion Pancake — NT$15, Omelet Pancake — NT$25

Before introducing the omelet pancake, allow me to share a cute story (?) Here’s what happened: the menu lists two items, “omelet pancake” and “scallion pancake.” As a professional blogger, I naturally felt the need to introduce both and ideally do a comparison so readers could have a reference. So when ordering, I decided to get one of each. Little did I know—they’re actually the same thing!! The scallion pancake is just the omelet pancake without the egg!! I was expecting something thick and heavy with flour texture!!

My friend laughed about this the entire morning. He kept shaking while eating, and I was a bit worried he might get indigestion. In the end, I just want to tell everyone: just order the “omelet pancake,” okay?

Alright, the biggest highlight of this shop is eating the omelet pancake with an “iron clip”—you just clamp it and take a big hearty bite. They don’t offer any slicing service. Just pick up the pancake and eat it straight from the clip.

You can tell from the appearance how “crispy” the fried omelet pancake is. The texture is indeed quite good, though I found it a bit oily for my taste. Be sure to eat it while it’s hot—the oiliness becomes more pronounced once it cools down. Aside from the savory aroma of the scallions and egg inside, there’s almost no other seasoning. I’d suggest pairing it with the chili sauce on the table. Season your own pancake—what a fun and delicious concept.

The scallion pancake itself is really just a fried flatbread with a little bit of scallions. Basically, no one would order just the pancake—it has little flavor and even more oil.

Personally, I find the fun factor of this omelet pancake higher than its taste level. After all, eating a fried omelet pancake on an empty stomach in the morning isn’t for everyone’s stomach. I still prefer a lighter breakfast.

But eating an omelet pancake with an iron clip is genuinely pretty fun—just remember not to accidentally order the scallion pancake.

Sanchong Elementary School Handmade Iron-Clip Omelet Pancake & Scallion Pancake
Address: No. 226, Xiujiang Street, Sanchong District, New Taipei City
Phone: 0932 240 318
Business Hours: Monday–Sunday 05:30–18:30

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