No holding back—get the whole squid. Don’t miss this fresh, chewy delicacy in Huwei.

Text and photos byDouglas Fang

Ever since I started writing food reviews on my blog, I often refer to other bloggers’ posts to try restaurants I’ve never been to. For Yunlin, Catzi’s Time Travel is one of the blogs I frequently visit. After seeing this pasta place in Huwei on Catzi’s blog and being drawn in by the whole squid, I came to Huwei in mid-July but left empty-handed. It wasn’t until my first visit at the end of August that I kept coming back multiple times. After trying many of the dishes, I organized my photos and wrote this food review.

Squid Kitchen is located right across from Huwei University of Science and Technology, and there’s not too much trouble finding parking nearby.

The space inside isn’t small, but during meal times, it gets packed with diners.

There’s a slight downside, though—the restaurant has a semi-open layout. Although there’s air conditioning, it can sometimes get a bit warm while eating.

You can also see the semi-open kitchen, where all the dishes are made to order. So when it’s busy, you might have to wait a bit.

Menu~~~

The restaurant offers a variety of pairing options. The risotto and pasta come in five flavors: white wine sauté, Mexican style, classic tomato, green pesto with nuts, and Italian butter. Each flavor can be paired with different mains such as seafood, greens, or pork and chicken. Additionally, you can upgrade to grilled for an extra $30, add today’s soup for $10, or add pasta/rice for $10. The restaurant also provides free black tea.
For the portion sizes at Squid Kitchen, they’re quite generous—you can feel full without adding extra rice or pasta. There are also fried snacks available.

Classic Tomato Pasta with Chef’s Squid ($140)

Don’t doubt it—this is the signature dish at Squid Kitchen: a whole, intact squid. Honestly, getting to eat a whole squid like this gives amazing value for money.
The squid is simply seasoned with a bit of spice and sauce, then grilled. It’s super chewy and incredibly fresh. When you come to Squid Kitchen, you absolutely have to order this.
The classic tomato pasta, or marinara, has a strong tomato aroma, with a slight tanginess that really whets the appetite. The noodles still have a firm bite in the center, so they’re not overly soft, yet they retain the typical al dente texture.
At Squid Kitchen, the pasta isn’t drained super dry—you can still see some sauce at the bottom. This keeps the noodles juicy, while still well-seasoned. Preferences may vary, but I personally think it’s great this way.

Italian Butter Risotto with Chef’s Squid ($140)

I originally wanted to order the white wine sauté risotto, but the staff said it’s lighter in flavor, so I went with the Italian butter risotto instead. The texture of the risotto here still has some firmness to the grains—it’s not overly mushy. As for the Italian butter (aka white sauce), it’s not overly rich but still captures the essence of a classic white sauce.

White Wine Sauté Pasta with Italian Chicken ($95)

The Italian chicken is marinated with a hint of spice, and the white wine sauté has a lighter flavor compared to the creamy white sauce. It’s refreshing with a subtle hint of white wine.

Mexican Style Pasta with Mixed Seafood ($120, add pasta)

If you like bold flavors, try the Mexican style. It may look plain, but the taste is rich and layered with plenty of aroma. Those who can’t handle spicy food should think twice before ordering this.
The mixed seafood here is quite generous, including fish, clams, and squid—very satisfying!!!

Green Pesto with Nuts Pasta with Chef’s Squid ($140)

Green Pesto with Nuts Risotto with Mixed Seafood ($110)

Classic Tomato Risotto with Crispy Chicken Cutlet ($95)

The restaurant’s fried sides—including the pork and chicken cutlets that come with the mains, as well as crispy potatoes—are all highly recommended. They’re all freshly fried.
For pork and chicken cutlets, if you’re in the mood for a hearty meaty meal, these are a great choice. The portions are quite large, crispy golden on the outside but not greasy.

Today’s Soup ($30) (add $10 to main)

Chicken McNuggets (6 pcs, $40), Crispy Fries ($40).

Basically, the classic white sauce, red sauce, and green sauce are all pretty great choices. It’s highly recommended that first-time diners who can’t decide on a flavor just pick one of the three. For those who enjoy bold and spicy flavors, the Mexican option is strongly recommended—it has an amazing aroma. Aside from the signature squid dish, which is an absolute must-try for its great value, the chicken cutlet and pork cutlet are also highly recommended. Everything is freshly fried, so it’s not greasy at all. The Italian-style chicken is marinated and has a subtle hint of spices, making it a good non-fried alternative.

All in all, Squid Kitchen not only offers great value for money but also provides excellent customer service. The staff will check in to ask how you’re enjoying your meal and will enthusiastically introduce the dishes. The dining environment at Squid Kitchen is also very clean and bright, with the only minor downside being that it can get a bit warm.
Another point worth mentioning is that out of the three times I visited, on two occasions the staff came over to inform us that they had accidentally made risotto instead of pasta, asked if that was okay, and offered complimentary fried items as an apology. This level of service attitude is truly commendable. However, it would be even better if the orders were always correct~~~~

【PasTaco Fresh Restaurant & Squid Kitchen Houwei Italian Pasta】

Address: No. 53, Wenhua Road, Huwei Township, Yunlin County

Phone: 05-6366505

Business Hours: 11:30–14:00, 17:30–20:00 (Closed on Wednesdays)

Squid Kitchen Facebook Fan Page

Douglas Fang explores the world with you — Food Discovery × Attraction Exploration × Visual Documentation