Wang Yuanye’s Meatballs Shine in Kaohsiung with Taichung’s Time-Honored Recipe

“Wang Yuanye Handmade Meatballs” was founded by the first-generation owner Wang Guangxiong (front row, right) and is now passed on to the second-generation son Wang Jianzhong (back row, right), ensuring the delicious legacy continues. (Photo by Ke Zongwei)

Kaohsiung’s “Wang Yuanye Handmade Meatballs” has stood strong for over 30 years and is a must-try budget-friendly local delight. The first-generation owner, 74-year-old Wang Guangxiong, left his hometown in his youth to apprentice in Taichung, where he mastered the authentic Taichung fried meatball recipe. What started as a small street stall eventually grew into a proper shop. Many fellow migrants from central Taiwan, and even overseas regulars, make a beeline here upon returning from abroad for a taste they miss.

Wang Guangxiong is originally from Pingtung. As a young man, he worked in Taichung delivering meat paste. When a well-known meatball shop in Taichung needed extra hands, he got the chance to assist and learned the authentic way to make Taichung-style meatballs. Later, he returned to Kaohsiung and set up a stall at the intersection of Wufu and Zhongxiao Roads. Since steamed meatballs dominate the southern market, winning over customers posed a challenge.

He said that while southerners prefer steamed meatballs, the central and northern regions make them fried. Compared to five or six nearby steamed meatball shops at the National Market, where each meatball is just 5 NT dollars and very popular, his fried meatballs initially didn’t do well—priced at 15 NT dollars each, he could only sell about 50 per day. But he stuck to his unique path. After two full years, word gradually spread, attracting migrants from central Taiwan to become regulars.

His meatball shop has moved six times and is now located on Liuhe and Zhongxiao Roads. During meal hours, it’s always packed. He explained that the outer layer of the meatballs is made from a perfectly balanced mix of sweet potato starch and rice paste. They use pork shoulder meat from the pig’s upper leg, along with yam to add sweetness, and grind glutinous rice into a paste mixed with miso and red yeast rice to create a slightly pinkish sauce. The result is not greasy, with a chewy, springy exterior and a hearty filling—all for just 30 NT dollars per meatball.

Wang Guangxiong has an exceptional memory and can recall each regular customer’s favorite. Many walk in and simply say “the same,” and he always remembers their preferences. For example, there’s a “Lady from Puli” who enjoys Nantou-style meatballs—she likes to finish the outer layer first, then pour on the broth. The shop even offers customized service to accommodate such preferences.

Wang Guangxiong supported his family of five with these humble meatballs. In recent years, he passed the torch to his youngest son, Wang Jianzhong, who was formerly a career soldier. Unwilling to see his aging father keep working, Wang Jianzhong, after being discharged, joined the business along with his wife. He shared that many customers have been coming since they were young, even bringing their grandchildren along. Some overseas regulars, right after landing, come here to relive the taste—and some have even asked him to teach them how to make the meatballs themselves, so they can enjoy them back in the U.S. whenever they crave a taste of home.