Late-night budget eats in Yuanlin: sweet-savory and mildly spicy preserved plum pork belly rice

Text & photos bySan Gao Eats Han

After resting at the hotel until evening, I went out alone to look for food, planning to eat something and then take some back for J. I’ve always felt that the city center of Yuanlin is a nightmare to park during peak nightlife hours. Ideally, it’s better to ride a ubike or borrow a hotel bicycle, but it was drizzling on and off that day. It seems every time I come to Yuanlin, it happens to be raining, so I ended up driving.

I parked in the underground lot next to Yuanlin Cinema and planned to start by eating at the nearby Rouyuan Liu. But when I got there, they were already sold out and closed. So I headed to the nearby Ah Cheng Preserved Plum Pork Belly (their sign simply says “Preserved Plum Pork Belly”). This is pretty much a late-night eatery, open until midnight. Walking in, it feels like a buffet—you choose whether to dine in or get a packed meal.

I ordered preserved plum pork belly rice and miso soup. The owner asked if I wanted any side dishes and told me to just grab a plate and help myself. She also asked if I wanted a sunny-side-up egg? Heck yes~ There’s nothing like a bowl of braised pork rice with a soft-boiled egg late at night—it hits all the right notes. Tonight, I swapped the braised pork for preserved plum pork belly, and it turned out pretty great too.

Having grown up eating Hakka cuisine, I’m a big fan of preserved plum pork belly. This place isn’t a full restaurant—just a braising pot setup. It skips the steaming and “covering” (扣) steps, so it might lack that rich, oily smoothness. But the meat is well-cooked, flavorful, with tender skin and fat that’s soft but not greasy. The lean meat falls apart easily without being dry. The sweetness and saltiness are just right, not overly heavy. The pickled mustard greens on the side are quite fragrant. I think they added (dried?) chili peppers, adding a nice layer of flavor. Very tasty and great with rice.

The sunny-side-up egg came as two freshly fried, runny eggs—so nutritious and uplifting~ Placing them on top of the rice makes it even better. I wanted to pour on more sauce. Paired with a slightly sweet miso soup, it works perfectly.

While eating, I kept hearing the boss respond to customers with “Ho~!” (in Taiwanese). Yup, definitely Uncle Hao. When it came time to pay, the bill was less than NT$100? Later I found out the small plates for veggies are all-you-can-take at a fixed price—it’s an incredibly affordable little spot.

Ah Cheng Preserved Plum Pork Belly
Address: No. 252, Zhongzheng Rd., Yuanlin City, Changhua County
Business Hours: 5:00 PM – 5:00 AM (Closed on Sundays)

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