Popular late-night snack at Taoyuan Railway Station: Crispy salted chicken that requires a 1.5-hour wait

Text and photos byViviyu

The most famous crispy salted chicken spot behind Taoyuan Railway Station is probably Old Stall Barbecue. Back in the day when it was still a small food cart, you had to wait at least half an hour after ordering. The first time we bought it, we waited nearly half an hour just sitting in the car. Now that it has a proper store, business is still booming. When there aren’t many people inside, it might make you think you won’t have to wait long—but actually, everyone knows to call ahead first. The cart is usually lined with a full circle of items waiting to be grilled, and waiting an hour is pretty normal…

One evening, after dinner, I felt kind of empty, passed by Old Stall, got drawn in by the aroma, and ended up stopping to order a basket...

See how there’s not much food on the counter? That’s because there are too many customers—they genuinely can’t keep up with restocking. They do gradually add more, but since the ingredients on display aren’t refrigerated, they can’t pile up too much or they’ll spoil.

The focus of this photo isn’t the pork blood cake—it’s the red baskets lined up above, and that’s not even all of them. There were more baskets lined up below us, so we ended up waiting 1.5 hours for our food. Luckily, we went home and picked it up when it was ready.

In terms of ingredients, they stick to more traditional choices. Even without too much creativity, the place is incredibly popular—I think it’s mainly because of their grilling skills.

As for the selection of ingredients, it’s actually quite varied. There’s also a notice board for their days off, so to avoid showing up when they’re closed, it’s best to call ahead to check and place your order, then just pick it up when it’s ready.

After opening the storefront, the grill and fryer can handle more orders at once, and they’ve added more staff. Compared to when it was just a husband-and-wife operation, they definitely have more equipment now—but business is still insanely good, which means even longer wait times…

The back of the business card lists the prices of various ingredients. Take one home with you, and next time you want to place an order, you can just point to what you want. The prices aren’t high—pretty mid-range.

We ordered these two big plates. After taking a shower and heading home, it really felt like a proper late-night meal. My kid got the sausage skewers, while my favorite was the pork blood cake and fish cakes. The total came out to 245 NT$, which is actually more expensive than a bento box—but every now and then, you just crave it. Especially on a Friday night when you want to relax and watch TV, it makes a great pairing.

The fish cakes and crispy chicken are fried, not grilled. I like my fish cakes a bit firmer, and Old Stall’s fish cakes are just the texture I like. We didn’t get spicy ones because the kids were eating, but otherwise, I prefer the mildly spicy flavor.

Just one taste of Old Stall Barbecue’s skewers and you’ll understand why it’s so popular—the sauce isn’t too heavy, and the ingredients are grilled to perfection. They’re not overly salty, either. Some grilled food stalls slather on the sauce to avoid burning the ingredients, but Old Stall’s flavors are well-balanced and fragrant. Especially the pork blood cake—it’s soft, fragrant, and absolutely delicious. I love it~

Friends in Taoyuan, if you get the chance, call ahead to place an order and try this little snack from behind the train station. The shop also sells its own barbecue sauce—you have to reserve it in advance. It might be a good idea to pre-order some before the Mid-Autumn Festival so you can enjoy the same great taste at home~~

Netizens say Songbo Barbecue in the south has an even longer wait—I haven’t worked up the courage to queue up yet, but I hope to try it someday…

Old Stall Crispy Salted Chicken
Address: No. 168, Dalin Road, Taoyuan District, Taoyuan City
Phone: 0910255561, 0935016882
Business Hours: 5 PM – 12 AM

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