Yunlin Huwei Food Snacks Cheat Sheet: Rice Balls, Shiitake Meatball Soup, Egg Cakes

Text and Photos /Beluga the Little White Whale

Must-try old-school eateries in Yunlin Huwei: [Huwei Squid Ball Soup], [Wang Family Angelica Duck Noodle Soup], [Huwei Public Security Road Meatballs], [Tangshan Rice Ball Bowl | Jun Chao? Bo? ⑹ Lao Qie? Shou Song? Cai Ji Ju Si An? Sou?], and the famously stinky [Dog Poop Noodles]. Huwei Town is the second most important cultural, educational, commercial, and industrial hub in Yunlin County, with a sizable population and many local snacks that have been passed down for decades. I had never been to Huwei before, but during my southern trip last summer, I specially set aside a few hours to indulge in food and fun there.

Notable tourist attractions in Huwei Town: Yunlin Puppet Theater Museum, Yunlin Story House, He Tong Ting She, Huwei Sugar Refinery, Huwei Iron Bridge... I only visitediicake Yunlin Cake Towel CaféandThe Cat on the Roof— next time I visit Yunlin, I definitely need to check out the other spots.

I sped straight from Taipei to Huwei just to make it early to this low-key storefront with an ultra-famous name: the 70-year-old [Dog Poop Noodles]. Knowing they take a lunch break, I rushed there at 10 AM — and still heard the boss say, “Sold out?” Sob~

Original Zheng Lao Pai Dog Poop Noodles
Address: No. 602, Section 1, Lin Sen Road, Huwei Town, Yunlin County　
Phone: N/A　
Business Hours: 05:30–12:00

Failing to get my hands on the “Dog Poop Noodles,” I could only leave dejected, wondering when I’d ever make it back to Huwei again. So I pulled myself together and continued my Huwei food journey, heading straight to [Tangshan Rice Ball Bowl | Jun Chao?], which has been open for over 30 years.

See the price? Nowadays, where else in Taipei — or even my beloved Yilan — can you find a meatball noodle soup for just NT$35?!

At moments like these, I just hate how small my appetite is. I really wanted another bowl | Jun? And naturally, this place, too — the flavors were just perfect.

The boss uses scissors to cut open the chewy skin of the rice balls, not only making them easier to eat, but also allowing the sauce to mix perfectly with the bamboo shoots and meat inside.

Tangshan Rice Ball Bowl |
Address: No. 90, Fu Min Road, Huwei Town, Yunlin County　
Phone: 05-6321050　
Business Hours: 06:00–19:00

After finishing the rice balls, don’t rush off just yet. Just a short stroll away, you can explore the charming Huwei Fu Min Old Street.

Fu Min Old Street was a newly developed district during the Taisho era of Japanese rule. In 2014, traditional red brick paving was laid, giving the old street a fresh new look.

Fu Min Old Street isn’t long, making it easy for anyone to enjoy a leisurely walk. The blend of old and new architectural elements breathes surprising new life into the historic buildings.

From [Tangshan Rice Ball Bowl | Jun?], just a short walk leads to Zhongzheng Road, where you’ll find another hidden gem.

Standing at the intersection of Zhongzheng Road and Hua Nan Road, Hua Nan Bank hides [A Shi Shiitake Meatball Soup] in a small alley nearby.

[A Shi Shiitake Meatball Soup] originally operated as a street stall in the alley before later getting a cozy storefront right next door — truly a hidden gem of an alleyway eatery.

Without any fancy dishes, just a bowl of meatball soup, a bowl of braised pork rice, and a plate of sausages... is enough to win over Huwei locals’ stomachs — for fifty years.

The mushroom meatball soup is packed with mushrooms, bamboo shoots, and pork shoulder meat, offering a rich broth and tender, sweet meat. Though the bowl isn’t large, it was a huge delight for me, a big fan of soup!

Ah Shi Mushroom Meatball Soup
Address: No. 1, Lane 31, South China Road, Huzi Township, Yunlin County　
Phone: 05-6331233　
Business Hours: 07:00～18:00

After finishing the meatballs, I walked from Hua Nan Bank to First Bank. Today, no deposits or withdrawals—just Grandma’s [grilled duck cake].

One of my favorite childhood snacks was egg waffles. Being rather uninformed, I only found out this year that there are also duck cakes!

How long has it been since you last had an egg waffle? And how long since you could buy three egg waffles for just a 10-dollar coin and feel completely satisfied? For over thirty years, the duck cakes lovingly baked by Grandma and Grandpa have been full of egg aroma, charcoal fragrance, and the unique hometown sentiment of Huzi locals.

When Grandma carefully picked out seven duck cakes and handed them to me, I felt both excited and grateful as I held the money in one hand and took photos with the other. Little did I know, I accidentally blurred Grandma in the shot. I was annoyed by the out-of-focus photo, yet it somehow captured the feeling of time flying by. While sorting through the photos on my computer, seeing Grandma’s gaze and the hands that carefully held the paper bag moved me deeply. Twenty dollars may be just two 10-dollar coins to us, but to Grandma, it might be the hard-earned livelihood she works so diligently to earn.

Grilled Duck Cake
Address: No. 83, Zhongzheng Road, Huzi Township, Yunlin County (in front of First Bank Huzi Branch)　
Business Hours: 08:00～16:00 (closed when sold out)

Happy Whale who loves sharing, photography, and traveling
Learning photography joyfully lets me see the world from different perspectives; enjoying delicious food happily allows me to savor life with ordinary happiness.