You can even taste the savory richness of the Lu sauce in the very last bite of rice—this is the legendary “Black Gold Lu Rou Fan”!

Text and photos byXiao Hu’s Dream Food Blog

When it comes to Taiwanese street food, “Lu Rou Fan” always ranks first in my heart. And when I say “Lu Rou Fan,” my top flavor choice is only “Xiao Wang.” Even after five or six years, my love hasn’t changed. In that time, I’ve eaten at no fewer than 200 Lu Rou Fan shops, yet among the 50 that inspire me to write about them, Xiao Wang remains firmly on the list.

Xiao Wang’s Clear Soup Pickled Melon Pork is located in Huaxi Street, where it enjoys quite a bustling business. It’s also a favorite spot for many long-time Taipei residents, especially those from Wanhua—even though it’s not as bustling as it used to be.

Established in 1975, it has been around for 40 years now. The reason Xiao Wang’s Clear Soup Pickled Melon Pork is famous lies entirely in its bowl of what locals call the “Black Gold Lu Rou Fan.”

At the back of the shop, there’s an air-conditioned dining area, but you’ll need to order and pay for your meal outside before going in.

I think this might have been the most items I’ve ordered in the dozens of times I’ve visited—pretty much everything I could get my hands on.

There are three reasons why I love this bowl of Lu Rou Fan. First, the color of the Black Gold is incredibly enticing. The thick sauce looks salty, but it actually has a slightly sweet aftertaste with a rich umami aroma. Of course, the diced pork, which looks mostly fatty, melts in your mouth with a slightly sticky, gelatinous texture—and that’s the main reason I keep coming back for more. The third reason is that the rice here is also cooked perfectly, and the sauce lingers all the way to the last bite, letting you savor the savory richness of the Lu juice. Delicious doesn’t even begin to describe this bowl of Lu Rou Fan, which will forever remain my number one.

I love mushrooms, so sometimes I order the Mushroom Lu Rou Fan. Eating it with mushrooms adds a slightly chewy, smooth texture, and the mushrooms, coated in that incredible sauce, are delicious even on their own. However, I rarely order it because the cost-performance ratio isn’t that high.

There’s a little trick to eating Lu Rou Fan at Xiao Wang: sprinkle some pepper on it. Perhaps because the sauce is quite thick, adding pepper helps cut through the richness and adds a nice aroma. But I’ve tried sprinkling pepper on other Lu Rou Fan shops, and it often ends up overpowering the flavors.

Additionally, there’s another way to enjoy Xiao Wang’s Lu Rou Fan—if you happen to also order a Lu Dan (preserved egg). For the record, Xiao Wang uses duck eggs for their Lu Dan, so the yolk is especially large and rich, giving a very satisfying bite. The egg has a strong eggy flavor, with a thin but crispy and chewy white. However, the sauce doesn’t penetrate the egg as well as it could.

Slice the Lu Dan in half—one half you can eat on its own, and the other you can mix the yolk into the Lu Rou Fan. The already thick texture becomes even more velvety, and along with the sauce’s aroma, you get the added fragrance of the duck egg yolk, which also helps cut down on some of the greasiness. The texture does become a bit drier, but fortunately, Xiao Wang never lacks a good bowl of soup.

The overly salty flavor also appears in the dark, chewy “meat” (likely referring to the pickled melon or another component). I have to be honest—Xiao Wang’s chewy meat is great in terms of melt-in-your-mouth texture and sweetness, but I often find that the lean parts tend to be a bit dry, perhaps due to being cooked for too long.

The cabbage is relatively refreshing, but it tastes just like what you’d expect. I don’t eat it often.

Another favorite among regulars and foodies at Xiao Wang is their fried tofu. The outside is nicely seasoned with Lu flavor, and the tofu itself is smooth and tender. However, I’ve always felt it’s a bit on the salty side...

Lastly, one of the reasons I might prefer Xiao Wang’s Lu Rou Fan is their “Pickled Melon Soup.” I’ve loved this soup since I was a kid. I vaguely remember my mom used to make “Mushroom Pickled Melon Chicken Soup,” and the pickled melon used in it was this red canned variety. After all these years, if you want to have a bowl of such pickled melon soup in Taipei, “Xiao Wang” is pretty much your only option. Sometimes, I have to admit I come here more for the “pickled melon soup” than for the Lu Rou Fan. Aside from the sweet, melony broth, the red meatballs in the soup are also a favorite among regulars—chewy, hearty, and getting sweeter the more you eat them. It’s definitely one of my favorite spots in Taipei.

Xiao Wang Clear Soup Pickled Melon Pork
Address: No. 4, Lane 17, Huaxi Street, Wanhua District, Taipei City
Phone: (02)2370-7118
Business Hours: 09:00–20:00 (Closed on Tuesdays)

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