Popular Late-Night Street Food in Changhua: Satisfyingly Chewy "Rufu Rice"

Text and photos bySan Gao Eats China

A helpful local netizen messaged me on my Facebook page, saying that in my list of Changhua’s iconic rufu rice spots, I missed a late-night option called Ah Zheng, and also recommended several other local snacks. I occasionally get similar messages, though I’ve had to deal with annoying fake recommendations that are actually ads. Anyway—for dinner stop #2, I went to check out Ah Zheng. Like the fish market spot, it’s actually a rufu rice place that only really starts operating during late-night hours.

Ah Zheng is on Yongfu Street near the Confucius Temple. When I arrived around 10:40 PM, it was still being prepared and rather quiet. But as it approached 11 PM, people started showing up one after another? Seeing that, I quickly moved forward—only to find that the first spot was already taken by an elderly lady. Huh? Suddenly a line formed behind her, with even more elderly folks joining in. In Changhua, this is probably the idea that... no matter what time it is, you’ve got to have your rufu rice. (The young folks fall behind—they lost out to the elders and ended up at the back of the line~)

At Ah Zheng, the tendon rice is listed as a separate item—you don’t need to specify the cut. Instead of sliced tendon on skewers, they serve larger chunks with a bit of fat on the edges. The tendons are tender and easy to bite, yet still have bounce. People who enjoy this texture would likely find it quite satisfying. The other bowl was a regular version with slices of meat—the portions were on the larger side. Overall, the meat was tender, and although the braising sauce looked dark, the saltiness was relatively mild, mainly adding fragrance. But compared to a few other rufu rice spots I’ve tried in Changhua where the meat felt lighter and less greasy, this one seemed to have a slightly higher oil content.

I paired it with a dragon bone marrow soup—smooth and silky. It’s a shame the rice was a bit sticky today; otherwise, the overall experience would’ve been even more refreshing. The stir-fried eggplant, Chinese broccoli, and sausages were tasty, with that nice sizzle of oil.

When I left, there was still a long queue of customers. The next morning, I rushed to try Ah Mou, located near Yangming Junior High School. In Changhua, it’s like an addiction—you end up craving rufu rice again just one meal later...

Ah Zheng Rufu Rice
Address: No. 35, Yongfu Street, Changhua City
Business Hours: 11:00 PM ~ Unknown

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