The BEST Zhuàngyuɑn Gao (狀元糕)

Zhuangyuan Gao is sweet glutinous rice, steamed into cakes. They’re usually filled with fillings like sesame or red bean. The texture is somewhat like chewy coconut, obviously without the coconut flavour!

The rice powder is first put into wooden cups, filled with another powder of your choice, then topped with more rice. Then they’re stuck into tubes piping extremely hot steam. The vapours help the rice powder congeal, creating yummy bite-sized snacks.
You can purchase 6 cakes for 50 NT, 10 for 80NT and 13 for 100NT. The flavours available are (from left to right): Sesame, pork, red bean, peanut, coconut and almond. I especially like the coconut and almond flavours.




Parking: easy (on a major road)
Price: moderate
Directions: From MAK, take Hwy 10 and exit at Zihyou Rd. (自由路) Go straight under the highway until you hit Bo Ai Rd. (博愛路). Turn left. Go south on this road until you reach DaShun Rd. (大順路). Turn left. Drive until you reach the next MAJOR intersection, which is at Zhonghua First Rd. (中華一路), then turn left again. Keep going south until you get to the overpass and go over it, continuing on Zhonghua Third Rd. After you pass JianGuo Rd. (建國三路), you’ll see a smaller street, called SanMin Street (三民街). It should be the second street after JianGuo. On the southwest corner, you’ll see the stand.
Hours of operation: unknown (but probably in the morning since there’s a market there.)