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.)

Bite-sized Rice Dumplings (or Zongzi, 粽子)

“Zongzi” (粽子) are pyramid-shaped glutinous rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves. Some are just rice. Others have savoury fillings such as pork, salted egg, mushrooms and boiled peanuts. Some have sweet dips. These zongzi are special because they’re called 一口粽子, or literally, One Bite Dumpling.



By the time we got to the store, which was just before noon, there was little selection left. The family makes a certain amount each day, and if they’re gone, they’re gone! They’re not cheap though – they range from 5 – 7 NT per dumpling, depending on the filling.

Parking: Moderate (depends on time of day – it is a small alley, but because it is, you can do whatever you want!)

Price: Moderate

Directions: From MAK, Take Hwy 1 south and exit at Zhong Zheng Rd. (中正路). As you come off the ramp, go straight past the big intersection of Zhong Zheng Rd. Follow the signs leading you to the next big street south of there, called San Duo Rd. (三多路). Take a left, and drive about 5-10 minutes until Fude Rd. (福德路). You should see a special school on your right called 三信家商. Right across from the front entrance of the school is a small alley. Turn left into this alley and you’ll see the store on your left-hand side, almost at the end of the alley.

Hours of operation: Unknown, but probably early morning (by 11am) is best.

Fried bread at the Dashe morning market

Among the multitude of delicious foods at Dashe's morning market is one little stand selling fried bread with a variety of toppings, such as an egg, ham, cheese, etc., with each topping being an extra 5-10 NT or so on top of the initial 15 NT. Everything tastes best fresh.

Look for the little stand that looks like this:

You'll see someone cooking up the fried bread like this:

And here's their menu:

Directions from MAK: Go into Dashe on the main road (Jhong Shan Rd. 中山路). At the first major intersection (where there is a Hi-Life Convenience Store), turn left. You'll now be on the morning market road (Jin Long Rd. 金龍路). Follow this road for a bit through the morning market. This stand is located on the left-hand side of the road as you head away from Jhong Shan Rd. It's near a store that sells bedding and is not far after an alley that leads to the left into the morning market. Sometimes, there's someone selling colorful rice/bean milk and sandwhiches next door.


Parking: Moderate. Park as you would for the morning market.

Costs: Economical.