竹蓮肉圓
Hsinchu CityEast DistrictDeli
A traditional red yeast rice ba-wan near Zhulian Market, featuring red yeast rice pork filling and a springy, chewy skin.
At a Glance
Signature Dishes
Ba-wan (Taiwanese Meatball)
The skin ranges from somewhat soft and chewy to springy and resilient; the filling consists of separate chunks of red yeast rice-seasoned pork. The sauce is mildly spicy and can sometimes be salty.
Assorted Soup
The large bowl contains gu zai rou (骨仔肉), fish paste, pork meatballs, and white radish; the meaty components are prominent. The fish paste is smooth, while the gu zai rou has some crispness.
Fish Paste Soup
The broth is clean and lightly sweet, and the small fish-paste pieces are springy rather than powdery; the fish paste soup may also be only average.
Pork Bone Soup
The portion is just right; it may sell out relatively early, and the overall flavor may also be only average.
At a Glance
- Value verdict
- Two pieces of ba-wan cost NT$50; the amount of filling is fairly average.
- Peak hours
- There has been a brief queue around lunchtime, but the wait was not long.
What you should know
Best for
- Those wanting to try Hsinchu-style red yeast rice ba-wan
Avoid if
- If you cannot tolerate any spice, take note
What you should know
- Dine-in has no air conditioning; when the weather is hot, you can opt for takeaway.
- Frozen ba-wan can also be taken home.