Chang Ji Rice Noodle Ice

Review

Chang Ji Rice Noodle Ice trades from a bicycle-tricycle cart under the arcade at No. 116 Yongxing Street in North District, on the corner of Yongxing and Dehua streets. A TV food show called it a 60-year-old stall, it is a classic in many Taichung residents' childhood memories, and Business Today lists it among traditional old-brand ice makers. It opens only in summer and is known for its entirely handmade mi tai mu, short, soft rice noodles.

You choose three toppings to go over shaved ice: rice noodles, starch jelly, brown sugar starch jelly, tapioca pearls, grass jelly, red beans and mung beans, all cooked in-house according to the stall. The most popular combination is rice noodles with starch jelly and tapioca pearls. Reports describe the noodles as smooth, soft and pleasantly springy, unchanged over the years; the shaved ice is slightly coarse, and with syrup poured over it tastes old-fashioned. The TV show also singles out the starch jelly, known locally as gu-liu. Sweetness can be adjusted to taste.

Most reviews praise the handmade noodles, the home-cooked toppings and the nostalgic flavor, and every summer a queue forms in front of the cart. The more negative comments focus on price, with some online reviewers feeling it has become much more expensive than before. Seating is plastic tables and chairs under the arcade with no air conditioning, so expect to sweat a little even while eating ice.

Any three toppings cost NT$60, with each extra NT$10. Sources disagree on hours: one gives 10:45 Monday to Saturday and 10:20 on Sunday, another gives 10:30, with closing around 6pm. Some say it opens every day and others say it closes on Wednesdays, and it trades only in summer, so be sure to check before you go. Long lines often form around opening time, so be ready to wait. No source mentions parking or payment methods.

It suits anyone wanting traditional handmade shaved ice in summer who does not mind eating at the roadside. On a first visit, order the classic trio of rice noodles, starch jelly and tapioca pearls, and ask for less sugar if you prefer it lighter.