Hong Ji Food Shop (Yamuliao Pudding)

Review

Hong Ji Food Shop is on Yumin Street in the North District, inside Yamuliao Market, and locals mostly just call it Yamuliao pudding or granny's pudding. Media reports say the craft has passed down to a fifth generation; it is one of the few stalls in the market famous for a dessert and often appears on must-buy lists for the market.

The pudding is made in the old-fashioned way, with a natural egg aroma and a texture that is firm yet very smooth, and not too sweet. The caramel at the bottom carries a slight bitterness that balances the sweetness nicely. Besides the single small puddings there is a giant pudding of impressive size, which looks spectacular when cut and is why many people make a special trip to photograph it.

Praise focuses on the strong egg flavour, low prices and the feeling that it beats many beautifully packaged puddings; one buyer regretted getting only one. Negatives are rare. The most common warnings are that the packaging is simple with no seal, so buying a lot on a hot day is unwise, that there is a per-person purchase limit, and that giant puddings are few and gone for late arrivals.

It opens roughly 07:00 to 12:00 and closes Mondays; the market itself gets going early, so aim for the first half of the morning. Sources disagree on the small pudding's price, from NT$15 to about NT$22–23 according to recent buyers, so check before you go; the large pudding is about NT$85. The weekend-only giant pudding is best reserved in advance. Puddings keep only about an hour at room temperature or three days in the fridge.

It suits anyone exploring Yamuliao Market who wants a sweet treat, and fans of old-style puddings. Buy two or three small puddings to eat on the spot first, then consider a large one if you love it; if you are taking them back to your hotel, refrigerate them quickly. You can have breakfast in the market and save the pudding for dessert.