A-Cai Beef Soup (Gubao St. Main Store)

Review

The original A-Cai Beef Soup sits on Gubao Street right beside Anping Old Fort and is one of the beef soup shops most often recommended to visitors of Anping Old Street. It stresses using beef slaughtered the same day at the Shanhua cattle market, and its menu revolves around beef, from soups and beef noodles to stir-fries. It began as a word-of-mouth local favorite and has since become a place tourists come specifically to queue for.

The signature beef soup is made by placing raw slices in the bowl and pouring in boiling broth until they turn pink, leaving the meat tender and sweet in a clear, light broth. A typical order adds a plate of beef stir-fried with Chinese kale or a bowl of beef offal soup, plus minced beef rice; a self-service station offers ginger strips and several sauces so you can season to taste.

Most diners praise the fresh beef, honest portions and fair prices, and many overseas travelers write about eating here several days in a row. Complaints focus on the broth tasting salty to some, and the minced beef rice being fatty and a little soft. Crowds have grown in recent years, so expect a queue at peak times, and beef can sell out if you arrive late in the evening.

The shop is plain, with some seats under the arcade, little space and no dedicated parking. For more comfort, the second branch on Pingfeng Road has a large paid parking lot opposite and also serves beef hot pot. Opening hours and closing days differ between sources, with some saying it closes on Wednesdays and others Tuesday to Thursday, so check before going.

It suits first-time visitors to Tainan who want to try fresh beef soup while exploring the Anping Old Street area. Order one bowl of beef soup per person, and with two or more people share a plate of beef with Chinese kale and a bowl of offal soup; arriving outside meal peaks or before opening makes things easier.