A-Hong Stinky Tofu Guiren

Review

A-Hong Stinky Tofu sits on Minquan North Road. Supertaste's Guiren guide says it was founded in 1997, an afternoon snack locals have eaten since their school days. The shop is small, yet it is the name that appears most on Guiren snack lists, and NOWnews's Guiren roundup recommends it too.

The star is fried stinky tofu in two styles. The numbing-spicy version carries Sichuan pepper tingle and chilli-oil aroma, loved by bold eaters; the crispy-fried one is the classic Taiwanese take with pickled cabbage and sauce. You can choose how it is cut: whole for a softer, tender bite, or halved before frying for a crunchier surface. There is also duck thick soup, and free winter melon tea to cool the heat.

Diners like the spicy sauce, the crisp outside and tender inside, and the fair portions and prices; many call it a must whenever they return to Guiren. Complaints note the tofu is pre-fried and refried, so it can arrive not very hot, there are queues at peak times, and some find the spicy sauce salty. On prices, NOWnews lists NT$65 large and NT$45 small, while Supertaste lists NT$50 small, NT$60 medium and NT$70 large; sources differ, so go by the menu on site.

It opens roughly 2:30 to 6:30 p.m. Closing days vary by source: older reports say Mondays and Thursdays, recent data only Thursdays, so check before going. It is on Minquan North Road with mostly street parking; a scooter is easiest, and bring cash. After-school and after-work hours are busiest, so arriving around 3 p.m. cuts the wait.

It suits anyone after a cheap afternoon snack or a fan of numbing heat. First-timers can order one spicy and one crispy to compare, asking for the crispy one halved for extra crunch; those avoiding spice can stick with crispy and pickles, plus a cup of winter melon tea.