Ai Zai Cai Braised Pork Rice

Review

Ai Zai Cai Braised Pork Rice started in the cooked-food area on the second floor of Beitou Market and is one of Beitou's most-named breakfast-and-brunch stalls. It has appeared on a CNN list of Taiwanese street food, and many visitors make a special trip. During the market's reconstruction the stall moved to Zone D of the temporary market on Huanggang Road; diners note that map pins have sometimes been off, so look for the Zone D entrance on arrival.

The signature braise is a glossy golden-black, sweetened with rock sugar so it's sweeter than typical Taipei versions; the fatty pork is braised soft but not greasy, and the sauce coats the rice just right while the grains stay distinct. Reports list a small bowl at NT$25 and large at NT$35. Sides include braised egg and braised tofu at NT$10 each, the tofu big and silky; soups include pork rib soup at NT$45 and stuffed bitter melon soup at NT$40, the rib soup with soft-stewed radish and a sweet, smooth taste. Pork knuckle has its fans, though one blogger found it less exciting than the rice. Most of these prices date from 2019 to 2020 and may have changed.

Diners widely praise the melt-in-the-mouth pork and the sweet-savory balance, calling it a Beitou must; some rank it among Taiwan's best. Complaints include the sweetness not suiting everyone, queues of thirty minutes or more with sell-outs before noon, and a family team too busy to be especially warm.

Hours are about 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., closing when sold out, and it's closed Mondays and Thursdays. Queue first to order and pay at the counter, then staff will seat you. Arrive before 11 a.m., earlier on weekends. It's about five minutes' walk from MRT Beitou Station; parking around the market is hard.

It suits early risers exploring Beitou or anyone wanting a Taiwanese brunch before the hot springs. Solo diners can get a small rice with egg and tofu plus rib or bitter melon soup; big eaters can go straight for a large bowl. If you don't like sweet flavors, try a small bowl first.