Bei Hui Crystal Dumplings

Review

Bei Hui Crystal Dumplings is at No. 166 Zhongxiao Road in the East District, near Liu Li-chang Turkey Rice, and is a long-established name locals think of when buying snacks or treats for friends and family. NOWnews calls it a well-known old shop, and Supertaste notes that it has been open for many years with a large base of loyal customers, so there is always a row of people and waiting chairs beside it.

The wrapper is made from sweet potato starch and turns translucent, glossy and chewy once steamed, looking a bit like a ba-wan. Inside are jicama, chunks of pork, mushroom and bamboo shoot, crunchy and tender at once with clear layers of texture. Supertaste recorded a box of five for NT$80, about NT$16 each, with portions bigger than expected and quite filling. The wrapper is mild on its own, so it is best with the house sauce, and some people prefer eating them once cooled.

Fans praise the handmade freshness, generous filling and fair price, and many buy several boxes at once, finishing one in twenty minutes. Complaints mostly concern the queue: some waited forty-five minutes or more and felt it was not worth it, others ran into sell-outs or long waits with little explanation, and opinions on service vary.

Online listings show hours of roughly 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. or until sold out, closed Sundays; NOWnews lists a midday break with reopening at 2 p.m., so sources differ and you should check before you go. A new batch comes out every twenty to thirty minutes, queues form soon after opening, and there are chairs to wait on. Supply is limited, so arrive early if you want several boxes. Zhongxiao Road is busy, and parking nearby is mostly street spaces.

Good for fans of traditional handmade snacks or anyone wanting to take local treats home. First-timers can buy one box of five, eat half on the spot with sauce and take the rest to try cooled. For gifts, two or three boxes at once is common; just allow time for the queue. Expect about NT$80 to NT$160 per person.