Beigang Tsai Tube Rice Cake (Yancheng)

Review

Beigang Tsai Tube Rice Cake sits at No. 167 Hexi Road in Yancheng District, a short walk from the Love River, and its name points to a family recipe that traces back to Beigang in Yunlin. It is the only Yancheng snack shop on the recent MICHELIN Bib Gourmand lists, appearing in the 2024, 2025 and 2026 editions, and Supertaste notes it has been listed for several years in a row, so it is a regular stop on Yancheng food walks.

The signature tube rice cake is steamed in a small cup, turned out onto the plate, then dressed with braising sauce, minced pork, pork strips and young ginger. The rice is soft and sticky and soaks up the sauce, so it needs no extra dip. The other dish on nearly every table is the steamed egg soup, silky custard in a light broth with shiitake and lean pork. Portions are small; two items make a meal for one, and bigger eaters can add a braised egg or another soup.

Praise focuses on the well-seasoned rice, the friendly prices and the homely egg soup, and many visitors from abroad see it as a true taste of everyday Taiwan. Critics find the soups lightly seasoned and the flavours plain, saying it is not special enough to queue for, and some complain that the portions are small and you need several dishes to feel full.

Online listings show hours of roughly noon to 8 p.m., closed Wednesdays; confirm before you go. Peak meal times are busy, so arriving outside noon and early evening makes a seat easier to find. Supertaste lists the tube rice cake at NT$50 and the egg soup at NT$50, so most people spend under NT$200. It is a plain, traditional eatery and parking nearby is tight, so taking the light rail or MRT to Yancheng and walking is easiest.

Good for anyone who wants a Bib Gourmand snack for pocket change, or a quick bite while exploring Pier-2 or the Love River. First-timers should order one rice cake and one egg soup, the standard pairing; groups can share an extra soup such as bitter melon and pork rib, which diners also praise for being refreshing. Add sauce if you like stronger flavours, or eat it as it comes.