Fu Sheng Hao Wa Gui

Review

Founded in 1947 at the corner of Guohua Street and Minzu Road by Yongle Market, Fu Sheng Hao is the shop most often recommended to visitors who want to try wa gui in Tainan. The menu is minimal, just rice cake and fish soup, and Supertaste's ranking of popular Guohua Street snacks puts it at number one.

The wa gui is steamed from ground indica rice batter in the dark-brown southern style, soft and silky with a little bounce, hiding fire-roasted shrimp, chunks of pork and long-braised minced pork under a sweet-savoury sauce. The fish soup is a floating swordfish thick soup with a clean taste, and the pair make an ideal breakfast. Garlic paste, wasabi, sweet chilli sauce and black vinegar are on the table.

Reviewers widely praise the tender rice cake and tasty sauce, which gets more layered with garlic and wasabi, along with fair prices, fast service and efficient staff; even foreign visitors say communicating was easy. Complaints focus on limited seating and shared tables in the morning rush, and some find the sauce too sweet or the difference from nearby rivals small.

It opens around 7 a.m. and runs into the afternoon, closed Thursdays; sources disagree on closing time, citing either 4:30 or 5 p.m., so check before you go. The original spot is a traditional stall, while the adjoining newer shop has air conditioning and a second-floor dining area. Queues build noticeably after 9:30, so come early for a comfortable seat; home delivery can be booked by phone before 1 p.m. The market area makes parking difficult.

Ideal for anyone wanting a classic Tainan breakfast for small change. The standard order is one rice cake and one fish soup, about NT$80 together; stir the sauce in first, then try a little garlic and a dab of wasabi. Takeaway boxes come out quickly if you'd rather eat back at your hotel.