Haifeng Meatball (Wonton Master)

Review

Haifeng Meatball's full name is 'Wonton Master Haifeng Meatball'. It operates out of a house in a lane at No. 83 Zhongxing Street in Qingshui, with no proper signboard, only the words for 'meatball' and 'braised pork rice' at the door. Because it sits near a PX Mart supermarket, locals simply call it the 'PX Mart meatball'. It has appeared on Supertaste's Qingshui list and a coastal food TV episode, and a travel site describes it as a hidden local favorite as popular as better-known old shops.

The ba-wan meatballs are fried to order, with a crisp but not hard skin, a different style from the soft-skinned ones common in Qingshui. The filling is tender pork chunks with bamboo shoot or kohlrabi depending on the season. Instead of cilantro and garlic paste, they are topped with green garlic, celery and fried shallots plus sauce, which gives a distinctive aroma. The top soup pick is the light fish-meat yan-wan ball soup, which cuts the oiliness; there is also wonton soup, plus zhajiang noodles and braised pork rice, and raw wontons and yan-wan balls to cook at home. Everything is priced in coins.

Most diners praise the crisp skin, the house sauce and the ball soup, and feel it is worth the detour into the lane. Some think portions are small and the soup only average. Since every meatball is fried to order and phone orders pile up, there can be a wait even when the room looks quiet, so plan accordingly if you are in a hurry.

Hours are 11:00 to 19:00, closed Tuesdays; check the fan page before going. There is no parking at the door and street spaces are scarce, so a travel article suggests the paid lot in front of Ziyun Temple, about an eight-minute walk. Seating is limited, and takeaway is easy.

It suits fans of crispy meatballs and anyone hunting for a locals-only spot. Order one or two meatballs per person with a bowl of yan-wan ball soup, add braised pork rice if still hungry, and take home some raw wontons or balls.