He Jih Hsiang (Minzu Road)

Review

He Jih Hsiang stands at No. 163 Minzu Road in Hsinchu's East District. The MICHELIN Guide lists it as the Minzu Road shop, says it opened in 2015 and describes a simple, clean dining room. It entered the Bib Gourmand list in 2025 and remains in the 2026 guide, and both United Daily News and Supertaste name its old-style braised pork rice with a fried egg as the signature. The brand has other outlets in Hsinchu, but MICHELIN recommends this Minzu Road shop.

The signature is the sunny rice: according to MICHELIN, fresh pork is simmered for ten hours into a braised sauce, spooned over white rice and topped with a half-cooked fried egg. Breaking the yolk and stirring it into the sauce coats every grain with egg and pork juices, the way most diners eat it. The guide also mentions the house-made relish of small fish, chilli and preserved radish; spice lovers can add a little for a salty, fiery kick that goes well with rice. Soups and blanched greens round out the meal.

Fans say the egg is cooked precisely and mixing yolk with sauce is deeply satisfying, with some calling it one of the best braised pork rice dishes they have had; prices are friendly, and a little over NT$100 fills you up. Critics find the sauce on the sweet side and the rice a little wet, needing pepper or chilli to balance; others note that most tableware is disposable paper, tables are not always tidy at busy times, and the side dishes are ordinary.

Online information gives hours of roughly 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and 5:00 to 8:00 p.m., closed on Mondays; the MICHELIN page lists only the lunch session, so check evening service before going. MICHELIN notes that credit cards are accepted and the room is air-conditioned. Street parking along Minzu Road is hit-and-miss, so a scooter or walking is easier, and you may wait briefly for a seat at peak times.

It suits anyone after an affordable Bib Gourmand meal or a classic braised pork rice, and office workers wanting a quick lunch. On a first visit, order the sunny rice with a soup and blanched greens; if you like heat, try the fish and chilli relish, and if you find it sweet, add pepper. Expect about NT$100 to NT$200 per person.