Hua Rong Seafood Restaurant

Review

Dongshi Township is the oyster heartland of the Chiayi coast. Hua Rong Seafood Restaurant sits in Wengang Village, not far from Budai, and is named in several Chiayi seafood roundups. Reports say it was selected as a featured restaurant at the 2010 Taiwan Culinary Exhibition. The building is plain, like a family seafood house in a fishing village, yet many food lovers drive out just for a plate of oyster vermicelli.

The signature is dry-fried oyster vermicelli. Unlike the usual thickened oyster vermicelli soup, it is stir-fried over high heat with no broth, so the noodles soak up the sauce without turning mushy, the wok aroma comes through, and the oysters are plump. Other seafood is cooked to order from the day's catch, and staff suggest whether each fish is best steamed, pan-fried or made into soup, so you taste fishing-village cooking at its simplest.

Reviews are mostly positive. Diners commonly say the seafood is fresh and not over-seasoned, the vermicelli holds far more oysters than versions in harbour tourist areas, service is warm and prices are fair. Downsides include the basic premises and ordinary surroundings, with some diners bothered by flies. Much of the seafood is priced by market rate, so without asking first, the bill can exceed expectations.

Google lists lunch from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and dinner from 5 to 7:30 p.m., closed Wednesdays, so dinner ends early; sources may differ, so check before you go. The restaurant is beside a rural road in Wengang, public transport is inconvenient and driving is recommended. Weekend lunchtimes are busy, so consider phoning ahead. When ordering seafood, choose at the ice display and ask staff to explain prices and cooking methods.

It suits travellers visiting Dongshi Fisherman's Wharf, Waisanding Sandbar or Aogu Wetland, and families or friends who want home-style fishing-village seafood without fancy décor. For two to four people, order a plate of dry-fried oyster vermicelli, a fresh fish of the day and an oyster dish; on a budget, the vermicelli and a bowl of soup are satisfying on their own.