Juan Vietnamese Food Stall

Review

Juan Vietnamese Food Stall is tucked inside Nantun Market next to Fuchun Ba-wan, a few steps from Wanhe Temple and Nantun Old Street. The Vietnamese owner cooks, and most customers are local shoppers; it is often full even on weekdays. The space is small, but a dining area at the back with a Hiyoriya sign is unusual for a traditional market; strollers and other bulky items must stay outside.

The fixed menu includes seafood pho, beef pho, fresh spring rolls, fried spring rolls, banh mi and Vietnamese coffee, plus rice vermicelli, glass noodles, fried rice and grilled pork rice. The most popular seafood pho has a clear broth lifted with scallions and pepper, topped with shrimp, fish balls, pork liver, lean pork, quail eggs, wontons, greens and bean sprouts; the noodles are smooth without going soft, and the portion is large. Fresh spring rolls come four to an order, filled with vermicelli, lettuce, shrimp or grilled pork and herbs, with a sweet-sour dip of pickled radish and peanuts. The banh mi is toasted to order, crisp outside and soft inside, filled with lettuce, cucumber, pickled radish and ham or smoked chicken, spread with pork liver pâté rather than mayonnaise. A different special appears each day, such as crab rice noodles, served with a whole small crab, shrimp, fried tempura, pork blood and mushrooms.

Bloggers widely praise it as light, tasty and cheap, with a sweet, clean broth and generous spring rolls, calling it a hidden gem of the market. There are other views: the broth is mild and some add chili themselves; the Vietnamese coffee with condensed milk is very sweet; and the pâté in the banh mi delights some and puts others off. On prices, Supertaste says most items cost NT$80 to NT$100 and crab rice noodles were NT$80 in 2021, but recent diners mention NT$120 a bowl, so go by the board on site; sources also disagree on whether the crab noodles are served on Tuesday or Wednesday.

It opens from 7:00 to 13:00 and closes when sold out. Closing days are disputed, with some sources saying Monday and others Monday and Tuesday, so check before going. Find your own seat; condiments, including three chili sauces, are self-serve, and free iced green tea sits in the corner. Parking around the market is difficult, so walk or come by scooter.

It suits anyone exploring Nantun Old Street who wants an authentic Vietnamese brunch, especially on a hot day. First-timers can order a seafood pho and a plate of fresh spring rolls; groups can add a banh mi to share.