Kaiyuan Fried Spanish Mackerel Thick Soup

Review

Kaiyuan Fried Spanish Mackerel Thick Soup stands on Kaiyuan Road in the North District, near Kaiyuan Temple. It has been running for decades from a plain storefront with no eye-catching sign, yet Tainan food lovers often rank it among the city's top mackerel soups. It was picked as a Michelin Bib Gourmand in recent years and still appears on the 2025 list.

The Spanish mackerel is fried in large pieces and cut afterwards, so the coating stays crisp and the flesh firm even after it sits in the soup. The thick broth is seasoned with bonito flakes and garlic and thickened with sweet potato starch, and it uses bean sprouts instead of the usual napa cabbage, which makes it noticeably sweeter. The braised-pork rice is rich and slightly sweet, and the braised tofu with the house chili sauce is another frequently mentioned order.

Praise centres on the big, freshly fried pieces of fish and the old-school atmosphere of a room full of locals. On the other side, some find the broth too sweet, the bowls small and the prices not exactly cheap; others mention brusque service and longer waits for takeaway orders. There is no air conditioning, so summer meals are sweaty.

Most sources give the hours as roughly 09:00 to 18:30, though some say it stays open until 19:00. Sources also disagree on the closing days, so check before you go. It is cash only, the rice cake (wa-gui) is limited, and braised tofu cannot be ordered on its own. Mid-afternoon around 3 or 4 p.m. is quieter, and there is a large car park across the street.

It suits anyone after a classic bowl of Tainan mackerel soup who does not mind a no-frills setting. Order the fried mackerel soup with a bowl of braised-pork rice, and halfway through add a little black vinegar to balance the sweetness. Milkfish fans can add the fish skin soup or fish belly soup; two people sharing can try more dishes.