Miao Kou Four Herb Soup & Pork Buns

Review

Miao Kou Four Herb Soup & Pork Buns is at No. 388 Minsheng West Road in Datong District, under a bank arcade at the corner of Minsheng West Road and Dihua Street, and it is a local institution in Dadaocheng. Supertaste's Dadaocheng food guide says the name puns on the Chinese for 'temple front' and that the shop has not moved in more than forty years; blogger Bunny Ann calls it a long-standing favourite that locals rave about and confirms it was still trading in 2026.

The pork bun is the star at NT$25 each, available hot or frozen to take away, with one free for every ten and a box of 11 for NT$250. Supertaste describes a filling of black pepper, onion and scallion with roughly one part fat to three parts lean; the blogger writes of a soft, slightly wheaty skin that releases juice at the first bite, with pronounced pepper and sweet onion. The four herb soup is a purplish-dark broth said to include lotus seeds and herbs, with clean, tender intestines that do not taste gamey, unlike the usual pale versions.

Diners praise the full, juicy buns with plenty of pepper, even better with chilli sauce, and the herbal, generous soup at friendly prices. Some find the pepper too strong or think the buns are just average, and others have arrived to find a temporary closure, so it is worth checking announcements first.

Sources differ on hours: some list Tuesday to Sunday, 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Mondays, while others show Tuesday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., closed Sundays and Mondays, so check before you go. There are very few seats, mostly along the arcade wall, no air conditioning, and it sits right beside a busy road, so keep an eye on children. Queues are common at peak times, but service is quick.

Good for anyone wanting a hot snack while exploring Dihua Street, or pork buns to take home as gifts. First-timers should try one bun with a bowl of four herb soup, adding chilli sauce inside the bun if you like heat; if you want to share with friends and family, just buy a box of eleven.