Old Street Wan Gui

Review

Old Street Wan Gui sits on Douliu's Taiping Old Street and has fed local families for generations. Supertaste says it is nearly a century old, another report calls it a 90-year-old shop, and several Douliu food guides list it as a must-stop on the old street. The shop is plain, with a simple menu on the wall and only a few seats.

Despite the name, many write-ups and diners rate its old-style egg rice even higher: a fried egg on white rice with soy sauce and minced pork sauce, simple but very satisfying. The rice pudding is soft with a savoury sauce, and there is self-serve oden where you pick items and top them with minced pork sauce, plus noodles and soups.

Diners generally agree prices are kind; rice pudding, egg rice and a soup fill you up for under NT$100, and the flavours are plain and old-fashioned, good for anyone after everyday local food. On the downside, some find the rice pudding ordinary next to the egg rice, and others think the flavours are mild and can disappoint if expectations are high.

The shop has lunch and dinner sessions, roughly 10:30 a.m. to just after 2 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. to just after 7 p.m., with a break in between. It closes on Sundays, and some sources say Saturdays too, so check before going. It is in the Taiping Old Street area, where weekend parking is hard; use a nearby car park and walk.

It suits visitors exploring Taiping Old Street and students or office workers wanting a cheap lunch. Order an egg rice and a rice pudding each, then pick two or three oden items to go with a soup. If you plan to try more shops, share one of each between two and save room for other old-street snacks and ice shops.