Wang Wang Misua Paste

Review

Wang Wang Misua Paste sits on Minzu Road at the far end of Lukang's First Market, right next to Rou Geng Quan, and it is the misua paste shop locals mention first. Supertaste dates its founding to 1930, while Smile Taiwan records that the first owner, Wang Chao-yang, moved from Yilan to Lukang and supported his whole family with a single misua stall. A 2024 news report says two third-generation brothers now run it, so it is close to a century old.

Lukang misua paste is not the oyster-and-intestine version common in northern Taiwan. The bowl holds fine, pale wheat noodles with strips of lean pork, ribbons of egg and dried shrimp, and the shrimp aroma is what defines it. Reviews describe a silky broth in which everything except the pork nearly melts, so you can practically drink it. The flavor is mild, and most articles suggest tasting it plain first, then adjusting with black vinegar, pepper or chili sauce. It is the only thing on the menu, so ordering is easy.

Media and bloggers mostly praise the low price and an old-fashioned taste that has not changed in decades, and recent pieces note the broth is lightly sweet without heavy thickening. Others find it too bland, so fans of bold flavors will rely on the condiments on the table. Prices have followed costs: about NT$25 a decade ago, then NT$30, and from November 2024 NT$35 for a small and NT$45 for a large, which the owners linked to higher pork, gas and labor costs. Check the board on site.

Opening hours vary slightly between sources, roughly from 5:30 or 6:00 in the morning until about 6:30 in the evening. It is busy on weekdays and weekends alike; seating is limited and the room is a plain traditional eatery, but food comes out fast and tables turn over quickly, so waits are usually short. Locals often carry it away in a plastic bag and sip as they walk, which makes takeaway easy. The First Market is right there for meat soup, crystal dumplings or ba-wan afterwards.

It suits anyone who wants an authentic Lukang breakfast for a few dozen dollars. Order a small bowl, try a few spoonfuls plain, then add black vinegar and chili sauce. If you want more, add a bowl of squid and pork thick soup from Rou Geng Quan next door, a very common local pairing.