Xialiao Canteen

Name: Xialiao Canteen
Address: 連江縣南竿鄉復興村136-1號, Matsu, 南竿鄉 Nangan Township, TW
Telephone: 0836-23452
Price range: NT$250–800

Not enough ratingsNT$250–800 / per personTaiwanese

11:30–20:00Closed TuesdaysMatsu Nangan Township

Local favoriteWorth the queue

VerdictA benchmark for red yeast and aged-wine seafood, so book ahead

A seafood canteen in Nangan's Niujiao village, decorated with driftwood and stone walls, built around red yeast and aged rice wine cooking. Aged-wine steamed shrimp and red-yeast fried rice are the signatures, a blackboard lists the day's catch, and booking ahead is almost essential in peak season.

Directions Call

Review

Xialiao Canteen is in Niujiao village, Fuxing Village, Nangan, just a short walk from Yi Ma's Kitchen, and the two names often appear together when media cover Nangan food. Driftwood, shells, bamboo and stone walls give the room the feel of a fishermen's shed, with big round tables in the middle that suit group meals. Many travelers put it on their must-visit list for seafood on Nangan.

The signatures use red yeast and aged rice wine. The aged-wine steamed white shrimp comes in a fragrant, boozy broth with sweet flesh, the red-yeast pork is crisp outside and tender inside, and quite a few diners call the red-yeast fried rice among the best fried rice they have had. According to Supertaste, red-yeast fried rice costs NT$100 small or NT$200 large, red-yeast pork NT$250 small or NT$350 large, and aged-wine steamed white shrimp NT$350. A blackboard lists seasonal seafood each day, sometimes including aged-wine steamed clams or steamed oysters, depending on the catch.

Praise centers on fresh seafood, generous portions and well-executed red yeast dishes, and some diners appreciate staff who recommend the day's best catch. Complaints are mostly about service: some travelers say they were told by phone that no booking was needed, only to be seated outside and left waiting a long time to order. The owner can sound hurried when busy, and at peak times some guests feel overlooked.

Hours are roughly 11:30 to 13:00 for lunch and 17:00 to 20:00 for dinner, closed Tuesdays, though the Supertaste page also says it opens daily. Sources differ, so check before you go. The lunch window is short, so on weekends and in peak season be sure to book and confirm where you will sit. It is on the slope in Niujiao and easy to combine with Yi Ma's Kitchen and the old village lanes.

It suits groups of friends who want a proper Matsu seafood meal. Two people can order a small red-yeast fried rice, a small red-yeast pork and the aged-wine shrimp, then ask about the blackboard specials; larger groups can upsize and add one or two catches of the day, spending roughly NT$300 to NT$800 per person.