Yixin Vegetarian Stinky Tofu

Review

Yixin Vegetarian Stinky Tofu sits inside Lane 461 of Fuxing Road in the Fengjia shopping district and is one of the stinky tofu spots most often named as worth the queue at Fengjia Night Market; recent roundups even call it a hugely popular old-timer. Its biggest selling point is that everything, from the tofu and frying oil to the sauce and pickles, is fully vegan, so vegetarians can order with confidence, and meat eaters regularly queue for it too.

The menu has just three items: stinky tofu, vermicelli and pickled cabbage, with the signature stinky tofu at NT$70 a portion. The tofu is fried to order with a crisp shell, then poked open and filled with a house sauce, so it squirts juice when you bite in, while the inside stays soft. One blogger describes it as not very sour, with a slight heat. The Taiwanese sweet-and-sour pickled cabbage comes in generous amounts, along with shredded cucumber, shredded carrot and minced garlic that cut through the greasiness, and many articles suggest adding a bowl of vermicelli.

Most media and bloggers are positive, often saying even non-vegetarians will like it, and the house-made pickles are seen as a highlight. There are other views, though: one Dcard writer said bluntly that despite the crowds it was not to their taste, and a blogger writing about Wang Bo Stinky Tofu noted that many people think Wang Bo, tucked down a nearby lane, is better than Yixin. Tastes vary, so you could try both and compare.

Hours are roughly 4pm to 11pm, running until midnight on weekend nights, closed Mondays, but sources disagree on exactly which nights run late, so check before you go. Seats are hard to get when it is busy, but turnover is fast and a short wait usually does it. One roundup suggests avoiding the 7pm to 10pm peak; arriving early in the evening is easiest. The taro dessert shop Dajia Taro City is right next door if you want something sweet afterwards.

It suits vegetarians, visitors after classic night-market stinky tofu, and anyone who loves sweet-and-sour pickles. The basic order is one stinky tofu plus a bowl of vermicelli; two people can each get a tofu and share one vermicelli.