5Miyahara
Central Dist. · Desserts & shaved ice
Yizhong Handmade Stinky Tofu
Worth the queueBudgetLocal favorite
VerdictYizhong Street's queue-worthy stinky tofu, crisp and juicy for NT$60
The busiest stinky tofu stall on Yizhong Street. A NT$60 portion is fried very crisp, hollowed out and filled with sauce, served with sweet-sour pickles, with garlic and chili sauce on the table; you often need a queue number first.
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Review
Yizhong Handmade Stinky Tofu is at No. 21-2 Yizhong Street, right on the main street of the Yizhong shopping area. This short stretch has three stinky tofu shops, and Supertaste, in its guide to must-eats around Yizhong, singles this one out as the most popular; travel outlet ReadyGo also lists it among Yizhong food picks, and it is one of the stalls students and tourists most often stop at.
The only dish is stinky tofu, NT$60 a portion. The tofu is fried until the shell is very crisp, then hollowed out and filled with a house sauce, so the inside stays moist and releases juice when you bite in, with sweet-sour Taiwanese pickles on the side to cut the richness. Garlic paste, chili and a house chili sauce sit on the table; the media recommend adding both garlic and chili for more savoury punch, and diners especially praise the house sauce, which has a slight numbing edge.
Fans like that it is fried dry rather than greasy, with a clear crisp-outside, tender-inside contrast, that the price is fair for Yizhong Street, and that the owner is friendly. Critics say the smell is not that strong, so fans of intense stinky tofu may want more, and some find the ordering process confusing at first; with another stinky tofu stall next door, first-timers can end up in the wrong place.
Sources differ on hours: the media list 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., closed Mondays and Tuesdays, while online maps show opening around 2:30 p.m. on Wednesdays and Thursdays and 1 p.m. on weekends, until 10:30 p.m., so check before going. At busy times you take a number and wait to be called; after-school hours and weekend evenings are the most crowded. Parking around Yizhong Street is difficult, so take a bus or scooter; there are paid car parks nearby.
Good for anyone strolling Yizhong Street who wants a classic Taiwanese snack, or visitors trying stinky tofu for pocket change. One portion is right for two to share; add garlic and the house chili sauce, and look for door number 21-2 so you do not mix it up with the neighbour.
Why go
- A NT$60 portion is just right for two
- Add both garlic and chili for more punch
- The house chili sauce has a slight numbing kick
- At busy times, take a number and wait to be called
- Look for No. 21-2, not the stall next door
- Hours differ between sources; check before going
What people say
Liked
- Fried dry, not greasy, crisp outside and tender inside
- NT$60 a portion is good value for Yizhong Street
- The house chili sauce and garlic make it
Complaints
- The smell is mild, so hardcore fans may want more
- The ordering process is confusing at first
- Another stinky tofu stall next door makes it easy to go to the wrong one
Summarized from the common views of bloggers, media and diners; not direct quotes.
Must-try
IllustrationLocation
台中市北區一中街21-2號Directions ↗
Sources
This page is compiled from the articles below and rewritten in our own words. Hours and prices change, so check before you go.
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