You Gou Lan Peanut Soup

Review

You Gou Lan Peanut Soup sits at No. 280 Xida Road in Hsinchu's East District, a small roadside shop whose name, roughly 'mushy enough', makes people stop. CommonWealth's Smile Taiwan reports that it has been open for nearly sixty years, that the current owner took over about seventeen years ago, and that a regular customer came up with the name. Supertaste also includes it in a Hsinchu breakfast round-up, calling it a shop of more than fifty years.

The star is peanut soup, served hot or cold. Smile Taiwan notes that the peanuts are grown in Taiwan and sorted for quality before purchase, then slow-cooked the traditional way until they almost melt in the mouth, with a broth that is not very sweet. The classic way to eat it is with a fried dough stick soaked in the soup. The other favourite is the handmade egg crepe, cooked to order with a soft, chewy skin; numbers are limited each day and it often sells out by 8 or 9 a.m. The shop also sells soy milk and rice-peanut milk, while buns and rice dumplings come from other long-running shops.

Fans say the peanuts are creamy without being cloying, a bowl is filling, the hot version warms you in winter and the iced one refreshes in summer; staff are friendly, and foreign visitors call it a true local find. Complaints are few: some find it ordinary, and late arrivals miss the egg crepes. The shop is small with limited seats, so expect to wait or take away at peak times.

According to online information, it opens roughly 6:00 to 10:30 a.m. and is closed on Mondays, so confirm before going. Arrive before 8 a.m. if you want an egg crepe. The owner insists on cooking fresh and has no branches, so this is the only shop. Parking on Xida Road is difficult and nearby lanes are narrow, so come by scooter or on foot; it is a manageable walk from the City God Temple.

It suits early risers who want a traditional Taiwanese breakfast and travellers who want to eat before exploring the City God Temple. Order a hot peanut soup with a dough stick and add a handmade egg crepe; switch to iced soup in summer, and grab a bun if you are hungry. Expect about NT$50 to NT$100 per person.