Zhujiao Rong Winter Melon Braised Pork Rice

Review

Zhujiao Rong Winter Melon Braised Pork Rice is on Section 1 of Dongshan Road in Beitun, near Dongguang Elementary School, with retro wood-toned Taiwanese decor. Reports say the crowds never let up at mealtimes on weekdays or weekends and the order phone rings constantly; it is heavily recommended on Instagram and social media, and Beitun locals know it as a queue-worthy bento shop.

The name says braised pork rice, but the dish fans push hardest is the braised fried pork chop (NT$75): fried golden, then simmered in the braise, bigger than a rice bowl, with a lightly crisp surface and dense, well-seasoned meat. The winter melon braised pork belly rice (NT$80) is slow-cooked with winter melon, giving an amber sauce with a natural sweet aftertaste, rich but not greasy, though one writer found the lean part a bit dry. Dad's minced pork rice (NT$60) uses hand-cut pork that is fatty and gelatinous, salty-sweet, with bamboo shoots and pickled greens, and the pickles are free to refill. The clam soup (NT$35) is generous with a garlic note, and the miso soup with its strong bonito flavour also earns special praise.

Praise focuses on big portions, friendly prices and the pork chop's texture; most complaints are about missing out. The signature pork trotter is limited and sold only as a bento, one blogger struck out at least three times, and another found it gone by 12:30 p.m. Seats run short at peak times and tables are often shared.

Lunch runs roughly 11:00–14:00 and dinner 16:10–19:30, with last orders half an hour before each close; Sundays are lunch only and Mondays are closed. Wait at the door for staff to seat you rather than finding a table yourself, and write numbers on the order slip instead of tally marks. A paid car park is diagonally opposite, under a minute's walk. To skip the queue, phone in a takeaway order.

It suits anyone craving a big Taiwanese bento: on a first visit, get the braised pork chop with a clam soup, and if you want trotter, call ahead to check it is still available.