Fang Su Xin Caotun Handmade Mochi (Original Store)

Review

The original Fang Su Xin Caotun Handmade Mochi shop is at No. 193 Zhongshan Street in Caotun, a stretch lined with several mochi makers that has made Caotun mochi the signature gift of northern Nantou. Gofunit lists it among Caotun's must-buy souvenirs, and Travel Yam's Caotun food feature calls it a long-standing local mochi shop that makes everything fresh daily.

The signature is mochi shaped into long strips, an idea meant to spread the filling evenly so every bite has some. Flavours include peanut, sesame, red bean and the three-in-one house version that combines all three, about eight in total, plus a savoury mochi. Diners describe the skin as soft, neither sticking to the teeth nor the fingers, with restrained sweetness and a clear peanut powder aroma.

Praise centres on freshness and a soft, chewy texture that never feels heavy; many have eaten it since childhood and buy a box every time they pass through Caotun, and some who compared it with other mochi shops on the same street feel its sesame and red bean balance is better. Complaints mention long weekend queues, popular flavours selling out, and prices a little above ordinary market mochi.

Sources disagree on hours: one article lists closing at 9 p.m., while map listings show 5:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., so check before you go. Morning is when it is freshest, and weekend late mornings are the busiest. Refrigerated mochi hardens, so eat it the same day or let it come back to room temperature as the shop advises. Street parking on Zhongshan Street is limited; look for nearby paid spaces.

Good for drivers passing through Caotun who want a box of traditional sweets to take home, or for sharing at family gatherings. First-timers can pick a mixed box with the three-in-one, peanut and sesame; those who like savoury snacks can add the savoury mochi to compare.