Fu Mei Xuan Bakery

Review

Fu Mei Xuan Bakery, at No. 25 Xinyi Street in Sanxia, is tucked into a market lane and widely regarded as the originator of Sanxia's golden horn bread. Mirror Media reports that it is about sixty years old: the founder tasted Philippine bread on a flight and combined it with Chinese pastry techniques to create a horn-shaped roll. The whole of Sanxia Old Street later took up the golden horn, which became the district's signature souvenir.

Unlike the many horn shops on the old street selling all sorts of flavours, Fu Mei Xuan sells only the original. The crust is baked golden and crisp, while the inside is dense and substantial, with a rich milky aroma and gentle sweetness. It is best straight from the oven and firms up as it cools. Because the shop sticks to traditional methods and set baking times, queues with numbered tickets are common, and there is a per-person purchase limit.

Fans call it the most authentic golden horn they have tried, crisp outside and soft inside when hot, and ideal for sharing at home. Complaints centre on the long wait: on holidays the first batch often sells out and the next takes around half an hour. Some also mention an unpleasant setting at the door, with garbage trucks passing during the queue, and others find the bread hard once cold.

Hours are roughly 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., closed Mondays; check before you go. Mirror Media lists NT$25 each, and some visitors mention around NT$250 for a bag of ten. It is mainly queue-and-takeaway, so time your visit to a baking slot or take a number and explore the old street while you wait. There is a paid underground car park at Sanxia Elementary School, about a five-minute walk from the old street area.

Ideal for anyone after Sanxia's signature souvenir or the original version of the golden horn. Buy one or two to eat warm first, then decide whether to take a whole bag. If you want chocolate, cheese or other flavours, compare with the other horn shops along the old street.