Lao Dan A-Zhang Ba-Wan
Changhua City · Taiwanese
Zheng Yu Zhen Bakery
Long-standingGift box
VerdictHand-packed century-old phoenix-eye cakes, worth comparing with Yu Zhen Zhai
A century-old confectioner on Butou Street whose founder, Zheng Chui, won a gold award for pastries during the Japanese era. The signature phoenix-eye cakes come in original, plum and matcha, still wrapped by hand in an elegantly old-fashioned shop.
Review
Zheng Yu Zhen Bakery sits on Putou Street near the Yaolin old lane, a century-old cake shop you can hardly miss on a stroll through Lukang's old street. Supertaste notes that founder Zheng Chui received a gold award for pastry during the Japanese colonial era, and that his descendant Zheng Rui-fen now runs the shop. On its link with Yu Zhen Zhai, Global Views and TVBS write that pastry maker Zheng Chui and cloth merchant Huang Jin founded the original business together before splitting over differing business philosophies, and a local verse about the old and new Yu Zhen sums up a century of rivalry; Yu Zhen Zhai's own website says Huang Jin founded it alone, so sources disagree.
The signature is the phoenix-eye cake, named for its shape like a pair of eyes, in original, plum and matcha flavors. The owner insists on hand packaging to preserve the cake's fragrance and softness. Reports describe it as smooth, delicate and soft on the tongue, ideal with tea. The other item often mentioned is mung bean cake, which media say is popular with passing travelers; both are favorite Lunar New Year gifts.
Online opinion focuses on the old-fashioned flavor and the atmosphere: the antique-style interior draws many backpackers. However, few recent articles cover this shop in depth and taste descriptions are brief, so anyone hoping for detailed comparisons may find little to go on. Prices vary by source: a 2019 article lists NT$90 for an original box and NT$140 for an assorted box, another NT$130 a box, so go by the shop.
Hours run roughly 10 am to 7 pm; a 2019 article says it opens earlier at 9 am on weekends. Sources disagree, so confirm before going. The shop is on the old-street section of Putou Street, within walking distance of the Yaolin lane and shops such as Yan Zhong Mian Cha, so it fits easily into a walk; traffic is heavy around the old street, so park at a nearby lot and walk.
It suits anyone wanting to compare Lukang's two great phoenix-eye cake houses or pick out a box of old-style pastries for elders. First-time buyers can choose the assorted box to taste original, plum and matcha at once, and add a box of mung bean cake to compare with Yu Zhen Zhai's version.
Why go
- Phoenix-eye cakes come in original, plum and matcha
- The owner insists on hand packing to keep them soft and fragrant
- The assorted box covers several flavors at once
- Mung bean cake is another popular gift
- The antique-style interior is pleasant to browse
- Prices vary by source, so go by the shop
What people say
Liked
- Phoenix-eye cakes are smooth and delicate, just right with tea
- Several flavors to choose from, with plum and matcha adding a twist
- The old shop's elegant fittings feel very Lukang
Complaints
- Few detailed recent reviews, so little taste information
- Prices and opening times differ between sources
Summarized from the common views of bloggers, media and diners; not direct quotes.
Must-try
Videos
Location
彰化縣鹿港鎮埔頭街23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.
Been here? Rate it
No login. One rating per device per place every 30 days, with a quick human check to stop vote stuffing.
