【Foodholic Niko @ Kaohsiung】
It's time to look for food again near Qishan Old Street!
Even though I've lived here since I was little, I only started seriously searching for new restaurants after I began playing Fooday.
Today, I suddenly really wanted to eat rice noodles, so I found this place called "Hometown Garden Vietnamese Snacks," which is located right next to the famous "Qishan Red槽 Meat." The store looks very simple and homely, not the type of place with special decor, but overall it looks very tidy, not just in the dining area but even the food preparation area is clean.
They offer a lot of items on their menu. Besides soup rice noodles and stir-fried rice noodles, they also serve fried rice, fried pasta, fried instant noodles, pork chop rice, baguettes, and more.
Stir-fried chicken rice noodles - $80
Honestly, I was a bit disappointed when I opened it. It looked very much like regular dry mixed noodles, just with rice noodles instead. However, after trying it, the taste wasn’t bad at all, but it seemed to lack the aroma of stir-frying. True to its appearance, it did have a bit of a mixed noodle flavor. Adding some chili and lime juice definitely improved it, so I recommend adding those.
Chicken rice noodle soup - $80
It has a relatively mild flavor. Since the rice noodles and soup are packed separately for takeout, the advantage is that the rice noodles won’t get mushy; the downside is that they seem to lack flavor infusion. However, the broth itself is quite tasty and not oily!
Fried spring rolls - $70
The portion is okay, but the flavor is a bit disappointing; it feels like something is missing. Since I have had better-tasting fried spring rolls, this isn't something I would want to order again.
Overall, I wouldn't say the food is bad, but it feels like the taste has been adjusted for Taiwanese preferences, making it somewhat more Taiwanese in flavor.
Located in the North District of Tainan, "Guangyue Cuisine" is a Vietnamese restaurant with good business, offering a wide variety of dishes at affordable prices. This time, I ordered the mixed rice, and the chicken was well-seasoned, with a slight sweet and salty flavor, and the meat was chewy and very flavorful. As for the pork, I initially thought it would be crispy pork, but to my surprise, it turned out to be sweet Cantonese char siu, a flavor that I don't particularly enjoy. Overall, the seasoning of the chicken and pork was quite tasty, and the flavors were very harmonious, leaving me feeling satisfied.
In addition to the mixed rice, I also ordered a serving of rice noodles. The rice noodle was smooth, and the broth was refreshing and layered, which highlighted the dish's light yet delicious characteristics. The bean sprouts in the rice noodles added to the overall texture and paired very well.
Additionally, although I didn’t order it this time, the restaurant's Vietnamese baguette is also a recommended item. I’ve had it twice before; the bread has a crispy crust and is simply delicious. I highly recommend the curry Matsusaka pork! Each bite is full of aroma and satisfaction.
Overall, whether it's the mixed rice, rice noodles, or baguette, the dishes at "Guangyue Cuisine" are consistently good. It's a great place to casually enjoy Vietnamese cuisine, with reasonable prices and great flavors.
Every time I pass by, there are actually people dining inside. However, the restaurant looks dark and somewhat unclean. Despite this, we were really craving soup, so we decided to go in and give it a try. Once we entered, we were invited to sit down, but the staff's English wasn't very good, making the ordering process a bit difficult.
We ordered:
❤️ Cooked Beef Meatball Ho Fun
Well... this dish was actually okay... after all, the meatballs were quite tasty! But the beef was a bit strange, and the broth tasted like it came from a seasoning package! It's like... if there were really no other options, I might as well just cook it at home.
❤️ Vietnamese Pork Chop Fried Rice
This dish was completely misunderstood because of the Chinese menu... because it was just plain rice... it was in no way related to fried rice! Moreover, the pork chop part was a bit overcooked and had too much fatty meat, and it wasn't cut well at all.
Overall, I wouldn't really recommend it... plus, the attitude of the cashier during checkout was so awful that it felt like she was looking at us through her nostrils! It felt as if we were begging her for food. If I could give half a star, I probably would, simply for the inside staff who were trying hard to understand us... but everything else was truly unsatisfactory.
This super authentic Vietnamese restaurant is a must-try. Just look at the crowds during every meal time to know its quality—cheap, clean, friendly, and delicious 😋.
The only drawback might be that it's not located in the city center, so it's still recommended to drive or ride a bike to get there.
This place is very popular; the seating is limited, but it's not overly crowded. However, if you find a spot, you should count yourself lucky! Not only do the new residents love it, but many locals also come here to eat.
The takeaway orders keep piling up as well.
It's run by several young Vietnamese ladies who have organized the flow quite well. You order at the indoor window, while the outside is for takeaway customers (their Chinese is decent, so communication is very smooth 👍🏻). After ordering, you take a number and find a seat to wait for your food, which can be quite plentiful, so be patient!
✐ Beef Pho $100
✐ Mixed Beef Pho $140
✐ Chicken Wings with Fish Sauce $100
✐ Salted Lemonade $75
✐ Vitamilk Soy Milk $40
When the food arrives, it's really wow 😧 such a big bowl! The beef pho for just $100 is surprisingly ample, and I'm grateful again for the reasonable prices here 🙏🏻. If you want something more extravagant, you can choose the mixed beef pho. However, the overall flavor isn't very strong; it's more refreshing and light. If you want it spicy, you can ask the staff. One bowl will fill you up—(the chicken wings are also a must-try, flavorful and tender).
As for drinks, you can try the national beverage of Thailand—Vitamilk Soy Milk, which tastes a bit different from what we usually have.
The other drink I ordered, salted lemonade, I'm not sure what the translation should be, but I wouldn’t recommend it 🥲. Although it's lemonade, it lacks acidity, and after drinking it, I just didn’t understand what this drink was trying to express (?).
The first Vietnamese "Pho" in Japan! A hidden gem in the indoor market!
On this day, when I got off at Koenji station, I saw a poster saying "Koenji Origin! Japan's First" inside the station. I've always loved eating Vietnamese pho, so I immediately decided on lunch💪🏻.
I had previously eaten at other restaurants within this "Daiichi Market," which looks unremarkable from the outside, but inside there are many popular restaurants that are hard to get reservations for!
On this day, I ordered the lunch set A, which includes a bowl of pho and half a portion of Vietnamese chicken rice, along with a cup of jasmine tea. The price varies depending on the pho flavor.
I chose "Beef Tendon Pho," and the broth was very rich. Pho is quite similar to a wide version of rice noodles; compared to clear rice noodles, it has a softer and more chewy texture. The beef tendon portion was generous, and they weren't stingy with the cilantro.
As for the chicken rice, I personally didn’t like it much. Although the chicken pieces were large, I felt the meat and rice were quite hard and dry. A colleague mentioned that’s how it is locally in Vietnam; I've never been to Vietnam, so I wouldn't know. If you like it, you could give it a try; if I come back, I will probably order the spring rolls set next time.
Next to this shop, there’s a Vietnamese grilled chicken skewers izakaya with a blue sign, which is a branch of a well-known restaurant from Vietnam that has opened in Japan. The two places are essentially connected; the pho restaurant provides seating for the izakaya during lunch hours and at night, you can also order pho from the pho restaurant in the izakaya.
Overall, this place is super affordable and the taste is excellent. It will definitely be a restaurant I want to revisit when I come to Koenji.
🦐 Kaohsiung Gushan▫️ Art Museum · Qinghai Road Business District
🦐 Delicious Vietnamese cuisine that is worth the price and will make you want to visit again
Finally, it’s my last day at work❗️
I spontaneously invited a few close colleagues to lunch together.
Considering everyone has limited lunch break time and needs to get back to work,
we chose a Vietnamese restaurant with faster serving speed.
This place is quite popular in this area too 🔥
We each ordered Vietnamese spring rolls, pho, and other main dishes,
and we also ordered some fried eggs and fried fish to share.
I personally chose the rare beef pho 🥩.
This bowl of pho reminded me of the beef soup from Tainan.
The slices of rare beef were tender and juicy,
and the pho was smooth and delicious, with a clear and sweet broth.
Almost all of us finished our bowls of soup 👍🏻.
The fried eggs were very fragrant, and cutting them open made them easy to eat.
Paired with fresh side dishes, it was very satisfying 🥚.
The fried fish came whole to the table, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.
It had no fishy smell and was delicious on its own.
When paired with the restaurant's special dipping sauce, the flavor instantly elevated 🐟.
Although many people feel that the prices here are somewhat high,
I believe that considering the location and the deliciousness of the food,
it is definitely worth the price💰.
I will be back occasionally in the future,
after all, such good food is worth tasting again anytime✨.
▫️ Vietnamese Dry Noodle with Shredded Chicken $100
▫️ Vietnamese Clear Soup Noodle with Beef $130
Their rice noodles are thinner, and the texture is more like thin rice sheets (not very chewy). Both of these dishes are delicious! The dry noodle flavor is very refreshing, with a sweet and sour taste that isn't too sweet. There’s a lot of fresh lettuce, which is perfect for summer (if you want less starch, you can ask the restaurant to customize it with less noodle and more lettuce!). The clear soup beef has an unexpectedly large amount of meat; they are very generous with it, and the beef is simmered very tender and easy to chew, each piece is quite thick!
▫️ Fried Spring Rolls $80 💖
▫️ Fried Pork Chop $80
The fried spring rolls here are filled with a lot of taro chunks! This is a spring roll style I’ve never had before, and they are fried very crispy! I really like them! The pork chop is a thick piece of marinated meat, and the pieces are quite large; the marinade flavor is really good. I highly recommend adding some if you want to eat more meat!
It’s a simple community restaurant. The prices are very low, and the food is delicious; it suits my taste perfectly!
The downside is that the dining environment is not great; there are very few simple seats.
But overall, I still quite like it 🌞
It’s a good choice for when you don't know what to eat!
Although the Google Map rating isn’t high, I personally think it’s quite acceptable. After trying it this time, I still find it quite okay.
This time I ordered pork rice noodles, which come in two options: with broth and dry mixed; I chose the one with broth.
As for the pork, the restaurant provided a generous amount, and the rice noodles are not the fine noodles from Hsinchu, but rather thick rice noodles, which have a decent texture.
The broth is very ordinary, with a very light flavor, feeling almost like plain water. Overall, it’s still acceptable.
I am Yang, and I love to take casual photos while eating!
"There's a newly opened Vietnamese rice noodle shop in Fengjia, and you must try their soul garlic vinegar!"
My top choice for rice noodles! 😍 (Feel free to recommend more rice noodle places in Taichung to me! 😋)
😍 If you order rice noodles before 8/31, you get a free fried dough stick!
🔺 Environment
The shop is a bit narrow and there aren’t many seats.
The restroom is quite clean!
The staff has a great attitude, and they keep saying thank you when you leave. 😊
There are various condiments and utensils available on the table, but the two-person tables only have utensils and garlic vinegar, while the four-person tables have more condiments and paper towels.
🔺 Food
❣️ Beef tendon + raw beef rice noodles 💰140 (Get a free fried dough stick if you order before 8/31)
Before adding condiments, the soup was already flavorful. I added lemon and several spoonfuls of garlic vinegar.
The garlic vinegar is a must! It adds a slight garlicky flavor and a different kind of acidity, adding another layer of complexity!
Both the beef and beef tendon were very tender, and the portion was quite generous.
The overall portion was enough; I almost couldn't finish it.
The only downside is that their rice noodles are a little thin and feel a bit soft.
The owner suggested pairing the fried dough sticks with the soup, but I didn't think it matched very well. 😅
🤗 Summary
Although the price is a bit high, the value for money is sufficient.
The taste is truly fantastic, and you absolutely have to add the soul garlic vinegar!!
You don’t need to order the fried dough sticks~
I will definitely visit again!
The meal evaluation is that it's delicious, and I've repurchased the French bread for the third time! For those with smaller appetites, you can ask the boss to cut it in half into two packages, so you can share with family or friends, and the texture is very refreshing!
You can request the pork and seafood soup without noodles, and the boss will give you a small discount.
Also, you need to package the lemon juice and chili sauce yourself; I didn't know this before and only found out by seeing other customers doing it, and they place it next to the menu.
The chrysanthemum tea doesn't taste overly sweet like the sweet kind you get in convenience stores; it's just mildly sweet, just right.
The total consumption is 220/2, so it equals only 110 per person.