Guohua Street is essentially a culinary armory in Tainan, with famous eateries lined up every few steps. "Babao Bin Yuanzi Hui" is the kind of place you might pass by several times, thinking it's just sweet soup; is it really worth the long lines every time? But after actually stepping inside and trying it, there is indeed something special.

Let's start with the grass jelly. The texture is that of old-fashioned hand-made style: warm, smooth, and dense. It tastes quite similar to regular grass jelly—it's good, no doubt, but I personally don't find it earth-shattering. After all, this place has been recommended by the Michelin Bib Gourmand for several years in a row, leading me to briefly wonder: does Michelin just go down Guohua Street and hand out awards to every shop?

However, their rice balls are truly impressive. Not only are they chewy, but they also have a rare flavor that penetrates the whole ball, with the skin absorbing the aroma of the soup, which is definitely a plus. Moreover, the staff are incredibly friendly, greeting you with a smile regardless of whether you order a lot or a little; this level of service in a tourist hotspot is actually quite commendable.

The wall is filled with celebrity signatures, and even Jay Chou has signed here, so it feels like a pilgrimage of sorts. Overall, I wouldn't say this is the best grass jelly I've ever had, but if you're looking for a sweet soup to finish off your time on Guohua Street, this place is a pretty good option.

Do you want to eat Eight Treasure Bing? Let's go!

🌟 2023 Must-Try Michelin Food
🌟 Tainan's first choice for Eight Treasure Ice, super love for taro

Today I came to the Eight Treasure Bing shop on Guohua Street.
In Tainan, "Eight Treasure Bing Yuanzi Hui" has three shops. They include the old shop "Jinhua" founded by Lu Chenhui (nicknamed "Yuanzi Hui"), and the Guohua and Anping shops run by San Sao.

Walking into Eight Treasure Bing Yuanzi Hui, you will see that the sign says "Bing" instead of "Ice". It is said that the shop's name is derived from one character from the names of the owner couple, plus it specializes in Eight Treasure Ice, thus it was named "Eight Treasure Bing Yuanzi Hui."

I find it quite amazing that the original owner later had relatives take over, and once it became well-known, everyone loved to make a pilgrimage to the famous shop. However, the original shop does not get much coverage. 🤣🤣
But personally, I think the flavors of the three shops are not very different; the Guohua shop may have a slightly sweeter taste that appeals more to the older generation.

Eight Treasure Bing Yuanzi Hui has about twenty different toppings, including the signature yuanzi, sweet taro, fenkui, aiyu, grass jelly, almonds, red beans, green beans, flower beans, sweet lotus seeds, pineapple, fenzhi, and fensi. You can choose any toppings, and if you select more than five kinds, it costs an additional 5 yuan for each.

Eight Treasure Ice 💰 60
Today the highlights again were sweet taro and glutinous rice balls. I also had grass jelly, fensi, and aiyu. I must say that no matter when I eat it, the quality is always great, and it’s still very delicious. Each topping is flavorful, and the toppings here tend to be a bit sweeter compared to Guohua shop.

If you value the food: Sweet taro and glutinous rice balls are really amazing; they are my first choice for Eight Treasure Ice.

If you value the environment: Old shop, no air conditioning inside.

If you value parking: It's not easy to find parking for cars or scooters.

If you value the restroom: None available.

If you value waiting in line: Very fast, no need to wait too long.

If you value service: Average.

If you value cost performance: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
(Only discussing food and prices.)