The long queue combined with the slightly warm weather was a bit hard to endure, but luckily the table turnover was quick, and we waited for about 15 minutes. The dining environment looks like a regular snack shop.

At first, I thought the thin strips inside were noodles, like in duck meat soup noodles, but it turned out there were no noodles, just rice, cilantro, simple duck meat, and shredded bamboo shoots. The thickness of the soup was just right; it was a bit sweet at first, and adding chili powder really enhanced it for me, giving it more depth of flavor. I recommend that those who can handle spice definitely add it. The bowl was rich in ingredients, and even towards the end, it still had substance. At 50 NTD for a bowl, I think it's quite cheap, and I found it pretty good.

Payment in cash is convenient, and the staff on site had a nice attitude; overall, it was a good dining experience. The shop also operates in various ways, including online ordering and frozen pick-up, so if you're interested but can't visit in person, you might want to give it a try.

I've heard that the must-try duck meat soup in Xinguang is worth tasting.

🌟 Remember to order first; no need to occupy a seat; they will guide you to one.
🌟 No air conditioning, but the spicy soup is delicious enough that you won’t miss it.

Store introduction:
“Xinguang Duck Meat Soup,” a three-generation family recipe in Chiayi, is famous for its flavorful duck meat soup cooked over high heat, where you can still smell the rich aroma on-site. The restaurant requires you to order before taking a seat.

Menu:
Single item duck meat soup available for takeaway.

Duck Meat Soup 💰80
The duck meat soup has a lot of sweet bamboo shoots; after being stir-fried over high heat, the duck has a wok aroma. The texture is slightly thickened, and the broth is on the sweeter side, with a small portion size. It’s great as an afternoon snack; if you like spicy food, you must give it a try. The fragrant chili is rich, though the duck meat feels a bit dry.

Thoughts: If you're in Xinguang, I recommend trying it out. It's tasty but a bit sweet. At the moment I had it, the duck meat was half tender and half on the dry side.

If you value the meal: The duck meat soup is sweet and fragrant.

If you value the environment: No air conditioning and plenty of seating.

If parking is a concern: Not very easy to park.

If you value restrooms: There are restrooms available.

If you value waiting time: You must wait, but the queue moves fairly quickly, around 10 minutes on weekdays.

If you value service: Average.

If you focus on value for money: 🌟🌟🌟
(Purely discussing food and price)

# Open During the New Year

The "Xingang Duck Meat Soup" in front of the Xingang Mazu Temple is considered one of the famous shops, especially since many people come to worship and it's reasonable for them to enjoy a bowl of soup and take a break. I visited on the first day of the Lunar New Year, and the scene was packed with people, with the line extending outside the covered walkway. It felt like everyone came to eat a bowl of soup right after praying to Mazu.

The menu here is very simple; they only sell duck meat soup, with a bowl priced at 45 NT dollars. To start with the positives, the soup is slightly sweet but not overly sweet, and the thickness of the broth is just right, not like some soups that turn into a lump. There's a decent amount of duck meat—not shredded bits, but actual pieces of meat; however, it’s not overly generous either, considering the bowl itself isn’t large. When eating, just having the soup can feel a bit bland, so I recommend adding vinegar, as the acidity can greatly enhance the overall flavor, and adding some chili powder will give it an extra kick.

However, I must say that the portion size of the soup is quite small; generally, a regular guy might need two bowls to feel satisfied. Moreover, due to the large number of customers, the waiting time is quite long. Unless you really want to eat there, it might be worth considering whether it’s worthwhile to wait when the crowds explode.

Overall, the taste is quite good, the duck meat is fresh, but the portion is small, and there are many people in line. It's more suitable as a snack after visiting the Xingang Mazu Temple rather than a full meal. If you want to eat there, I suggest avoiding peak hours to minimize waiting time.

Dining Time: 2024/12/05

The duck soup you must try when visiting Xinguang
It's located on the main street of Fengtiangong where you can find the store with the longest line.
Here, they only sell duck soup with added shredded bamboo shoots and boneless duck meat,
without extras like coriander, noodles, rice noodles, or dongfen.
If you feel it's not enough, there's a meat dumpling stall and a fried oyster cake stall nearby (unfortunately, they weren’t open today).

The restaurant requires everyone to queue up for both dine-in and takeout.
After ordering together, you can either take a seat or wait for your takeout food to the side.
There are a lot of staff on-site, so the food arrives at your table quite quickly.

As soon as the meal arrives, the aroma hits you.
Then you see the bowl filled with shredded bamboo shoots and duck meat.
The first sip of the plain soup has a slightly sweet flavor with a hint of roasted duck.
You can then add the soul ingredient, Five Seal vinegar, and chili powder to taste.
The Five Seal vinegar makes the broth sweet and tangy.
The chili powder doesn’t really add much heat but enhances the flavor.
In no time, I had finished a whole bowl of soup.
If it weren't for the other plans after this, I would have loved to order two bowls to enjoy along with the brother at the same table; that would have been satisfying!