Like most Asian major towns and cities, the market is an ideal place to start looking for good food, and Taichung is no exception either. Located 15 minutes away on foot from the Taichung Station, Taichung Second Market (第二市场) is a popular eating spot for locals and tourists alike.

For a market that sells pork and seafood, it is exceptionally clean, dry and airy. So it was quite pleasant to stroll around.

Among the many food shops available in Taichung Second Market, I would recommend checking out Lan's Minced Pork Shop (岚肉燥专卖店). The proprietor, fondly known as Lan Mama founded the shop in 1992 and has been cooking her famous minced pork using only fresh meat based on her grandmother's traditional recipe.

She has since perfected the recipe over the years and her minced pork rice to me, is impeccable and also the most enjoyable one we have ever had in Taiwan.

To enjoy the best of both worlds, get the minced pork and meat ball rice (肉燥丸子饭) @ NTD60 as it features two of their most popular offerings in the same bowl.
Besides having a great sauce that is not too sweet nor oily, Lan's minced pork rice is also garnished with chopped scallions. That makes their minced pork rice unique and also adds a burst of crunchy freshness. But what really clinched it for us was the hidden fried shallots under the rice which not only complemented, but also elevated the overall flavor. Simply delicious.

Sliced Pork Stew on Rice (梅花肉饭) @ NTD55 is another must try. If you are able to try this then count yourself lucky because it gets sold out very quickly due to limited availability. They use slices of Boston Butt (upper shoulder part from the front leg) which is mostly lean, tender and attached with curves of fat. It is also topped with a spoonful of minced meat for a touch of juiciness.

If you feel like having a soup, the Combination Soup @ NTD55 is worth a try. We liked the chicken roll and fish ball the most, while the dumpling was a tad peppery.

Being a small shop, the seats here are somewhat limited so people don't mind taking away the food for later consumption. During our visit, we noticed many customers who dropped by just to collect their pre-ordered meals packed into bento boxes.

Lan's Minced Pork Shop also sells an array of products you can bring home as souvenir, or to prepare braised pork rice and noodles at home. The bottled braised pork is no doubt the best seller. We bought 2 bottles and didn't regret the purchase a bit.

Lan's Minced Pork Shop 岚肉燥专卖店

36, Taichung Second Market, Sanmin Road, Central District, Taichung City
Eat in & take away: 10am – 2.30pm, merchandise sales: 9.30am – 5pm, closed on Mondays
Tel: +886-4-2222-6010

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