When it comes to food in Tainan, shrimp rice is a must-try. I decided to have lunch at Ji Pin Shrimp Rice (集品蝦仁飯), one of the most popular spots for this local specialty.
I arrived there around 4 p.m., and the place was bustling with customers. They have plenty of seating, including tables outside and both tables and counter seats inside. I opted to sit indoors.
Order sheets are placed on each table. I filled out mine—”桌號” means table number. Their menu is quite simple, mainly rice, soup, and small side dishes. Several side dishes are displayed near the entrance, so you can pick up whatever catches your eye. Payment is made after all your dishes are served.
This is the boiled green vegetables dish. It had a refreshing taste with a hint of garlic. The portion was just right for one person. In Taiwan, seasonal vegetables are used for this dish, and at that time, it was Chinese water spinach.
Here’s the star of the meal: Shrimp rice, a true Tainan specialty. My serving had around 11 shrimps! For an extra portion of shrimp, it’s 75 TWD. The dish consists of seasoned rice topped generously with shrimp.
The shrimp were perfectly cooked and had a delightful, springy texture.
They offer two types of fried egg: chicken egg and duck egg. Since duck eggs are uncommon in Japan, I decided to try the duck egg.
You can choose whether your egg is half-boiled or fully cooked. I went with the half-boiled option. The egg came pre-seasoned with soy sauce. Taiwanese soy sauce isn’t as salty or strong as Japanese soy sauce, so even though it was generously applied, the flavor was well-balanced.
Why did I order a fried egg? Simple—to put it on the rice! After eating some of the rice, I added the egg, broke the yolk, and let it mix with the shrimp and rice. It created a rich, creamy sauce. Absolutely heavenly!
I didn’t order soup, but the shrimp rice was quite rich and flavorful due to the lard, so I’d recommend getting soup to balance it out. About a quarter of the menu is dedicated to soups, including beaten duck egg soup, miso soup, clam soup, fish ball soup, and more. They all looked delicious!
About
Name Ji Pin Shrimp Rice (集品蝦仁飯)
Open Morning through night
Reservation Unavailable
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