Wang's Broth, Huaxi Street: A Bib Gourmand Braised Pork Rice That Fell Short

I was nearby and stopped by Wang's Broth. It's a braised pork rice shop on Huaxi Street in Wanhua, Taipei, open since 1975, and it holds both a Michelin Bib Gourmand and a 500 Bowls Award. A big red lantern by the door says "Michelin Recommended," so I walked in with my expectations up.

It was a mild letdown.

I got the braised pork rice, a fried tofu puff, and a braised duck egg.

The order slip.

How it tasted

The rice looked the part. Dark and glossy, the sauce clinging to the cubes of fat and lean, exactly what a famous bowl is supposed to look like. It tasted salty. Not oily, but a bit cloying by the second half. Rich, not sticky. I wanted a soup to cut through it. I hadn't ordered one, because the afternoon was too hot to face a hot bowl.

The fried tofu puff looked glossy and promising, then came up short. It hadn't absorbed much of the sauce, and it was on the dry side. The braised duck egg had the same problem. It was nearly 2 pm; if it had been in that tray since morning, that should have been long enough.

Without the soup, this rating isn't complete. A reason to come back. Maybe.

Uncle's rating: Overall 3.5 | Food 3.5 | Atmosphere 4
Clean and comfortable by night-market standards, with indoor seating, though the air conditioning wasn't keeping up with the heat that afternoon.
What I'd try next time: clear broth with minced pork and pickles (清湯瓜仔肉)

A Bib Gourmand plaque doesn't make every dish land. Wanhua has plenty of other street food to work through, so I'll go find another bowl of braised pork rice.

The details

Wang's Broth (小王煮瓜)
Address: Stall 153, No. 17-4, Huaxi Street, Wanhua District, Taipei (Huaxi Street Night Market)
Awards: Michelin Bib Gourmand (2026), 500 Bowls Award (2026, one bowl)
Google rating: 4.1 (14,445 reviews, as of September 25, 2026)
Map: https://maps.google.com/?cid=17975734638609170553&hl=en

This post in Chinese: https://www.uncleric.com/2026/07/35.html
More award places I've eaten: Michelin Bib Gourmand and 500 Bowls

I'm Eric Lu ("Uncle Eric"). I write about food, travel, and careers.