Jiangsu Vegetable Box Shop: Cheap, Tasty Chive Boxes and Meat Pies in Taipei
Meow meow everyone! It’s me, Mydondon~ Today I’m introducing a super tasty little spot near Zhongxiao Fuxing Station that does chive boxes, meat pies, and tofu rolls! But… before we dig in, here’s the usual rundown of the shop’s info!
Jiangsu Vegetable Box Shop info
Jiangsu Vegetable Box Shop on Google Maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/CnUw2FN8PUzYzo4dA
Hours: 10:40 ~ 20:00 (closed Sundays)
Seating: about 25 seats (four-tops and two-tops)
Address: No. 6, Alley 3, Lane 216, Section 3, Zhongxiao East Road, Da’an District, Taipei City 106
Payment: cash only
Honestly, this place is really hard to find, because the storefront literally just looks like this — you can’t see a sign or anything. If you weren’t specifically coming here to look for it, you’d walk right past it. But can you imagine that this unassuming little shop actually has over 1,300 reviews? That’s seriously wild!
My friend and I got there at 13:05, and when we walked in there were still 1~2 groups of customers, but we got a seat right away. The environment inside is pretty so-so — some areas feel a little grubby, but the tables were quite clean, and there’s also a water dispenser so you can help yourself. If you dine in, they’ll go ahead and cut the meat pies, tofu rolls, and chive boxes in half for you, but not the dumplings (well, obviously) — doing it this way makes the pies easier to pick up, and it’s perfect for sharing with a friend.
Jiangsu Vegetable Box Shop — chive box and cabbage box
After waiting a little over 6 minutes, the chive box was ready. The skin isn’t too oily, and one is about the size of your hand stretched as wide as it goes, and a knuckle thick — the skin is thin and it’s packed completely full of chives and meat. And yet one of these boxes only costs 50 NTD, which is almost ridiculously cheap! Inside there’s also a bit of meat plus some glass noodles; it eats soft and tender but not greasy, and the seasoning isn’t heavy either — it actually makes you feel like you could go for another one. One bite and the fragrance of the chives spreads into every corner of your mouth and lingers for ages. It’s basically a perfect chive box.
The cabbage one has the same filling as the chive box — glass noodles + meat. The cabbage isn’t cooked until mushy; it has more of a crisp bite to it, and one bite releases the cabbage’s own juices spreading through your mouth. That sweet cabbage flavor combined with the meaty aroma and the glass noodles is just spot on.
We also ordered the tofu roll. Simply put, it’s a pastry skin wrapped around tofu with a bit of cabbage, then griddled. It’s not only not greasy, there’s also loads of tofu inside. The tofu itself is a touch sour — though I’m not sure if that’s just its character or if it wasn’t fresh 😨😨😨. On top of that, the cabbage really adds to the overall texture so it doesn’t get monotonous. I have to say, I’m genuinely impressed by the owner’s knack for balancing texture — some places taste good overall but get cloying the more you eat, and this place never does.
Jiangsu Vegetable Box Shop — pork meat pie
Next up, the pork meat pie. By this point I was honestly already getting a bit full, but I still wanted to keep eating. One bite into the pie and it’s all pork inside — a mix of lean and fatty, though mostly lean — and that juicy, juicy feeling is really great. Even though this pie is a little smaller than the others, they didn’t cut corners by padding it out with a ton of cabbage or chives.
Jiangsu Vegetable Box Shop — cabbage dumplings
Finally, let’s try their dumplings! These cost 7 NTD each, which is a bit pricey compared to the other items here, but they’re really big~ and super plump. Personally, I think if you finished everything above and you’re still not full, you can order another 5 or 10 of these. The dumplings have plenty of flavor on their own, and the filling is packed in nice and full. After eating a few plain, add their chili, soy sauce, or garlic and you get a whole different taste — they’re genuinely solid dumplings, but next to all this other amazing food they end up looking just a little ordinary.
Alright! Thanks for reading — let’s wrap it up with a quick recap! The chive box has a rich, delicious chive flavor; the cabbage dumplings keep that crisp cabbage taste and blend harmoniously with the other fillings. The tofu roll was my first time trying one — it’s not greasy and doesn’t just taste of plain tofu. If you’re still hungry, I’d recommend ordering the pork meat pie: it’s pricier and smaller, but the filling is the real deal. The dumplings are also packed full and nice and big, definitely worth a try. The environment could use a little work, but the food is clean and totally fine.
And finally! If you’d like to check out other related posts, feel free to take a look at my personal site below! And if you’re a ramen lover, I’d also recommend browsing the ramen category! I’m Mydondon — see you next time~