What it is
Pork glass-noodle soup (豬肉冬粉) is a clear pork broth poured over glass noodles (冬粉), translucent starch threads that soak up liquid. The topping is sliced pork or offal: heart, tongue, stomach, large intestine or pork diaphragm (肝連). Pickled mustard greens (酸菜) give the soup a light sourness. A mixed soup (綜合湯) puts several cuts in one bowl.
How it is made
Fresh pork is bought each day, and the cuts are cooked in a big pot of broth kept at a rolling boil. They are laid over the noodles with pickled mustard greens and the broth goes on top. At Fang De in Kaohsiung a charcoal stove under the cart still keeps the pot boiling, and a thin layer of fat sits on the soup.
How to eat it
A daytime soup at shops such as Fang De, which trade from late morning into the afternoon. The menu hangs on the wall and most dishes come in small or large sizes, so order small and try a few cuts. Tables are often shared when it is busy.
Around Taiwan
- Kaohsiung
- Fang De (芳德豬肉冬粉) in Sinsing District is said to be more than a century old. It has passed through three unrelated owners, each taking over when the last had no heirs, and the current one has run it for over 30 years. It made UDN's 500 Bowls list in 2025.
