Xinpu Hakka Rice Noodle Sheets (Ban Tiao)

Xinpu ban tiao is a traditional Hakka rice noodle dish from Hsinchu, made by steaming indica rice slurry into thin sheets and hand-cutting them fresh each day; together with Meinong ban tiao in the south, it forms one of Taiwan's two major Hakka ban tiao traditions.

Xinpu Ban Tiao Da Wang traces its roots to a stall the owner's grandmother ran near the local Earth God temple in Xinpu; the shop has been passed down through three generations over more than 50 years and has been named one of Taiwan's Top 100 Street Food Shops. Xinpu and Meinong are recognized as Taiwan's two leading Hakka ban tiao producing towns, and ban tiao is one of Xinpu's 'Hakka Three Treasures' alongside dried persimmons and smoked pork sausage.

What Is Xinpu Ban Tiao

Ban tiao (粄條, Pán-tiâu in Hakka) is the Hakka term for wide noodles made from rice. Traditional method: indica rice is soaked for several hours, ground into a slurry, spread flat in a steamer tray and steamed into a thin sheet (known as "ban," 粄), then cut once cooled into strips about 1–2 cm wide. Xinpu ban tiao is typically cut fresh and sold the same day; the texture is smooth and slippery with a rice fragrance. The soup version is served in a pork-bone broth with fried shallots, shredded pork, chives, and bean sprouts; the stir-fried version is cooked over high heat with shredded pork, dried shiitake mushrooms, dried shrimp, and celery.

How did Xinpu become the representative of ban tiao in northern Taiwan? Xinpu Township is one of Hsinchu County's Hakka communities; during the Qing Dynasty it was an important rice-growing area in the Zhuqian region, with high-quality indica rice in ample supply — a natural advantage for making ban tiao. "Xinpu Ban Tiao Da Wang" (Xinpu Rice Noodle King) has been selected as one of Taiwan's top 100 street-food shops and has been run by three generations for over 50 years, representing the area; Yuanxiangwu and Lin Family Ban Tiao are also century-scale establishments. Xinpu also holds the title of "Hakka Three Treasures" hometown: ban tiao, dried persimmon cakes, and smoked sausage. Ban tiao is the most everyday of the three, eaten by locals from breakfast through dinner. It stands alongside Meinong ban tiao as one of the two great Hakka ban tiao traditions in Taiwan — south and north.

How to Eat It the Local Way

Local Knowledge

Information compiled from the Michelin Guide, Hsinchu City Government Tourism Bureau, Hsinchu County Government Tourism and Travel Division, and a large volume of public reviews, with sponsored content filtered out. Photos to be replaced with channel-exclusive material once Dio shoots on location.