On Sanchong's Ren'ai Street, a modest bento shop fills the air with the braised aroma of soy sauce and rock sugar simmering together. In the pot, cut after cut of pork knuckle has been braised to a deep amber, the skin gleaming, giving just a little when pressed. The owner scoops the knuckle onto rice and ladles a spoonful of braising liquid over it — the white rice is instantly stained with the sauce color. This is Guangxing Pork Knuckle, open since 1998 and one of the "8 dishes most loved by inspectors" in the 2025 Michelin Bib Gourmand for New Taipei.
What is pork knuckle rice?
Pork knuckle rice is a bento dish of thickly cut pork leg — skin, fat, and lean meat together — braised until fully flavored and placed over white rice. Pork knuckle is neither as fatty as pork belly nor as dry as lean meat; the ratio of skin, fat, and lean meat is well-balanced. After long braising, the skin becomes springy, the fat melts on the tongue, and the lean meat absorbs the braising liquid fully. The braising sauce is typically slow-simmered with soy sauce, rock sugar, rice wine, and aromatics, deepening in color over time until the knuckle reaches a deep amber with an inviting sheen. A bowl of pork knuckle rice — the meat, oil, and rice working perfectly together — is the essence of Taiwanese bento culture.
Guangxing Pork Knuckle opened on Sanchong's Ren'ai Street in 1998 and built its reputation on braised deep-amber pork knuckle. The 2025 Michelin Guide New Taipei Bib Gourmand named Guangxing Pork Knuckle as one of the "8 dishes most loved by inspectors," with the official commentary specifically noting the springiness of the pork skin and the deep amber color of the knuckle. Sanchong has long been an important working-class and everyday food community on the outskirts of the Taipei metropolitan area. The pork knuckle rice bento culture — generous on meat and oil, sustaining for physical labor — has flourished particularly in Sanchong. Guangxing's Bib Gourmand listing brings Sanchong's bento culture onto an international stage, a rare Michelin distinction for this established neighborhood.
How to eat it like a local
Local knowledge
Verified credentials (sponsored content filtered out)
- Guangxing Pork Knuckle opened on Sanchong's Ren'ai Street in 1998 and has been operating for nearly 30 years.
- Awarded the 2025 Michelin Guide New Taipei Bib Gourmand, selected as one of the "8 dishes most loved by inspectors."
- The Michelin commentary specifically notes the springiness of the pork skin and the deep amber color of the knuckle as the officially recognized highlights.
Visitor tips
- Sanchong's Ren'ai Street is cramped and parking is difficult. Taking the MRT to Cailiao Station and walking is recommended.
- Wait times have noticeably increased since the Michelin listing. Avoiding the midday peak on a weekday is more comfortable.
- Pork knuckle rice has a high fat content. Those with sensitive digestion should balance the meal with greens and a light soup.
Information compiled from the Michelin Guide, New Taipei City Tourism and Travel Bureau, and large volumes of public reviews, with sponsored content filtered out. Photos will be replaced with exclusive channel footage after Dio's on-site shoot.