New Taipei Wulai Bamboo Tube Rice

Wulai Bamboo Tube Rice is a traditional Atayal dish from Wulai District in New Taipei, made by packing raw glutinous rice into a fresh bamboo internode, sealing it with water, and slow-roasting it over charcoal until the rice absorbs the bamboo's fragrance; split open, it comes out glossy and full, typically served alongside maqaw mountain boar and grilled stream fish. Wulai is New Taipei's only municipal indigenous mountain district, where the Atayal make up the largest share — over 40 percent — of the local indigenous population, and restaurants along the old street, mostly Atayal-run, serve this dish as their most representative tribal meal.

Wulai District is New Taipei's only municipal indigenous mountain district, with a population of roughly 6,200 as of end-2025; as of end-2019, the indigenous population stood at 2,926, of whom Atayal made up the largest share at 41.19 percent, though Han Chinese residents have outnumbered the indigenous population overall since the end of World War II.

What is bamboo tube rice?

Bamboo tube rice is a traditional indigenous dish made by packing raw glutinous rice into fresh bamboo internodes, adding water or broth, sealing the ends, and roasting over charcoal. As the bamboo section heats slowly over the coals, the glutinous rice inside absorbs the natural fragrance released by the bamboo. Once cooked, the tube is split open and the rice surface is coated with a thin layer of bamboo membrane, adding a clean, plant-fresh aroma that ordinary steamed rice doesn't have. The Atayal and many other Taiwanese indigenous peoples share the bamboo tube rice tradition — in forest hunting, it allowed a full meal to be prepared with the simplest of materials, an expression of making full use of what the land provides.

Wulai Old Street is the most concentrated Atayal settlement in New Taipei City, with nearly all restaurants along the street operated by Atayal people serving indigenous-style cuisine. Bamboo tube rice is typically served alongside maqaw mountain boar, grilled stream fish, river shrimp, stir-fried tree fern with dried small fish, and wild pepper fried eggs — mountain produce and foraged vegetables forming a full spread. Maqaw is the soul spice of Atayal cooking, tasting somewhere between black pepper and lemon; mountain boar comes from pigs raised freely in the forest, giving the meat a firm and satisfying chew. Tribe-run restaurants such as Tayal Bale and A-Chun Cuisine are among the more well-regarded choices on the old street, offering a cultural distinctiveness that is hard to replicate elsewhere.

How to eat it like a local

Local knowledge

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.