Taiwan Food Atlas

Puli Taiwanese Meatballs (Bah-oân)

One meatball, two ways — a mountain-town snack with a twist
📍 Nantou · Puli Township⭐ Specialty · Street Food🍽 Two-way meatball · Chewy skin + bone broth

On a Puli street corner in the early morning, the steamer lid is lifted to reveal glistening, plump meatballs resting in their tray — the outer skin translucent and springy, the filling substantial and dense inside. Local diners are particular about how they eat it: first enjoy the chewy skin and filling, then pour the remaining skin and filling scraps into a bowl of bone broth provided by the shop — and suddenly it becomes a warm soup. One meatball, two experiences.

What are Puli Taiwanese Meatballs?

Puli Taiwanese meatballs are the area's signature traditional snack, and their defining feature is the "two-way" eating method: first eat the springy, chewy outer skin and the filling inside; then, toward the end, pour the remaining bits of skin and filling into the bone broth provided by the shop — and you have a meatball soup. One snack, two flavours.

One of the well-known longstanding shops in town is Ju Meatballs, which has been in operation for over 30 years, with approximately 3,000+ Google reviews and a rating of around 4.4 stars. Because everything is made fresh and quantities are limited, the shop often sells out within one to two hours of opening. Arrive early if you want any. A Kai Meatballs nearby can serve as a backup option.

How to eat it the authentic way

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Enjoy the chewy skin firstFor the first bite, focus on the outer skin and filling together — feel the contrast between the springy, chewy skin and the dense, savoury filling. This is the first act of the two-way experience.
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Then add the brothToward the end, leave some skin and filling in the bowl, pour in the bone broth provided by the shop, and it transforms into a meatball soup. This is the standard local way to finish the snack.
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Arrive earlyEverything is made fresh and quantities are limited. Established shops often sell out within one to two hours of opening — don't aim for the tail end of service. Get there early to avoid a wasted trip.
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Adjust the sauce to tasteTry the meatball plain first, then add sauce to preference. A blend of sweet-savoury sauce with a little garlic paste enhances the flavour — just don't let it overwhelm the natural taste of the skin and filling.

Local knowledge

Verified facts (sponsored content excluded)

  • The signature feature of Puli meatballs is the "two-way" eating method: eat the chewy skin first, then pour remaining scraps into bone broth to make meatball soup.
  • The established Ju Meatballs has accumulated approximately 3,000+ Google reviews with a rating of around 4.4 stars and has been in operation for over 30 years.
  • Because everything is made fresh and quantities are limited, Ju Meatballs often sells out within one to two hours of opening — a testament to its popularity.

Visitor tips

  • If you want to eat at Ju Meatballs, arrive early — it often sells out, so keep A Kai Meatballs in mind as a backup.
  • The broth is the key to the two-way method. Don't eat all the skin and filling in one go — save a little to pour into that final bowl of soup.
  • Operating hours and available quantities may vary by day. It's worth checking before you go to avoid a wasted trip.

Information compiled from the Nantou County Government tourism resources and local township farmers' associations. Sponsored content has been excluded. Photos will be replaced after on-site photography.

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