Puli Rice Noodles (Water-Style) | Nantou Signature Dish

Inside an old shop across from the Puli Winery, bundles of rice noodles are made in-house and sun-dried, then dropped into boiling water and slipped into a bowl of broth. Pick up a strand — the noodle is thicker than you might expect, with a high moisture content, sliding smoothly yet holding its shape without turning mushy. This is Puli's distinctive water-style rice noodle, a world apart from Hsinchu's steamed variety. One mouthful, and you're tasting the unmistakable character of this small mountain town.

What are Puli Rice Noodles?

Puli rice noodles are "water noodles" (shuifen) — the rice paste is extruded directly into boiling water rather than steamed. The result is a thicker strand with higher moisture content and a smoother texture. This is the key distinction from Hsinchu's "steamed noodles" (chuifen), which are made by steaming and come out thin and dry. Puli is one of Taiwan's two major rice noodle production centres, and with its local water quality and noodle-making craft, it has developed a water-style flavour entirely its own — the representative noodle dish of Puli Township.

Taiwan's rice noodles fall into two broad camps: Hsinchu's steamed noodles are thin, dry, and made by steaming; Puli's water-boiled noodles are extruded into hot water, coming out thicker and moister, with a smooth yet slightly chewy texture that suits being cooked in broth or stir-fried until well-seasoned. Puli earned its place as one of the two major production centres through the purity of its water and the craft passed down through generations of noodle makers — making water-style rice noodles the natural centrepiece of this mountain town's table.

How to eat it the authentic way

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Recognize the water-noodle texturePuli water noodles are thicker, with higher moisture and a smooth, springy bite — a completely different texture from Hsinchu's thin, dry steamed noodles. Don't confuse the two.

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Works both in soup and stir-friedWater noodles absorb broth beautifully and hold up well to a hot wok. In soup they're silky smooth; stir-fried they pick up seasoning and develop a pleasant chew. Both styles are worth trying.

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Seek out in-house producersAuthentic Puli rice noodles are made fresh on-site. Eating at a generations-old noodle shop gives you the truest flavour and a chance to see the water-noodle making process.

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Keep the seasoning simpleGood water noodles have a natural rice fragrance. A simple topping of fried shallots, minced pork sauce, or clear broth is all you need — don't let heavy sauces drown out the noodle itself.

Local knowledge

Verified facts (sponsored content excluded)

Puli is one of Taiwan's two major rice noodle production centres. The local noodles are water-style (shuifen) — extruded into boiling water, thicker, high in moisture, smooth in texture — distinct from Hsinchu's steamed-style (chuifen).
The anchor vendor, Zhen Song Ji Rice Noodles, has produced water-style rice noodles in-house across three generations, located directly across from the Puli Winery.
This guide is organized by dish. The anchor shop is noted only for location reference and future on-site photography — it is not a restaurant ranking.

Visitor tips

The anchor location is in Puli Township, directly across from the Puli Winery — easy to locate and convenient to combine with a winery visit.
This is a local noodle shop. Visit during meal hours for freshly cooked noodles at their best.
Coordinates are approximate field-survey values. Actual address and operating hours should be confirmed on-site.

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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