Penghu Small Squid Vermicelli Soup | Penghu Signature Dish

In summer, the village of Xiaomen on Xiyu is filled with sea breeze and the aroma of simmering broth. Squid caught just offshore — not even half an hour after the boat docked — goes straight into a rolling pot. The white ceramic bowl holds a whole intact squid resting over vermicelli noodles cooked soft but not mushy, in a broth that is naturally sweet from the squid's own juices. Scoop a piece of squid, twirl a chopstick-full of vermicelli — the springy freshness bursts in your mouth at the same time. This is the most magnificent bowl Penghu has to offer in summer.

What is Penghu Small Squid Vermicelli Soup

Small squid vermicelli soup is the most representative rustic seafood dish of Penghu's summer. "Small squid" (xiao guan) refers to juvenile lock-tube squid (a young form of medium squid), roughly 10–15 cm in length, with tender and springy flesh at its best during Penghu's summer season. The preparation is simple: whole freshly caught squid is blanched in boiling water until just cooked, then placed over blanched vermicelli and topped with a clear broth simmered from the squid's own juices with a little shredded ginger. Some shops add fried egg floss or Thai basil for extra aroma. The key is "whole squid" and "freshly caught" — not cut into pieces or made from frozen product.

Xiaomen Village in Xiyu Township (near Whale Cave) is the recognized cluster for small squid vermicelli soup, as it sits close to the main squid fishing grounds and many boats unload here. Shops such as A-Ting and Xiao Ping's have been operating for more than 40 years. The squid season is concentrated from May to September each year; the summer activity of "night squid fishing" is also a well-known Penghu tourist experience, and the squid caught can go directly to the table as vermicelli soup, with unmatched freshness. Most Xiaomen shops close in winter, so if you want small squid vermicelli soup, you have to come in summer.

How to eat it like a local

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Whole squid is the authentic wayThe traditional preparation uses whole squid in the broth; cut pieces or frozen product lose a lot of freshness. You can ask before ordering whether the squid is freshly caught.

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Eat the vermicelli firstVermicelli soaks up broth and turns mushy quickly — eat the noodles first, then enjoy the squid at your own pace; the broth's freshness is best at this point too.

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Dip in soy sauce and wasabiThe local way to eat squid is to dip it in soy sauce with a little wasabi — it enhances the natural sweetness without overpowering the flavor, similar to how you'd eat sashimi.

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May–September is the seasonSquid is at its best in summer and scarce in winter; only a May-to-September visit to Penghu guarantees the freshest Xiaomen squid vermicelli soup.

Local knowledge

Objective notes (sponsor-free)

Small squid (lock-tube squid / medium squid) is Penghu's signature summer seafood, with May–September as the main season.
Xiyu Xiaomen / Whale Cave is the recognized small squid vermicelli soup cluster; A-Ting and Xiao Ping's shops have each been in operation for over 40 years.
Night squid fishing is a well-known Penghu tourist activity; the squid caught can be taken directly to Xiaomen to be made into vermicelli soup.

Visitor tips

In winter (November–April), most Xiaomen shops close; you can only get small squid vermicelli soup in summer.
Xiaomen Village is at the far western end of the main island, about a 45-minute drive from Magong — plan it on the same day as the Cross-Sea Bridge.
On summer weekends, the shops fill up quickly between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. — arrive early or come a bit later to avoid the rush.

Information compiled from the Penghu County Government Tourism Bureau, township farmers' and fishermen's associations, and large volumes of public reviews; sponsored content has been filtered out. Photos will be replaced with the channel's exclusive footage after Dio's on-site shoot.

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