Luodong Angelica Lamb Soup | Yilan Signature Dish

The signature winter scene at Luodong Night Market is pots of angelica lamb soup bubbling away, their herbal-medicinal steam drifting down the entire street. The plastic stools in front of each stall are always full — some diners pairing the soup with thin wheat noodles, others ordering a separate plate of lamb to dip in fermented tofu. Yang Pu Zi and A-Zao Bo stand side by side along Minquan Road, and stopping by one or both is a fixed ritual for Yilan locals warming up on a winter night.

What is Luodong Angelica Lamb Soup?

This is a soup made by simmering bone-in lamb with Chinese angelica root (danggui), Sichuan lovage (chuanxiong), and other herbs. The broth runs a deep amber color; the first sip brings the herbal fragrance of angelica, followed by the natural sweetness drawn from the lamb bones — far less gamey than most people expect. The standard way to eat it is a clear broth with sliced ginger and a dash of rice wine, served with thin wheat noodles or glass noodles. The lamb itself can be ordered separately as a sliced platter dipped in fermented tofu. It is the representative 'must-queue-in-winter' soup at the Yilan night market scene.

Luodong Night Market clusters around Zhongshan Park, while angelica lamb soup stalls concentrate along Minquan Road. Yang Pu Zi, listed on the Luodong Township Office's tourism website, and A-Zao Bo — locally dubbed the 'night market lamb duo' — have stood next to each other for decades, each with a devoted following. Their recipes differ slightly: broth sweetness, meat texture, and noodle options are all worth comparing. This is a rare opportunity to try two schools of the same dish at the same street in a single outing.

How to eat it like a local

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Soup and noodles as a setThe local ordering approach is 'one bowl of angelica lamb noodles + one bowl of plain broth'. Drinking the broth separately keeps the soup's flavor concentrated rather than diluted by the noodles.

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Add a platter of sliced lambIf you want more meat, order a separate sliced lamb platter. Dipping in fermented tofu is the shared method at both stalls — don't just drink the broth without eating the lamb.

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Best in winterNovember through February of the following year offers the best atmosphere. It's available in summer too, but foot traffic drops noticeably.

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Compare both stallsFor an objective comparison of Yang Pu Zi and A-Zao Bo, visit on two separate days, or come as a group of three and split orders — don't try to down two full pots by yourself.

Local knowledge

Verified sources (sponsored content filtered out)

The Luodong Township Office's tourism website lists Yang Pu Zi's angelica lamb soup, naming it alongside A-Zao Bo as a representative night market soup.
Both stalls have operated for decades and consistently appear on 'Luodong must-eat' lists in major travel media and local reviews.
Angelica lamb soup is part of Yilan's night market food culture — a community-style dish, not monopolized by any single brand.

Visitor tips

Both stalls have queues during weekend dinner hours. Arrive before 17:30 or return after 21:00.
Pregnant women and those on certain medications should note that Chinese angelica is not suitable for everyone — consult a doctor if in doubt.
Lamb soup is relatively high in calories and sodium. Pairing it with vegetables or a sugar-free drink helps balance the meal.

Information compiled from the Yilan County Government's Bureau of Commerce and Tourism, local township farmers' associations, and large-scale public reviews. Sponsored listings have been filtered out. Photos will be replaced with channel-exclusive footage after Dio's on-site shoot.

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