Dragon-Phoenix Legs (Longfeng Tui) | Yilan Signature Dish

Dragon-phoenix legs look like chicken drumsticks, but the filling inside is a mix of shrimp paste and ground pork, and the skin is pork caul fat — not any kind of batter. This is a deep-fried snack found only at Yilan's traditional markets. The Yilan County Government's Tourism and Travel website includes it on the 'Yilan Top Ten Traditional Street Foods' list, and the old stalls at Nanguan Market have been keeping this craft alive for over forty years.

What are Dragon-Phoenix Legs?

Fresh shrimp paste and ground pork are mixed with scallion, ginger, soy sauce, and other seasonings, then wrapped in pork caul fat (also known as lace fat or pork netfat) into a drumstick shape, skewered with a bamboo stick to hold the form, and deep-fried until golden. The caul fat renders semi-transparent and crispy under heat, locking in the shrimp flavor and meat juices inside — the result is crispy on the outside and juicy within. The bamboo sticks poke out from both ends for easy handling. Though it looks like a drumstick, the material and technique are entirely different, and knowing this is key to understanding Yilan's traditional street food.

Dragon-phoenix legs are exclusive to Yilan's traditional markets, with Nanguan Market and Dongmen Market as the main supply points. Old stalls have been passed down within families for over forty years with continuous hands-on production — not a convenience item for tourist zones. The Yilan County Government's Tourism and Travel website 'Yilan Top Ten Traditional Street Foods' list and multiple books on Taiwanese street food include them, and locals consider them a must-pick-up when browsing the market.

How to eat it like a local

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Stand and eat it right thereThe best window for eating dragon-phoenix legs after frying is short. Standing at the stall and eating on the spot is the most authentic experience; the texture declines noticeably once you walk away.

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Identify the skin materialAuthentic dragon-phoenix legs have a pork caul fat exterior that turns semi-transparent and golden after frying. If the coating is breadcrumbs or batter, it is not the traditional version.

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Arrive before noon for the best selectionNanguan Market stalls have the fullest supply from morning through early afternoon. Selling out in the afternoon is common, so an earlier arrival is recommended.

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Don't mistake it for a chicken legThe name contains 'leg' but it is not a chicken leg at all. Let your companions know in advance to avoid confusion — the filling is shrimp paste and pork, not deboned chicken.

Local knowledge

Verified sources

Listed on the Yilan County Government Tourism and Travel website's 'Yilan Top Ten Traditional Street Foods' — an officially recognized representative street food.
Multiple books on Taiwanese street food introduce the old stalls at Yilan's Nanguan Market as the authoritative source for dragon-phoenix legs.
The market stalls have over forty years of documented history and are frequent subjects of Yilan local media coverage.

Visitor tips

Dragon-phoenix legs sold in tourist zones are mostly frozen products re-fried; the texture gap compared to the market's freshly made version is substantial.
Nanguan Market is busiest on weekends. Weekday visits, or purchasing as soon as the stalls open, are recommended to avoid missing out.
The Zhōu family stall at Dongmen Market is another well-regarded option — you can compare styles between that and the Nanguan Market stalls.

Sources: Yilan County Government Tourism and Travel website, Taiwanese street food book records. Photos pending Dio's on-site shoot.

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