Bianshi, the wontons of Hualien

Hualien's specialty, I was told, is bianshi (扁食), and wonton shops line the streets. The long-established favorites were tempting, but I wandered into a shop I happened to pass, under a sign reading 花蓮香. In the kitchen, wontons were boiling in a steaming pot.

These are what we in Japan know as wonton. The bowl arrived with plump dumplings floating in the soup: thin skins packed tight with juicy filling, and a gentle, light broth with a hint of celery that soaked right through me.

Beside the counter, warming pans held side dishes such as braised tofu. Warm and delicious, it soothed me to the core.

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