Journeys in photographs and words.

Places we stopped along the way

Hsinchu, Taiwan

A-Zhong Ice Shop (阿忠冰店)

From: An apartment in Hsinchu and the steam of the night market

The signs of A-Zhong Ice Shop
The signs of A-Zhong Ice Shop

A shaved-ice shop beside the Hsinchu City God Temple. Its sign says it was founded in 1963, serving old-style shaved ice and handmade tofu pudding. It shaves milk-flavored ice, and the shaved ice with its special pineapple syrup came with red beans and taro balls.

No. 187, Dongmen St., Hsinchu City, Taiwan

Sources: 4travel.jp supertaste.tvbs.com.tw

This moment in the journey

Shaved milk ice

Shaved ice is another Taiwanese classic. A-Zhong Ice Shop, near the City God Temple, has a sign saying it was founded in 1963. What makes it special is that besides plain ice, it shaves milk-flavored ice too.

Out front, a big ice shaver was at work while steam rose from the pots beside it. I ordered the popular shaved ice with the shop's special pineapple syrup. The richness of condensed milk went beautifully with the pineapple, and inside were sweet red beans and chewy taro balls. It exceeded my expectations: deeply satisfying.

Watch this scene on YouTube3:51

Read this scene in the full journey

A street where people gather around food stalls
A street where people gather around food stalls
The storefront of A-Zhong Ice Shop
The storefront of A-Zhong Ice Shop
Shaving ice with the ice machine
Shaving ice with the ice machine
Pouring condensed milk over the shaved ice
Pouring condensed milk over the shaved ice
Steaming pots at the storefront
Steaming pots at the storefront
Silver pots behind the steam
Silver pots behind the steam
Shaved ice with pineapple syrup
Shaved ice with pineapple syrup
Sitting down with the shaved ice
Sitting down with the shaved ice