Banqiao Banxin food pick | Chen Xin Chao Shou: sour-spicy jumbo wontons and crispy stinky tofu from a 37-year local shop
陳新抄手 (Chen Xin Chao Shou) is a well-known old snack shop in Banqiao’s Puqian area, specializing in sour-spicy wontons, wonton dishes, Shanghai-style fresh-pork rice dumplings and Hong Kong-style crispy stinky tofu. It is on Section Two of Zhongshan Road in New Taipei City’s Banqiao District, about an 8-minute walk from Banxin on the Circular Line. Parking nearby is not especially easy, but there is still a steady takeout crowd at meal times.
If you are looking for Banqiao food, places near Banxin, or a tangy, appetite-opening plate of wontons with freshly fried stinky tofu, Chen Xin is a representative local old-timer. It does not rely on polished décor; familiar flavors and consistent staples are what keep regulars coming back.
Location and getting there
Chen Xin Chao Shou is at 新北市板橋區中山路二段 171 號 in the Puqian neighborhood. The closest metro stop is Banxin on the Circular Line, about an 8-minute walk away.
Coming from Xinpu on the Bannan Line takes a little longer, so a bus or a walk along Section Two of Zhongshan Road may make sense. This is a classic everyday Banqiao commercial area, surrounded by homes, clinics, shops and small eateries. It feels less like a tourist food street and more like a road locals use every day and stop along for takeout.
Parking around the shop is not very convenient, so a scooter, metro or bus is easier. If you drive on a holiday or during dinner time, be prepared for the extra hassle.
Inside and atmosphere
Chen Xin Chao Shou has been open for more than 37 years and has appeared on food and TV programs such as 食尚玩家 and 非凡大探索, while also accumulating plenty of online reviews. At the shop, it is obvious that the clientele is not just first-timers—many are local regulars who know exactly what they want.
Both dine-in and takeout can get busy at meal times, with takeout especially steady. On this holiday dinner visit, the seats were not packed, but takeaway customers kept arriving, making the shop’s place in the neighborhood easy to feel.
The setting is that of a normal snack shop: not especially spacious and not really designed for lingering conversations. It is better for a quick meal or for picking up a few signatures to enjoy at home.
Menu and ordering
The menu focuses on wontons and related dishes, with wonton noodles, dry noodles, Shanghai-style fresh-pork rice dumplings, stinky tofu, side dishes and some set meals as well.
Prices are not particularly cheap, but by current snack-shop standards they are broadly reasonable. For a first visit, start with the signature Sour-Spicy Jumbo Wontons and Crispy Stinky Tofu; these show the shop’s character best.
The shop presents itself as a specialist in wonton dishes. In essence, chao shou, wontons, bianshi and wonton in Cantonese are all close relatives: thin dough wrapped around meat filling, with names shaped by regional habits. Sichuan commonly says chao shou, northern China says huntun, Fujian and Minnan areas often say bianshi, while Cantonese uses wonton. Wrapping style, size, sauce and broth vary by place, which adds an interesting regional dimension to this kind of snack.
Signature Sour-Spicy Jumbo Wontons
The signature Sour-Spicy Jumbo Wontons are one of Chen Xin’s popular dishes. A serving comes with seven large wontons, giving the plate real presence. The shop wraps them fresh with warm pork; each is larger than a typical commercial wonton, with a pretty skirt of wrapper around the filling. Once mixed through the red-oil sauce, they look immediately appetizing.
The dish includes pickled mustard greens, chili, minced pork, peanut powder and the shop’s own sour-spicy sauce. Mix thoroughly before eating so every wonton is coated. The wrapper is thin and soft, while the meat filling is firm, juicy and cohesive without obvious greasiness.
What really makes the dish memorable is the sour-spicy sauce. It is not simply painfully hot: there is tang, aroma and oily richness. The sourness opens the palate first, with heat slowly emerging in the finish. The first wonton can seem mild enough; by the later ones, your stomach feels warmed and your chopsticks naturally keep reaching for another.
The wontons look intensely flavored sitting in red oil, but they are not overly salty in practice. Pickled greens and peanut powder add more layers than an ordinary red-oil wonton. If you are comfortable with mild to medium spice, this should go down easily; if you avoid chili entirely, think twice.
The shop’s small-fish chili is also worth noting. It is aromatic, carries the savoriness of dried fish and is hotter than it looks. Strong-flavor fans can add some, but do not start with too much because it noticeably raises the heat level.
Crispy Stinky Tofu
The Crispy Stinky Tofu is eye-catching as soon as it arrives. Each thick piece has a small hollow on top filled with sauce, helping the flavor soak in. These are large blocks rather than bite-size cubes, so finishing one in a single bite is difficult; take a few bites instead.
The outside has some crispness while the inside stays soft, giving a clear contrast. The fermented aroma is not especially aggressive, making this a relatively approachable style of stinky tofu. If I had to nitpick, the crust could be even crisper, but overall it is still well executed.
The sauce and mashed garlic are what lift the plate for me. Their savory, garlicky flavor is strong enough for the thick tofu. The pickled cabbage is fairly standard, but its freshness helps balance the fried richness even if it is not especially memorable.
Overall, this is good stinky tofu. It is not the kind that shocks you with the first bite, but the crispness, tofu thickness, sauce and pickles all stay consistently above a basic level.
Who it suits
Chen Xin Chao Shou suits anyone looking for food in Banqiao, near Banxin or around Puqian, especially people who enjoy sour-spicy flavors, red-oil wontons, wonton dishes or stinky tofu.
It also works well for a simple after-work meal or takeout to add to dinner at home. When the weather cools, Sour-Spicy Jumbo Wontons with stinky tofu make a filling combination.
If you are searching for a huge, ultra-cheap Banqiao snack meal under one hundred dollars, this may not be the most budget-saving choice. Chen Xin’s prices are closer to those of signature dishes at an established shop: not especially cheap, but the flavor and portion still have their audience.
Afterthoughts
Chen Xin Chao Shou is an old shop with a strong sense of everyday Banqiao life. The food is not about flashy refinement; signatures such as Sour-Spicy Jumbo Wontons and Crispy Stinky Tofu are what keep nearby residents returning.
On this visit, the sauce on the Sour-Spicy Jumbo Wontons was the most memorable part: tang, heat and aroma were all there, and the wontons themselves were large and juicy. The Crispy Stinky Tofu was reliably tasty, with a good combination of sauce and garlic. It is not the cheapest place, but if you are walking around Banxin, Puqian or Section Two of Zhongshan Road in Banqiao and want an older snack shop with clear signatures and local popularity, Chen Xin deserves a spot on the list.
For a first visit, order the signature Sour-Spicy Jumbo Wontons with one Crispy Stinky Tofu. Those two dishes capture the shop’s main character. Takeout crowds can be heavy at peak times, so leave a little extra time.
