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Rice cakes are a key emblem of Taiwan’s rice-centric food culture, and the “Scallion Nine-Layer Rice Cake” developed in Xiluo is its very essence. Only top-grade rice will do, and the process is painstaking: aged Taichung Sen No. 1 rice stored for at least a year is ground into a slurry, poured into a steamer tray, and steamed into a thin sheet that must be meticulously stacked layer after layer until finished. The result is a cake whose tiers show strikingly different colors—hence the name “Nine-Layer Cake.” It can be eaten hot or cold, each temperature offering a distinct texture and flavor. “Hsiao’s Scallion Rice Cake,” on Jianxing Road near Guangfu West Road in Xiluo, has become the locals’ de-facto breakfast. When the nine-layer cake is steamed and topped with crackling scallion crisp and Xiluo’s own thick soy sauce, its natural sweetness is lifted even higher. Sales start at 5 a.m.; by about 11 a.m. every cake is gone. Out-of-town visitors will need to rise early for the privilege of a taste. Shop specialties: scallion rice cake, pork-skin soup