Xin Ming Jin Restaurant began as Xin Ming Jin Fish-Ball Shop, a fifty-year-old stall inside Chiayi’s East Market that made and sold fish balls and ready-to-eat foods on the spot; its clients included convenience stores and hot-pot or snack shops throughout Chiayi and neighboring counties. In 2002, at customers’ urging and in step with the times, the owner converted the business on Ren-ai Road into a restaurant offering both traditional snacks and modern set meals. It preserved classic flavors such as fish balls and burdock fritters while adding dishes like baked casseroles and hot pots. Blending local character with new culinary elements, Xin Ming Jin was named one of Chiayi’s “famous stalls and products” by the Ministry of Economic Affairs in 2004, selected as a “Cho-ló Artisan” specialty store and official restaurant of the International Band Festival in 2007, and in recent years has received honors including Chiayi’s Top Ten Specialty Snacks, Taiwan’s Top 100 Gourmet Snacks, and national GSP service certification.
