Ying Ming Lin Family Meatballs Introduction
With nearly a hundred years of history, this old establishment is well-known as a representative of Hsinchu meatballs. Located next to the entrance of the Cheng Huang Temple, the white wall beside the seating area features numerous signatures and messages from famous artists, painted in large red letters saying "Lin's Meatballs". Operating in the food stalls of Hsinchu Cheng Huang Temple for decades, Lin's Meatballs is now run by the fourth generation. Although the brothers each have their own independent stalls, they all use traditional family recipes. Their specialty includes filling made from lean meat marinated in red yeast rice for one to half a day, and the outer skin is made from sweet potato starch and non-glutinous rice flour. The finished product is steamed and then deep-fried, resulting in a fragrant and chewy texture! The red appearance differs from meatballs found in places like Changhua. In addition to the traditional scallion and pork flavor, they also offer options like bamboo shoots and chestnuts, providing a diverse selection that stands out in the food stalls at the temple. Besides meatballs, they also offer accompanying soups like Four Herb Soup and the famous Hsinchu meatball soup. The Four Herb Soup is simmered to perfection, making it a perfect match for the meatballs. Even as a single stall, they can sell two to three thousand meatballs on weekends, and many people wholesale meatballs from them during the week. The authentic taste of Lin's Meatballs has attracted numerous reputable food programs and magazines for coverage. Adhering to tradition while innovating at the right times is likely the key to their steadfast presence among the many food stalls in Cheng Huang Temple.
