HONG KONG – A humble rice ball stall in Kaohsiung has become an unlikely star of a new Hong Kong television program, drawing rave reviews from a celebrity panel for its oversized, budget-friendly offerings. The segment aired Monday night as the debut episode of the travel and variety show “Try It for Real,” which follows five Hong Kong entertainers as they sample food and culture across Taiwan.
The show’s lineup includes veteran actress Mary Chiang, actor Benjamin Chu, singer Kwan Gor (Ng Yip-kwan), host GM Tsang (Tsang Chin-mong), and popular actor Owen Cheung, known as “TV King” for his drama awards. The group visited Taipei, Tainan, and Kaohsiung for the series, which producers describe as a “straight-talking, down-to-earth” exploration of local life, retaining the light-hearted, improvisational tone of the first season.
In the premiere, the cast tackled three major “Try It for Real” challenges in Kaohsiung. The centerpiece was a jumbo rice ball from a famed local vendor, which the show dubbed the “A380 of rice balls”—a reference to the double-decker Airbus superjumbo jet. Priced at just 50 New Taiwan dollars (roughly HK$12.50 or US$1.55), the meal was hailed as a bargain.
According to the program, the stall offers more than 50 topping combinations. The star item featured five ingredients, including vegetarian options, fried chicken fillet, roasted pork, smoked tea goose, and basil egg. The rice ball was so large that Chiang, Kwan Gor, and GM initially planned to share one among the three of them.
That plan quickly unraveled. After her first bite, Chiang exclaimed “delicious” three times in rapid succession, praising the rice’s texture as “just right.” GM could not stop eating, calling the bonito flakes “incredibly tasty” and “outrageously good.” Kwan Gor chimed in, “I can’t wait to buy another one.” The trio soon returned to the stall to purchase individual rice balls and soy milk, leaving with full bags and awarding the vendor a near-perfect score of 4.67 out of 5 in an impromptu “crowd review.”
The segment highlights a broader trend: Taiwan’s so-called “copper coin” street food—inexpensive, filling, and inventive—continues to draw international attention. For many Hong Kong viewers, such programs also offer a vicarious taste of cross-strait culinary travel amid ongoing pandemic-era travel restrictions.
“Try It for Real” airs weekly. The show has not yet announced whether the cast will return to Taiwan for future episodes, but early audience reactions suggest the “A380 rice ball” may become a must-try item for any future tourist itinerary in Kaohsiung.
