Purple rice fan tuan stuffed with braised pork from Taiwanese Eats in Redwood City.
Cesar Hernandez/S.F. Chronicle
A pair of fan tuan made with purple and white sticky rice from MITK Kitchen in Hayward.
Cesar Hernandez/Cesar Hernandez/S.F. Chronicle
Lately, I’ve noticed a curious rebrand of my favorite Taiwanese breakfast: fan tuan, the sticky rice rolls stuffed with crunchy youtiao (fried wheat dough), pickles, marinated egg and more. The Bay Area knows them as “rice burritos” — because here, anything can be a burrito.
A few years ago, finding fan tuan spots was difficult even among the region’s relatively small Taiwanese restaurant scene. Fast forward five years, fan tuan has gained more visibility, with a quartet of spots now dedicated to the snack, and the dish, with its resonant crunch, has become a social media fascination. Videos have garnered millions of views, sparking newfound local interest in the so-called rice burritos.
I set out to sample each fan tuan specialist, which included a takeout counter in Santa Clara, a ghost kitchen in Redwood City, a shop in San Mateo and a spot operating out of a business park in Hayward. On average, most in the Bay Area are about 6 inches in length and about as thick as a soda can — though some are large enough they could pass muster in the Mission.
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These are the Bay Area’s four best fan tuan, ranked.
The fan tuan combo, which includes a cup of sweetened soy milk, from Chopstix & Taiwanese Bentos in San Mateo.
Cesar Hernandez/S.F. Chronicle
4. Chopstix & Taiwanese Bentos
Located in downtown San Mateo, Chopstix & Taiwanese Bentos offers fan tuan on weekends as a package deal with the traditional pairing of sweetened soy milk. The restaurant does not accept modifications, offering straightforward fillings such as youtiao, pickled mustard greens and salty sweet pork floss. The fried dough had a satisfying snap but the rice was a little overcooked. It could also benefit from chili oil or a condiment. Still, one advantage that Chopstix has over its competitors? Reliable seating.
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142 E. 3rd Ave., San Mateo. chopstixtaiwanesebentos.com
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The fan tuan stuffed with pork floss from Xiaoman Riceburrito in Santa Clara.
Cesar Hernandez/S.F. Chronicle
3. Xiaoman Riceburrito
Aside from drinks, fan tuan is the only thing on the menu at Xiaoman Riceburrito. You have the choice of the original rice burrito, filled with the classics (pickles, fried dough, pork floss), or the “crunchy,” which adds a double-strength youtiao, crispy onions and crispy tofu byproduct (akara) covered in seaweed. The rice is on the firmer side, especially the purple version. Make sure to request it with the mildly spicy and numbing chili oil, which is deepened by peanuts.
573 E El Camino Real, Sunnyvale. riceburrito.com
The fan tuan from Taiwanese Eats in Redwood City.
Cesar Hernandez/S.F. Chronicle
2. Taiwanese Eats
Taiwanese Eats is a ghost kitchen operating in a residential part of Redwood City. Its main draw is fan tuan, which some eager patrons eat next to the takeout window on account of the lack of seating. I saw someone eat one in a full squat, which felt like a ringing endorsement. The rice burrito can be made with purple or white sticky rice and includes pickled radish, mustard greens, fried shallots and extra crisp youtiao. To that you can add braised pork or meat floss, made with pork or swordfish. The fatty pork belly is the standout, followed by the hard-to-find swordfish floss, which is salty and delicately fishy.
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426 MacArthur Ave., Redwood City. taiwaneseeats.com
Vegetarian fan tuan, sticky rice stuffed with pickles and marinated egg, from MITK Kitchen in Hayward.
Cesar Hernandez/S.F. Chronicle
1. MITK Kitchen
The chaos of MITK Kitchen, a Taiwanese restaurant in a Hayward business park, is part of the thrill: Every inch of the tiny room’s wallspace is filled with menus in different fonts. Five different conversations happen at once as one staff member takes orders and the other makes crepes known as jian bing. The crackle of the youtiao is pronounced and the rice strikes the right balance of stickiness and chew. MITK also has the most options for fuan tuan fillings, with a roster that includes fried chicken, braised beef, pork chop, sweet and sour fish. The braised pork is the knockout: sweet, rich and salty. Of course, it’s even better with the chili oil.
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1655 Whipple Road, Hayward. mitkcatering.com