All reviews of category "Asian"

[Foodholic Nizi @ Taipei]

"Jin Fu Ji" is considered a quite famous takeaway roast duck brand in Taipei, with a total of three branches. Today, we visited the branch located near the Shuanglian Station and Ningxia Night Market.

The three of us ordered a whole duck, prepared in two ways: roast duck and stir-fried duck frame. It also came with a package of pancakes, sliced scallions, garlic, and sweet bean sauce, all for a total of $830.

Although we were quite full, I personally feel that the price for a whole duck is a bit high, as I seem to recall that other places offer takeaway roast duck for around six to seven hundred.

There were very few pancakes, roughly only 8-10 pieces? But since I don't often eat takeaway roast duck, I'm not sure if this amount is standard or genuinely less.

The pancakes were on the thicker side and had a heavy flour taste, and weren't roasted to be very fragrant, so I didn't really like them.

The roast duck slices were relatively thick. The duck meat tasted average—not bad, but lacking an element of surprise or exceptional flavor. However, the duck skin was roasted to a nice crispiness.

The stir-fried duck frame had a bit of spiciness, about a mild level, and was stir-fried with basil, garlic, and scallions. It was very fragrant, flavorful, and delicious! But I was startled when I bit into the duck's tail part, as the taste was terrible—I spat it out after taking a bite.

Overall, the price is relatively high, and the supporting stir-fried duck frame outperformed the starring roast duck.

It's about a ten-minute walk from the Shuanglian MRT station. The boss's tone is quite unpleasant, but quite a few people are still lining up to place their orders. Even before it’s half past five, there are already many people queuing inside the shop. If the counter staff's attitude were a bit better, it would definitely improve the experience. Also, remember to double-check the details of the meal, as there might be mistakes in what is given.

Regarding the meal: I ordered scallion oil chicken thigh rice, which costs NT$120. I originally ordered duck thigh but received chicken thigh instead; the boss misunderstood and gave the wrong dish. It actually tastes quite good; the chicken thigh is tender, and the scallion oil flavor pairs well with rice. There are three types of side dishes, and the portions are decent. If you dine in, they provide soup and will ask if you need it. The soup tastes good; it’s neither too watery nor bland.

Little She River Noodles

Initially thought it was another new nail salon (?)

Later, I laughed when I saw the shop's IG page slogan: "Pink outside, selling noodles inside."

🏠 Gongzheng Road is quite narrow, and parking nearby is not easy. The seating capacity is about twenty; I forgot to take a picture of the menu 🙃. The cheapest item is pork at 160, and raw beef at 230, along with some classic Vietnamese snacks. The sauce area has everything you need, and the water is lemon water. The complimentary tofu is about half a box, seasoned with fish sauce, sugar, and vinegar – very generous.

🍽️ As for the river noodles, both the noodles and meat portions are ample. You can even add broth or more noodles. The broth is flavorful, and the meat's cooking level and thickness are just right. Basil and lemon are self-service, but they don’t skimp on quality just because they're free (many noodle shops provide lemon full of seeds and dried without juice, and the basil looks like you’re chewing on twigs).

However, I would suggest adding some recognizable decorations outside; a small sign might not be enough. Otherwise, many people might, like me, mistake it for a beauty studio (there are many in the area) and miss it xD.

In short, it’s a Vietnamese rice noodle shop that I would revisit.

I heard that the wait time during meal hours can be quite long, so I specifically arrived at the restaurant before six to place my order. Indeed, there were a lot of people waiting for takeout. The closer it got to mealtime, the more crowded it became.

The crispy roast pork rice was $95, and the roast pork part was quite tasty, especially the crispy skin, which was crunchy and flaky. It came with three side dishes. Overall, it was really enjoyable to eat, and the price was quite cheap at only $95.

The scallion oil chicken leg rice was $120, and the oil chicken was handled very well; the skin was tender and the meat was tasty. It also came with three side dishes. Among the three side dishes, I found the cabbage quite delicious, as I actually like eating cabbage.

While dining in, I happened to be asked by the server if I wanted soup, which was free. The restaurant environment was quite clean.

Dining in will provide QR code ordering.
We all chose the spiced curry set, which includes a drink.
There will also be a 10% service charge!

Lemon Chicken Curry $330
Refreshing flavor that tastes very unique and has a moist texture.
There are also side dishes and a fresh salad🥗 to go with it.
The variety of spices is truly diverse; you can really taste the spices themselves😂.
I personally quite like the tangy flavor!
The chicken is tender and not dry at all.
The portion size is just about right.
For those with a big appetite, you might want to add rice!

Classic Meat Sauce Curry $330
The meat sauce curry is on the heavier side but pairs well with rice.
It has a drier consistency compared to the other curry🍛.
This is the classic curry flavor that I usually encounter.
But next time I come, I will still want to order it... it’s a classic that never gets old!

As for drinks, there are cocktails to choose from.
I think the drinks on the menu are quite special!
The "Reggae Punch" is a peach oolong cocktail.
The fruit tea cocktail came as an unexpected surprise💕.

A bowl of liver rice noodles (small) costs $50. The soup base has a nice flavor, and paired with the liver, ginger strips, and bean sprouts, the overall combination is excellent. I felt very satisfied, and it was only $50 for a bowl.

There are many options for side dishes. Since I wasn't very hungry, I ordered a serving of kelp. The kelp was cooked just right—not too soft or too tough—and it was only $20 for a serving.

This type of traditional Taiwanese snack is affordable and delicious, and I come to eat whenever I think of it.

The seating in the shop is limited, but they have air conditioning now, so it's much cooler while eating the noodles.

This store has a wide variety of items and offers many choices. Additionally, if you make a reservation before 11:30 AM, the store will give you a 10 NT dollar discount.

This time, I ordered the curry pork hot pot. You can choose between rice and instant noodles as the main dish. I chose the instant noodles, and the store provides a pack for you to add to the soup yourself later. The amount of meat and hot pot ingredients here isn't that much.

Overall, it’s decent, but the cost-performance ratio isn't very high.

This place is at the Shuanglian Market, and there are quite a lot of people on holidays. There are seats both inside and outside the market, and it is very close to the Ningxia Night Market. The environment is okay, with some market smells; the seating area is relatively clean and bright, and there are utensils and napkins on the table.

Regarding the dishes:

The assorted sushi comes with 5 pieces 🍣 for NT$110. It has fish roe on the outside, but it feels a bit dry, possibly because of the dried meat floss. Overall, it’s average with nothing particularly impressive.

The assorted sashimi costs NT$270 and includes three different types of fish. They provide a large chunk of wasabi, which is great if you love wasabi. The sashimi is fresh and tender, and the fish slices are quite thick.

This store has a lot of items, and during peak hours, there are quite a few customers. If you're just looking to take out, I recommend calling in your order first to save on waiting time.

One good thing about this place is that they offer quite a few vegetarian dishes, so friends who eat plant-based can come and dine together.

This time I ordered the vegetarian curry noodles, which I found to be quite acceptable. It might be because I'm not strictly vegetarian. Also, the shop provides red tea with both dine-in and take-out orders.

The entire Far Eastern Plaza, this should be the cheapest store, a bowl of noodles only costs 100.

I ordered fresh pork wonton noodles, the broth is very ordinary clear soup, and the noodles are also just regular yangchun noodles. There are 5 pieces of fresh pork wontons, and they are mediocre at best.

Overall, I can only say that you get what you pay for. If you want a cheap meal to fill you up, this place is not a bad choice.