Dian Ba Cantonese Restaurant is located in the alleys of the Eastern District in Taipei City, with the nearest MRT station being Zhongxiao Dunhua Station, Exit 4, about a 2-minute walk away. Dian Ba specializes in Cantonese cuisine and offers exquisite Hong Kong-style dim sum. The Zhongxiao branch is the second store opened by Dian Ba this November. The Dian Ba group also includes Dian 8 and Dian Ba Snacks, totaling three brands.
The restaurant has a large number of seats, with two seating areas: front and back. Most are four-person tables, and the back area features large round table private rooms. The decor style is modern and refined, unlike typical Chinese restaurants, with a low-saturation aesthetic of white, brown, and gray, popular among social media influencers.
Ordering is done by scanning a QR code with your phone, and payment is made after the meal. Cash and credit cards are accepted, and there is a service charge.
Today, we ordered quite a few dishes, and my thoughts are written below the photos ⬇️
Overall, the food quality is quite good, service, and speed of serving are average. Considering this new and spacious place in the Eastern District, it justifies the price (about 20% higher for the decor? 🤣), but I probably won’t come often due to my budget constraints.
The traditional Cantonese method of making pure rice paper is passed down and made fresh on the spot. Steamed healthily and deliciously, with less salt and oil, allowing everyone to enjoy tasty and healthy rice rolls is what the shop strives for, and it's really great and delicious.
Every time, it’s fresh shrimp and fresh oysters plus more shrimp, all fresh and large. The soft and chewy rice rolls, combined with a bit of vegetables and egg, are finally drizzled with the shop's homemade sauce and a finishing touch of chili—it's truly very delicious.
It’s so good that I directly bought the shop's homemade chili. Next time, I want to try the red oil dumplings that were sold out today.
I haven't had Hong Kong-style cuisine in a long time, and it just so happens that there's a restaurant at the Fuhai Resort Hotel in Kaohsiung. If I hadn't eaten there, I wouldn't have known how amazing it is. Of course, it may have been adjusted to suit Taiwanese tastes to some extent.
The roasted duck is absolutely fantastic. The duck skin is crispy and fragrant, while the meat is incredibly tender with just the right amount of sweetness. For the mouth-watering chicken, the chicken meat is equally tender, paired with the sweet and sour mouth-watering sauce, which truly makes you want to keep taking another bite.
As for the lo mein, I haven't had many that I enjoyed in Taiwan, but this restaurant's lo mein is slightly wetter, which I think aligns better with Taiwanese preferences. The shrimp-flavored stir-fried cabbage might be the best I've had in recent years; I believe the quality of the cabbage plays a significant role. The cabbage used is very plump and naturally sweet, and combined with the shrimp paste, it’s incredibly delicious.
Since the restaurant is located in the hotel, the space is very spacious and can also be used as a banquet hall, so I highly recommend coming here with a big group of friends!
During the Mid-Autumn Festival, we went to celebrate my grandmother's birthday at a restaurant. As soon as we entered, it was quite dark, and we were immediately led to a private room, not entirely sure if there were any dining areas inside. We had pre-ordered some dishes, and once we were seated, the food was served very quickly.
Each dish was above standard! The salt and pepper ribs were savory and flavorful, the crispy fish skin was crunchy without being greasy, and the tofu pancakes were moist and delicious!
Later, we added some side dishes, and the rice rolls had a rich texture! The shrimp fillings were all very fresh~ The spicy oil dumplings were substantial, and the sauce was well-prepared! I was so full, but I couldn’t resist eating the turnip cake and fried rice! For the birthday, we were given longevity peaches, and for the Mid-Autumn Festival, we received custard mooncakes, both of which were quite nice!
Overall, the service was friendly and thoughtful, and we had an enjoyable dinner.
Environment
The environment inside the store is comfortable and clean. There aren't many seats available for dining, so it’s advisable to call ahead during peak meal times 📞. However, the tables are quite small, and if you order many dishes, it easily fills up the entire table.
Dishes
📍 Pepper Pig Stomach Chicken 💰 460
As soon as it arrives at the table, you can smell the aroma of pepper. The dish contains some chicken and pig stomach, and you can choose to add vegetables. A full pot is perfect for 3-4 people to enjoy together.
📍 Cantonese Sausage Fried Rice 💰 120
The flavor is good but a bit on the salty side.
📍 Stir-Fried Beef Ho Fun 💰 150
Highly recommended for its wok hei (breath of the wok), the taste is rich, and the beef is tender.
📍 Twin Flavors Cheung Fun 💰 90
Half with beef and half with shrimp, the cheung fun has a crispy skin. However, the texture is very soft and mushy; I personally wouldn't recommend it.
📍 Native Chicken 💰 200
You can add some chicken to the pot, achieving a sense of freedom with chicken.
📍 Spicy Pork Intestines with Chili 💰 218
If you love pork intestines and can handle spicy food, order this because it’s really spicy and flavorful. Those who enjoy spicy food will find it very satisfying, and the intestines are quite tasty.
📍 Shrimp with Egg 💰 108
The egg is very delicious, smooth, and aromatic. The shrimp 🦐 tastes fairly ordinary with not much shrimp flavor, but the texture is chewy.
Parking
The restaurant is located near the Lugang Tianhou Temple, and there is no designated parking lot nearby 🅿️. You need to park on the roadside, and there are many areas with white lines available. Riding a scooter 🛵 is somewhat more convenient.
Service
The service attitude and speed of meal delivery provide a very comfortable dining experience. The ordering method is through QR code, and payment is made after the meal. Besides cash 💰, it also supports Line Pay and Taiwan Pay, so you don’t need to carry a wallet to fill your stomach.
❤️ This was my first meal eating alone in Hong Kong, and I didn’t expect to hit a landmine on my first choice...
Each post will include actual dining photos; even if it’s just a picture of a drink, to avoid some users pretending to dine by not including dish photos.
Overall rating: 🌕🌗🌑🌑🌑
📍 Located on Portland Street between Yau Ma Tei and Wong Chuk Hang, there are plenty of seats inside.
🚗 I’m not sure if there are parking spots available nearby, but there were no street parking spots.
💬 I originally wanted to treat myself after walking the whole day in the mountains and thought I’d choose a good restaurant, but my heart was hurt by this first Hong Kong-style restaurant experience.
First of all, the staff was extremely impatient. We might have hesitated a little, but we could feel the impatience from the staff. Luckily, the staff eventually spoke Mandarin with us, and we managed to place a simple order.
Then, I noticed water dripping from the adjacent table. Although it was cordoned off, it still looked terrifying... I was afraid it would spray onto our seats.
This is when I realized that restaurants in Hong Kong don’t provide paper towels. I found that there was no tissue on the table, but fortunately, I always carry some with me; otherwise, I might have had to go to the restroom to get some.
But the worst part was that both sets of chopsticks were extremely... smelly. Even after wiping them with alcohol wipes, there was still a strong odor. This first experience was quite shocking... (shakes)
Food quality: 🌕🌕🌗🌑🌑
Service quality: 🌕🌕🌑🌑🌑
Restaurant atmosphere: 🌕🌑🌑🌑🌑
Price-to-value ratio: 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑
📍 Wong Kok, Portland Street, Man Sun Building, Hong Kong
☎️ +85221482389
⏰ 05:00-00:00
💰 No service charge
🚇 You can take the subway to Mong Kok Station and walk about five minutes to reach it.
For detailed food reviews, please continue scrolling down ❤️
❤️ Today I treated my friends from Hong Kong again and went to the Ying Kwan on Nathan Road, which is a traditional dim sum place (since I heard from friends that authentic dim sum is rarer at night), but I didn't expect them to be open so early. Each post will have actual dining photos, even if it's just a picture of a drink, to avoid some users pretending to dine without attaching food images. Overall rating: 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑
📍 Located on the seventh floor of Chuang Hing Plaza on Nathan Road in Mong Kok, you need to take the elevator from the first floor. There is a lot of seating available and they also provide restrooms.
🚗 I'm not sure where to park, so it's recommended to take public transport.
💬 I really didn't know that Hong Kong-style dim sum opens this early; after staying in Taiwan for so long, I thought it was only for lunch or dinner... (I suddenly recalled that Jiangxing seems to be 24 hours). This time, it was also a friend's enthusiastic invitation for a treat, so I chose some local snacks that might be harder to find in Taiwan.
Since I arrived at the restaurant first (the restaurant is closer to my hotel), I told the staff that there were about four of us and got seated. They asked if we wanted tea, but the staff spoke Cantonese and didn't speak Mandarin, although they patiently listened to me speak Mandarin. In the end, I only ordered Pu-erh tea, and later found out that ordering tea costs 15 HKD per person.
Interestingly, this was the first time I experienced a restaurant without tissues (actually, I thought it was strange that there was only roll toilet paper yesterday). Hong Kong people told me this is normal (but as a Taiwanese, even snack bars have tissues; a restaurant without tissues seems abnormal to me 😆).
But I really ordered too much; I was so full my stomach felt like it would burst... I can only recall a few dishes that I remember.
Peking duck only starts serving at 11 AM, and even pre-ordering isn't allowed. It falls short compared to some roast duck places in Taiwan; it’s just slightly better than what you would find at roadside stalls in Taiwan. (I had anticipated it for so long, and was completely disappointed).
The black gold custard bun does have the liquid filling; I think the custard flavor is just right, but it's super hot, so you must be careful while eating.
The carrot cake is the local Cantonese version, but I don't know why it came a bit cold. However, being able to taste the whole radish in the cake adds to its authenticity!
The vegetable and shrimp dumplings were quite nice too; the fresh shrimp meat blends well with the vegetable flavor~
The golden chicken dumplings, I truly forgot how they tasted, but that cute little chicken shape is definitely something girls would want to order.
Lastly, my friend ordered a few dessert items, but it seems I only captured the pan-fried coconut cream golden cake. It's like toast made with coconut milk powder and has a delicious flavor~
But I sincerely recommend trying the seafood in Hong Kong; it's larger in portions and tastier than in Taiwan!
Food Quality: 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑
Service Quality: 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌗
Restaurant Atmosphere: 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑
Price-to-Value Ratio: 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑
📍 7th Floor, Chuang Hing Plaza, 601 Nathan Road, Mong Kok, Hong Kong
☎️ +85222346199
⏰ 07:00 - 22:30
💰 A 10% service fee is added
🚇 You can take the subway to Yau Ma Tei A1 exit, it's about a 3-minute walk from there.
For detailed food photos, please continue to scroll down ❤️
🌟 Ronggui Dry-Fried Spare Ribs Rice 🌟
Located in Shunde District, Foshan City, Guangdong Province, this place is known as the birthplace of Cantonese cuisine. The dry-fried spare ribs are a distinctive dish of Cantonese cuisine. I originally intended to eat at a more famous restaurant called Rongbian Spare Ribs Rice, but it only operates until noon, so I looked for another restaurant with a similar dry-fried spare ribs rice.
Actually, it was close to the end of business hours when we arrived, but the waitress, Yilan, was very nice and introduced us to the menu.
Of course, we ordered the specialty spare ribs, pig tails, and fish skin among other dishes.
Additionally, a fun thing in Guangdong is that they wash their cups, bowls, and dishes with tea water first (as seen in the picture). They firmly believe this cleans away the dust...
🎖️ Dry-Fried Spare Ribs
This was a must-order, and as soon as it arrived at the table, the aroma of the crispy ribs caught my attention. The outer layer of the ribs was pan-fried to a golden, crispy finish (the plate was, too, having turned yellow from the roasting).
Each piece of meat was juicy and flavorful, with a slightly charred surface hiding tender and succulent pork underneath, accompanied by a special sauce that provided a savory flavor that melted in your mouth, making it hard to resist having piece after piece.
The essence of this dry-fried spare ribs lies in the slow cooking process, which gives the ribs a chewy texture while remaining tender. The sauce is rich but not greasy, perfectly pairing with the white rice, leaving a lasting aftertaste.
🎖️ Dry-Fried Pig Tails
Actually, it was my first time trying pig tails. Compared to regular spare ribs, they were a bit more tender, but the flavor was quite good, with the sauce being absorbed nicely after being dry-fried, which was awesome.
On the side, there was a jar of medicinal wine, and that inside should be a snake... terrifying.
🎖️ Wai Yuen Dining Hall 🎖️
Located in the city center, Wai Yuen Dining Hall is famous not only for its variety of dishes but also for its egg tarts, which are a must-try delicacy. Here, in addition to enjoying a hearty meal, many diners make it a habit to order a freshly baked egg tart. Wai Yuen Dining Hall offers two classic flavors of egg tarts: Original Egg Tart and Coffee Egg Tart.
🎖️ Original Egg Tart
Beloved by diners for its crispy crust and rich egg custard aroma, each bite offers a delightful combination of smooth filling and crunchy shell, perfectly complementing each other, making it irresistible.
🎖️ Coffee Egg Tart
This variant adds a unique coffee flavor to the traditional recipe, with a subtle bitterness of coffee blending into the creamy custard, creating a distinct texture that is especially favored by coffee lovers.
All egg tarts at Wai Yuen Dining Hall are baked fresh daily, meaning that every tart you enjoy is straight out of the oven and filled with a warm, fragrant aroma. These egg tarts are often in high demand, making them an excellent choice for either dessert after a meal or an afternoon snack. Not only does Wai Yuen Dining Hall offer a rich variety of dishes, but its egg tarts also add to the charm of this dining hall, making it a delightful place to linger.
Because the egg tarts are freshly baked, the boxes may have some condensation that can make them less clear in photos. Additionally, you can choose a combo of one Original and one Coffee Egg Tart.
There is also a job posting at the entrance for those interested.
Shihong Porridge and Sauna Chicken
I've been too busy these past few days to post anything, but I'm happy to finally arrive at the Shunde edition today XD
Shunde is undoubtedly a representative of Cantonese cuisine, and this restaurant specializing in chicken is truly a prime example. Every day, a steady stream of guests come here, and if you're visiting on a weekend, please prepare yourself accordingly.
Their chicken is steamed (often referred to as sauna-style), with the meat cooked to perfection, paired with four vegetables (sweet potato, pumpkin, winter melon, and loofah). The staff will assist in placing the ingredients in the pot, before covering it with a lid, allowing the steam to fill the pot completely. After setting the timer, you can return to uncover your pot before the countdown ends～
The chicken comes out extremely tender, and when dipped in soy sauce (which contains ginger and chili), it offers just the right hint of salty flavor that enhances the chicken's natural sweetness—absolutely delicious!
We also ordered their large oysters, which are indeed huge and incredibly fresh, as that's the essence of enjoying oysters.
The juices that flow from the steamed chicken are not wasted; they collect at the bottom, creating a delicious chicken broth with the chicken bones. It's truly exceptional, and anyone visiting Shunde must not miss this place!