All reviews of category "Taiwanese izakaya"

📍Beitou District, Taipei City (MRT Qiyan Station)
A Taiwanese stir-fry restaurant that you can enjoy at noon 🥘🍤

There are many Qiao Yuan restaurants around Beitou Station and Qiyan Station, mostly Taiwanese-style, including stir-fry and dumpling places 🥟

This Qiao Yuan location is newly opened, with a trendy decor that is clean and comfortable. The location used to be Zhang Wu Ji's mixed noodles, which had long lines every day.

On weekends, you can directly sit down without a reservation. There is also a large private room in the back that can accommodate many people.

The menu has a wide variety of dishes. The only small downside is that similar types of dishes are not grouped together, so it takes a while to decide what to order 🤣

🥘
Ordered items:
🐮 Kung Pao Beef ($210):
It’s tender beef! I really like this type of beef texture. The seasoning is quite spicy and pairs well with rice, and you can taste the wok essence.

🥚 Century Egg Sweet Potato Leaves ($180):
I really love this dish 🤤 The essence of the century egg is blended into the sauce, and it pairs wonderfully with the sweet potato leaves.

🐟 Sweet and Sour Fish Fillet ($220):
I didn’t like the seasoning of this dish as much; the sweet and sour sauce looks too fluorescent, and the taste is overly sweet.

🍄
Would I visit again: Yes!
It’s great to have stir-fry available at noon, and the white rice is unlimited! I would like to try other dishes and other branches next time.

✏️
Small note:
🔸 Credit cards are accepted! No service charge.

During the long holiday, I came directly to dine without a reservation. Perhaps it was still early for dining, so there weren’t many people around. The staff in the restaurant didn’t show much enthusiasm in greeting us; they were just ordinary in taking orders, but the speed of serving food was quite fast! There are many types of dishes to choose from, generally similar to typical stir-fried dishes. However, considering the prices and portion sizes, they felt a bit inadequate…

I would especially recommend a few dishes that I liked the most:
❤️ Sesame Oil Kidneys
When ordering sesame oil kidneys outside, I usually worry that they will be overcooked, but the way this restaurant prepares it is just right. Although it continues to cook and can become tough, the tenderness when served is perfect. The aroma of sesame oil is also very fragrant, and it tastes great together!

❤️ Ginger Shredded Intestines
I always love ordering this dish because they can make the shredded ginger taste really good, but I think this restaurant's version is a bit too sour. If you like really sour flavors, this should suit you well!

However, I want to advise everyone to avoid the frog legs because there is hardly any meat, and the portion is really small… It feels like it might be better not to order it at all. Although the taste is good, if there are too many people, you might need to order two portions!

Overall, I think it’s pretty decent, and I might come back when I can’t think of anything else I want to eat!

The row of hot stir-fry shops on Liaoning Street gets more lively as it gets later. Each shop has been around for over ten years; this particular one, Lai Lai Goose Meat and Fresh Seafood, has been in business for over 40 years and does very well. Each establishment here has its own loyal customers, making it a great place for drinking and dining together.

When friends invite me, I come right away. In the winter, when it's cold, the ingredients are displayed out in the open for you to choose from. There’s a wide variety of dishes available, including meats, seafood, and vegetables. The beer is relatively inexpensive, so if you want to feast on meat and drink beer, this is the place to be.

This restaurant "Jia Ke Lai" has been visited once before. At that time, I found the fried rice to be on the moist side, not very to my taste, but it seems to have undergone a name change; it used to be called "Jia Chang Bian Fan." Visiting again this time, I wanted to see how the other dishes performed.

First off, the stir-fried greens were quite good. They tasted fresh and sweet, with the cooking time well controlled—no issues of being overcooked or too oily, which is a plus. The seasoning for the Kung Pao chicken was also decent; although there wasn’t any spiciness, the salty and fragrant flavors were balanced. The only problem was that some of the chicken pieces were cut too small, making it feel more like eating chicken scraps rather than chicken cubes. Some pieces were large while others were small, and the presence of smaller pieces made it somewhat irritating, almost giving the impression of eating a different dish entirely.

The fish belly was cooked to a standard, not particularly impressive but also not a disappointment—just normal performance. The Mapo tofu was completely the Tainan version, lacking the numbing sensation of Sichuan peppercorns and the spiciness of Sichuan style. Instead, it leaned towards the sweeter side, and the taste of the doubanjiang was relatively pronounced, which made it a Taiwanese style Mapo tofu.

The speed at which the dishes were served was very quick; basically, it didn’t take long after ordering for everything to be on the table. It felt like the dishes were prepped in advance and just quickly reheated on high heat when customers placed their orders. This approach is fine, as this kind of fast-cooking restaurant aims for a high table turnover rate and cannot afford to prepare each dish from scratch at a slow pace.

Overall, this restaurant offers stable dish quality, with some areas performing well and some details that could be adjusted further.

▶ Spicy Egg Dish $140 ◀
This is a fried egg, of the soft-boiled variety, which pairs excellently with braised pork rice! There are a total of four pieces.

▶ Scallion Oil Fried Dough $260 ◀
An incredibly unique creative dish, the fried dough is stuffed with squid paste, then coated with sweet and sour sauce. It's not overly sweet; the crispy fried dough and the tender squid paste create a delightful contrast in texture. Highly recommended!

▶ Crispy Tofu with Egg $200 ◀
The egg tofu is pan-fried to a golden crisp, which is truly impressive! Each piece is uniformly sized, topped with plenty of minced pork and chili seeds, offering a mildly spicy flavor overall.

▶ Crispy Pork Intestines $250 ◀
They prepare the pork intestines very cleanly, with minimal fat. The outer skin is fried to a crisp, and at just over $200, it’s a great treat to enjoy pork intestines!

▶ Salt and Pepper Ribs $240 ◀
The salt and pepper ribs are very crispy, but the seasoning isn’t too strong. However, there are more bones than meat.

▶ Braised Pork Rice $60 ◀
Braised pork rice belongs to the fatty meat category, and you can tell it’s been stewed for a long time! I highly recommend everyone try it!!!

# Open During the New Year

During the New Year, the operating hours are similar to usual business hours. Many families gather here for meals during this time! I visited on the second day of the New Year!

"Zhang's Native Chicken City" is considered a famous banquet restaurant in the area, located in Luzhu. They mainly serve native chicken dishes along with some seafood and stir-fried dishes. My family comes here every year for our New Year's gathering because, in these mountain cuisine restaurants, the elders usually foot the bill. Therefore, I don't know the exact prices, but judging by the dishes, it should be around 5,500 TWD per table.

The highlight is certainly the native chicken. The chicken here is really delicious, with firm meat and chewy skin that isn't greasy. It doesn't have that dry and tough texture that some chicken can have. The steamed grouper is also quite good, with delicate and fresh fish meat, and the broth has a subtle sweet freshness, steamed just right without being overcooked or fishy.

Their noodles are also a must-try; they're very aromatic and have a smooth texture, making it hard to resist having a few extra bites. The fried platter's taro balls perform well too, with a crispy exterior and a filling that isn't overly sweet, carrying a hint of natural taro aroma, which isn’t cloying.

Overall, the food at this restaurant tastes good and is relatively affordable, which is why we come here every year for the New Year celebration. The only downside is that it gets really crowded, especially during weekends and the New Year period, so it's definitely recommended to make a reservation in advance; otherwise, you might have to wait on-site to see if there is a vacant table.

# Open During the Lunar New Year

I specifically asked the boss, and he said they are open during the Lunar New Year with the same hours as usual! Moreover, this is a smaller shop in a more rural area, so their operating hours are quite flexible. For instance, this time we ended up eating past midnight, so if you want to eat here, it's best to reserve a table and see if the boss can help.

In the past two years, whenever I have the chance to go to Yunlin with friends, the first choice for dining out is usually "Yafang Restaurant." The boss is very enthusiastic; this time, he even joined us for a few drinks, making the atmosphere really relaxed. He mentioned that “Yafang” is his wife’s name, just as we guessed!

This time, the meal was extremely abundant, but since it was hosted by a friend, I didn’t know the price of each dish. It seems my friend told the boss a budget of 10,000 TWD for the table and then left everything in his hands. I must say, the boss’s cooking is really impressive, with generous portions for each dish, leaving us fully satisfied.

One small apology in writing this food review is that during a group meal like this, sometimes the dishes are served and everyone digs in immediately. I felt too shy to ask for a pause to take photos, so the quality of my pictures isn’t that great, and they are incomplete.

Among the dishes, the most memorable was the steamed green grouper. The fish was very fresh, with tender meat and a hint of sweetness, perfectly steamed. The fried squid was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, without feeling greasy, especially delicious when dipped in pepper salt. The fried shrimp was also exceptionally tasty, bursting with freshness and sweetness; the exterior was crispy while the inside remained chewy. And not to forget the salmon fried rice, which had an exaggerated portion that filled the whole table, with each grain distinct, perfectly fragrant yet not greasy, with the seasoning just right!

Overall, Yafang Restaurant is a hotpot place worth revisiting. Whether for a gathering with friends or a family meal, I highly recommend it. The atmosphere is great, and the dishes are satisfying, so you really can’t go wrong.

Location: Daan District, Taipei City

A stir-fry restaurant near the office
Just happened to have a year-end meal with my department colleagues
I stumbled upon this stir-fry restaurant
Since it was a lunch break gathering
We didn't have much time
We ordered super quickly and waited for the dishes to be served, then ate and went back to work
So here are a few dishes that left a strong impression on me

🌟 Pork Liver
I'm not a huge fan of pork liver myself
But I absolutely love the seasoning style of this place
It's slightly sweet, and after being deep-fried
It allows the unique, strong flavor of pork liver to disappear
The seasoning is more on the sweet-salty side
Very delicious 😋

🌟 Pineapple Shrimp Balls
I've always been a huge fan of pineapple shrimp balls
Whenever a restaurant has this dish
I will definitely order it
But I often end up disappointed
The batter at this place was too thick
So this dish didn't perform well

🌟 Sesame Oil Matsusaka Pork
I didn't manage to take a photo of this
But this dish performed very well
The Matsusaka pork is delicious and not tough to chew
The seasoning is just right
The flavor of the sesame oil base is very rich

🌟 Wugeng Chángwàng (Spicy Duck Intestines)
A very sour and appetizing dish
The sauce is vinegar-based
Pairing it with duck blood makes it a perfect dish for rice

Overall, the seasoning at the stir-fry restaurant tends to be heavy
Because they hope we can enjoy it with drinks
But since we had to continue working in the afternoon
It was a pity we couldn't pair it with alcohol
There are actually many other dishes that were quite good
Definitely a place to revisit for gatherings
The dishes were served very quickly, no long waits
Highly recommended for group meals 😋😋😋

In the Free Twilight Market, this 24-hour fresh fish soup shop does great business during the late-night hours, with a fast serving speed.

The freshness of the seafood is truly exceptional; the broth is sweet and delicious, with no greasy aftertaste. In addition to the soup, the chicken rice is also impressive, featuring a texture of meat chunks rather than shredded meat. The tender meat paired with just the right amount of sauce offers more complexity than typical minced meat rice.

The lightly boiled small squid is also fantastic and crunchy, and when dipped in wasabi, it’s just perfect.

Located on Yongming Street in the Yongkang District of Tainan, "Yu Zhen Xi Shen Chao Shou" is a small restaurant that combines Taiwanese flavors with Sichuan cuisine elements. The decor is simple and unpretentious, creating a warm atmosphere reminiscent of a local home-style eatery. During this visit, we ordered several classic dishes, and the overall impression can be summed up in one sentence: "Excellent seasoning, but the details leave much to be desired." Here, I will break down my dining experience.

Sour Bamboo Shoot with Water Spinach:
First up was the sour bamboo shoot with water spinach, which stood out as one of the highlights of the meal. The sourness of the bamboo shoots paired perfectly with the refreshing water spinach, providing both an appetite boost and a layered flavor. The balance of salty and sour was spot on; even though it was a side dish, the chef's attention to detail was evident and it’s worth a try.

Mapo Tofu:
Mapo tofu is a classic Sichuan dish, but it differed significantly from the traditional Sichuan version. The dish here lacked the floral fragrance of Sichuan peppercorns, and the spiciness was quite mild. The tofu was enveloped in a thick sauce, which felt overly thick to the point of resembling semi-solid jelly. While this thickening technique helps the sauce adhere to the tofu, the excessive thickness detracted from the overall mouthfeel.

Here, the mapo tofu resembled more of a Taiwanese braised rice sauce rather than true Sichuan mapo. The amount of chili oil used was limited, and there was a complete absence of Sichuan peppercorns, resulting in a lack of the expected numbing and spicy complexity. Even though it fell short of my expectations for mapo tofu, the seasoning was flavorful; honestly, it paired well with plain rice, but the overly thick sauce was a major drawback.

Wugeng Changwang (Intestines and Duck Blood):
The seasoning for wugeng changwang was above average; both the intestines and duck blood were well-prepared and free of any unpleasant odors. The sweet, sour, and spicy flavors were very Taiwanese, and the smooth texture of the duck blood and intestines added a nice layer to the dish. However, this dish also suffered from the thick sauce problem. The sauce was so thick it was almost solid, making it quite a struggle to eat. Every time I reached for a piece of intestine or duck blood, I had to carefully shake off the excess sauce, or it felt like I was eating a sidekick to thick soup.

Thickening, in itself, is a good cooking technique that can help sauces adhere evenly to ingredients, but the balance here was clearly off. If the thickness could be reduced a bit, the overall presentation of this dish would certainly elevate to a much higher level.

Herbal Braised Pork Ribs:
The herbal braised pork ribs smelled great, and I thought about trying them, but unfortunately, they weren’t served due to a mix-up by the staff, which left me a bit disappointed. If I have the chance to return, I will definitely order a bowl to make up for it.

In terms of service, the staff was friendly, and the ordering process was smooth. However, it was possibly due to the high number of diners at the time that some mistakes occurred. The overall environment, while not particularly clean, was still acceptable. The atmosphere leaned towards a homey feel, making it suitable for meals with friends or family.

Overall, "Yu Zhen Xi Shen Chao Shou" is a small shop with commendable seasoning techniques, especially with side dishes like the sour bamboo shoot with water spinach, which rivals that of professional Taiwanese restaurants. However, certain technical details, particularly the handling of thickening, left much to be desired. Dishes like the mapo tofu, while tasty, differed greatly from what I expected, leading me to think it might be better to give it a different name altogether… perhaps Taiwanese Spicy Tofu Braised Rice or something like that...

Additionally, the prices at this restaurant are quite reasonable, making it a budget-friendly option worth mentioning.