Thanks to Fooday 🥳 for inspiring me to try more different cuisines 🍽
🚩 Location 🧭
Located near the intersection of Dazhi Road and Zhongxiao Road in the East District of Taichung City. It had previously relocated from across the street.
🪑 About the overall atmosphere 🎡
After moving from across the street, the store is noticeably much smaller. There are about three tables inside and two outside, and they use a self-service dish return system. The store has air conditioning.
💰 About the pricing 💰
Braised pork rice is $65, with no side dishes.
🍴 About the food ☕
This place is very famous for writing on their sign “the hardest to eat (braised pork rice)” in a small font, which makes people wonder why they would write that about their own food! I had eaten here before in Changhua and thought it was pretty good, but this time the piece of braised pork had more fat, and by the end, I found it a bit greasy. Setting that aside, it might just be a personal preference; the meat itself is flavorful and has a good texture! I wonder if next time I ask the owner for less fat it might improve things. The braising sauce doesn’t make the rice too sticky, as some braised pork rice sauces can cause the rice to clump together; here, the grains are distinct.
🤨 Conclusion ♥
I’ve heard that the nearby Xiao Braised Pork Rice is quite famous, but it’s always closed when I go, so I decided to try the Black Pig Master in Taichung. Overall, it was quite good as well!
Foodholic Niko @ Kaohsiung
The food known as "桶仔雞" (bucket chicken) is one of those dishes that makes you nostalgic if you haven't had it in a while, so this time I found this place called "Wen Chayuan" located in Fengshan District. Though it's called Fengshan District, it's actually closer to Niaosong.
In September, the special promotion is that you can add bucket chicken to a group meal at a discounted price!
Regular Price:
Original Bucket Chicken $700, Garlic Bucket Chicken $800
Add-on Price:
Original Bucket Chicken $350, Garlic Bucket Chicken $450
Since there's a significant price difference, and we were also too lazy to browse the menu and order, we decided to go with the eight-person meal (please refer to the menu for details) and added one Garlic Bucket Chicken, without ordering any other dishes. This was quite filling for nine adults!
The package also includes two large pots of drinks, which I personally think is quite a good deal! The honey lemon iced tea is delicious!
P.S. The group meal and bucket chicken need to be booked in advance! (If you order bucket chicken on-site, it will take about an hour to wait.)
Starting with the bucket chicken,
I personally found it quite tasty; the chicken was tender, and the skin was roasted to a nice crisp, although the chicken seems a bit small. The add-on price is okay, but at the regular price, I’d feel it’s a bit pricey.
Now about the big soup pot,
We chose the mushroom chicken soup. The mushrooms were decent, but the chicken was very tender, and the soup had enough flavor and was tasty.
In my opinion, the dishes in the set meal performed adequately, not bad, but none of them stood out impressively; they had the usual tastes that you’d expect.
Dishes I liked more:
Salt and Pepper Squid, Braised Tofu, and Flower Crab Balls.
Dishes I liked less:
Matsusaka Pork, because it felt soft and lacked the crispiness you would usually expect from Matsusaka pork, which is a bit of a disappointment.
Additionally, there was a little downside; I felt that the staff I encountered today were somewhat indifferent. However, the two staff members I spoke with on the phone were very friendly.
In one sentence, the conclusion is: this is a meat sauce rice restaurant that's been overshadowed by its lamb soup!
Located on the first floor of a residential building in Xindian, I unexpectedly fell in love with them after trying it once during my college years.
I believe their meat sauce rice is among the top three in the Greater Taipei area!
Lamb soup with skin: the meat is quite chewy; my friend feels its lamb flavor is slightly stronger compared to other lamb dishes. The broth itself is not considered light, but it’s not too heavy either.
The meat sauce rice is my main reason for visiting each time. Simply put, it is truly the number one I've had in the Greater Taipei area! The meat sauce itself has fat but isn’t overly greasy; it also has a nice firmness. The sauce is rich in flavor, and it feels like it must have been cooked for more than just a few hours. The texture of the rice is perfectly controlled; the only downside is that this time the meat sauce rice had slightly too little gravy, making it a bit dry.
The only unfortunate part is the dining environment and the number calling system. The dining area is right on the corridor, very crowded and somewhat dangerous, and the hygiene could be improved (though this might be an issue that cannot be changed). Moreover, it's not very clear how the shop's numbering system works, and the number tags don't help in determining the order, which is a bit disappointing. Nevertheless, it is still a place I wouldn't mind riding half an hour to eat at occasionally.
After being seated, draw a menu to order. Then select and pick up side dishes. Finally, head to the counter to pay and wait for your meal.
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Highly recommend the sesame sauce noodles 👍🏻. After mixing the noodles with the sauce, the noodles are very chewy and moist, not dry at all. The aroma of the sesame sauce is rich with a hint of sweetness, and before you know it, you've finished a bowl.
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The restaurant's signature "Eight Treasures" can be ordered as just the soup or with added rice noodles, regular noodles, or rice cakes. This bowl is abundant and rich, featuring ingredients like meat paste, shrimp, enoki mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, wood ear mushrooms, and vegetables. The broth is very sweet and incredibly smooth, leaving you very satisfied after finishing it.
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For side dishes, I recommend the cilantro and tofu skin rolls. It’s considered one of the restaurant’s signature sides. The outer layer has a bit of a smoky flavor, wrapping around pickled vegetables and cilantro, which gives it a fresh and crunchy texture.
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Another specialty is the Yilan sausage, which has a slight jelly-like texture and is quite chewy. It goes well with the restaurant's special sweet and spicy sauce and soy paste, and it’s pretty delicious.
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During meal times, there may be a wait in line. There are two branches in Jiaoxi, so you can look for one that is closer to you.
This was my first time trying this restaurant, and I was quite disappointed; I probably won't come again.
I ordered the dan dan noodle set, which included a plate of vegetables in addition to the noodles. The vegetables depend on what they have at the time, and all I got was cabbage.
First of all, the noodles were a bit too soft, lacking in chewiness, even though there was a lot of them. Secondly, the broth was almost tasteless clear soup. The soul of dan dan noodles is supposed to be the broth, and the noodles in that clear soup had no flavor at all. The egg was also not very flavorful, just a regular boiled egg.
Overall, I do not recommend anyone to try dan dan noodles here.
【Foodholic Niko@Taipei】
"The Wide Rice Diner" is a small restaurant that specializes in "fried rice dishes," selling a variety of extravagant fried rice options. It is located near the Xingtian Temple Station, just a 4-minute walk from Exit 1, and it has been on my list for a long time.
The store is not large, but business is quite good. I rushed over right when it opened at 5:30 PM on Sunday, only to find that it was already 5:35 PM and there was only one table left for dine-in.
Why do I call it extravagant fried rice? Their fried rice can mainly be divided into two categories. One type is paired with large main ingredients, such as fried pork chops, fried chicken legs, etc., with prices ranging from $180 to $270. The other type features luxurious ingredients that are hard to associate with fried rice, such as crab roe, salmon roe, and truffle, with a price range that varies widely, from $325 to $775.
On my first visit, I saw fried rice costing over three hundred dollars and couldn't bring myself to order it. So, I decided to try the basic dish "Signature Skill-Test Fried Rice," with one portion featuring fried pork chops and another with fried chicken legs, both for $180.
First, let's talk about the fried rice itself.
The fried rice is similar to that from Din Tai Fung, the simplest kind of egg fried rice, with only eggs and rice. It feels like it's mostly fried with salt, and there’s not much soy sauce added. It's tasty, and the egg flavor comes through; however, I personally prefer the type of fried rice that includes onions, green onions, and more soy sauce, similar to that served in a typical stir-fry shop. So, for me, it’s an 80 out of 100 but lacks any surprises.
P.S. There’s a bit of shrimp roe on the fried rice that can be mixed in, which I think neither detracts nor adds to the dish, a bit lackluster.
Next, let's discuss the main fried items.
I personally didn't think much of them. The fried chicken leg, although deliciously crispy, had meat that was a bit tough and dry, and there wasn't much meat. The fried pork chop was relatively soft and came with a pork chop sauce for self-serving. However, I got bored of the flavor after just a few bites and couldn't finish the whole serving.
The advantage is that the portions are really generous, and I felt quite full after eating.
Overall, while it’s not bad food, I wouldn't be motivated to specifically come back for it. If we’re talking about fried rice, there are better options nearby. Plus, because this restaurant is quite popular, I wouldn’t even consider it if I had to wait in line.
Taipei Neihu - A cozy restaurant selling tofu pudding and meatballs, with a very friendly owner!
📍 Meatball NT$45
🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑
The owner will first cut the meatball for you, making it easier to eat, and it blends better with the sauce. The skin is very chewy and not greasy. There's not a lot of meat, but it's solid and well-textured. Shredded bamboo shoots and cilantro are great additions! The sauce is not too salty or sweet, making it quite enjoyable overall!
📍 Meat Soup Noodle (Small) NT$45
🌕🌕🌕🌗 🌑
The meat comes in two types, one is pork soup and the other seems to be fish soup, both are full of flavor. I've heard they make it themselves! The texture is firm and very chewy! The noodles are rather ordinary, but once you drizzle some chili sauce on and eat them together, it's quite delicious!
▶️ Environment
🔹 The indoor seating is not large, accommodating about 10 people or so
🔹 The place is relatively clean and bright
🔹 No self-service drinking water
🔹 Utensils are self-serve (on the table)
▶️ Helpful Reminders
🔹 Just order directly from the owner when you enter; they will ask you if you'd like cilantro
🔹 Payment after the meal is cash only
▶️ Overall Evaluation
🔹 It's a low-key place with no notable name, but the owner is really friendly. In addition to meatballs and noodles, they also have tofu pudding. I would like to come back and try it next time!
Yuanwei Stewed Goods House
There are so many shops with similar names in Hsinchu.
My favorite is this one on Zhongzheng Road.
Whenever I want to drink a bowl of hot soup, I come here (๑•̀ᄇ•́)و ✧
The mushroom chicken soup has a chicken leg and two small mushrooms in it.
The chicken soup is rich in flavor and not greasy ❤️
The braised eggs and fried tofu have the typical taste of a small snack shop.
I usually come here late at night.
Every time I come, the shop is very lively,
but everyone doesn’t sit for long.
If it’s full, just wait a little bit and there will be a seat.
The MRT station is about a 10 to 15-minute walk from Xiaominquan West Road. I originally thought it was takeout only, but it turns out there is quite a large dining space. The environment is relatively clean and bright, and there are plenty of seats. I originally ordered the beef and pork double treasure bowl, but what I received was the chicken and pork double treasure bowl, so it's better to double-check your order when you place it.
Regarding the meal:
The chicken and pork double treasure bowl costs NT$140, which is more generous than I expected. The chicken pieces are quite large, and there is not only plain rice under the chicken but also pork rice. Overall, it is on the salty side, and the portion is quite ample.
▶ Golden Sand Tofu $280 ◀
The tofu is fried to a very crispy texture, and the outer layer is not coated with too much flour. Each piece of tofu is coated with plenty of golden sand from being stir-fried and fried!
▶ Stir-fried Betel Nut Flower $220 ◀
If you haven't gone to the mountain to eat at the local chicken restaurant, you probably haven't had the chance to try betel nut flower. The texture of betel nut flower is crispy, somewhat similar to shredded cabbage!
▶ Stir-fried Catnip $160 ◀
Catnip is a vegetable that is rarely encountered, and I particularly like it because it has a smooth texture when eaten!
▶ Claypot Chicken $650 ◀
You definitely have to order chicken at the local chicken restaurant. The chicken skin is roasted to a slightly crispy texture, which is amazing! You can really taste the chewiness of the chicken; it's a chicken that gets to exercise!