御珍璽神炒手
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.
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