品香殿潮州砂鍋粥

This time, we visited "Pien Xiang Dian Chao Zhou Clay Pot Congee" on Nanping Road in Taoyuan. Although the prices of the congee dishes are not cheap, I still feel that it was quite worth it overall. It's the kind of place that leaves you feeling good after your meal.

We ordered the boneless free-range chicken congee, which had a fragrant broth and was very flavorful. The congee had a texture where the rice grains were dissolved but still had a bit of graininess, not just thin rice water or porridge. What surprised me the most was their homemade black and white meatballs, which consisted of pork and cuttlefish balls. The texture was super chewy, and they had a delicious taste, unlike the cheap ingredients found in low-end hot pot places. The chicken was also well-prepared; boneless made it convenient to eat, and the meat was tender and not dry.

For the stir-fried dishes, we ordered a few items to go along with it. The signature egg tofu, in my opinion, was rather average and did not leave a particularly memorable impression. The sesame oil kidneys, however, impressed me; they were cleaned very well and had no fishy taste. The aroma of sesame oil was strong, and the overall texture was tender and smooth, making it perfect for a chilly day as a comforting dish.

The Kung Pao chicken was more standard; it tasted good but didn’t stand out. Perhaps it was overshadowed because the overall quality of the meal was high.

Overall, "Pien Xiang Dian" is a place that leaves you feeling satisfied and wanting to return. Especially the clay pot congee, which is clearly made with care, not the cheap kind that has too much water and too little ingredients. Paired with some delicious stir-fries, it made for a comfortable and fulfilling dinner.