東區小賴甜不辣（台北市華山店）

#Taipei #YuanYuanFoodDiary
Not long ago, I had a quick trip to Taipei for work meetings. After the meeting, my colleagues and I stopped by a snack shop we passed to satisfy our hunger. It's been a long time since I visited a sweet and spicy street food place like this (there are no such places in Penghu🥲).

What I miss the most is the small Lin Mianxian behind Sogo. I used to go shopping with my mom, and we would definitely have a bowl of sweet and spicy stew and some refreshing drinks. It seems they have moved to nearby Andong Street now.

Because of that experience, I paused in front of Xiao Lai in the East District🥹. Prices have risen with inflation, and the big bowls of the past have turned into small bowls now, with smaller portions too. In terms of flavor, overall it’s pretty good.

My favorite is the #RadishFishCrispSoup. (Sorry, I didn’t get to take a photo.) It's like the dried fish snacks from Tamsui. It’s quite common in many squid soup shops in Taipei (Penghu only has fried grouper pieces). Colleagues from Penghu were amazed🤣🤣, repeatedly nodding their heads and saying it was delicious! So unique! As a Taipei native, I suddenly felt a bit proud, haha.

The bonito broth paired with radish and fish crisps has great layers of flavor and texture. There are tender radishes and crispy fish snacks. Overall, I really liked it 👍🏻.

As for the sweet and spicy stew and meatballs, the overall experience was just average. The sauces and flavors are quite mainstream and not particularly special. But it is a place you can grab a bite if you’re passing by and in a hurry.