北馥樓

At the second floor of the National Hotel, located opposite the Taipei Arena, there is a hidden restaurant specializing in exquisite Shanghai cuisine—Bei Fu Lou. During this visit, I sampled more than ten signature and classic dishes. Although the environment and service were both respectable and elegant, the overall dishes were somewhat conservative in flavor complexity and memorability, which was a bit disappointing.

"Old Vinegar Jellyfish"
As an appetizer, it had a crispy and bouncy texture, with a strong vinegar flavor that was sour and appealing, making it one of the more consistent dishes of the day.

"Shanghai Fried Rice"
Although it used snow cabbage, it lacked the expected aroma and oily richness, failing to compare to the classic impression of a fragrant and savory fried rice.

"Garlic Crispy Chicken"
The skin was indeed roasted to a golden crisp, but the chicken itself was rather bland; without the accompanying garlic crisps, the flavor did not stand out, giving an overall impression of “lacking a bit of soul.”

"Crab Roe Tofu"
This became one of the highlights of the meal. The tofu was smooth and delicate, with a rich crab roe flavor that was not fishy and perfectly salted, making it one of the few dishes that left one wanting to order more.

"Stir-fried Eel with Chives"
Although the oil drizzle technique brought some aroma, the overall dish was still not intense enough; the eel paste was adequately prepared but lacked dynamism.

"Dongpo Pork" had well-handled fatty meat that melted in your mouth, which was satisfying, but the lean meat was a bit dry, affecting the overall texture. On the other hand, "Scallion Braised Sea Cucumber" was standard; the sauce was not rich enough, and although the sea cucumber was soft and glutinous, it did not fully absorb the flavors.

"Braised Fish Chin" had good ingredients with delicate meat, but the sauce flavor was still somewhat lacking; "Scallop Soup with Baby Cabbage" was a conservatively safe dish with a sweet broth, suitable as a mild buffer to accompany stronger flavored dishes.

🫕 Soups and Desserts: Smooth conclusion but not spectacular

"Claypot Fresh Soup"—a classic soup from Jiangnan—should have a rich and layered milky broth made from ham, chicken, and pork bones. Unfortunately, the flavor of this soup was somewhat singular, lacking the expected layers and freshness.

"Jujube Paste Pancake"
While not exceptional, the pancake skin was crispy and the filling was dense and sweet, making for a satisfying dessert to end the meal.

Overall, Bei Fu Lou has a rich selection of dishes, and the restaurant's environment and service are of a certain standard, making it suitable for banquets or family gatherings. However, judging solely by flavor, most dishes exhibited a slightly conservative performance, lacking those memorable points that make one feel they must try those dishes again.