城隍早餐

This restaurant is the Chenghuang breakfast place in Yilan, famous for its braised pork rice and guabao, which is a nostalgic taste that many locals have been enjoying since childhood. The store was once closed for a while, but later reopened with a fresh redesign. It originally served regular Chinese breakfast, but that part has now been separated into another shop.

On this day, we ordered two large bowls of braised pork rice, one large bowl of minced pork rice, a guabao with egg, along with some braised cabbage, bamboo shoots, fried tofu, and a cup of black tea, totaling $450. The portions were generous.

When the braised pork rice was served, it was quite impressive, with a whole piece of flavorful braised three-layer pork placed directly on the rice. The fat-to-lean ratio was just right, savory and slightly sweet without being greasy. Mixing it with the half-cooked egg made the overall texture even better. The minced pork rice had a bit of a fatty texture, which was decent, but more common.

The guabao was a classic combination, with braised pork, crushed peanuts, pickled vegetables, and a half-cooked egg wrapped in a soft white bun. The peanut powder was aromatic, and the pickled vegetables were crispy and not overly salty. Once the egg yolk flowed in, it added more depth; finishing the whole thing was very satisfying.

Among the side dishes, my favorite was the bamboo shoots, which were tangy and crunchy. The braised cabbage was well-cooked, and the fried tofu was flavorful but performed quite standardly. The black tea was good too, just right for cutting through the richness.

In terms of the environment, the restaurant was clean and bright, with a somewhat Japanese-inspired decor. However, the air conditioning was not on that day, and with the hot weather, it became quite stuffy halfway through our meal. When I asked the staff, they replied, "We’re closing in half an hour, so turning on the air conditioning now won't help for long," which honestly took the mood down a notch, reducing the overall comfort. There were not many seats, and it felt rather cramped; during peak hours, it would likely feel even more pressured.

Overall, if you're looking for a filling bowl of braised pork rice, this place is worth a try, but avoid dining in on hot days; you will really end up sweating from the heat.