In terms of the dishes, the runny yolk of the egg omelet perfectly complements the braised pork sauce, while the greasy meat and the sauce of the braised pork rice are very fragrant, though there is slightly less sauce. The braised tofu has a unique flavor and is worth recommending. However, the broth of the mixed soup is not good, and the dumplings and fish balls have an average texture.
The restaurant is open 24 hours and often has foreign tourists; the atmosphere is lively. There are not many indoor seats, so you need to queue outside, and you should pay attention to the queueing system.
In terms of service, the restaurant only accepts cash and collects payments at each table after the meals are served. During the dining experience, there are cake tastings, adding to the fun.
📍Wanhua District, Taipei City (near Ximen MRT Station)
Open 24 hours | A Taiwanese snack shop filled with foreign tourists 🐷🍛
There are not many seats for dining in, and arriving at 3:30 PM still requires lining up outside.
Please note that the queue is not at the front entrance of the dining area; it’s in a small red dragon zone next door.
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Menu Items Ordered:
▫️ Braised Pork Rice ($50):
Originally served with pickled vegetables and cucumber; please ask the restaurant not to add them.
This bowl of braised pork rice is perfect for me, filled entirely with fatty meat—amazing! The sauce is the essence, with a slightly sweet aroma.
It also comes with pickled radish, which is very crispy and flavorful.
The only small regret is that while the portion of rice is quite generous, the amount of braise is a bit lacking, so towards the end, it might be a bit insufficient. I recommend grabbing the pickled radish available at the entrance to pair with it.
▫️ Braised Pork Rice Omelet ($65):
The boiled egg omelet is cooked to a consistency between soft and hard, where the yolk still flows out when cut. It pairs wonderfully with the braised pork sauce, making it very flavorful.
▫️ Combination Soup with Wontons and Fish Balls ($60):
I do not recommend this soup.
The broth is more like noodle water, and it has a doughy texture when you drink it.
The wontons have a loose texture, and the fish balls are not very memorable.
▫️ Braised Tofu ($15):
Highly recommended! Even as someone who doesn't particularly love braised tofu, I enjoyed its flavor.
It seems the braising sauce here is excellent.
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Would I visit again: Yes!
A great choice if you want to enjoy authentic snacks in Ximen.
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Little Notes:
🔸 Cash only. The restaurant will collect payment from each table after food is served.
🔸 The restaurant also sells pastries, and during the meal, an auntie will come around for everyone to try the homemade pastries, which is quite a cute experience.
There are a lot of people during meal time, so you have to queue up in the arcade next door, but the table turnover rate is very fast and you don’t have to wait too long. If there are fewer people, you may need to share a table with strangers.
This time I ordered braised pork rice with egg buns and an extra half-boiled egg. The price is $65+$15. The braised pork is quite delicious and the egg yolk comes out of the half-cooked egg buns. It is moist and easy to eat. The braised pork is fatty meat. It's the main dish, but with the side dishes of cucumber, pickled cabbage and spicy radish, it doesn't feel greasy overall and you can finish the whole bowl without any problem.
There are quite a lot of foreign tourists, and you basically have to queue up during meal times. However, the table turnover rate is high, and the waiting time is acceptable.
This time I ordered the Ecstasy Pork Knuckle Rice, which is divided into tendons and meat. The tendons are pig trotters or bone-in parts, so I always order more meat.
The pig's feet were braised quite flavorful and soft and easy to eat. Overall it was good, and it came with a delicious piece of braised tofu, but the side dishes were just a little sauerkraut and cucumber which were a bit shabby😅.
In recent times, I feel that the rice has not been drizzled with marinade, and it tastes bland and dry. I need to find a chef outside to pour the marinade myself, so that it tastes more delicious.