AI Spot Summary
The appearance and portion of the meals are quite good, especially the quality of the shredded meat fried rice, which is distinct and well-seasoned. The beef soup has tender meat and a refreshing broth, and the flavors of the red oil shrimp dumplings and the roasted pepper century egg are excellent. The taro balls are sweet without being too rich, which is quite surprising.
The restaurant environment is bright, and the clean condiment station along with the transparent open kitchen creates a comfortable atmosphere for dining, although the dining space feels slightly cramped.
Although there is a need to wait in line and there are many takeout orders, the staff's attitude is friendly, the overall service is acceptable, and they offer free hot tea.
Reviews
Orthodontic Reviewer: There is a restroom
This time I dined at the Wucao Che Chinese Restaurant in Nanchang because the Yonghe location was closed for the day, so I specifically came to give it a try. Although the experience was quite good, it is farther away, so I will probably choose the nearer Yonghe store next time.
This time we ordered the following dishes:
- Red oil shrimp wontons (8 pieces) - $175
- Beef soup - $210
- Shredded meat egg fried rice - $180
- Spare rib egg fried rice - $210
- Spicy grilled chili century egg - $100
- Taro ball (1 piece x2) - $80
- Stir-fried spinach - $100
- Assorted pickled dishes - $75
- Cold mixed cloud ear fungus - $80
Total: $1210
The beef soup had tender meat and a refreshing broth; the fried rice had a stable taste, similar to before; the red oil shrimp wontons and spicy grilled chili century egg were both delicious, while the taro balls were sweet but not overwhelming, which was quite a pleasant surprise.
Additionally, I saw the table next to us order two plates of cucumber, which looked very refreshing, so maybe I will try that next time. However, if it weren't for the closure, I would still prefer the more convenient Yonghe location.
【Foodholic Niko @ Taipei】
This is another Chinese restaurant referred to as a budget version of Din Tai Fung. The menu is very similar to Din Tai Fung, and today I inexplicably wanted to eat this type of cuisine, so I came to Wucaoju, which has been on my to-eat list.
"Wucaoju Chinese Restaurant, Nanchang Branch" is located near Guting Station, about a 3-minute walk from Exit 2. The sign isn’t very eye-catching, but basically you won’t miss it because there are really a lot of people queuing at the entrance!
We arrived at almost 6 PM on a holiday, and surprisingly, we had to wait for 6 more groups ahead of us; to wait for a table, you need to register with the staff, and if your number is called out, you need to line up again.
The number of seats inside is not very many, with only about 10 tables, so the dining space feels a bit crowded.
The service is reasonably attentive; as soon as we sat down, the staff served us hot tea. However, this restaurant only accepts cash, which is a bit inconvenient.
Pork Rib Fried Rice $210, Shredded Pork Fried Rice $180
Both fried rice dishes taste quite similar; it's just the basic, simple style of fried rice that Din Tai Fung is known for. The aroma mainly comes from the eggs, salt, and scallions—it's tasty, but not the kind I personally love, which would have onions and soy sauce added in. The shredded pork fried rice had some fried chilies added, but it wasn’t spicy at all; the chilies felt more like decoration. You can add some sauce from the spicy dumplings halfway through to change the flavor a bit. I found the fried ribs to be average; they were good, but not memorable.
Spicy Shrimp Fried Dumplings $175
There are 8 pieces in total, and I chose mild spicy; the spiciness was sufficient. The shrimp was very large, as you could tell from its appearance, but for some reason, towards the end, it had a taste of artificial flavoring that I personally didn’t like.
Water Spinach $100
I chose to add chili, but just like the fried rice, it wasn’t spicy at all. The water spinach wasn’t cooked well, so I suggest eating it while it’s hot; once it cools down, it becomes less appetizing.
Overall, the food performs at about 65-70 points, but since the prices are still higher than a typical snack shop and you have to queue, my willingness to return isn’t very high.
First of all, this place is particularly crowded during holidays, and there are many takeout orders as well. You can only wait for a table on-site, so it might take quite a while from seating to when the food arrives. If you don't want to wait, it's recommended to choose another place.
I ordered shredded pork fried rice, and if you don't consider the price, I personally think it's of above-average quality. The fried rice is really quite good; the grains are distinct, and the seasoning is quite appropriate, but the price isn't cheap.
Hello everyone, I am little frog🐸
There are often many so-called "affordable versions of Din Tai Fung" on the Internet...
Wucaoche is one of them⋯so come and give it a try😆
Wucaoche Chinese Noodle Restaurant has stores in Guting and Yonghe. Regardless of weekdays or holidays, every time I pass by, I see a lot of people waiting for a table. I came on a holiday night and waited for about half an hour to be seated.
The environment is very bright, the sauce table is clean, and the transparent open kitchen is separated by glass so you can clearly see the status of the kitchen.
⭐️Pork Ribs and Egg Fried Rice $210
The portion of the pork ribs and egg fried rice is quite large, and it looks very good. The egg fried rice is topped with fried pork ribs. The meat is slightly thick, moderately salty and has a strong peppery flavor. The fried rice has more egg flavor than green onions and is not overly oily. But the overall taste lacks the wok flavor...
⭐️Fried Shrimp and Red Oil Hands $175
There are 8 shrimps fried in red oil in one portion, and the whole shrimp is wrapped in the hand. It tastes like shrimps, and the red oil sauce is also very flavorful. The red oil is not spicy at all, it is probably the spicy kind of Titian. feel.
⭐️Braised beef noodles $240
The thin noodles have a springy texture, and the half-tendon and half-meat beef stew is soft and tender. There are about 5 big chunks in a bowl. The braised soup is relatively refreshing... but when it is served, the temperature feels... warm... a bit cold. If it falls, generally speaking... won’t the beef noodles smoke just after they are cooked and served? ? 🤔
‼ ️Conclusion:
Overall, I personally feel that there is a difference in taste between this restaurant and Din Tai Fung. The price is actually mid-to-high-priced. There is no such thing as "affordable Din Tai Fung"... The food is not bad, but there is nothing particularly memorable about it. , eat it as a whole... the CP value is slightly lower, I won't queue up to eat it again.