Food Tour at Jiufen, Taipei

When I mentioned that I was visiting Taipei, one of the first recommendation from my friends were “you must visit Jiufen”. 九份 (Jiufen), according to our driver, got its name from the original nine households living in that area. Some time ago, there were only nine households living in the hill. Whenever someone went down the hill to buy something, he always buys nine servings/sets for each of the households. 九份 means nine servings in Chinese!

Jiufen is this really interesting place atop a hill and it seems like an endless winding maze of shops on both sides. Stalls sell food, drinks, trinkets, accessories and so on. I was initially worries that we will get lost in that “maze” but it basically leads out to an open area where you can enjoy the nice view. One of the first stalls that greeted my thirsty husband was this drip coffee stall. When the ice melts, the ice cold water drips into the coffee powder and the coffee formed is collected below. This way, it’s ice coffee without the ice, and the coffee does not get diluted.

These stalls selling grilled corn are aplenty in the night markets as well. Some stalls grill it as shown in the pictures and others put their corn in little roasting holes. The original flavour (the brown corn in the picture) is a mixture of butter, caramel, peppery sauce (or what tastes like it) and sesame seeds. The corn goes through each coating and is returned to the grill in between coats. The result is a rather chewy corn that may seem interesting to some; I would prefer the corn just basted with butter.

This popiah look-a-like snack is really unique. This stall that we saw was run by an old couple. The old uncle uses this wooden device to grind the peanut candy block. He then pours the ground peanut candy onto a popiah skin. His wife tops the peanut candy with two scoops of vanilla ice cream and some chopped spring onion. Yes you read and saw it right, that IS spring onion. She then rolls it up like a popiah. The taste is unlike anything I have tasted before. It is sweet no doubt, considering the peanut candy and the ice-cream but the addition of the spring onion changes the taste significantly. It adds a touch of savouriness, freshness and even spice. The texture of this snack adds to the enjoyment of it – the softness of the popiah skin contrasting with the crunch of the peanut candy and the melt in your mouth ice-cream. I really enjoyed it. Do you think this would be a hit if someone brought it to Singapore?

We went past numerous stalls selling Hong Zhao Ba Wan. Apparently it’s pork marinated in red wine wrapped in glutinous rice skin. We were too full and didn’t try any. The other reason was also that we did not know which stall to try from! There were so many stalls claiming to be the best or the most original!

All in all, we had fun at Jiufen. Ate some snails, bought a couple of ocarinas, trotted around in umbrellas (it was raining) and enjoyed the cool weather. I will be back. 🙂

Food and sights of Ji Bao Li Old St, Taipei

We went on a day tour around the outskirts of Taipei and stopped by at Jinshan after visiting Yeliu Geopark. Ji Bao Li (thanks readers for the correction!) is an old street selling a variety of things and according to our driver, is popular with locals. We visited the place for lunch as it is apparently famous for their duck.

Before I talk about the braised duck, let me make a mention of their eating concept. It is a streetside hawker eating area, and there are two large areas with tables and chairs. I had to walk a short distance to where there are several stalls and make my orders there. Generally, the food is already prepared (like the duck is cut up in serving portions of 1/4 duck) and I just take what I want. The food is affordable. 1/4 braised duck costs about 200NT$ which works out to about $8.50. However, I do not pay at the stalls. I bring my food to the tables, finish eating, and based on the type of plates, I pay.

Back to the braised duck. It is rather bland without the sauce. Maybe it is because I am used to the salty ones back in Singapore? For this one, you truly taste the duck in all its meaty glory because there is not much seasoning used. Sure, by all means dip it into the sauce to enjoy a different flavour but to get the true essence of the duck, try it plain. The meat is also slightly tougher than what I am used to back at home. Personally, I think it is only average.

We ordered some noodles to go with the duck. These were really cheap at NT$60 (S$2.60), and rather tasty too.  After the meal, we went on a walk along Yongkang St to check out the other stalls.

The slight drizzle didn’t stop us from exploring this quaint old street and our friendly cab driver even came down to look for us to offer us umbrellas! Here are some of our finds:

Do you have any idea what this uncle is making? It is sweet and has two different kinds of filling – sesame and peanut. If you look at the next picture, you may be able to tell.

Still can’t tell? It’s traditional Dragon Beard Candy (龙须糖 Long Xu Tang). Hubby was ecstatic when he saw this stall. Not surprisingly, he bought a pack of it to bring along. I thought that Dragon Beard Candy would be cloyingly sweet but surprisingly, it was milder than I expected.

There were many stalls selling a variety of rice crackers and traditional biscuits. Initially, we didn’t want to buy any but we were tempted by this stall selling some ball rice crackers. They are the size of golf balls and have different flavours such as seaweed, sesame and peanut. Unfortunately, I forgot to take photographs! I was too busy testing out the flavours.

We saw this stall selling pink guavas and bought a pack to try. They are more fragrant than the ones we are used to (the ones with white flesh) but the seeds of these ones are really tough.

And, they sell mini porcupines at one of the stalls! Do you know what these are? If you do, participate in the little quiz on our facebook page and you may win something at our next giveaway!

Taipei Ding Tai Fung vs Kao Chi (Part 2)

And so, my last post ended with my views on Kao Chi. What about Ding Tai Fung? Well, we went to the same area for dinner (my toddler woke up late from her afternoon nap and we decided not to venture too far), and surprise, Ding Tai Fung’s queue at 7.30pm was short! We decided to go for it (yes I know, two similar restaurants in a day?!), but how can we not try the original Ding Tai Fung right? Ok enough of my ramblings, here are the food pictures.

First up, xiao long bao. The texture of the filling is slightly different from the one at Kao Chi. The filling of the xiao long bao at Kao Chi is smoother – probably the meat is more finely minced. Taste wise, they are comparable. The xiao long bao here is less salty compared to the one served up at Ding Tai Fung Singapore. However, we did realise that most of the food here is less salty than the ones served in Singapore. Surprising?

This photo shows you the thin skin of the xiao long bao and the juicy soupy meaty goodness within. Yums! Did you know that the vinegar dip for xiao long bao should be 1 part soy sauce and 3 parts vinegar? The lovely waitress at Ding Tai Fung mixed it for us and shared this with us. I never knew!

We ordered the meat and vegetable dumplings. It tastes quite similar to the one back at home, except for the fact that it is slightly less salty. Delicious too!

We ordered some carbs to fill our tummy. Here is their egg fried rice with pork strips. The rice they use in Taiwan is short grain and so is slightly more al dente than the ones back at home. I find the egg fried rice here alot more tasty than the one at home.

Zha Jiang Mian is up next! I like the texture of the noodles. It is springy and not too soft. The taste of the sauce is just right, less salty than the one at home. We slurped up the noodles, and decided that it was time for some Suan La Tang (Hot and Sour soup)

Now, I am not a fan of hot and sour soup typically but this one was the right blend of spicy and sour and I actually liked it! We split the bowl among three adults and it was just nice.

For greens, we ordered stir fried spinach with beancurd skin. I don’t know how they cooked it, but for a simple dish, this was really good. The beancurd skin was soft and very flavourful, not salty like the ones we get back at home. The vegetables are slightly crunchy and the overall taste is just right.

And I missed out this double boiled beef soup that we ordered for my little bub. The one back at Singapore is pretty salty but the one here is not. Perfect for the little one (after removing the thin layer of oil atop).

Service wise, the one we get here in Taipei is tons better than the one in Singapore. The servers are warm, attentive and very friendly.

So Ding Tai Fung or Kao Chi? Honestly, the taste is comparable. If you’d like a less crowded and more private eating experience, go to Kao Chi. Nevertheless, the original Ding Tai Fung is definitely worth a visit.

 

 

 

Taiwan Travel: First day market tour and breakfast

We arrived today at Taipei on a wet and cold morning. Indeed, it was raining throughout the day! After depositing our luggage at our hotel, we went around to look for food. A taxi driver mentioned to us that Dongmen market was round the corner and so we decided to check it out.

It was raining and wet and it didn’t seem apt to whip out a camera among the hustle of umbrellas and crowds and so I did not get decent shots of the market. I must say the smells of the market were really quite exotic. Typically in Singapore, the raw food (fish, meats, vegetables) stalls are situated apart from the cooked food stalls. Not here. They are inter-mingled. So you encounter fishy smells from the fish stall, bloody smells from the butcher chopping up fresh meat and “aromas” from the aunty who is cooking her smelly tofu all at one go. Quite an experience.

Many stalls were not opened due to the rain and thanks to a nice passer-by lady, we managed to locate a small noodle stall that served some soup noodles that could warm our stomachs and appease my hungry little one.

This noodle stall serves up soup and dry noodles of a few simple flavours. Essentially, the noodles and the broth are identical; the ingredients differ slightly based on your order. The above shows egg noodles and wanton noodles – egg noodles is plain noodle soup with a perfectly poached egg, and wanton noodles is the same noodle soup with added wantons.

For those who prefer their noodles more flavourful, you have a large pot of salted preserved vegetables to add to your noodles based on your liking. Chilli is also available. I am not a fan of preserved vegetables and after adding a tiny bit of it to my noodles, I think I prefer it plain. 🙂

More food coming up!

Hong Kong – Tim Ho Wan

Hong Kong’s dim sum restaurant, Tim Ho Wan is hailed as the world’s cheapest Michelin Starred restaurant. At S$13 per person (especially considering the amount of food we ordered), I believe this is very much true. We chanced upon this hole in the wall when hubby came across a report on this restaurant on a food magazine. After walking for miles (because we did not quite know which MTR station to alight from), we finally arrived at the restaurant, only to realise that a huge crowd of locals had already gathered in front of the restaurant, eagerly waiting to be served brunch.


Thankfully, we didn’t have to wait beyond 30 minutes as smaller groups seemed to get seated first. We couldn’t quite decide what to order and so practically almost ordered one of each type of dim sum on the menu. While we were waiting for our food, we noticed that not far away in the kitchen, staff were busying preparing freshly made dim sum. That’s one of the major selling points of Tim Ho Wan. Instead of serving pre-made, frozen and reheated dim sum, this restaurant prides itself for serving freshly made dim sum.

The carrot cake was delectable. It was soft yet crisp on the outside and importantly, it was not too oily or salty. The Har Gao (prawn dumplings) were fresh and succulent. One of the best I’ve tasted. And even though I am not a fan of chicken’s feet, I’d have to agree with my hubby that they prepared this dish exceptionally well.

I’ve always been a fan of Ham Shui Kok (Fried salty pork dumpling?) but find that most are too chewy, with the glutinous flour portion sticking to one’s teeth. The ones served here were not too chewy, with a very fragrant interior. I should have ordered more! The crystal dumplings were filled with meat and chives. Though this was not one of my favourite items, my mom really did like it. The lotus leaf wrapped glutinous rice was probably one of the more disappointing items we ordered. Even though the fragrance of the lotus leaf permeated the rice very well, the filling was not quite as tasty as I had hoped it would be.

To be honest, I can’t quite recall what dish the first picture in this series represents. I vaguely remember that it contained arrowroot and perhaps some meat? The rice flour roll was of just the right consistency. It was not too soft, and retained a little bit of resistance when you bite into it. Just the way I like it. And the steamed pork ribs? One word: Yums.

The century egg porridge was nothing spectacular. It tasted rather bland. Perhaps, this is how the locals like their porridge. The siew mai was as tasty as it’s brother, the har gao. I think the freshness of the ingredients the restaurant uses goes a long way in bringing out the flavour of their dim sum. The po luo bao was very very good. When you first take a bite, you encounter the crisp and flaky exterior, which quickly gives way to the moist and delicious centre. I could probably have eaten all three of them if I wasn’t so stuffed!

And to round things off, we ordered dessert. The mango pudding definitely did not disappoint. It was rich and creamy, with a generous portion of mango pieces within. The Osmanthus flower jelly was very interesting indeed. It was mildly sweet and had the strong fragrance of the Osmanthus flower.

And to conclude this rather long, picture heavy post, I would have to say that I strongly, highly recommend this place if you decide to pay Hong Kong a visit. Having said that however, I’d have to make a disclaimer that if you are expecting innovative, fusion dim sum, you will not find it here. But if you are like me, and prefers the traditional selection of dim sum, then Tim Ho Wan is definitely the place to visit.

Tim Ho Wan
9-11 Fuk Wing Street, Sham Shui Po

Hong Kong – Yung Kee Restaurant

After reading reviews about this restaurant from websites and the Miele Guide, we decided on a recent trip to Hong Kong that a visit to this place is a must. We were surely not disappointed. We arrived at the restaurant early, as we did not make a reservation, and were fortunate to get a seat as the restaurant filled up pretty quickly afterwards.

Dinner began with their house specialty, which is served to all their guests. Yung Kee’s century eggs are preserved by the restaurant’s chefs using a special recipe and hence tasted very different from the ones we are used to. The centre of the egg is still fluid, with the distinct flavour of century eggs, yet without the fishy smell. Absolutely delicious.

One of the house specials that night was their small braised abalone. We ordered one each and were delighted at the springy yet tender texture of the abalone. The braising sauce was very tasty and complemented the abalone perfectly.

And what’s a visit to Yung Kee if one does not try the famous roast goose? The skin of the roast goose was crisp with some of the mouthwatering fat oozing forth with every bite. The meat was tender and absolutely flavourful. Even though they provided a plum sauce for dipping, I preferred the meat just as it is. Perhaps it is not for the health conscious but who cares? The dieting can start after the trip.

To ease our guilt over the roasted goose, we decided to think healthy and order some vegetables. Though the presentation of the vegetables was nothing to shout about, we thoroughly enjoyed the crisp sweetness of the vegetables that still retained its crunch with every bite.

And now, drumroll please. We attempted something that could possibly be on Andrew Zimmern’s Bizzare Foods. That’s right – Sea cucumber intestines. In fact, this very interesting dish was not even found on the menu. One has to ask for it, and it’s seasonal. We asked for them to be done simply – fried and seasoned with salt and pepper, so that we could try its original taste. The texture was slightly crunchy, similar experience as if one was eating some fried tendons I suppose. Without the salt and the pepper, I supposed these would have tasted rather bland as the sea cucumber intestines did not seem to have much flavour on their own. It was tasty nonetheless.

We completed our dinner with their double boiled chicken soup, served with chicken feet and mushrooms. The soup was rich and totally gratifying. I only wish I could duplicate such flavour at home. I am almost certain there was some chinese ham in it.

And finally, a snapshot to seal our memories of Yung Kee – a row of mouthwatering chinese ham, prepared by the restaurant themselves. Unfortunately, the prices of these were as exquisite as the appearance of these hams. Coupled with the fact that they only sell them by the leg, we obviously did not purchase any.

Yung Kee Restaurant
32-40 Wellington Street, Central, Hong Kong
http://www.yungkee.com.hk

It’s been a long while

It’s been a long while since I updated. I hardly had much time to cook but there was much eating done, and yes, much pics to put up. We went to Japan recently for our year-end holiday and took many photos of the lovely seafood at Hokkaido. I will be updating with the pics soon… I hope.

Meanwhile it’s busy busy busy in preparation for a Christmasy dinner tomorrow. Hubby’s friends are coming over. More photos on the way, after the dinner. Now it’s off to prepare the Buche De Noel.