Quick Hits - 黑殿飯店 Dark Palace Taiwanese Gourmet.

Address: No. 10-11 ZhongZheng Rd, Tamsui District, New Taipei. 新北市淡水區中正路11-10號

Telephone: (02)2626-6363

Pai Gu Fan(排骨飯) or pork chop rice is a staple of many culinary palettes in many a country.  But it is here that my nationalistic side will finally take over (of course it does when we are dealing with food) and I will have to say that Taiwan has the best Pai Gu Fan(排骨飯) bar none!

'Oh Felix!,' you might say, 'but have you tried Pai Gu Fan(排骨飯) from all other places to make such a bold claim?' Well you know what? I choose to ignore that question and forge blindly ahead with my bold claim, because what's a bold claim without a bit of irrationality behind it?

What's makes a good Pai Gu Fan(排骨飯)? Well, that's a difficult question because there are many ways of making the same dish delicious.  But what makes the Pai Gu Fan(排骨飯) at 黑殿飯店 Dark Palace Taiwanese Gourmet so good is the use of tofu in the minced pork and the use of the pickled vegetables.  Actually, that is only part of what makes their creation so good, as what I just stated is rather what makes them different.  The good part comes in when you take in all the factors of the pork chop rice that combine to form the perfect balance of sweet, savory and sour.  

some side dishes. 

黑殿飯店 Dark Palace Taiwanese Gourmet is renowned country wide for the excellence of their pork chop rice.  It is in the heart of one of the busiest tourist attractions that Taiwan has to offer (Tamsui Old Street and Waterfront 淡水老街).  The shop that I visited is the second store that the proprietors opened, and I've been told that the quality is definitely on par with the original establishment.  Come here at any time during any day and you can expect to run into many other customers who are looking for a taste of Taiwanese tradition.  

The menu offers other options as well, such as a variety of side dishes and other forms of rice.  But if you stray from ordering the pork chop rice, then you'll only have yourself to blame when people inevitably ask you what kind of numb skull are you for not ordering one of the signature Taiwanese treats at one of its signature restaurants.  Don't make that mistake.

-Til next time-