Quick Hits - 福大山東蒸餃大王

Address: No.11, Sec.1, Lane 140, Zhongshan N. Road, Taipei Taiwan. 台北市中山北路一段140巷11號

Telephone: (02)2541-319

Hours: Forthcoming.

This happened purely by impulse... but sometimes isn't that how the best things in life come about?  I had just finished brunch with a friend and was toting my camera around along with a full stomach.  But to be honest, it is rare indeed that being full has really ever deterred me from taking in that next bite.
She happened to point out that this little gem of a mom & pop store was hiding just around one of these alleys.  I wasn't going to let something as minute as popping a belt buckle stop me from checking it out while I had the chance.

To be honest, I had never heard of 福大山東蒸餃大王, but apparently many other people have, and here I bow down to their better judgement and my own ignorance.  I have always said that in my opinion, it is one of the crowning achievements in food to make simple dishes become more than they are.  By their very nature it is not difficult to make something basic taste good... but to make it great? That's a different matter altogether.
So was 福大山東蒸餃大王 great? Well.....

The essentials.

Hot and sour soup.  Could've been a bit more hot and sour-y for my tastes.

I hesitate to call it great.  Was it good? Oh most definitely it was very very good, and I would have no qualms with anyone claiming they like 福大山東蒸餃大王 more than say Ding Tai Fung or some other renowned purveyor of soup dumplings.  But, for my part, there was nothing discernible about 福大山東蒸餃大王's version that really made me want to stand up and order seconds (perhaps you can blame my already bloated stomach).

Look, everything you like about a soup dumpling is here.  It's juicy, the skin is chewy without being soggy and the meat is flavorful.  But like I said earlier... they made a basic thing good, but failed to achieve greatness.

Don't get me wrong... I could really eat these things all day. 

I am basically only comparing it to the perceived hype that I subsequently have read about.  It is a burden to live up to ones own expectations, and for me, I think 福大山東蒸餃大王 suffers from that.  Other than the soup dumplings all we had was some hot and sour soup.  And it was perfectly fine, exactly as you would expect.  

福大山東蒸餃大王 is a small store that has apparently carved out a relatively large name for itself and I give it high marks for achieving that.  But if this was a proper review I would rank it below some of the other establishments such as Yonghe Soy Milk King or Ding Tai Fung.  A travesty? Not in the least.  

But these are just the humble opinion of a man who may have eaten too much already that day.  Throw in your two cents and check it out for yourself please.

-Til Next Time-

Quick Hits - L'Air Cafe Neo Bistro 風流小館

Address: No. 5, Lane 164, Jinhua St. Taipei Taiwan.  台北市大安區金華街164巷5號

Telephone: (02) 3343-3937

Hours: 11:30AM-9PM (2PM-5PM is crepes only)

This was one of those instances where being full or hungry had little to do with our plans.  We were coming here, the size of our lunch be damned.  The original plan was to attack L'Air Cafe Neo Bistro for our entire afternoon meal, but things sometimes never work out the way you want them too.

So instead of taking in everything L'Air Cafe Neo Bistro had to offer, the sister and I settled for some crepes and to just take in the general atmosphere of this newly opened restaurant.

Just. Coffee. Pretty.

Let us first start off with the decor.  It is simple yet substantial and speaks volumes without saying a lot.  My favorite combination.  The interior somewhat mirrors what the chef is trying to do with her food in a lot of respects.  Stay simple yet really really pack a powerful punch.

Head Chef Dana Yu has created a name for herself through her work at notable establishments such as L'Atelier Joel Robuchon and Justin's Signatures.  With her training at the highest levels of French cuisine, Chef Yu has a strong desire to create something epicurically awesome (I just made that term up), but doing so without too much complication (at least this is what I read...).
This is another entry into the crowded market of cafes/bistros that are sprouting up throughout the city, but I dare say L'Air Cafe Neo Bistro if it doesn't offer up something different, then at the very least it brings class and elegance to the field.

Banana and Chocolate Crepe.  Light, airy, fluffy and not too heavy.  How a crepe is suppose to be I think, but I have the admit, I enjoy the crispy versions that can be found in night markets and shopping centers throughout the city as well.

There are a la carte options available on the dining menu, but from what I heard, it appears that the set meal for 2200NT is the ONLY way to go if you bother to come here.  The menu changes weekly based on the ingredients in the market, so one doesn't have to worry about coming here and experiencing the same standard fare over and over.

Lunch is between 11:30AM and 2PM, while only crepes and some select items are served between 2PM and 5PM, while 5PM til closing is of course dinner service.

Look I know this review will have to be fleshed out.  Only the bones exists for now, the meat will have to wait. But i'm highly anticipating my opportunity to experience L'Air Cafe Neo Bistro in all its glory.  For now, the crepes are delicate and I'm sure stay true to their French origins.  It's located in the ever Popular 永康街 (Yong Kang Street), where some of my favorite food can be found.  

If this is a test run, then L'Air Cafe Neo Bistro 風流小館 is sitting pretty with wonderful pole position.  

-Til Next Time-

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-

Quick Hits - Heping E Rd. (和平東路) Xian Bing (餡餅)

Address: 台北市大安區和平東路2段313號 No.313, Section 2, Heping East Rd, Daan District.

Hours: 11AM-730PM daily

I essentially walk by this little food stand a good 2 or 3 times a day.  If you extrapolate that to include the nearly two months I've been back in Taiwan, that's probably 120-180 glances I've shot towards this Xian Bing (餡餅) provider without making the sensible decision and getting myself a tasty snack.  What makes it worse is that I've been told to remedy this unfortunate circumstance over and over again since the xian bing here is supposedly top notch.  

At long last I finally slowed my footsteps enough to ask the proprietor what was available and ordered a beef, turnip and chinese chives (jiu cai) xian bing.

A xian bing is what I would essentially call Chinese meat pies.  They are disc shaped and roughly the size of a hamburger patty.  The filling of choice is wrapped in unrisen dough that is pan fried and steamed.  Ideally, a perfect xian bing would be a skin that is simultaneously crispy yet somehow retains some chewiness.  This is the state that this xian bing (餡餅) provider has achieved and the skin is a perfect balance of the two textures.

As you can see, the inside of the beef xian bing is packed full of juice so be careful when devouring.  I went months without bringing this into my life, I'm sure I won't go months in between visit again.  The store is located on the corner of that street, and there is typically a line but the wait is rarely long as people order quickly and they wrap them up even quicker.  For 25NT/30NT, this is definitely worth grabbing if you are in the neighborhood.

- Til next time -

Quick Hits - Yong Kang Street (永康街) Layered Scallion Pancake (Cong You Bing 葱油饼).

Location: Located on Yong Kang Street 永康街, across from the famous Ice Monster shaved ice store.

 Cong You Bing accoutrements and prices.  

Yong Kang Street 永康街 is a popular destination for tourists and foodies all over Asia.  It is similar to the night markets that run rampart across Taipei, but Yong Kang Street 永康街 offers a higher quality of goods along posher store fronts.  But further explanation will all be saved for another day.. this is titled a quick hit and a quick hit it shall be, i'll save my usual long winded nature for the next post.

The traditional scallion pancake is a fixture of Taiwanese restaurants and establishments, and everyone eventually tries to somehow separate themselves from the teeming hoards.  The familiar saying is that many try and few succeed, and that is very apropos when discussing the nature of food.  The scallion pancake (or Cong You Bing  葱油饼)  is a very simple dish by nature.  It is a savory flatbread folded with oil and minced scallions and made from dough instead of batter.  It is my opinion that one of the toughest things to accomplish with food is to turn a relatively work-a-day creation like the cong you bing and make it into something that rises above its humble origins.

It is my contention that this store does just that.  They created a more layered cong you bing by fluffing it up during the cooking process.  The end product is an incredibly soft piece of warm doughy heaven.  You have the option to include things like eggs, ham and other goodies.  For roughly the price of a soda at your local convenience store, you can walk away with a Taiwanese delicacy executed to new heights.  We typically grab one or two per person when we are on our way home.  No need to eat them immediately as they stay fresh and delicious for hours to come.  This is a simple dish that anyone can enjoy.. and when it is done this well, you'd be a fool to not give it a try.

 Prep

Ready for consumption.