Qin Wei Guan - 秦味館

Address:  No.2, Lane 138, YanJi st, Taipei. 台北市延吉接138巷2號

Telephone Number: (02)8771-3288

Hours: 11:30 - 14:30 ; 17:30 - 22:00

Website: www.sausau.com.tw

I'm not one to ever complain about protein overload, and I'm not going to start now.  But that's what I'll think of when I reflect back to my first dining experience at Qin Wei Guan - 秦味館, the delicious delicious meats that I was locked in battle with.  Qin Wei Guan - 秦味館's cuisine is inspired by the Shaanxi Province of China.  The province is home to a large number of Muslims and the food of the area is a reflection of that with a wide array of beef, lamb, broad-cut noodles and paomo (a type of broth served with un-leavened bread).  The restaurant is richly decorated with items and tapestries that exhibit the art and feel of the Qin Dynasty, and the wall is adorned with the John Hancock's of many a Taiwanese celebrity.  Qin Wei Guan - 秦味館 is a very popular restaurant so you better call ahead if you have any hope of finding a spot and gorging yourself on all that they have to offer.

First thing we ordered was this paomo.  A disc of a dense bread that I was ordered to rip up into small pieces. My hands had to be properly cleaned and inspected before I was allowed to start on my menial task.  At the time it made sense to me, but that was before I knew that it was to be used as part of the soup dish you see above.  Just saying, pretty sure boiling the bread in hot soup would've done the job of the soap.  Back on topic.. this was a big hit and the bread created an interesting texture when eaten with the meat and vegetables.  

 Potato Dish.

This rice concoction is a must get for anyone coming here to dine.  Its call the Qin Wei Egg Rice, and at first glace it appears to be nothing too special, but the rice and egg are both incredibly light and fluffy.  Like I always say, the true skill is making something simple and turning it into something really great, and this rice dish I feel accomplishes that.  

 Lamb Skewers.

 Pork goodness.  They bring it out for you first then cut it up in juicy juicy portions.

I promised thee meat... and meat thee shall have.  I thought the lamb skewers was a little light the lamb department.  Slightly dry and not enough meat is a bit of a problem.  They used a large amount of spices on the skin of the skewers, but overall, I think its a dish i'll leave off of my order next time.  The pork I found to be very tasty and again, they were very liberal in their use of a variety of spices (a common practice in the province) to dress the meats.  It was tender, juicy and i liked the balance between the exterior of the meat and the tender flesh beneath.  

 Fried eggplant with pork

 Two types of chicken. On the right, chicken with taro, and on the left, chicken with scallions.

I think if we had to do it again, I would've liked a few more entrees that were in the carb family.  Not to say that i didn't enjoy the proteins, but they were all heavy in flavor, and a few more rice and/or noodles dishes would have been nice to even out some of that flavoring.

 The favorite among the kids.  Ended up ordering this dish three separate times.  Broad noodle. 

 These desserts will be walking through my dreams for days to come.  Great pastry filled with cheese.

I want it now.

Wow.. that's what I have to say about the desserts.  I think they had the power to save lives.. or at the very least be the life preserver to a crappy meal (our meal was great, just saying that they had that sort of ability). Fullness be damned, but sure to gorge on these or you'll be disappointed.

Qin Wei Guan - 秦味館 possesses the charm and food of a powerhouse restaurant.  There was much and more on the menu that we couldn't get to, but what we did have bordered between good and excellent in quality and flavor.  The waitstaff was attentive and friendly and the prices were more than reasonable (probably less than 500NT to eat to your hearts delight per person).  I was more than pleased that we saved our Friday night meal for Qin Wei Guan - 秦味館.

Overall Qin Wei Guan - 秦味館 receives: 

Til next time - some more treats for your eyeballs.

One of my favorites.  Fish with two different sauces.  One sweet one spicy.

 They didn't ask for my autograph

Keelung Miaokou Night Market - 基隆廟口夜市

Location: Northern Taiwan in Keelung City.  Reached by all manners of automotive ingenuity.

Hours: Basically whatever they feel like.

I covered briefly why I love night markets so much in my Raohe Street Night Market post, so i'll spare you the tedium of rehashing old stories (if you haven't read it yet.. then really, what are you waiting for?).  Suffice to say that night markets are a booming industry for this country, and now attracts all manners of tourists to its trinket hawkers, food stands, restaurants and games.  The Keelung Miaokou (which translates to 'temple front') Night Market is extremely large and covers a number of big streets.  The main thoroughfare is logically located in front of the Dianji Temple, and it is in this area that you'll find some of the most famous food stands this expansive night market has to offer.

Just a little fair warning when dealing with night markets.  If you are like me, in that your blood will start to boil at anything above 80 degrees, you'd best be served to avoid night markets on busy weekends or possibly avoid them all together during the sweltering summer months.  The heat is no joke when its combined with the sadistic forces that the humidity brings.  Add that to the teeming masses of people and the hot food being cooked around every corner.. it can really be brutal if you aren't equipped for it.  Luckily, this excursion occurred during a warm but manageable night in mid march.  Let's get to it.

 Being a large port town, it stands to reason that the Keelung Miaokou Night Market - 基隆廟口夜市 would be widely renowned for their seafood.  As you first enter the night market from the river side, you will pass through many many stands like the ones pictured above where they will serve you fresh seafood.  The shellfish are just stacked on top of each other, its a rather impressive sight.  For me, its not particularly appetizing.. to be devouring seafood in that type of setting.  Cracking shell after shell of whatever crustacean you just ordered shouldn't be done sitting shoulder to shoulder to strangers on not the most sanitary of conditions, but that's just me of course.. i'd advise you to at least give it a try and then judge for yourself.

Our first stop.  A popular stand serving a fish dish in a delicious broth.  Popularity has almost doubled its price to 70nt.  Worth the price however, as it was incredibly full of flavor.

 I love the lanterns lining the store fronts.. it's a beautiful touch that really makes the whole area stand out.  All the stores have labels above them written in both Chinese and English making the mandarin impaired customers like me slightly more at ease.  The temple really comes out of no where.  The food stands are built all around it and it really does appear to be something created for a Hollywood set.  For anyone looking to gorge themselves, this is the place to go as it is nothing but culinary delights.

The 'Nutritious Sandwich' stand might be the single most popular stand in all of the Keelung Miaokou Night Market - 基隆廟口夜市.  Swing by... grab a number and wait for probably an hour or more until you are deemed worthy to eat their creation. But clearly you don't need to stand there until it is your turn, we managed to fit in 3 or 4 stops on our food roller coaster before we headed back to pick up this famous sandwich.  Despite its name.. you might want to throw the calorie counter out the window before digging into the nutritious sandwich.  It is a deep fried creation of mayonnaise richness.  The tomatoes, pickled cucumbers, ham and stewed eggs are just servants to the bread and mayo.  It really was very tasty.. but i can see how eating one of these a day would eventually cause me to cry tears of grease.

This is another famous stop that's worth sampling at Keelung Miaokou Night Market - 基隆廟口夜市.  It is Three Brothers Dou Hua (tofu pudding), and as you can see.. it was overflowing with patrons.  Due to their myriad of desserts, they were able to expand to a second floor in recent years.  I must say, coming here and sitting down in an air conditioned room was a welcomed respite from jostling with those savages dressed in human clothing.  

The Keelung Miaokou Night Market - 基隆廟口夜市 was the final stop on a long day of sightseeing, and by the end of it, I might have been a little worse for wear.  But the food was excellent and the weather wasn't so bad yet to cause me to curse the fact that we are warm blooded creatures.  This night market is a food lovers paradise as I feel the landscape was dominated by food stands more than is usually the case.  It's true that its a bit out of the way for those living in Taipei (30-40 min by train), but its definitely worth going to see at least once.  As someone who does indeed live in Taipei, trekking it out to the Keelung Miaokou Night Market - 基隆廟口夜市 will not be a frequent event, but that's not because of any deficiencies other than the fact that there are many night markets in the greater Taipei area that will fill my gastronomical needs.

Til next time - some more treats for your eyeballs.

 Oyster Pancake.

 Minced Pork Rice.