snapshot/Chinese: ZONG ZI

Last week during Duan Wu Jie was time for these pockets of sticky rice filled with savory or sweet. My friend spent hours making these to share with us- stuffing the sticky rice with abalone, egg, fatty pork, mushrooms and chestnuts and then wrapping them in bamboo leaves.

Do you have a favorite place to buy zong zi from, or do you make them at home with your family? I had a chance to make them a few years ago, but when the craving hits I usually go to Jiu Ru or Little Shanghai, though I'm sure everyone likes their mom/grandma/family's version the best. When my mom used to make them when we were little, she would put in extra mushrooms for me since she knew I liked that part the best.

CLOSED! chinese/street eats: i strongly recommend YONG KANG KOU

a/o october 2010 CLOSED!

YONG KANG KOU
No. 1, Lane 6, Yong Kang St
(02) 2396-7532

$

Kid friendliness: no high chairs

Visit reviewed: 4/17/2009



Stinky, stinky tofu. When my friend JL was in town, he had a wishlist of stuff he wanted to eat- taro ice cream, stinky tofu, oyster vermicelli, taro dessert dumplings from Din Tai Fung. So we hit up Ximending one day for an eat-fest and the next day at Yong Kang Street or Yong Kang Jie.

Right across from Ice Monster, you'll spot the entrance for Yong Kang Kou (next to the Vietnamese restaurant) which looks like it's been around forever. To our surprise, we spotted stinky tofu there (when we were told that we'd probably have to hit up a night market to find it) so we decided to give it a try.



And good thing we did! The "chou dofu" (NT$45) which comes fried perfectly crispy, with a touch of superfine minced garlic and pickled cabbage. The stinky tofu here was quite dry, but in a good way, which made the skin much more crispy than those that are served a bit soggy.

I'd also recommend ordering the "shou gong nuo mi da chang" or handmade sticky rice stuffed in intestines (first picture at top of the post) so it's like a sticky rice sausage (NT$55 for small serving) and "da chang oh ah mian sien" or oyster vermicelli with intestine (NT$40). I'd recommend adding a bit of the chili sauce to the vermicelli to give it an extra needed layer of flavor.



SO GOOD! If I didn't already have some beef noodle soup from Yong Kang Beef Noodle, I would have eaten a lot more. Next time I want to try their "ba wan" or a glutinous hockey puck stuffed with diced meats and bamboo with a sweet sauce.



So maybe while you can multitask while you are waiting in line for Din Tai Fung around the corner or looking to eat Taiwanese snack foods without having time to go to the night market (or wanting to avoid the crowds), you should definitely make a trip to Yong Kang Kou. And they deliver! (with a minimum NT$400 order)


View hungry in taipei restaurants in a larger map

my kitchen (sort of): zong zi

I was lucky enough to check out a lesson wrapping the Taiwanese treat- zong zi- where they supplied all the ingredients and we just had to perform the origami-art of wrapping the bamboo leaves into a pocket to stuff our sticky rice and goods and then around again so that the rice didn't squeeze out.

Not a half bad job if I say so myself! I did two meat ones, one vegetarian and one sweet dumpling with black rice and red bean paste.




before


after

I think my relatives are going to wrap some for the upcoming Duanwu festival, so I will be prepared to get my hands dirty!

• When you fold the two bamboo leaves over, make sure one side is much shorter so you have a longer area to work with.
• Make the pocket deep enough to stuff the goods.
  
• Flatten out the rice a bit to layer your meat and yolk and such
  
• Squeeze gently on the sides before you tuck the leaf over the rice
  
• Tie the string tight!
  

Why do we eat zongzi for this holiday? I am still not sure since it's something I just remember doing since I was a kid- it's like why do you eat gingerbread men at Christmastime- but check out wikipedia.

Can't make it yourself? There are a ton of restaurants that offer it on a daily basis such as Little Shanghai and Jiu Ru, and you can order it from places such as Grand Formosa Regent Hotel or pick some up at Nan Men (South Door) market.

Speaking of cooking, I saw this from the Epicurious newsletter and I don't know if it's a sign I've been in Taiwan too long, but the stuff from homebistro.com looks REALLY good! Too bad they don't ship internationally. :( But the grilled meats and the souffle and the bisque looks good!

chinese: i strongly recommend LITTLE SHANGHAI

LITTLE SHANGHAI
68 Ming Sheng E Road, Sec 4
(02) 2718-5783

lunch: 10AM-2:30PM
dinner: 4PM-9PM

$

visit reviewed: 11/20/2006

Long before I had even heard of Din Tai Fung, I would always crave the dumplings and beef noodle soup I had here at Little Shanghai, near my grandmother's house. I think my grandmother was sort of amused at how passionate my cousins, my sister and I would insist (separately) that eat at least one meal at this very local, unflashy and cheap (nothing is more than NT$150) spot. Actually, once I heard about Din Tai Fung, I refused for the longest time to eat at the more trendy, popular chain, insisting on eating at the hidden gem. Now that I've been to both more often- I would say that their xiao long bao are very comparable, but Little Shanghai definitely beats DTF in the beef noodle soup department.

From the outside, you can see a team of people busy wrapping, cooking and serving the food. At lunch, it often gets very crowded, but off peak hours, it's not too hard to get a seat inside.


the menu on the wall- only in Chinese

The menu is pretty simple, although it's only in Chinese on the wall and on the order sheet- xiao long bao (with pork), vegetable and meat dumplings, zhong zhi (rice dumpling- sweet or salty), sesame buns, fried bread, beef noodle soup (with beef or tendons or half and half), and small sides. If you are living in Taiwan, I think one of the first characters you learn to recognize is "niao ro mien" or beef noodle soup!

We grabbed a bunch of side starter dishes (NT$30 each) from the front while we waited for our food to come, and quickly devoured them.

small dishes from L-R clockwise: cold tofu and thousand year old egg, bamboo, cucumbers, tofu slivers with celery and carrots, gluten

The steamed basket of xiao long bao (NT$100) quickly comes, with the hot, juicy, bite sized pockets of deliciousness. I am getting hungry again looking at these pictures. Sometimes the flavor of ginger is too strong, but today it is just right.

xiao long bao


self serve vinegar and soy sauce

The beef noodle soup (NT$100-150 or US$3-5) is still what I think one of the best in Taipei. The hearty broth is so flavorful and a bit spicy while not being too salty or oily- you could drink the whole bowl. Also, the noodles are handmade and thick, providing a satisfactory bite to spoonful, or you could slurp it down. They also have a choice of tendon along with the beef, and often run out of the tendon if you go later in the evening. You can order a serving of everything that looks good to you and eat it family style to get a sample of everything and order more if it's not enough.

beef noodle with beef and tendon

Their vegetable dumplings (NT$100) used to vegetarian, but now they include a bit of ground meat inside. Today, the dumpling skin is a bit thicker than the ones on the xiao long bao and taste a little gummier. Unfortunately, their vegetable dumplings are not as consistently good as their other dishes.

vegetable dumplings

So the vegetarian options here are limited to the fried bread or the sesame buns, in addition to the side dishes. When I was a kid, I used to devour these fried bread. They are have a slightly sweet crispy crust and steaming hot soft bread rolled up inside. MMMMMMMMM. I don't usually see this served elsewhere.

fried bread

I would definitely pick the bread over the sesame buns ($40 for 2). The sesame is a bit too sandy and sweet for me. I'd also rather have the red bean dumpling dessert at Ding Tai Fung, which uses the xiao long bao skins to wrap either taro or red bean and steam them.

steamed sesame buns


black sesame filling inside

Everyone has their favorite "local" and authentic place to eat- this one is mine. Nearby the old downtown district of Taipei, a few blocks away from Tony Roma's and Ruth Chris', this is an awesome alternative for those who are looking for a new xiao long bao or beef noodle soup spot. Every friend I've taken there has always left with a full and content stomach and asked to go back again another day. If you do go, be prepared to memorize the characters of the dishes you like in Chinese or recite it to the waitress. It'll be worth it!

chinese: i strongly recommend JIU RU at Ren Ai

JIU RU
69 Jen Ai Rd., Sec. 4
(02) 2751-7666

hours: 8am to 10pm

kid friendliness: no high chairs, quite crowded for strollers especially during rush hours

$

date visited: 10/31/2006


wonton or "ravioli" soup

cold sesame noodles

zong zhi or rice dumpling

stir fried rice noodles

sesame and peanut balls

Mmmmmm at very affordable prices. Tiny location, but good food. Apparently, this branch is part of the Jiu Ru chain that has locations at 101 and Breeze.. but this location has homestyle wonton (or as they say on the menu "ravioli" soup and sesame balls at prices you will never find at the fancy mall locations. You can even buy freshly made wontons to-go to prepare at home yourself. The menu has English and Chinese though no pictures, and the set menu deal is only in Chinese.

You can pick up your own side dishes at the front and I passed by the lady making wontons with handiwork that was faster than my eye could catch. The wontons are made with either meat/vegetable or shrimp, and you can order them with or without noodles. Also available are cold noodles with sesame sauce or dan dan noodles which are very plain.

The dessert has boiled mochi balls filled with your choice of black sesame, peanut or red bean. It's plenty to share with five balls, or you can enjoy it all by yourself.

OTHER LOCATIONS

Taipei 101 Mall, 4th FL
No. 45, Shih Fu Road
(02) 8101-8598

Breeze Center
(02) 6606-6859

No. 68, Tien Mu East Road, 7th FL
Tien Mu, Taipei
(02) 2874-3675

CLOSED/chinese: JIU RU 101

JIU RU
at 101 Mall, 4 FL
No.45, Shih Fu Rd.,
(02) 8101-8598
CLOSED

date visited: 9/25/2006

$$-$$$






If you're sightseeing in the Xin Yi district or shopping in the 101 mall and need an easy place to eat Chinese food with your family, but don't want to eat food court food, a good bet is Jiu Ru. Featuring a varied menu of Shanghainese food, my favorites from my dinner with my friend's family were the braised pork, steamed dumplings (xiao long bao), vegetable dumplings and zhong zi (rice dumpling). It's definitely pricier than you would pay at a local restaurant for the same dishes, maybe double the price for a basket of xiao long bao, but you are paying for the comfort of dining in the real estate of 101 and the prices are about the same as the other restaurants on the same floor (and the food a lot better, at least better than neighbor Diamond Tony's). We had quite a large group and was easily accomodated in their large space and didn't feel crowded or rushed. I think their dumplings were not as juicy as the xiao long bao at Din Tai Fung, but to the average diner, it will do just fine. Very clean and modern setting, with tourist friendly menu and location.

OTHER LOCATIONS

Breeze Center
(02) 6606-6859

No. 69, Ren Ai Road, Sec 4
(02) 2751-7666

chinese: i recommend DIN TAI FUNG

DIN TAI FUNG
218 Chung Hsiao East Rd., section 4
(enter from Lane 216)

(02) 2721-7890

Pricing: $
review visit: Nov 1, 2005

If you've ever been to Taipei, then more than likely you've eaten xiao long bao- or steamed 'soup' dumplings. You were probably even taken to Din Tai Fung, a popular restaurant chain that originated in Taipei, and has restaurants all over the world including in Los Angeles, Japan and Korea. It's a busy, crowded restaurant that both locals and tourists can equally enjoy with menus with English and pictures for those that request it.

The xiao long bao come in steam baskets of 10 with slight variations you can order- the classic original pork, the crab and pork, or the pork and mushroom. The xiao long bao are bite size, moist and delicious- one could easily devour half a dozen. What makes them different from other dumplings such as potstickers or gyoza, is its rounder shape, the thinner moist skin, and the soup that collects inside that gives you that "melt in your mouth" feeling when you eat it. The crab and pork dumplings were too soft for me, with not enough oomph and flavor that the classic xiao long bao has. The pork and mushroom tastes pretty much like the regular pork- I didn't even know the order had come until I asked our waitress. Upon examination, I saw tiny bits of shitake mushroom with the pork. The siu mai dumplings recommended by the waitress for the American friends we brought also were a let down compared to the xiao long bao. Stick the the restaurant's specialities- order the classic xiao long bao, and some vegetable dumplings.

Vegetable dumplings and pork xiao long bao (they go fast!)


There's also various soups and noodles you can order- the beef noodle soup is not too spicy with thin noodles, the sesame noodle is a bit bland with a wad of plain noodles in a sesame sauce. In the past, I've had good experiences with the hot and sour soup and the chicken soup- as well as side dishes of vegetables, tofu and zong zi, or a sticky rice pyramid bun.

Sesame noodles


Side dishes- vegetables and tofu


Though it's quite affordable at 150NT - 300NT, Din Tai Fung is pricier than other local dumpling houses. Why? Its established brand is so popular that they've started featuring Din Tai Fung dumplings on some international flights (I think Eva Air first class) and its crowded lines means they've established a fanbase for their reliable eats. It's worth it if you want to know what the fuss is about and you don't know where else to go.

In the past, I used to avoid Din Tai Fung because of it's popularity and instead take my friends to a busy local xiao long bao place down the street from my grandma's house. For my cousins, my sister and I, we would always ask our grandmother to take us to that restaurant every trip we came back to Taipei. Xiao long bao for 100NT- such a bargain- US$3 for a whole basket of delicious dumplings that you could rarely find in the states. In the recent years, the xiao long bao at that restaurant have become more gingery and their vegetable dumplings are no longer vegetarian, although their beef noodle soup is still very tasty, and my past two visits to Din Tai Fung did not disappoint, so I wouldn't hesitate to go again and also take my tourist friends the next time they are in town.

PS- 2/20/06
You can see the menu and photos at their official website: http://www.dintaifung.com.tw as well as the contact info for all their locations.

PS- 8/7/06
Don't forget to order a "long" or steam basket of red bean dumplings for dessert! Though it's kind of strange at first, to think of eating something sweet while looking at something salty, they are very delicious! With red bean paste inside the drier dumpling skin, it's something unique you won't find anywhere else. They also feature taro paste dumplings though personally I don't like taro.

OTHER LOCATIONS IN TAIPEI (updated 3/4/2008)

Yong Kang restaurant
No. 194, Xinyi Road, Sec.2
(entrance of Yong Kang Street)
(02) 2321-8928

Fuxing Branch
at green Fuxing Sogo, B2 FL
No.300, Zhongxiao E. Rd., Sec. 3
(02) 8772-0528