Looks amazing!
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Simple eats for simple folks. 
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Thanks for sharing these. Makes me miss traveling and eating in TaiWan, though it’s anybody’s guess which of these spots will still be in business, next time I manage to get back.
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Three days left on this trip, gotta to eat real hard! I’d been to the mothership on Xinyi Rd and at Taipei 101, as well as outposts in other countries including the U.S. Though the food and service was invariably good, never was able to justify the price premium.
Until now. Consider me a convert.
Basic Pork XLB. We were the #3 table seated, these were perfect. No lag from steamer to table. I think the dumplings we had on Xinyl may have suffered some degradation from the ride up the dumb waiter to our 3rd floor table.
Pork Chop Fried Rice. Excellent. Only regret that the bar may now be set too high for everyday casual eats.
Fiddleheads. Must be heading into peak season, the greens are progressively tastier and tastier. If that is possible?!?
Loofah w/Shrimp XLB were good, not a must re-order. hint
Chicken Soup. As good as touted by that blue guy. Absolute pure Chicken Essence. Heavenly.
Service was stellar, a well trained lubricated machine. Teacups never half full/empty before top off. Empty service plates whisked away promptly to make room for the next round of goodie’s.
Dumpling techs suited up in the Clean Room assembling the precious precision packages of goodness.
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Excellent! Always wondered if the Taiwan Din Tai Fung is better than the others (never been to Taiwan). For example I did not really like the one in Singapore, though that may also have been the result of its setting in a mall/food court.
I do like the HK one though, in a non descript office building. I was struck again by this Ken Hom piece from so long ago at the entrance. I saw no 53 on the menu, looked very appetising, but chose the noodle soup instead.
And I could relate to your remark about vegetables. Maybe where I live at least the quality of vegetables is just less, due to modern cultivating techniques? I don’t know, but I also love the vegetables here in Asia.
Which is the original Taiwan branche, is that the one in this Ken Hom article?
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Yes, one and the same. The article spells Hsin-I, also spelled Xingyi.
I was thrilled to eat at the original in 2014, but yesterday’s take was more to my fancy. From 2014. iPhone 4s crappy photo.
The street produce in Asia puts our supermarkets back home to shame. We visit street markets always in our travels, will do a post on the various bounty later. Example:
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Hi-Lai Celebrity Cuisine Taipei Dunhua Branch
+886 2 8773 2111
Dinner with my Hong Kong boss, now based in Taipei. Another HO thread decreed that only HK trained chefs can do Chinese food correctly, the chefs at this restaurant must be fresh from HK. Dare say most of tonight’s food meets/exceeds much of what I’ve had in HK and Mainland.
Pork and Mandarin Orange to start.
Classic Fun(rice sheet) wrapped Youtiu, with Shrimp inclusion. Delicious. Dim Sum items are only for breakfast and early lunch in Hong Kong. All day here in Taiwan.
Muscle bound Chicken Wing stuffed with Bird’s Nest. Uber tasty, a sensory sensation with the slight char and light crisped skin. The Bird’s Nest stuffing was an almost unnecessary distraction.
Gotta have some veggies for any Cantonese dinner.
Signature Fried Rice.
A well executed lightly deep fried. Guessing a Goby of some spec??? Chopsticks helpful to separate morsels from nooks and crevices.
Nice taste of Hong Kong in Taipei.
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Lovely time in Taiwan, last day touristing. Somewhat late start, bottle of Baiju night before the culprit/excuse for late start.
Just Had to have a PORK hot dog. Breakfast at 7/11, with an Asahi Beer. Hair of the Dog!!
Spotted a crowd clutching their entry tickets, kiddingly guessed DTF (Din Tai Fung). Bingo.
The DTF Original Mothership on Xingli. Only 3 peeps in queue!! Wife had to imbed. Alas, this ORIGINAL location is now DTF’s togo/courier pickup facility. Glad that we had enjoyed DTF prior to their now XLB global domination.
On to Yong Kong! This gentrified district has expanded. The wife must have her pancake, despite the tedious pertpetual line. The Basil Egg Pancake was worth her wait!
SNOWFLAKE ICE.
No way passing this.
Needed to introduce some greens b4 Happy Hour. Each component stellar/perfect. BEST Caesar in memory!!!
Complimentary wine and bites back at hotel.
Dinner at Brewery Pub 20 minute walk from hotel.
Calamari. Yeah, ham sandwich at a steak dinner.
House IPA for me, LI Ice Tea for she. She’s sweets adverse, no Coca-Cola. Still an Ice Tea?
A forgettable Margarite Pizza and Caesar Salad.
Oxtail Ragu Pasta. Good, not great.
So ready for the comforts of home. 9am TPE time, just about happy hour SF time. OK…
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Chopsticks?
Amateur.
You use your kung-fu hand skills and pick up that damn fish, head included, and suck the damn thing clean.
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Hardly. Have reduced many a fish to mere bone shards with our mighty sticks!!
Fun at Donggang Fish Market, about an hours drive from Kaoshiung. Missed the Tuna Auction by about 8 hours, still lots going on to get excited about. Many food stalls dishing out ready to eat food. Many fishmongers also, selected a restaurant that cooked our Catch of the Day for NT$100 per dish.
The Eyes have it!! Tuna parts galore.
Tuna Hearts.
Tuna Stomach.
Al Fresco dining.
Tuna Milt (Sperm).
Fried Fish Bites.
Fried Squid Beaks.
Razar Clams.
Fiddleheads, of course.
Spinach.
Seaweed with Hom Dan.
Bitter Gourd with Hom Dan.
The four of us ate well. The street venders outside the complex were awesome, true Farmer’s bringing bringing their produce and such to market. Another post coming.
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We enjoyed the action on the streets outside the Donggang Fish Market as much, maybe even more than the fish market itself. Not an official market per se, just venders on the street selling what could very well have been picked from their back yards this morning.
This lady was peeling some awesome White Asparagus that I desperately wanted. She confirmed that her Asparagus could be eaten raw, yes!!!
Onions, by the truckload.
The best Pineapples. I ate Pineapple every single day of this trip.
Super exciting. A dude with two Thresher Sharks for sale. On the street.
Two of the cutest little Monkfish I’d ever seen.
This guy almost done selling his load of fresh picked Cabbage.
Spied this tree loaded with Papaya.
Love Wax Apples. Must be getting into the season. Seems the Wax Apples were getting bigger and cheaper by the day. Bought a bag of 14 for NT$100 = USD$3.28.
Melons.
Coming back to Taiwan in July with our niece, her high school grad present. Will have a three bedroom with kitchen facilities for the first part of the trip. Can’t wait!!
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Amazing pictures! Never seen fresh white asparagus in Asia. How were they? I see they were peeled, but if you can eat them raw, they probably are still easily digestible?
European white asparagus when you find them in the shops or at the farmer’s, you cannot really eat raw. Or you could probably harvest them younger… Will ask the farmer next week or so, I think white asparagus will be coming into season here any day now (haven’t checked of course!)
Looked like you guys had a great trip, safe travels back!
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We had seen incredibly great looking Green Asparagus at every market this trip.
Might have seen White Asparagus in Asia before, but just had to get some from this lady. Looked so appealing.
Very fresh and juicy raw, but would have been amazing simply blanched and topped with some mayo or quick stir fried with beef on rice. My wife’s girlfriends also bought some and confirmed they were delicious cooked.
Are Fiddleheads available in your markets? Where we are, only the very tip is considered Fiddlehead and quite expensive. Taiwan uses more of the plant and I much prefer Fiddleheads this way.
So looking forward to coming back with my niece in July. Fantastic sharing the experiences through her eyes and taste buds.
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You can absolutely eat asparagus raw. My local farm also sells the young unpeeled tips (no need to peel to eat) alongside a dozen normal length asparagus in various thickness.
There’s at least 1 thread dedicated to asparagus. I have done so many varied dishes with asparagus, almost half of them were shaved and eaten raw. (Beetroot marinated in rice paper rolls, shaved and marinated, shaved and plain, young tips in packages on left and right,, young tips only need a quick steam.
Picking up my first asparagus tomorrow. This farm has the best and most expensive asparagus but I choose to support local farmers. Only 12 minutes biking to the countryside.
@Google_Gourmet , many thanks again. Am already looking forward to your future eating adventure in Shizuoka 
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We grow Fiddleheads in our home up in NoCal.
They’re like weeds, and they drink water like fish.
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Wow!! Do you eat most of the plant, as in Taiwan? Or, just the tips?
Family story was that my great-grandfather loved asparagus so much that he brought cuttings with him back to China and grew them. Don’t know how much truth in that story, but that’s family lore.
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Agreed.
But just because a person can doesn’t mean one should.
I feel like asparagus, even young tender ones, are best quickly blanched as it makes them not only sweeter and but also makes them more crisp and tender at the same time.
I feel the same with broccoli.
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All of it.
Waste not, what not.
That’s what my grandmother and now my mother tells me. And like a good boy, I listen.
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HELP YOURSELF BUFFETS. Bento Box Lunch. Bian Dang. So much more. These “Help Yourself” restaurants are all over Taiwan, they overflow and thrive during lunch hours with Office Peeps, Construction Workmen, Tourist, and just plain Hungry People. Fill a bento box to go if you want to eat at your desk. Overflow a plate if you plan to stay and try everything!!
The cashier visually $totals your plate, sometimes lifting an item or two to see if you may be secreting an expensive item here or there. 
$200NT = USD$6.55 for two plates for the both of us. With Rice and Congee. All the Soup and Tea you care to imbibe.
Curry Potatoes/Carrots, Eggplant, Bell Pepper, Mapo Tofu, Thousand Year Old Egg on Tofu, Pork Knuckles, SpareRibs, Pig Ears, Dragon’s Whiskers, Bamboo, Shishito, Pig Blood, Duck Blood, Loofah……. 1st round.
Yikes, they brought out MORE stuff!! One more round, please. Tomato Egg, Loffah, Bitter Melon, some more favorites.
A simpler revisit to a favorite in Tainan.
Tainan is known for Milkfish. Milkfish Congee with Youtiao. Milkfish Head.
Whoa, Congee had the fabulous just off shore Oysters, Yum!!!
Simple plate of String Beans, Yuba and Bean Curd. Saving room for Mango Ice.
Tainan is roaring these days. Taiwan’s push to stimulate domestic tourism is working beyond expectations. Some “known” spots had lines of over 100 peeps. The few Michelin bib spots we passed don’t even advertise signage as such, they don’t need the business!!!
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