HOME CENTRAL TAIWAN DINING

COMPASS MAGAZINE December 2010
　

	Roast chicken and other savory delights at Gu Gu Xiang By Niang Chen Translated by Sho Huang 89-2, XiTun Rd, Sec 3 (04)2462-7393 Hours: 11:30 am-12 am No service charge. Credit cards not accepted. Parking available. Starting out as a small shop on XiTun Road, Gu Gu Xiang has for the past five or six years accumulated a steady stream of regular customers through word-of-mouth. To accommodate the growing business, the shop has now expanded and moved to a more spacious location opposite from the original address. The semi-outdoor dining area is brightly lit with pleasant cooling breezes, and it's a great gathering spot for company outings or just a few friends sharing some hot fresh-out-of-the-oven roasted chicken and ice-cold beers. The second floor of the restaurant exhibits some calligraphy artwork done by the owner, adding more charm to its simple interior design. The adjoining large parking area also saves customers lots of trouble and enables them to dine with greater ease. Gu Gu Xiang used to only be open at night but now its business hours kick off at noon, a blessing for the regular patrons, as this allows them to also feast on the scrumptious roast chicken at lunch instead of just dinner, when a table is usually harder to get.
	The Roast Chicken (NT$500) here is prepared with four-month-old free-range chickens, each weighing between two and three catties. The success of this tasty dish result from a wide variety of complicated procedures and strict temperature control of the wood-burning oven. After 50 minutes in the oven, the chicken skin turns crispy and golden, and the meat is tender and full of gravy. Sprinkled with pepper or dipped in gravy, the chicken is delightful beyond words.
	To prepare the Gu Gu Energy Soup (NT$250), chicken broth and chicken bones simmer for four hours or so before mushrooms from Puli, vegetables, fresh shrimp and clams are added. It's hard to stop drinking the resulting savory conconction. Another entree here, the Pig Skin Cold Dish (NT$150), features thinly-sliced pig skin seasoned with lemon, white vinegar and root vegetables.
	Lemon Shrimp (NT$350) have a Thai-style flavor, with these crunchy crustaceans marinated in lemon juice.
	Dong Gang Fried Oysters (NT$180), prepared with fresh large oysters, are crispy and not greasy while the Angel Hair Noodles (NT$30) are mixed with the gravy from the roast chicken to create a simple but mouth-watering dish exuding the nice aromas of gravy and noodles.
	Pig Throat (NT$200) is a stir-fried dish with lots of garlic, and Pig Heart (NT$150) has a pork heart cut up into thin slices and fried with white peppers and special seasonings, a rare dish that was passed down by the owner's grandmother.