HOME  CENTRAL TAIWAN DINING
COMPASS
MAGAZINE  February 2015
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By Niang Chen
Translated by S. Ying
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Ya Pian Guan
117, WuQuan 1st St, West Dist
New address: 555, WenXin S 3rd Rd, Nantun Dist
(04) 3609-5555
Hours: 11 am-3 pm, 5-10 pm
This eatery specializes in Peking roasted duck, northern Chinese pastries, and traditional northeastern Chinese sour cabbage pot. The menu includes reasonably-priced noodle dishes (NT$50-120), main dishes (seafood, meats, and vegetarian) between NT$90 and NT$520, and set meals starting from NT$3,300.
A: The addictively-delicious cuisine here is reflected by its name, which sounds like "opium" in Chinese.
B: This set meal includes a roast duck, cucumber slices, green onions and flour wraps. The duck is specially selected from Yilan and is very juicy with crispy skin, thanks to special preparation and cooking techniques. Like Peking roast duck, it's wrapped with cucumber slices and green onions in traditional lotus leaves.
C: Shredded Duck with Lettuce (NT$200), Duck Soup with Sour Cabbage (NT$100), Deep Fried Duck (NT$100)－Another way to prepare the duck is Duck Oil Scrambled with Egg (NT$100), a popular dish in northern China among commoners back in earlier times. The dish uses dried shrimp for extra flavoring and is presented with a thick, soup-like texture, which is great for dipping bread. Roasted Duck Stir-Fried with Green Onions (NT$100) is accented with green onion and meat flavors.
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Dada Tea
(04) 2221-7939
186, FuXing Rd, Sec 4, 11F, East Dist (MODE Mall)
Housr: 10 am-9 pm
English menu
Credit cards accpeted.
10% service charge.
Parking available.
Dada Tea has been a trademark Cantonese dim sum restaurant in Taichung for years. After its move to MODE Mall, loyal patrons still visit for the traditional dishes like Peking roasted duck, plus special seasonal menus (call for information). Traditional Cantonese dim sum dishes range from NT$60 to NT$180.
A: Pouring hot oil over sliced roasted duck brings out its fragrance, crispiness and flavors.
B: Cantonese Style Roasted Duck (NT$680) is made with selected fat and meaty ducks, stuffed with Chinese herbs before undergoing a special marinading and roasting process, different from the traditional simple pairing with green onions. This serves 2-3 people and includes whole wheat wraps, kiwi fruit, apple slices or pineapple to wrap with the duck meat.
C: Roasted Duck and Duck Soup (NT$780) includes a thick, flavorful soup made with clams, bamboo, mushrooms and Chinese veggies.
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Hong Kong Kitchen
235, Taiwan Blvd, Sec 2, 1F, West Dist
(04) 2323-8218
Hours: 11 am-9 pm
English menu.
Cash only.
No service charge.
All ducks here exceed three kilograms to ensure they're meaty enough for various duck dishes (NT$70-320) such as hot pot rice, rice rolls, congee rice, and a special roasted duck dish marinated with salt, garlic, ginger.
A: Since 1995, this restaurant has offered authentic, traditional Cantonese cuisine and Hong Kong snacks.
B: Duck Breast Lettuce (NT$360) wraps thinly sliced duck breast with garlic, sweet potatoes, celery, "yo tiao" (Chinese fried breadsticks) and parsley in the lettuce. Turkey with Green Onion and Ginger in a Pot (NT$280) uses thinly-sliced ginger and green onions for flavoring, and is great for pairing with Asian wines and rice.
C: Roast Duck (1/4 duck, NT$320) is marinated and roasted for 45-60 minutes at 400 degrees, creating a perfect crispiness completed by pouring special duck oil sauce over it. Wrapping this in pastries made from malt sugar and vinegar before dipping into a special sweet plum sauce makes it especially yummy. Sliced duck meat is served with sour cabbage, tofu, ginger slices and green onions for Duck Soup with Sour Cabbage (NT$200).
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Wein Restaurant & Lounge
(04) 2251-3889
168, ShiZheng North 1st Rd, West Dist
Hours: 11:30 am-2:30 pm, 5:30-10 pm
English menu.
Credit cards accepted.
10% service charge.
This creative fusion-style restaurant incorporates elements of Sichuan, Shanghai and French cuisine in its traditional Asian dishes, complemented by excellent service and amazing plating. These include one of Wein's specialties, Peking Roasted Duck.
A: The chefs' skills are showcased in their attentive slicing of the duck.
B: This Whole Duck Set Meal for 4 (NT$2,280) pairs the roasted duck with international appetizers like Brazilian Mushrooms, Korean Kimchi, North European Fish Eggs, and Indian Curry. In addition to traditional Chinese flour wraps and sweet sauces for the duck, provided Mexican taco shells add an extra creative, fun touch.
C: Another Whole Duck Set Meal for 4 (NT$2,280) includes traditional Chinese dishes like duck broiled with fresh taro, Chinese cabbage, lettuce duck wrap with fillings of crispy rice cakes, cucumbers, shredded eggs, fig, kumquat and peanut powder. Another dish is thickly-sliced roasted duck breast with pineapple, guava or watermelon, dipped in cheese.
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