HOME CENTRAL TAIWAN DINING

COMPASS MAGAZINE March 2016
　　

Chef Ah-Hsi's Old Time Restaurant By Uvia Chang Translated by Anna Yang 706, ZhongQing Rd, Sec 2, Beitun Dist (04) 2293-5628, 0923-507-899 Hours: 10 am-10 pm 10% service charge. Besides the traditional hanging Chinese lanterns by the entrance, also on display here are the earnest cooking skills of Chef Ah-Hsi, who declares, "Every dish, including any small side dish, is made with my own hands and all my heart." Not surprisingly, the reputation of this establishment is based on his outgoing personality, nostalgic flavors and cooking style, and generous smile. Ah-Hsi learned many of his skills from his grandmother, who cooked delicious dishes for him when he was a child. This is now shared with his customers, whether through a table set meal, set meal, or individual entree, from the recommended Goose Oil Rice to Japanese-Style Pork Liver, Steamed Bamboo Shoots, and Rice Noodles. 　 Right: Pork Knuckle and Seafood Soup: This traditional gourmet dish is a combination of two dishes--mixing tender pork knuckle skin with a thick soup made of shrimp, squid, fish skin, cabbage and bamboo shoots. 　 Left: Preserved Radish in Chicken Soup (NT$780) About 10 pounds of preserved radish is prepared with 100 pounds of fresh radish via a process of sun exposure taking about a month. For over 15 years, Chef Ah-Hsi has personally prepared this specialty, stored in many jars upstairs and available for enjoyment here. He also makes chicken soup, boiling chickens in a richly-flavored soup that brings out flavors and aromas. Right: Sugarcane Duck: In Ah-Hsi's authentic style, a whole duck is prepared in a broiling barrel with sugarcane and firewood, giving it a sugary, smoked flavor and tender texture. 　 Left: Sauteed Sliced Pork with Preserved Vegetables: The premium pork belly fat is evenly distributed and meat is continuously massaged and seasoned until flavors emerge. It is then preserved for a week. Layers of flavor can be tasted from the grilled sauteed pork and it pairs well with preserved vegetables. If you check-in on Facebook at the restaurant, you'll also get a free dish of preserved vegetables. Right: Fried Rice Noodles The pure flavor of traditional rice noodles is blended with pork oil, and stir-fried with meat and vegetables, creating a hard-to-resist fragrance and taste.