Taiwan has long been known for its street food, and a new development at Qianmen is looking to cash in on that. ‘Taiwan Streets’ are being replicated in cities across China (we’re told each is ‘completely independent’). Sadly, most fizzle horribly, despite multiple oyster-omelette makers boasting decades of experience on their neighbours.
A lot of this island food has been lost in translation after multiple trials with lots of errors. But one stall – actually two, side by side, named after Jilong City’s Jilong Temple gate – successfully serves great food from a simple menu and warrants a trip.
Their chao mifen (炒米粉, 18RMB) is a stir-fried rice noodle dish that sounds typical. But these thread-like filaments, sometimes called rice flour noodles, are hard to turn down when fully geared with a dash of vinegar or smear of chilli paste.
The xie rou geng (蟹肉羹, 20RMB) is a thickened broth of fish cake, bits of oyster and something that should be crabmeat. Meanwhile, the magical dachang hezaitang (大肠蚵仔汤, 18RMB), rice noodle and oyster soup, is garnished with pig tripe to make a local favourite that’s light and warming – and done right. And for those who like the thickened broths that Asia masterfully ladles out by the bowlful, the xia ren geng (虾仁火庚, 20RMB) is afloat with curly shrimp bits and is lickety good.
The ‘secret’ these cooks in their closet-like stalls proudly boast of is that they are trained at the source itself, Jilong City, but have transcended its techniques and flavours. If you can’t get across the Straits anytime soon, take the shorter ride to Qianmen and head down for a little taste of Taiwan. Lillian Chou