When I visited Hualien (花蓮) last Friday, I had jien mien (煎麵), an old Taiwanese dish of noodles that are first boiled and then dry-fried. They're not bad, like hard hash browns with pork and green onions on top. I noticed that some of the other restaurant guests didn't take so well to them however and left practically untouched plates behind. I think they should have loaded their jien mien up with hot sauce, as the noodles were a bit bland and crunchie. Actually, I prefer them to beef noodles because they did't burn my mouth or steam up my face.
My wife ordered ten boiled leek pork dumplings at Overseas Dragon Fried Dumpling (四海遊龍) http://www.0800224466.com/# one of Taipei's most well-known fried dumpling and sour & spicy soup joints. Luckily, she noticed a bug encrusted in one of her dumplings before she ate it (see above pic, right). We had to wait around while the restaurant cooked a single replacement (above pic, left).
My wife enjoys the Mexican triple tower along with a fruity cocktail at Friday's a few weeks back. Incidentally, Friday's has recently introduced a non-smoking policy throughout its Ximending (西門町) branch, and hopefully others across the city. This means no more choking in the bar section while waiting for a table, or being able to eat the delicious deep-fried jalapenos with processed-cheese dip and smell the aroma at the same time.
2 comments:
That's so cool that the dumpling place cooked just one replacement. Years ago while I was trying to escape the horrific dormitory food at Tamkang University, I ordered beef noodle soup from a street vendor in Tamsui (I'm too old to know the new romanizations) and there was a fly floating on top. When I complained, the proprietor told me it was a fried onion. That explaination was so funny I didn't even argue with him. Hey, its just protein.
I don't have a problem with eating insects either. I love fried cricket, dipped in salt and pepper. Chocolate -covered ants are tasty too.
BTW, I made up the new romanization for jien mien. I learned with the Taiwanese phonetics, ju ing fu hau. I learned Chinese in Taiwan - old school.
Post a Comment