7/31/2011

The Most Famous Restaurant in Monga

 周記肉粥店面 Restaurant, Monga

I've finally done it. I've located the best red fried meat (紅燒肉) joint in Taipei. And get this: it's just down the street from where I live. According to diners, this place is so good that Japanese people fly in just to sample their wares. The prices aren't even that outrageous; we had four bowls of congee (NT$60) and two plates of red fried meat (NT$160), for a grand total of NT$220. I guess I shouldn't be overly impressed with myself. It is after all famous. Plus my wife eats there pretty regularly when I am at work. 

For me, you judge a restaurant by its food, not service or decor. When was the last time you went to a restaurant because you heard the service was good? It's the food that matters. Actually, whenever I do go into a place that seems kind of fancy, I wonder what they're compensating for and how much extra I'm going to have to pay for the paint job and pictures on the wall. At 周記肉粥店面, I wasn't worrying about the service either. We had to ask about five times to get a second plate of red fried meat: http://lockerz.com/s/125272532. Check out the chipped plate it came on. This place is a dump, a wonderful dump. 


Two o'clock and the place is choked with customers

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

In the 30-some years I've been visiting, living and working in Taiwan, one thing that I've learned is that "just 'cause it looks like a dump, doesn't mean it doesn't have great food."... I'm not sure my Taiwan family agrees...but hey

Anonymous said...

It is interest to notice that the dishwasher shown in the first picture is the same model I used while dishwashing at New York City on 1964.
Cho-San

Patrick Cowsill said...

It doesn't seem like the dishwasher has evolved much, because this one also looks just like the one in the restaurant I worked in back in Vancouver (1988) when I was a student. Luckily for me, I didn't have to wash dishes.

BTW, I don't remember seeing the ubiquitous nozzle at the Monga place: http://ow.ly/5ZxX3

Tony Lin said...

Cool, that's my dads favorite spot and I've been going there since I was a kid on summer trips.

Thanks for sharing Wanhua. I grew up there and enjoy reading more about the area.

Patrick Cowsill said...

"Thanks for sharing Wanhua. I grew up there and enjoy reading more about the area."

Sure.

I am slowly piecing together local histories, or at least trying to. I'm easily distracted though.

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