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Notes on the Chicken Rice at Formosa Chang in Taiwan
The Quiet Sovereign Behind a Pork Empire Walking through Taipei, I often encounter the same face. Rounded cheeks. A carefully trimmed mustache.An expression that suggests reassurance rather than excitement. It is the sign of Formosa Chan... -
Notes on Formosa Chang Lu Rou Fan in Taiwan
The Bearded Giant Beneath a Yellow Sign Walking through the streets of Taipei, a yellow sign with red lettering enters the field of vision. Behind the glass at the storefront, pots line up in quiet order.Under steady lighting, pork simme... -
Notes on Lu Rou Fan and Ji Rou Fan in Taiwan
Why One Bowl Speaks Louder Than the Other In Taiwan’s small-eats culture, two rice bowls appear again and again. Braised pork rice (lu rou fan) and shredded chicken rice (ji rou fan). Each is structurally simple. White rice, topped with ... -
Notes on Ghost Chains in Taiwan
Stores That Resemble Chains, Yet Are Not Walking through Taipei, I often feel as if I am encountering the same shop again and again. I turn a corner.There it is. A few hundred meters later, another appears. The red sign of Yonghe Doujian... -
Notes on Mei & Mei in Taiwan
A Red Sign, a Griddle, and the Sweet Taiwanese Hamburger I walk through a residential district in Taiwan.Many shops still have their shutters down, yet a few are already glowing. A bright sign in red and yellow reads Mei & Mei.Someti... -
Notes on Yonghe Soy Milk Shops
When a Place Name Becomes a Breakfast Brand Walking through Taipei, I encounter the same sign repeatedly. White characters on a red background.Yonghe Doujiang Dawang. Turn a corner, and it appears again.Walk a few hundred meters, and the... -
Notes on Celebrities Who Chose Din Tai Fung
Tom Cruise, Leather Jackets, and a Quiet Fortress There are many three-star restaurants in the world where reservations are impossible to secure.Just hearing their names can make people tense. By contrast, it is difficult to think of a c... -
Notes on Din Tai Fung and Its Global Expansion
Michelin stars, Tom Cruise, and halal xiaolongbao Normally, a restaurant that earns a Michelin star becomes careful.It avoids adding seats.It avoids opening branches.It stays within the reach of a small group of craftsmen. That has long ... -
Notes on Wheat and Rice in Taiwan
How 1949 rewrote the table, quietly Boiled dumplings (shui jiao) appear first in this text as a daily presence, alongside bowls of braised pork rice (lu rou fan) steaming on the right and the smell of beef noodles drifting from the left.... -
Notes on Thick Soy Sauce in Taiwan
A Viscous Black That Quietly Holds the Table Together At a small Taiwanese eatery, I tilt a seasoning bottle on the table. The black liquid inside does not fall right away.After a brief pause, it descends slowly, heavily. Its viscosity i...
