The 2020 Bib Gourmand selection for Taipei and Taichung highlights 31 restaurants and 23 street food stalls in Taipei and 21 venues in Taichung, which is covered by the Guide for the very first time this year！
Yesterday(August 12), Michelin released the Bib Gourmand selection of this year’s Guide. This selection highlights 31 restaurants and 23 street food stalls in Taipei, including 7 new additions. In Taichung, which is covered by the Guide for the very first time this year, 21 venues are included the list.
In creating the list, the Michelin inspectors saught "value-for-money food" and the criteria set was a "high-quality three-course meal" for the price of less than NT$1,000 (US$34).
(Source: Pixabay)
7 new recommendations in Taipei
The new entrants include North Indian restaurant Taj (泰姬), whose chefs have been specially recruited to Taiwan from India and use spices carefully sourced from their country. Yijiazi (一甲子餐飲) is renowned for its authentic Tainan flavors and dishes served by its third-generation owners, such as the stewed pork belly, pork blood curd soup with shacha sauce, and Madou rice cake. Also located in Wanhua, Chang Hung Noodles (昶鴻麵點) in the Huaxi Street Night Market has its signature dish of "Chrysanthemum Pork Noodles" made with pork cheeks and side dishes including boiled chicken and pork tails. In the same market, Yuan Fang Guabao (源芳刈包) has been selling buns stuffed with marinated pork belly, pickles, and ground peanuts for over 60 years.
Three other "new" venues that are previous entries on the list have moved to a new address, including A Kuo Noodles (阿國切仔麵) on Jinxi Street, Chen Tung Pork Ribs Medicinal Herbs Soup (陳董藥燉排骨) at the Raohe Night Market, and Wu Wang Tsai Chi (吾旺再季) at the Nanjichang Night Market. The latter was originally called Sung Ching Taiwanese Burrito (松青潤餅).
21 recommendations in Taichung
In the new Taichung list, the guide focused on local fare, with 10 of the 21 eateries listed offering Taiwan cuisine. Michelin then highlighted Chin Chih Yuan (范記金之園), which draws in lunchtime queues for its steamed local rice and deep-fried pork ribs; Dong Shan Zhan (東山棧), which offers claypot-roasted chicken grilled over longan wood for an hour; Fu Din Wang (富鼎旺), and Fu Juang Yuan (富狀元豬腳), which has gelatinous pork trotter, hock, and leg that are braised in a flavorful marinade; while mentioning Shin Yuan (馨苑) as a place that offers "healthy Taiwanese cooking."
The list then recommended a number of restaurants which are set in old Taichung and offer a glimpse into Taiwan's past, such as Fu Kuei Ting (富貴亭), which holds many fond memories for many Taichung residents and their signature goose noodle soup and smoked goose often sells out every morning; Orient Dragon (東方龍), which offers Taiwanese home-style cooking, with a few creative Sichuan dishes. For tastes of a bygone era; Peng Cheng Tang (彭城堂),which is a time capsule, serving comfort food that is as warm and familiar as its decor, while Wen Tao (溫叨) serves Taiwanese cuisine that will transport guests to grandma’s countryside home, and San Hsi Shih Tang (三喜食堂). The last of these is operated in the owner-chef's private home.
In a category described as "comfort food," such as hot pot, congee, and noodles, Michelin inspectors in Taichung opted for congee at Tai Ke Meat Congee (台客燒肉粥), hot pot at Shang Niu Erh Kuan (尚牛二館), A Kun Mian (阿坤麵), which serves noodles tossed in braised ground pork sauce and fried scallion; No Name Noodles (上海未名麵點), which is known for its preservative-free Shanghainese noodle soup served with pork chop, beef shin or zhajiang sauce.
Lastly, the inspectors pointed out a number of restaurants in Taichung that feature food from different parts of China, such as Lu Yuan (陸園), 1924 Shanghai (新月梧桐), Qin Yuan Chun (沁園春), Moment in Beijing (京華煙雲), which is styled after grand mansions in Northern China, and Shanghai Food (滬舍餘味), which is known for its authentic pan-fried pork buns. Opened in 2015, Chilliesine (West) serves authentic pan-Indian dishes.
Source: Michelin Guide
