My Humble House Restaurant [寒舍食譜] (Visit #3)

Visit: July 17, 2012
Address: 台北市信義區松仁路38號2F (Le Meridien)
Number: (02) 2321-1818
Website: http://www.lemeridien-taipei.com/#/cuisine/1

Menu

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiCrispy Barbecued Pork (脆皮叉燒) $480 NT DR.

Crispy Barbecued Pork (脆皮叉燒) $480 NT 

Crispy Barbecued Pork

I felt like the meat wasn't as soft as my previous visits there, but that didn't necessarily mean that it wasn't as good.

Black and White Wood Ear Fungus with Aged Vinegar (老陳醋黑白木耳) $150 NT

Black and White Wood Ear Fungus with Aged Vinegar 

Sauteed Asparagus with Lily Bulbs (蘆筍炒百合) $380 NT

Sauteed Asparagus with Lily Bulbs 

The dish really didn't make much of an impression.

Roasted Baby Duck (脆皮先知鴨) $1100 NT

Roasted Baby Duck

The duck was in a really dark corner...so sorry for the really bad quality.

Roasted Baby Duck Wrap

Yum~

Stir Fried Roasted Baby Duck 

Stir Fried Roasted Baby Duck

The dish was okay, but I definitely preferred the more traditional kind of stir fry with the dark sauce and all.

Roasted Baby Duck Soup

Roasted Duck Soup

I was really surprised with how nicely flavored the duck soup was though I wasn't such a huge fan of the actual meat inside the soup.

Suckling Pig (片皮乳豬) $800 NT

Suckling Pig

The suckling pig skin was so unbelievably crisp! It is now one of my favorite dishes at my humble house.

Stewed Vegetables Topped with Crab Sauce (蟹肉扒時疏) $420 NT

Stewed Vegetables Topped with Crab Sauce 

The crab meat sauce just kind of glides around the broccoli and gives it a very unique flavor.

Deep Fried Pork Ribs Fried with Chinkiang Vinegar (鎮江香醋骨) $460 NT

Deep Fried Pork Ribs Fried with Chinkiang Vinegar

I do have just one complaint for this yummy dish: the portion is tiny.

After so many visits to My Humble House within such a short span of time, I would still recommend it. The quality has proven to be consistent with each of my visits.

The Top [屋頂上]

Visit: July 6, 2012
Address: 台北市士林區凱旋路61巷4弄33號
Number: (02) 2862 - 2255
Website: http://www.compei.com/

I've always wanted to go try one of the restaurants on Yang Ming Shan that overlooks Taipei, and from what I've heard, The Top is the best out of them all. Here it is!

Glazed Stir Fried Pork (京都醬燒骨) $380 NT

京都醬燒骨

I've never ever seen anyone put mayonnaise on top of the ribs...but... okay sure...

Stir Fried Beef with Black Pepper (黑椒牛小排) $360 NT

黑椒牛小排

Crispy Chicken (half) (屋頂脆皮雞) (半) $580 NT

屋頂脆皮雞 

Even though the skin was crispy, the meat was quite dry. The fact that they decided to decorate the dish with Pringles was a bit of a turn off.

Stir Fried Salty Pork (爆炒鹹豬肉) $360 NT

爆炒鹹豬肉

There wasn't that nice flavor that salty pork usually brings.

Stir Fried Cabbage with Dried Shrimps (櫻花蝦高麗菜) $190 NT

櫻花蝦高麗菜

The shrimp didn't exactly taste very fresh.

The Top wasn't so great in terms of the food or the service. I wouldn't really recommend the restaurants for food, but I would recommend it for the view. The food wasn't nasty, but it wasn't that great either, so if you were to go there, don't expect much in terms of the food, but just go enjoy the view!

My Humble House Restaurant [寒舍食譜] (Visit #2)

Visit: April 12, 2012
Address: 台北市信義區松仁路38號2F (Le Meridien)
Number: (02) 2321-1818
Website: http://www.lemeridien-taipei.com/#/cuisine/1

I was sorting through photos in my "finished" folder and :O I realized that I never posted about my second visit to My Humble House... so here goes.

Menu 

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.


Crispy Barbecued Pork (脆皮叉燒) $480 NT 

Crispy Barbecued Pork

Awesome as usual :)

Black and White Wood Ear Fungus with Aged Vinegar (老陳醋黑白木耳) $150 NT

Black and White Wood Ear Fungus with Aged Vinegar

Baby Cabbage Hearts with Wild Mushroom and Supreme Broth (原湯野菌娃娃菜) 380 NT

Baby Cabbage Hearts with Wild Mushroom and Supreme Broth

Nothing special about this dish...

Braised Bean Curd with Bamboo Pith and Enokitake (金菇竹笙燒豆腐) $420 NT

Braised Bean Curd with Bamboo Pith and Enokitake

Beef Tendons in Spicy Sauce (麻辣牛筋) $300 NT

Beef Tendons in Spicy Sauce

I was a little disappointed with the dish. It wasn't even as good as local Taiwanese restaurants

Roasted Crispy Chicken with Caramelized Walnuts (琥珀脆皮炸子雞) $680 NT

Roasted Crispy Chicken with Caramelized Walnuts

The skin really was crispy without the meat being too dry.

Suckling Pig and Assorted Barbecued Meat (乳豬雙盤) $720 NT

Suckling Pig and Assorted Barbecued Meat

<3 <3 <3 their suckling pig. It really rivals the barbecued pork. I don't quite remember what the other part of the "assorted" part was.

I would still definitely recommend My Humble House. The waiters and waitresses are always attentive, the atmosphere always nice, and the dishes are always yummy.

Guang Ze Noodles (Pa Ding Wu) [廣澤擔仔麵(冇冇有擔仔麵)]

Visit: June 21, 2012
Address: 台北市士林區福華路10號 (Next to ZhiShan MRT Station)
Number: (02) 2836 - 8988

I've always passed by this pretty well regarded Taiwanese restaurant, though I've never actually been to it. There were a few times when I had takeouts from the restaurant, but you know how takeouts are, they're never as good. To satisfy my own appetite and to take my thong-wearing visiting Aussie friend somewhere to eat, we (...well I) decided to come here. My goal of the meal: to make him eat as many weird things as possible.

Menu 

Menu

Cripsy Intestines (脆皮肥腸) $200 NT

Crispy Intestines

Even though many Taiwanese restaurants serve this dish, I've actually never had it before. Verdict? Not bad (:

Shrimp in Fried Chinese Dough (百花油條) $160 NT

Shrimp in Fried Chinese Dough

Once again, another new dish for me to try. It was quite interesting and delicious. The shrimp paste is first stuffed into the fried chinese dough or fritter (translating isn't my strong suite) and then stir fried in this sweet and sour orange sauce.

Yam Leaves Stir Fried with Preserved Eggs (皮蛋炒地瓜葉) $100 NT

Yam Leaves Stir Fried with Preserved Eggs

The dish looks and sounds interesting, but honestly, it just tastes like stir fried yam leaves.

 Pig Liver (粉肝) $100 NT

Pig Liver

Not bad, but not the best. Lv Sang [呂桑食堂] is still the best.


Taiwanese Braised Pork Rice aka Lu Rou Fan (招牌滷肉飯) $25 NT

Taiwanese Braised Pork Rice (Lu Rou Fan)

I've actually heard a lot about the pork rice here. I mean seriously, look at those juicy fatty chunks of meat~ The braised pork rice was yum yum yum!

Guang Ze Noodles actually used to be called Pa Ding Wu, but for one reason or another, it changed its name. The restaurant did indeed live up to its reputation, though as I've said said before, Lv Sang [呂桑食]堂 is still my favorite. I'd recommend this simple little Taiwanese restaurant.

Lun Siu Yeau Seafood [龍少爺海鮮]

Visit: June 10, 2012
Address: 台北市中山區中山北路二段93巷7號
Number: (02) 2523-1598

This time, it's my grandma who recommended this seafood restaurant. For the past few months, every single time she sees me, she'd tell me about how wonderful this seafood restaurant is.... yet she never seemed to want to take me. But hey, I'm a pretty persuasive granddaughter :D

Clams (蛤蜊)

Clams

Chicken Feet (雞腳)

Chicken Feet

Fried Shrimps (蝦子)

Fried Shrimps

I'm not exactly a shrimp person, but their fried shrimps were pretty good

Geoduck (象拔蚌)

Geoduck

Abalone (九孔)

Abalone

Steamed Crab (螃蟹)

Steamed Crab

Hong Kong Fried Rice (燒辣飯)

Hong Kong Fried Rice

Chicken (白斬雞)

Chicken

Chicken Soup (雞湯)

Chicken Soup

Chicken soup is definitely worth the order.

Fruits (水果)

Fruits

Lun Siu Yeau Seafood is very standard in terms of its taste, but I would have to say that the variety of seafood it has as well as the freshness of the seafood is pretty superb. I would recommend the restaurant to any seafood crazy person.

Shing Peng Lai Restaurant [興蓬萊台菜海鮮餐廳]

Visit: May 25, 2012
Address: 台北市士林區中山北路7段165號
Number: (02) 2877-1168
Website: http://www.splr.com.tw/
Ah, I know that this is LONG overdue, but I completely forgot about it. :/

Menu

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.


Lungs and Liver in Sesame Oil (麻油雙腰)

Lungs and liver in Sesame oil

I'm not the biggest fan of this type of sesame oil. Although I'm not quite fond of the liver and lung of the pig, the insides were actually okay in this dish.

Chicken (白片放山雞)

Chicken

Man, the chicken is just so good. The meat was not dry at all and contained quite a bit of moisture while the skin is just nicely slippery without being overly oily.

Fried Pork Ribs (招牌排骨酥) $150 NT/Piece

Fried Pork Ribs

This must be my favorite dish of the entire night. I've never ever had such crisply fried ribs before. MUST ORDER!

Fried Oysters (香炸鮮蚵)

Fried Oysters

Once again, the restaurant really does know how to fry their foods. Loved the fried basil :D


Fried Tofu (香炸豆腐)

Fried Tofu

To me, the tofu wasn't all too special since it was quite bland, but as far as the crispiness goes, it was quite good.

Stir Fried Rice Noodle (肉絲炒米粉)

Stir Fried Rice Noodle

I'm not that fond of rice noodles, so the dish was just okay to me. But I think a lot of people really enjoyed the dish, especially with the sweet potatos also fried into it.

Hong Kong Style Fried Rice (燒臘飯)

Hong Kong Style Fried Rice

This type of rice is extremely oily... but it's definitely worth it. There are bits of Chinese sausages, spring onion, and minced pork belly in the rice. It's like discovering little pieces of treasure :D

Complimentary ICEE

Icy Dessert

Overall, I would say that the restaurant is very authentic in its Taiwanese food. I definitely recommend this restaurant, though keep in mind that it's not the classiest place ever.

Lv Sang [呂桑食堂]

Visit: June 8, 2012
Address: 台北市大安區永康街12之5號
Number: (02) 2351-3323
Website: http://lvsang.myweb.hinet.net/

More food after the adventures to the sausage vendor Huang :D
Since I'm going off to college soon, I've been on the lookout for some authentic Taiwanese food - the kind where you feel like your blood vessels will probably clog up by the end of the meal. My parents were the ones who suggested this Yi Lan cuisine: Lv Sang (okay, this is purely in pinyin) to me.

Pig Intestines in Miso (味噌大腸) $150 NT

Pig Intestines in Miso

Okay, you're not really having Taiwanese food when you're not eating pig intestines. I've actually never had Miso pig intestines before, but hey, it was pretty good.

Pig Liver (宜蘭粉肝) $100 

Pig Liver

You know how pig insides usually have this funny taste? For some reason, the pig liver here lacked that disgusting aftertaste and was simply delicious :)

Fried Pork + Vegetables (炸卜肉) $180 NT

Traditional Yilan Fried pork and veggies

In all honesty, I have no idea what this is made out of. It's like some sort of fried pork and fried vegetables. All I know is that it was pretty good.

Chicken Thigh (白斬雞腿) $180 NT

Chicken Thigh

The chicken was so tender :D Please order!

Vegetable Fern (燙龍鬚菜)

Vegetable Fern

Veggies on this table full of meat. Well... it really is just stir fried vegetables.

I'd definitely recommend this Yilan restaurant. The restaurant has this authentic Taiwanese feel without the nasty environment. Lv Sang is the place for those who want something authentic to dip their toes into the wonderfulness of animal innards :D