Newly opened in Xinyi District！ CNN-recommended must-try Tainan snack “Meat Uncle Turkey Rice”

Text and photos byBestie Little Rabbit

Among the 19 must-try local Tainan foods recommended by CNN in 2015 (original CNN text), one of them is 【Meat Uncle Turkey Rice】, beloved by Little Rabbit’s Tainan family from childhood to adulthood, and also highly praised by many food enthusiasts and locals as an extremely popular Tainan snack. (There are countless articles about Meat Uncle Turkey Rice in Tainan food books and online—Little Rabbit has always been too lazy to write about it, truly not wanting even more people to go try it.)

Although describing Meat Uncle Turkey Rice as “the most delicious turkey rice on Earth” is really clichéd, to us, Meat Uncle holds this kind of sacred status. In my heart, no shop in Chiayi or even all of Taiwan can surpass it, and so far every friend Little Rabbit has taken there has loved it. We make it a point to visit every time we return to Tainan—it’s even a daily staple in my family’s life back home. (Food tastes vary; this article reflects purely personal impressions.)

I couldn’t believe it！ I couldn’t believe it！ I couldn’t believe it！ 【Meat Uncle Turkey Rice】 actually opened its first branch in Taipei’s Xinyi District. At lunchtime on the first day of trial operation, I saw a foodie veteran check in on Facebook and thought he had gone to Tainan again—only to find out he was actually in Taipei’s Xinyi District. My heart was instantly filled with excitement. I asked my elder brother for the address, looked up the phone number to inquire about business hours (only until 8 PM or until sold out), and rushed over right after work. I just wanted to relieve the depression of not being able to return to Tainan for three months.

At first, my elder brother still felt that the taste compared to the original Tainan store was somewhat lacking and advised me not to expect too much. But being able to eat this bowl of turkey rice in Taipei—it’s homesickness, homesickness, and more homesickness… Little Rabbit was moved to tears, feeling beyond satisfied.

Meat Uncle himself was present, presiding over the store. The turkey rice still has that familiar taste—the rich, flavorful, and sweet broth poured over white rice, topped with slices of turkey leg meat that feel even more tender and substantial, and also very refreshing and delicious. Unlike the usual dry, tasteless chicken shreds in Taipei that are hard to eat, or the greasy minced pork passed off as chicken rice, a colleague at work once praised Meat Uncle as the best turkey rice he’s ever had in his life.

Add a plate of turkey leg meat, paired with a refreshing seaweed soup, or the slightly sweet but silky smooth meatball soup coated in a transparent thin layer of batter. Also try the refreshing, not greasy nor overly salty dried bamboo shoots. This is our authentic Tainan home-style cuisine—I never expected to be able to eat it in Taipei, and I’m genuinely happy about it！ (Flatfish and napa cabbage soup/stew is also a signature dish, but since there were only two of us and we couldn’t order too much, we skipped it.)

When asked why Meat Uncle wanted to sell in Taipei, he said there’s no turkey rice like ours in Taipei, only chicken shreds (usually breast meat shreds from regular chickens, which are white and dry). So he decided to give it a try in Taipei. I guess with the added prestige from CNN, Meat Uncle also wants to create a new legacy for the next generation.

On just the first day of trial operation, many customers came in for dinner, telling us they were from Tainan and had grown up eating Meat Uncle. Chatting with Meat Uncle, you could also sense their similarly suppressed excitement—we’re not the only ones yearning for a taste of home.

The 【Meat Uncle Turkey Rice - Taipei Xinyi Branch】 has a decor different from the traditional old store in Tainan, with a cleaner and brighter environment. The ordering method has also changed. We hope to maintain this delicious taste, but with potentially many customers, it might not be ideal to visit during peak dining hours. Business hours are from 11 AM to 8 PM, with no break in the afternoon. It is advised to avoid peak meal times.

The 【Meat Uncle Turkey Rice - Taipei Xinyi Branch】 is located in the prime spot on Section 4 of Xinyi Road, near the intersection with Keelung Road, right next to the Korean BBQ place.

The decor is different from the traditional old store in Tainan, with a cleaner and brighter environment. The ordering method has also changed, carrying a sense of innovative tradition.

Meat Uncle himself is present, presiding over the store. The turkey rice still has that familiar taste.

The ordering method is also very different from the traditional old store in Tainan—it has switched to a tray pick-up system, where you pick up your food and pay at the end.

The menu items are the same as those at the Tainan old store.

Turkey rice + sliced turkey meat, seaweed soup, meatball soup, and dried bamboo shoots—that’s our usual combination.

The rich, flavorful, and sweet broth poured over white rice, topped with slices of turkey leg meat that feel even more tender and substantial, and also very refreshing and delicious. Unlike the usual dry, tasteless chicken shreds in Taipei that are hard to eat. It’s 20 NT more expensive than in Tainan, but considering the costs of rent and labor, it’s really quite reasonable.

The sliced turkey meat platter has always been one of my favorites, mostly using leg meat, which is very tender.

Actually, the turkey wing platter and turkey tail platter are also pretty good—you guys should try them.

The dried bamboo shoots are slightly sweet, fresh and crispy, but also very refreshing, not too salty or weirdly sour.

Usually in Tainan, we prefer turkey rice paired with a refreshing seaweed soup.

But personally, I prefer Meat Uncle’s meatball soup. The meatballs at the Tainan old store are quite sweet, but I’d still order them for the meatball pieces. It seems the sweetness has been reduced a bit in Taipei, which suits me better. The thin layer of batter makes the meatballs even more slippery, paired with mushrooms and shredded bamboo shoots for a rich texture.

The turkey rice bento uses a round lunchbox, different from the traditional bento packaging at the Tainan old store.

Just having opened the branch in Taipei, I’m sure there’s still some room for adjustment, but basically, it’s still the familiar taste. Being able to eat it in Taipei is already very satisfying. I hope friends in Taipei will like it. As for fellow Tainan folks missing Meat Uncle Turkey Rice while in Taipei, you now have a place to cure your homesickness.

【Meat Uncle Turkey Rice - Taipei Xinyi Branch】
No. 405, Section 4, Xinyi Road, Xinyi District, Taipei City (near Keelung Road intersection)
Phone: 02-8780-3388
Business hours: 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM / until sold out

[Meat Uncle Turkey Rice - Tainan Old Shop]
No. 12-2, Park Road, West Central District, Tainan City (opposite the Weather Bureau, next to Fengcha and Fugu Izakaya by Sakana River, near Minsheng Green Park)
Phone: 02-228-3359
Business hours: 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM / until sold out

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