Affordable French country-style cuisine at this cozy little bistro — the braised beef tongue with red wine is a must-order!

Text & photos byXiao Hu’s Dream Food Network

Everyone knows Xiao Hu has a foodie group called “Xiao Hu’s Foodie Gang,” but some might not know we have an even smaller, more exclusive inner circle called the “Tiger Head Gang.” Not only is this group full of hidden gems, but every single member’s passion and appetite for food far surpass mine as this nominal gang leader. In fact, many of the delicious meals I rave about were actually introduced to me by these friends XD.

This place called “The Cork” near Tonghua Night Market — if it weren’t for my super foodie friend “BEN” who lives in the U.S., I probably would never have found it. I truly think he’s one of a kind, a genuine foodie. But, he has limited time and can only spend it on eating, so writing reviews is a waste of time for him (lol), which is why I, the mother of all foodie moms, have to step in.

The Cork is a small French restaurant, but its dishes lean a bit toward French countryside cuisine — there’s a warm, homey vibe that I really like, especially compared to those overly fancy yet insubstantial French dishes.

The dining space isn’t large, accommodating at most around 20 people. This group of foodies, led by “BEN,” has come here at least 3 or 4 times — I’ve only been once, but that one time was enough to leave a lasting impression. According to friends who’ve been, the satisfaction rate is over 90%.

I’m usually all about the food and not too concerned with the technicalities or whether it’s “authentic.” I also don’t bother learning much about the “chef” behind the dishes. But because I liked The Cork, I did a little research. Still, I don’t want to waste too much time talking about him — “Chen Bohan.” If you’re curious, check out this well-written article!http://www.biosmonthly.com/contactd.php?id=3339

Aside from mineral water, they also offer quite a selection of red and white wines. If you’re unsure what to pair, you can ask the staff for recommendations, though the place is pretty small and service can be a bit slow — just be patient.

● ETtoday News Cloud reminds you: Don’t drink and drive, and don’t drive after drinking.

Okay, this is the kind of menu you’d find at a lot of personality-driven restaurants — basically no dish names, just the main ingredients listed.

This one just has a few more “pictures” XD.

There are four dessert options, but honestly, some are hard to visualize based just on the ingredients, let alone guess the taste.

Some dishes require reservations — perfect for a group of foodies teaming up to take down a “boss-level” challenge.

Drinks aren’t too expensive, consistent with the high cost-performance ratio (“The Cork”) gives me (though it’s better with a bigger group).

The bread is nice and crispy, but for someone like me with not-so-great teeth, it’s a bit “hard” — especially the crust. The butter is delicious, though, and I love it.

The next dish wasn’t ordered by me, and there was no name for it, so I’ll just give a rough description from memory. This tomato-based dish had a slightly grilled top that was sticky and savory with cheese, and when you bit into it, it released a burst of tomato juice mixed with a mayonnaise-like sweetness and a meaty umami flavor — a fantastic hot appetizer.

The chicken strips were tender, served with lots of greens, vinaigrette, sprinkled with cheese shavings and a soft-boiled egg. It looked quite hearty and tasted great, especially the soft-boiled egg — super yummy. But overall, it was the kind of flavor most people could imagine.

This massive mushroom cooked with an added egg yolk — no matter if you bite or slice it, the juice just bursts out. The egg yolk adds a lovely emulsified richness. Beyond the flavors of cheese, mayonnaise, and mushroom, there’s also a hint of bacon that makes up for the slight lack of saltiness in the other ingredients. Personally, I think this dish is a must-order, especially for mushroom lovers!

The cured ham was insanely delicious — especially when paired with mozzarella cheese, and then topped off with a little yellow mini watermelon — the ultimate move. When you bite into it, the flavors explode in your mouth like ocean waves (courtesy of the watermelon juice). This magical combo instantly elevates “insanely delicious” to “crazily insanely delicious!” Must-order, must-order.

This dish looks like a stew, made with potatoes, carrots, onions, pumpkin, etc., with a slightly tangy base flavor, mainly from tomatoes. Don’t remember much else XD.

The fries were good too — the most unique part might be the scallion and garlic seasoning on top, which tastes a lot like the flavor packet from “Science Noodles” XXD.

Juicy, oily, and incredibly delicious grilled vegetables and fruits — the zucchini was especially amazing!

Alright, I forgot what this dish was, and I don’t even remember the taste XXD. But I took a photo, so might as well take a look!

This plate is a mixed pork stew, including one or two pork ribs, a piece or two of skin-on pork trotter, potatoes commonly used in stews, and other country-style vegetables and fruits.

The pork ribs were super tender, tender, tender, with a satisfying melt-in-your-mouth fat content. The flavor was about 80% from the natural sweetness of the pork itself, with a touch of savory umami from the stewing, plus hints of spices — absolutely delicious!

The pork trotter had a chewy skin and tender meat, especially the “tendons” with their satisfying bite — I love them. Even with my not-so-great teeth, I still happily and satisfyingly chewed through two small pieces. So good!

This lamb rib might be the best lamb chop I’ve had recently, but I won’t tell you it’s completely free of gaminess, because I’ve always believed that good lamb chops should have a bit of that gamey flavor to really shine — especially around the fatty edges.

The lamb chop had a slight resistance when cut, with a tender, springy texture. The juices burst out with every bite, and the tenderness was just right. The best part was the caramelized, slightly burnt fatty edge with that uniquely delicious grilled lamb flavor — insanely tasty. I even couldn’t resist sucking on the fatty tendon along the bone — that finger-licking satisfaction was a first for me with lamb chops. Highly, highly recommended dish.

If I remember correctly, this was grilled beef short ribs, but oddly enough, it was the least impressive of all the meats that day. Not that it wasn’t tasty—just that the pork and lamb were so much better in comparison!

The fish fillet was also tender and flavorful, especially the skin, which was wonderfully crispy. The combination of avocado, cheese, and diced tomatoes added layers of flavor and made the fillet even juicier, richer, and more melt-in-your-mouth. Fish fillet lovers, don’t miss this.

Then there was the braised beef tongue, the most highly praised dish of the day—so good it felt like your tongue was being “pulled” by wagyu beef. If you come to Zi Zi and don’t order this, don’t say you know “Xiao Hu” XXD.

Just the sight of the cross-section of this beef tongue was mind-blowing and scream-worthy. Once in the mouth, it was tender with just a 0.00005-second bite resistance. In no time, the tongue just melted away—the sweet, fatty richness and the wine-infused aroma, which seemed strong but was perfectly balanced, made every chew full of nostalgia and reluctance. Couldn’t even open my mouth for three days afterward, the taste just lingered XXD. Truly insanely delicious.

Even the French bread at the bottom, pan-fried with egg wash, was incredibly tasty, especially when dipped in the sauce that was an indistinguishable mix of beef and red wine.

Iron skillet French crepes (delicious—that’s what I randomly called it). The bottom part was a bit like a collapsed soufflé, and on top, crepes wrapped with various fruits and ingredients were tied together with bamboo skewers. The presentation was adorable.

The crepes were naturally soft and tender, with slightly crispy edges. The fruits inside had a sweet-and-sour taste with a faint hint of alcohol—it was quite good!

A very unique, bold-style apple pie made with half an apple.

The apples on top were soft, juicy, and had a caramel-like sweetness with a hint of alcohol. I even wondered if there was a touch of cinnamon. The bottom crust was moist yet retained some of the crunchiness from baking—pretty delicious!

Out of the four desserts, my favorite was the crème brûlée. Whether it was the caramelized sugar on top or the egg-forward custard, it was one of the best crème brûlées I’ve ever had. Crème brûlée fans, don’t miss this.

This dessert that looked like a mix between ice cream and mashed potatoes had an indescribably complex taste. Cardamom was the dominant flavor, but it was mixed with what seemed like ginger and other spices, making every foodie at the table wrinkle their brows. It was a bit far from “delicious” for me, but it was definitely unique... Brave and adventurous eaters can give it a try!

Zi Zi Bistro
No. 129, Jiaxing Street, Xinyi District, Taipei City
Phone: 02 2732 9987.
Business Hours:
Weekend holiday lunch hours:
12:00 ~ 14:00 (last order: 13:00)
Weekdays & holiday dinner hours:
18:00 ~ 20:00 (last order: 19:30)
20:10 ~ 22:00 (last order: 21:00)
 

"Xiao Hu’s Food Dream Net
If “eating” is just about filling your stomach, then “food” would be far too boring~~~"