A bowl of braised pork rice for NT$60！The rich aroma bursts in your mouth.

Text & Photos /kuni

(My灶’s NT$60 Braised Pork Rice)

A small Taiwanese cuisine restaurant that sparked quite a bit of debate among friends. It’s unassumingly tucked away in the alleys of Songjiang Road. I didn’t like it on my first visit, but considering my poor appetite that day might have affected my taste buds, I decided to give it another try another day.

(The entrance)

(The tables and chairs inside)

This time I ordered:
Pickled Mustard Greens Omelet (NT$280)
Braised Pig’s Trotters (NT$280)
Spicy Garlic Shoots (NT$240)
Longan-Flavored Chicken (NT$280)
Braised Pork Rice (NT$60)

The complimentary side dishes came in three small plates, among which the thinly sliced pickled green papaya stood out the most. It was primarily flavored with passion fruit, but unfortunately, the taste was too one-dimensional and lacked depth.

(The three complimentary side dishes)

Today’s dishes were all common Taiwanese dishes. The pickled mustard greens omelet and drunken chicken lacked highlights, so I won’t dwell on them, but the braised pig’s trotters deserve some detailed description: the meat was thick and slightly dry and tough, the skin was chewy, but the flavor penetration and braised aroma were decent. The shredded dried bamboo shoots at the bottom were finely cut, and the texture arrangement was quite comforting. The accompanying pickled vegetables had an unexpectedly mild acidity, as if they had been pre-soaked in meat juice.

(Pickled Mustard Greens Omelet)

(Longan-Flavored Chicken is actually a modified version of drunken chicken)

(Braised Pig’s Trotters)

Spicy Garlic Shoots has always been one of my favorite dishes. It relies on a synergy of chopped leeks, minced meat, chili peppers, and fermented black beans. When I cook it myself, I usually add preserved eggs, but My灶 doesn’t use fermented black beans and instead includes preserved eggs—how odd.

The highlight is that the spiciness felt familiar. Upon reflection, it turned out to be peeled chili peppers. It’s not the kind of spice that hits you right in the throat, but rather starts off mild and then gradually emerges from the saltiness. Overall, there were some innovative interpretations that made up for shortcomings in detail, but unfortunately, the cooking temperature wasn’t quite right—it’s a pity.

(Spicy Garlic Shoots)

This time, I had a particularly good appetite, and the aroma of the braised pork rice hit my mouth instantly. Compared to my first visit, today’s version was noticeably more delicious. The pork lard with just the right ratio of fat to lean meat was mixed into the steaming white rice, and between the gelatinous texture and the aroma of the fats emerged a faint, unfamiliar chewiness. Aside from the slightly high price, it really was a bowl of braised pork rice made with care.

(A bowl of braised pork rice for NT$60)

Overall, although My灶 serves traditional Taiwanese dishes, it shows attempts to break new ground. Unfortunately, I still don’t like this restaurant. I’m okay with high prices if the food is delicious, but if the attitude is arrogant, then there’s really nothing to be done—sigh, so much left unsaid.

My灶
Address: No. 9-1, Lane 100, Songjiang Road, Zhongshan District, Taipei City
Phone: (02)2522-2697
Hours: 11:30–14:00, 17:30–21:00 Tue–Sun

Interpreting food through music
Violinist KUNI
Kuni (Defying the World’s Laws) fan page　Kuni (Defying the World’s Laws) blog