Taiwan also has authentic Hainanese chicken rice too—paired with a dreamy trio of spicy, sour, and savory sauces!

Text & Photos /Guo Renrong

If you haven’t been to “Mutekiya Yitai Cuisine” in Ximending, then don’t tell me there’s no good Hainanese chicken rice in Taiwan!!! Just look at the first photo and you’ll see!!! I, your entertainment reporter, went all out—I didn’t care about my image on camera at all~ I scraped every last grain of rice clean~ hehehe~

Mutekiya Yitai Cuisine has actually been operating in Taipei’s Ximending for seven years now, and expanded to the Grand Stage Food Street inside Taichung’s Dayeh Takashimaya three years ago. If you’re a loyal fan of mine, you’ve probably seen what I looked like back when I had bangs—three years ago. Now let’s revisit the video below: (blushing)

But today, your entertainment reporter isn’t here to talk about that fusion cuisine. Instead, I’m introducing the specialty dish of our boss Victor—who’s half-Singaporean—the real deal “Hainanese chicken rice.”

My criteria for what counts as truly authentic Hainanese chicken rice are threefold. First, the chicken must be tender enough~

Victor uses locally sourced boneless chicken thigh meat. Normally, for Hainanese chicken rice, the meat should be cooked while the bone is still slightly red—that’s how you get that tender texture. But recently, due to some poultry safety issues in Taiwan, Victor decided to play it safe and cook the chicken fully through, yet it still remains skin-chewy and flesh-tender~

Now here comes the highlight—Mutekiya’s trio of sauces is absolutely amazing!! My favorite is the freshly ground spicy sauce on the right—it even has a hint of lemony sourness~ and they added an entire pineapple as the secret ingredient to create it. The explosion of spicy, sour, and sweet flavors hits you right in the brain—and it tastes absolutely incredible!!! In the middle is a dipping sauce made from grated ginger and mashed garlic.

And get this—Mutekiya’s chicken rice is also over-the-top good. Victor uses Taiwan’s fragrant rice—even though Singapore typically uses Thai jasmine rice, Victor believes Taiwan’s version has grains that stay distinct and plump with moisture, making it better at soaking up the chicken broth, which is simmered from nine chicken thighs. He also adds a special mix of ingredients to make Mutekiya’s Hainanese chicken rice exceptionally aromatic—so don’t blame me for having such a good appetite!!

For just 180 NT$, a portion of Hainanese chicken rice comes with meat, rice, sides, a drink of your choice, and you can even enjoy chicken soup made from nine chicken thighs. If you’re a chicken soup lover like me, then be warned—you might just get addicted after drinking it~~~ hahaha~~~

The second dish that made me, Connie, and Sis Guan scream with delight was the Thai-style grilled spicy stir-fried egg omelet rice with drunken noodles, priced at 200 NT$. Because one friend couldn’t make it that day
So we only ordered the drunken chicken, and skipped the egg omelet rice for now!!! That chicken was seriously impressive—the sauce was kind of like a Southeast Asian satay style, and the presentation on the iron plate made it super fragrant~ plus you could taste the coconut milk~ honestly, as soon as this dish arrived, I took a photo and then devoured it instantly!! If you want to try it, order another plate!!!

Here’s another close-up shot for you all to drool over!!! (Darn!!! Posting food photos in the middle of the night is making me hungry again) Let’s go on another food tour next time!!!

The third secret weapon makes its debut—so good it’ll make you cry out for mom~~~~ >>> Fish roe and crab meat fried rice
The head chef at Mutekiya stir-fries it using black soy sauce imported from Singapore—the grains turn a deep brown color~ the texture of the fish roe is fantastic!! And then there’s fresh crab leg meat added in~ this combo is truly a test of your self-control. Do you dig in?? Or do you hold back?? Well, I lost—I polished off every single grain. The cost? I had to step on the gym scale that night>>> Oops!!! What’s an extra kilogram compared to yesterday?!

Another must-order signature dish is their fusion pasta—Spicy Cream Clam Linguine, 180 NT$.
Only 180 NT$—are you seeing this right??? The whole plate is packed with live clams!!! Has the boss lost his mind?? Wouldn’t that be losing money??

And if you check out the kitchen—they actually have an entire section dedicated to raising live clams. Because Victor says if even one clam in the whole plate is already dead when it’s cooked, the whole dish will end up tasting really fishy, and he can’t serve that to customers~ so he takes great care of them, ensuring they’re alive right up until they hit the pan.

That day, my drink of choice was hot kumquat tea~

Lastly, I’d also recommend two more must-try items from Mutekiya Yitai Cuisine: 100% potato purée soup with zero flour, and Singapore-style fried chicken served with satay sauce (aka Satay Chicken)

Your entertainment reporter took a look at the menu, and most dishes fall between 180–280 NT$. It’s really affordable—great value for money!

The interior decor is super cozy, and the staff is really friendly too. We recommend calling ahead to make a reservation before you come, or you might end up waiting in line.

Your entertainment reporter Guo Renrong’s insider tip:
Just mention when you make a reservation or dine here: “I’m a fan of entertainment reporter Guo Renrong,” and you’ll get unlimited refills of any drink from the shop for 60 NT$—all you can drink!!

Shop Info:
Mutekiya Yitai Cuisine
Address: No. 172, Kunming St., Wanhua District, Taipei City 108
Phone: 02 2371 0360
 

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