Tainan vs. Lan Cheng Crystal Jade: The Crispy Duck Showdown – Which Is the Foodie Favorite?

Let’s skip the appetizers for now and start with the main star — the “duck served six ways.”

Like at Yilan Red Mansion, the staff first introduce the cherry duck, the duck skin, etc., before the chef starts slicing the duck. I was actually quite surprised to see a cute female chef handling the slicing, but she was not only adorable but also very skilled, so no worries there.

While introducing the roast duck, let’s also do a comparison with Yilan Lancheng Grand Formosa. The images below: the left side is from Tainan, the right side is from Yilan — you can see the differences.

◎ Size & Appearance:
Tainan Grand Formosa → As mentioned earlier, the cherry duck used at Tainan Grand Formosa weighs 3.5 kg. Since it follows the Cantonese-style Peking duck method, the color is relatively dark. It must be marinated first, then air-dried, glazed with maltose, dried again, and finally roasted in a hanging oven. Roasting in a hanging oven requires a lot of experience and skill, usually taking at least about an hour to complete, so reservations are a must — walk-ins aren’t accommodated.
Yilan Red Mansion → Uses a 5–5.5 kg cherry king duck.

◎ First Stage: Duck Breast Sliced with Skin
Tainan Grand Formosa → The slices include both skin and meat. The duck skin is crispy on the outside, rich in fat, while the meat is tender and juicy. The flavor is intense, melts in your mouth. I specifically asked the chef to slice some skin-only pieces for me to try — the taste was also very refined, not overly greasy, clean yet rich. Next time, I’d love to try it with sugar.
Yilan Red Mansion → Only the skin is sliced from the duck breast, without meat. But because the king duck’s skin is very fatty, eating it alone might be too rich, so they make it into a duck skin sushi roll, balanced with rice and cheese — truly unique.

◎ Pancakes & Sweet Bean Sauce:
Tainan Grand Formosa
→ The pancakes include finely chopped scallions, making them very chewy, yet the thickness is just right — with texture but not dry.
→ The sweet bean sauce is simmered with dried tangerine peel, black broad bean paste, sesame paste, and rock sugar. It’s noticeably sweet, but not overly salty or cloying. The flavor is mild, though it suits the local Tainan palate well.
Yilan Red Mansion
→ The pancakes include Sanxing scallions, showing a fresh green color.
→ Also, the sweet bean sauce in Yilan is slightly saltier — indeed, northern and southern tastes differ a lot.

◎ Duck Roll Garnishes:
Tainan Grand Formosa → The duck rolls are paired with scallions and cucumber. The scallion flavor is milder, which I (not a big fan of scallions) found acceptable.
Yilan Red Mansion → The pancakes include Sanxing scallions, showing a fresh green color. The duck rolls come with either Sanxing fried scallions or regular green onions. The green onion flavor is stronger here, suitable for those who love scallions.

◎ Duck Carcass:
Tainan Grand Formosa 【Ginger & Scallion Stir-fried Duck Carcass】 → Well, it’s tasty, but it’s definitely in the Tainan flavor style — a bit sweet, and goes well with rice.
Yilan Red Mansion 【Three-Cup Duck Bone Pot】 → On the other hand, I prefer Yilan’s three-cup duck bone style. The three-cup flavors are really fragrant. Having lived in Taipei for over ten years, I’m not used to things being too sweet anymore.

◎ Creativity:
Tainan Grand Formosa 【Fennel Root Duck Juice Xiao Long Bao】 → These are xiao long bao made with fennel root and duck meat. The wrappers are thin, the filling juicy, and the taste is refreshing and delicious. The xiao long bao technique is good — makes me look forward to trying other similar treats like crab roe xiao long bao.
Yilan Red Mansion 【Duck Skin Sushi Roll】 → This is the signature dish of Lancheng Grand Formosa. The reason the Red Mansion roast duck became so popular is 100% because of this dish. When I was a judge for roast duck, I personally gave it the top score because of this.
The chef creatively combines the richer duck skin with cheese and sushi rice, allowing the duck fat aroma to infuse into the rice — incredibly flavorful. Anyone who’s tried it is amazed.

◎ Creativity:
Tainan Crystal Grand【Lettuce-Wrapped Duck Fern】→ In Tainan, they use romaine lettuce, which has a different texture — longer and easier to eat. The duck in the fern is firm and flavorful, plus there are various ingredients like youtiao (fried dough sticks), making it refreshing. I personally prefer Tainan’s version of this dish.
Yilan Red Mansion【Shredded Duck with Lettuce】→ In Yilan, the shredded duck is stir-fried with a stronger flavor, and it’s certainly well-seasoned. Eating it wrapped in lettuce is refreshing too, but on its own, the filling can be a bit salty.

◎ Creativity:
Tainan Crystal Grand【Loofah with Shredded Duck and Guanmiao Noodles】→ Ha, besides the duck rolls, what I couldn’t stop thinking about after going home was this dish. The loofah is fresh, tender, and crisp, giving the whole noodle dish a lovely loofah aroma. The noodles themselves are Q (chewy), smooth, and slippery. Next time, I’ll have to order two bowls.

Yilan Red Mansion【Sticky Rice with Cherry Duck】→ Made using Hakka cooking methods, the skin is sticky-rice-like, somewhat similar to mochi? The soft texture inside is quite unique. The filling also includes preserved radish (turnip), making it taste like a Hakka-style savory pastry turned into a bao. It’s sweet and salty, and really delicious.
Yilan Red Mansion【Duck Fat Mapo Tofu】→ Cooked with duck fat and minced duck meat, the Duck Fat Mapo Tofu is poured over Yilan Snow Mountain rice. It’s not spicy at all, but rather refreshing — even I, who don’t usually eat spicy food, find it acceptable.
※ Yilan Red Mansion also serves scallop with loofah noodles, but for some reason, I don’t think I’ve tried it. I’ll remember to order it next time.

◎ Creativity:
Tainan Crystal Grand【Cabbage and Clam Duck Bone Soup】→ This duck soup not only has a rich broth, but especially with the addition of clams, it tastes exceptionally refreshing — you can drink a lot without it getting tiresome.
Yilan Red Mansion【Cabbage Pot Duck Soup】→ The duck soup at Red Mansion uses a chicken stock base that's simmered for 24 hours non-stop with old hens and Jinhua ham. Then duck bones and cabbage are added before serving. The soup is milky white, deeply flavored yet not greasy, rich and complete in taste. The collagen-rich stock is so good you won’t be able to stop at one bowl — it sticks to your lips.

◎ Duck and Scallion Oil Mixed Vegetables:
Tainan Crystal Grand【Duck and Scallion Oil Mixed High-Fiber Vegetables – Five Elements Imperial Greens】
Yilan Red Mansion【Organic Vegetables with Duck and Scallion Oil】
Ha, basically both places do it the same way, and it tastes pretty similar — fragrant and delicious.

Next, let’s check out some other dishes...

◎ Appetizers:
Tainan Crystal Grand【Plum-Soy Sauce Small Tomatoes】→ Tainan’s 【Plum-Soy Sauce Small Tomatoes】are just as delicious, performing very well — sweet, sour, and refreshingly cool, really whetting the appetite. Everyone praised them highly, so… we immediately ordered an extra portion of the first dish 【Plum-Soy Sauce Small Tomatoes】. (Single order 90 TWD)
(There were still many more dishes to come, and this family sure can eat.)
Yilan Red Mansion【Plum Juice Tomatoes】→ Yilan Red Mansion’s 【Plum Juice Tomatoes】 (pictured right) are very flavorful. It’s a side dish we always add more of. The chef peels the tomatoes first, then they must marinate for 2–3 days to fully absorb the flavors. It’s considered a dish that requires skill to make.

◎ Appetizers:
Tainan Crystal Grand【Ginseng Flower Wine-Drunk Chicken Rolls】
Yilan Red Mansion【Red Dew Drunk Chicken】
Tainan’s chicken thigh meat is softer and more tender, while Yilan’s has a stronger alcohol taste. Personally, I prefer Tainan’s — it’s lighter in flavor.

◎ Appetizer【Tainan Salt-Boiled Pig’s Trotters】：Very Q (chewy), with a slightly firm texture, light in flavor, and not greasy at all.

◎ Appetizer【Five-Spice Braised Beef Shank】：Also braised with great flavor, a solid performance.

◎【Braised Reservoir Big Fish Head】：Braised bighead carp head — although this dish has a bit of starch thickening, it’s not overly sweet. The fish meat is decent, but the real highlight is the gelatin in the fish head. Don’t miss it — the deliciousness is all hidden inside.

◎ Tainan-Style Specialty【Fish Skin in Baked Crab Style】：
This is one dish you get excited about just by looking at the menu, and it turns out even better than expected. It’s definitely got that Tainan flavor. The milkfish skin is cut to a certain thickness, offering not only texture but also rich milkfish aroma. It’s handled very fresh, with no fishiness at all, making it very tasty. Combined with the Hong Kong-style baked crab technique, it’s not only a creative milkfish dish but also prevents the skin from being too greasy.

◎ Chef’s Special【Red Wine Braised Veal Shin】：Wow！This one is very tender, stewed to perfection, and full of gelatin that simply melts in your mouth — perfect for the elderly.

◎ Chef’s Special Dish [Spicy and Fresh Oyster Tofu Pudding]: This one is really worth recommending. It’s genuinely tofu pudding, with a very unique texture that doesn’t feel out of place at all. The fresh oysters are also very plump — it’s a truly distinctive and delicious dish.

%The cheeks are actually sliced using a special technique.

%The colorful presentation and tender texture make it a must-try.

◎ Dessert [Fresh Fruit Almond Jelly Tofu]: With almonds, fresh fruits, and milk, the milk adds a rich creaminess that balances the strong aroma of the almonds. Paired with fresh fruit, this dessert had everyone at the table — even those who were already full — asking for more, savoring every bite and praising it non-stop.

◎ Conclusion:
Whether it’s “Taipei Crystal Hotel” or “Yilan Red House,” both have taken roast duck beyond the conventional Beijing or Cantonese styles. Taipei Crystal Hotel follows the Yilan approach, while Taipei also incorporates local characteristics and creativity, making the roast duck banquet richer and more distinctive. And the basic roast duck itself is prepared exceptionally well. Previously, it was rare to find an impressive or highly praised roast duck in the south, but with Taipei Crystal Hotel’s new roast duck banquet, it’s sure to satisfy many food enthusiasts. For my friends in southern Taiwan, there’s now another great spot for a gathering. Up.

Taipei Crystal Hotel
Official Website:http://www.silksplace-tainan.com.tw/zh-tw/aboutus.php
Address: No. 1, Heyi Road, West Central District, Tainan City
Phone: +886-6-213-6290
[Crystal Restaurant Premium Roast Duck Banquet]
Reservation Hotline: +886-6-390-8088 Ext. 3127

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