Zhongli’s Affordable Ultra-Thick Charcoal-Grilled Sandwiches – Enjoy a Southeast Asian-Style Afternoon Tea

Text and photos byNini’s Piggy Bento

Liu Ji Charcoal-Grilled Sandwiches – I’d heard about this place from a colleague ages ago. Now that charcoal-grilled toast is all the rage, I’m totally into it and want to try every charcoal-grilled sandwich in Taipei and Taoyuan. So this time, I came to Liu Ji to check it off my list.

Nini’s Quick Review: Made to order, generously filled, delicious and cheap.

Liu Ji Sandwiches is located right across from 85°C near Zhongli SOGO, at the entrance of 123 Telecom.

Right across from 85°C.

Under the shelter of 123 Telecom.

Although Liu Ji is just a small food cart with not many items, I visited three times to try most of the flavors. There are seven types of charcoal-grilled sandwiches:Signature Ham & Egg $50, Pork Chop Sandwich $65, German Sausage Sandwich $65, Canadian Bacon $65, Singapore Kaya Toast $30, Mashed Potato Salad Sandwich $65, Peanut Chocolate Toast $20Nini found it quite refreshing on her first visit. It was the first time she’d seen a charcoal-grilled toast shop selling Malaysian-style kaya toast—and they even had teh tarik (!!) She had fallen head over heels for kaya toast and teh tarik during her trip to Sabah.

Liu Ji makes everything to order, so there’s usually a wait. It’s recommended to call ahead and place your order before picking it up. Calling in advance also helps avoid showing up when they’re closed, as their hours aren’t as fixed as a regular shop.

Beverage options includeMalaysian Hot Milk Tea (Teh Tarik) $35, Hot Chocolate $35. Both the peanut butter and kaya sauces are homemade, with no preservatives or artificial coloring added. It’s truly heartwarming to see such dedication from a small food stall like this.

Pork Chop Sandwich $65.

Liu Ji’s charcoal-grilled toast retains some moisture—it’s not grilled to the point of being dry and hard to eat. It’s stuffed with two pork chops, egg, tomato, cucumber, mayonnaise, and peanut butter. The mayonnaise tastes a bit different from the usual kind, and it’s really yummy. The cucumbers inside the toast are pre-treated, so they’re sweet and crispy. Even Nini, who usually isn’t a big fan of cucumbers, thought they were nice. Paired with the tasty mayo and tomato, the overall texture is moist and smooth, and the pork chop isn’t dry either. While chewing, you can faintly detect the aroma of peanuts—pretty great.

Mashed Potato Salad Sandwich $65.

Having charcoal-grilled toast with MiKha is truly a blissful afternoon tea experience. The mashed potato salad sandwich is super thick—about one-third the height of a MiKha cup.

The owner doesn’t skimp on ingredients. There’s seriously a ton of mashed potato—the sides are practically bursting out.

For $65, this toast is incredibly hearty—the owner is really generous. The fillings are similar to the pork chop sandwich, except the pork chop is replaced with mashed potato. But the mashed potato salad sandwich has a little surprise too: it includes cheese.

The cheese is rich and flavorful, pairing amazingly well with the mashed potato salad. Thanks to the generous amount of salad mixed into the mash, it’s actually more moist than the pork chop sandwich.

Seriously, the mashed potato salad sandwich might even be better than the pork chop one. A must-try!!!

Signature Ham & Egg $50.

Same as the pork chop sandwich, just swap the pork chop for ham. It’s good, but Nini thinks the pork chop is better.

Peanut Butter Toast $20.

Liu Ji’s peanut butter is absolutely delicious~~~ super rich and fragrant, filling the air with peanut aroma. As someone who’s obsessed with peanut butter, Nini confirms it’s an absolute must-order. It may look simple, but it’s incredibly tasty. Plus, it’s all handmade by the owner, which makes it feel even more reassuring.

Malaysian Hot Milk Tea (Teh Tarik) $35.

Malaysian hot milk tea is actually Malaysia’s national drink—teh tarik. Liu Ji uses imported Malaysian teh tarik sachets to brew it. It’s the first time Nini’s seen a charcoal-grilled toast spot selling Malaysian-style afternoon tea. A cup of teh tarik paired with some kaya toast is genuinely comforting.

To be honest, the teh tarik from Liu Ji isn’t as fragrant as the ones I had in Sabah. The tea flavor is lighter, it tastes good upon first sip, but the aftertaste is somewhat weak. However, for someone who hasn’t tried authentic Malaysian-style teh tarik before, this hot milk tea would probably feel quite unique. It may not score a perfect 90, but it’s definitely an 80 — so next time, Nini will still order it!

Singaporean Kaya Toast $30.

The kaya toast here is also super delicious—definitely a must-order!! The taste is a bit different from the kaya toast in Malaysia; the pandan aroma is less pronounced. But the menu says it’s Singaporean kaya toast, so maybe the flavor leans more toward the Singapore style. The salted cream in the middle is slightly chilled, and it melts into the warm kaya toast… One bite and it kind of feels like eating an “ice-fire” pineapple bun. First, you get the sweet kaya spread, then the cream slowly melts in your mouth — the combination of salty and sweet is just so enchanting~~~ That salty cream really cuts through the sweetness of the kaya, instantly elevating this kaya toast from an 85 to a solid 90.

Charcoal-grilled toast must be eaten while it’s hot!! If left out for too long, the bread becomes tough and dry, and its deliciousness plummets instantly. So, eating it while it's hot is key — hot, hot, HOT.

Liu Ji Charcoal-Grilled Sandwich
Facebook
Address: Opposite 223 Xinxing Road, Zhongli District, Taoyuan City (across from 85°C near Zhongli SOGO / in front of 123 Telecom)
Phone: 0955-555902
Business Hours: 1:30 PM – 9:00 PM (Closed on Mondays)

Nini’s Piggy Bao Box blog (Pixnet):http://nini3366.pixnet.net /blog
Nini’s Piggy Bao Box - Not Absolutely Taste Buds Fan Page:https://www.facebook.com/nini3366/