Hidden in a lane, Fengji Shanghai Bistro – A must-try dreamy stewed noodles with delicious broth for foodies

Photos & Text /Xiaohu’s Dream Food Blog

I first learned about this well-known Shanghai cuisine restaurant in Yonghe from “Cong Ge,” but I never had the chance to try it. In the meantime, I visited what is still my top-ranked Shanghai restaurant in Taipei, “Sansfen Suci,” two or three times, but that was all over two years ago, Up！This time, I got to eat here thanks to an old friend from our foodie group, who chose this long-desired restaurant to celebrate the one-year anniversary of the Tiger Head Gang.

After getting off at Dingxi Station, it’s about a ten-minute walk to this somewhat hidden lane. However, since there aren’t many restaurants on this street, it’s easy to spot. Still, neither the exterior nor the interior suggests it’s anything particularly special—maybe just a notch above a regular snack shop, XD.

Since we had two tables, we were seated on the second floor. On the wall hung a calligraphy piece that read “Delicacies of the Lane,” which reminded me of the so-called “Godfather of Snacks,” Teacher Shu Guozhi.

Since it was a member of the group who led the way, the menu was entirely her choice. Xiaohu only took photos of the MENU for everyone to reference the prices.

Stir-fried Shrimp (NT$840). Someone joked that ordering “stir-fried shrimp” at a Shanghai restaurant tells you about the freshness of the ingredients and the chef’s skill. These shrimp were tender yet crisp, sweet enough, and a splash of vinegar added a tangy foretaste and more layers of umami.

Red Fermented Tofu Pork (NT$600). The skin was smooth and chewy, and the meat was soft and tender (though some lean parts were slightly dry). The sauce made with red fermented tofu and red yeast rice had a nice aroma without being too greasy—quite decent.

Drunken Chicken & Husband-and-Wife Lung Slices Combo (NT$830). The drunken chicken had an intoxicating wine aroma, though the meat was a bit tough. The husband-and-wife lung slices were spicy and fragrant in just the right amounts, with especially tasty and chewy beef tripe.

Raw Crab (NT$840). I don’t know why, but I found this crab rather fishy—even coated in vinegar, I couldn’t really taste its freshness... Maybe I’m just less tolerant of “fishiness.”

Pickled Mustard Greens & Tofu Skin (NT$270). The tofu skin was the thinnest I’ve ever had—it had an exceptionally smooth texture, and the flavor was fairly standard. This dish is also a staple when visiting Shanghai-style restaurants.

This dish tasted a bit like red-braised pig trotters—very fragrant with a pleasant hint of sweetness. The parts with tendons were slightly sticky, which was especially charming. The satisfaction of licking your fingers afterward wasn’t bad.

Beef Brisket & Tendons with Radish (NT$630). The brisket was flavorful, but the meat wasn’t very tender—it was a bit dry and tough. However, the tendon part was incredibly soft, melting in your mouth, and absolutely delicious. The white radish was well-seasoned, juicy, with a faint bitter aftertaste.

Shrimp with Sea Cucumber (NT$1120 – strange price). I’ve never been a fan of sea cucumber, even though it’s a premium ingredient. After trying it a few times, I’ve never liked its unique briny taste (let me say that). But this might be—should be—definitely the most acceptable version I’ve had. It’s not that I fell in love with it, but the texture was pleasingly smooth with a slight chewiness in every bite or two.

Crispy Eel (NT$660). It had more sweetness than expected and a hint of oily, salty flavor on the lips. The taste was somewhat like the old canned braised eel, and the eel was fried to a perfect crisp—crunchy with good texture, and delicious.

Forgot the name of this dish, but it was served in a clay pot with lots of ingredients. What stood out most were the “flower tofu” soaked in broth and the tender, melt-in-your-mouth pork intestines full of flavor.

Dreamy Stewed Noodles (NT$1800). Apparently, this is a must-order favorite for many customers. The broth was indeed delicious—reminiscent of childhood “mixed noodles,” but with much deeper flavor. It included crab, shrimp, fish, and various seafood, all of which infused their umami into the soup while retaining their own freshness and sweetness. The noodles were more like butter noodles, slightly swollen from absorbing the broth, with a soft and mushy texture. This was probably the dish I enjoyed the most.

Braised Old Duck Pot (NT$1500). The old duck meat was stewed until extremely tender—almost all the sweetness and fat had melted into the broth. As a result, the duck meat itself was a bit dry, even mostly bone with little meat. But the broth was rich with the sweet aroma of duck fat, without being overly greasy. Just a sip or two wasn’t enough, but drinking too much made it taste a bit salty. Suddenly, I wanted to turn it into “duck congee”...

Fried Silver Thread Rolls. These might be the crispiest, thinnest, lightest, and most fragrant silver thread rolls I’ve ever had—the texture was excellent and not greasy at all. The rolls were soft with a slight bite and the aroma of dough—really delicious.

Radish Pancake. The pancake crust was insanely crispy, with good textural layers. The sesame and pastry aromas competed for dominance—super fragrant, super crispy, super delicious. But the radish filling was a bit too heavily seasoned for me, especially the dried shrimp, which were a bit distracting.

Mango Pudding was quite good—a comforting dessert to have after the meal.

Overall, I didn’t find the food bad, nor did I think the prices were too high (24 people spent around NT$20,000, about NT$900 per person). But honestly, aside from the dreamy stewed noodles, the broth of the duck pot, the silver thread rolls, and the crust of the radish pancakes, I didn’t feel much. Maybe I just don’t understand “Shanghai cuisine” well enough to appreciate the finesse of this renowned spot.

【Fengji Shanghai Bistro】
Address: No. 14, Lane 90, Wenhua Road, Yonghe District, New Taipei City
Business Hours: 11:00–14:00, 17:00–21:00

Xiaohu’s Dream Food Blog
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