10 Restaurants Certified by Japanese Travel Expert Aoki Yuka (Part 2)

These are carefully selected restaurants that Ms. Aoki Yuka often visits, entertains guests at, and loves so much she can’t resist. Use these picks to decide where to eat during your two-night, three-day trip.

When craving delicious noodles, this is the place to satisfy that craving.

Think B-grade gourmet noodles are only found at street stalls? Here’s some good news—Ms. Aoki says, “The dining space here is spacious and clean, and most importantly, the noodles have just the right firmness, smooth and slippery. Although you can also order hot pot in the evening, I always get the noodles when I come here (laughs). Just thinking about their noodles makes me restless—I immediately hop in a taxi and rush over!”

▲ “Kimchi Pork Dry Noodles,” with added Taiwanese kimchi and ground pork, 90 TWD.


▲ A set similar to rice and soup, featuring meatball chicken soup and thin noodles. The noodles are seasoned with sesame oil, soy sauce, and chicken broth. “Cabbage Lion’s Head Meatball Noodles,” 180 TWD.

　　　 ▲ Spacious interior.

The “Kimchi Pork Dry Noodles,” seasoned with Taiwanese kimchi, ground pork, Sichuan peppercorns, and vinegar, offer a refreshing flavor perfect for summer. Other options include shrimp wontons, arrowhead pork ball soup, and dry noodle sets, all with a rich and varied selection. Though no Japanese menu is available, the side dishes displayed are all priced at 40 or 50 TWD. Ms. Aoki recommends the spicy pickled cucumbers with Sichuan pepper aroma.
【Thirteen Spices】
Address:No. 48-6, Section 3, Heping East Road, Da’an District, Taipei City　
Phone: 02-2733-8986 　
Business Hours:11:30–14:30 (last order 14:00); 17:30–21:30 (last order 21:00)　
Notes:Closed on Sundays and Chinese New Year / No credit cards accepted / Beer available.

What is a “healing flavor”? You’ll know the answer after tasting it.

“No oil is used in cooking, and even fried items are steamed afterward or blanched in hot water to remove excess grease, so no matter how much you eat, your stomach won’t feel uncomfortable.” The restaurant that earned such high praise from Ms. Aoki is Ajiao’s Shop. From cooking to service, everything is managed by head chef Lin Yu?. “I wanted everyone to eat food that’s good for their body, but I didn’t want to compromise on taste!” As a result, the effort and time put into simmering broths means each dish here takes at least half a day to prepare.


▲ “Pumpkin Tofu” served with edamame sauce.

Even the accompanying drinks are brewed for six hours—it’s “Herbal Liver-Nourishing Tea” that helps relieve fatigue. And after just one bite of the food here, an indescribable sense of comfort settles into your stomach, and you immediately think, ‘This is so delicious!’ It’s impossible to leave even a bit of sauce or broth in the bowl—this is a wonderful place where you can enjoy truly amazing food.

▲ Set meal (one person) 1200 TWD. On the left is the signature dish “Jade Bottle Gourd,” where the detoxifying bottle gourd is simmered in a homemade broth, delicious to the point of feeling purified. On the right, the meatballs cooked with cabbage are made by mixing ground pork with arrowhead, dried scallops, eggs, and other ingredients, then deep-fried and steamed.


▲ There are goldfish swimming under the glass tabletop.

【Ajiao’s Shop】
Address:No. 220, Guangming Road, Beitou District, Taipei City　
Phone: 02-2892-3613　
Business Hours:12:00–14:30; 18:00–21:00
Notes:Closed Mondays (inquiries welcome) / Reservation required (minimum two guests) / No credit cards accepted / 10% service charge applies.
5/6/8


A luxurious combination of fine tea and cuisine that makes you forget the passage of time


▲ Handmade "peanut tofu" served with goji berries, pine nuts, mustard, and oyster sauce, alongside grass jelly and red wine chestnuts.

It takes about 26 minutes from Taipei Main Station by MRT to arrive at Xindian Station, the final stop, where the scenery has transformed into a beautiful valley. Here lies the restaurant that Ms. Aoki describes as “a place she wants to visit on special days.” Chef You Yuanq selected this location surrounded by a lush green garden specifically so guests can fully relax and enjoy good tea and food. “The set menu consists of a total of 14 courses, so a minimum of two hours is needed for dining.”


▲ Stir-fried wheat noodles seasoned with tea oil.

The meal begins with plum wine jelly as a substitute for an aperitif, followed by a soup simmered with more than nine types of nuts, root vegetables, and chicken, tea oil noodles, and cuttlefish roe fried rice. The restaurant strives to use organic ingredients wherever possible, resulting in dishes rich in flavor. Additionally, edible chrysanthemums picked from the garden are used for plating, and even the serving utensils and other minute details are meticulously considered, making it hard not to be mesmerized. Both the quality and quantity are completely satisfying.


▲ The side facing the garden features floor-to-ceiling windows, offering beautiful views of the garden.
【Da Shan Wu Jia (Great Mountain Priceless)】
Address:No. 62, Section 3, Beiyi Road, Xindian District, New Taipei City
Phone: 02–2217–8891　
Business Hours::12:00–15:00 (last entry: 13:00); 18:00–21:00 (last entry: 19:00)
Notes:Closed on Mondays and during Chinese New Year / Credit cards accepted / Reservation required (minimum two guests, set menu at NT$1100 per person) / 10% service charge applies.



Delicious, gentle flavors with layers, mainly using organic ingredients


▲ Restaurant interior.

The restaurant “Dong Ya Xiao Chu” is run by Ms. Yu Bifang, an accurate and insightful culinary researcher. The ingredients used here—from vegetables and meats to seasonings—are primarily organic products personally selected by her through travels across Taiwan. “I first visited this restaurant because a well-known writer was deeply moved by the food here and brought me along. Simply put, the owner is a health enthusiast to the core. (laughs)” Ms. Aoki explains.


▲ On the right is the owner.

The owner emphasizes: “Food is the most effective medicine for the body. Health and gourmet food are equally important, and my goal is to present this at reasonable prices.” The standout dishes are prepared with seasonal vegetables and fish, offering a variety that pleases the eye. The “Crispy Tofu Puff,” made by deep-frying tofu skin to create a puffed outer layer with a crispy texture and a soft inside, and the “Shanghai Rice,” featuring crisp vegetables and a memorable flavor, are all refined and elegant dishes. Beyond enjoying the nutrition from the ingredients, one can also discover aesthetic touches throughout.

▲ Delicious “Shanghai Rice,” made to order, three portions for NT$150.

【Dong Ya Xiao Chu】
Address:No. 7-1, Section 3, Jinan Road, Da’an District, Taipei City
Phone: 02-2752-6815　
Business Hours:11:30–14:00 (last order at 13:30); 17:30–21:00 (last entry at 20:30)
Notes:Closed during Lunar New Year / No credit cards accepted / Japanese menu available / Beer and red wine served.


Unlocking the potential within ingredients takes you into a dazzling world.

In Taipei, you can also enjoy rare Yunnan cuisine. “Renheyuan Yunnan Cuisine” is an old restaurant established over 50 years ago. The characteristics of Yunnan cuisine are simplicity, freshness, sourness, and spiciness. Miss Aoki says, “Yunnan cuisine is rare in that it doesn’t use much oil. In any case, simple ingredients can transform into something surprising and touching!” For example, “Chicken Oil Peas” made with Taiwanese peas — small but rich and plump peas, freshly shelled daily from their pods. These peas become a concentrated soup that bursts with fresh, sweet flavor, comforting both body and soul.


▲Signature dish “Crossing-the-Bridge Noodles” 128 TWD; you can also choose “Crossing-the-Bridge Rice Noodles,” but Miss Aoki believes “egg noodles pair better with the soup.”



▲“Crossing-the-Bridge Noodles” are served tableside.

The popular “Crossing-the-Bridge Noodles” includes a combination of steaming hot chicken soup, noodles, pork, vegetables, and tofu skin. When ready to eat, raw meat is placed into the bowl, then noodles and other ingredients are added to the soup. The smooth chicken soup and egg noodles create a perfect pairing.


▲Slightly spicy Yunnan-style salad “Stir-fried Chinese Mustard Greens” with cilantro, 188 TWD.
【Renheyuan Yunnan Cuisine】
Address:No. 16, Jinzhou Street, Zhongshan District, Taipei City
Tel: 02-2536-4459　
Business Hours:11:30–14:00 (last order at 13:50); 17:30–21:00 (last entry at 20:50)
Notes:Closed during Lunar New Year / Japanese menu available / Beer and red wine served.

※The above is excerpted from“The Best of Taiwan”by popular Japanese author Aoki Yuka, which introduces interesting and fun spots in Taiwan from a Japanese perspective, and recommends many hidden gems even locals don’t know about..More info~~