The juice bursts in your mouth—the "Peking Duck" and pickled cabbage with pork hotpot at this Taipei restaurant

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The end of the year is always a season for gatherings. Since November, I’ve lost count of how many meals I’ve had, yet I’ve written about so few. I’m deeply reflecting on my sudden bout of laziness.

Today, we’re back in the dining district near Taipei Arena and Taiwan Television. Every time I pass by, the place is always full of customers, most of whom look like seasoned regulars or successful businesspeople—clearly, this restaurant is no small fry.

After going to Orange Hotpot in Neihu with a few colleagues last time, we’ve been thinking about trying Fushunlou’s Peking Duck for ages. So, we decided to go all out—no dieting until after December—and called to reserve a table for five. When making the reservation, the owner asked if we wanted the duck, of course—we were there for that.

Fushunlou is located behind Taiwan Television. Coming from Dunhua South Road, it’s in the largest alley between Civic Boulevard and Bade Road, with the Lexus showroom at the entrance—very easy to spot. There are plenty of great eats around here; I’ve previously written about Drunk Maple Garden (famous for its taro paste duck!), Veterans’ Village Cuisine at Cunzikou, Ningxia cuisine at Huihui Private Kitchen, as well as the cafes Fix Coffee & More and the trendy Instagram spot Untitled Workshop. Though it’s a bit far from the MRT station, the food is so good, it’s worth the walk.

Fushunlou has almost no decor—it’s very simple and unpretentious. Though a bit old, there’s no greasy smell, and it’s spotlessly clean. Despite the crowd, it’s not overly noisy. Before the food arrived, there were already two small side dishes on the table. I’m not sure if they’re charged, but we were chatting so happily, we didn’t really care. When the owner saw we were almost all there, she brought out complimentary cold dishes first.

Since there were only five of us, when ordering, we asked the owner if we needed to add anything besides the duck and the pickled cabbage hotpot, given our small group. The owner was straightforward and said what we had was enough—if we couldn’t finish, we could always order more. That’s why we only got those two dishes. It’s refreshing that the restaurant isn’t dishonest just to make more money.

The Peking Duck at Fushunlou is a big one. Before slicing it, the owner brought it out for us to see, then took it back to the kitchen for the chef to carve. Just looking at that glistening duck, you can tell it’s going to be delicious.

I don’t know how everyone else likes their Peking Duck, but personally, I prefer the skin to be crispy and oily, bursting with juice in your mouth—that’s what makes a perfect Peking Duck. If the skin is dry and tough, or even hard to bite through, it’s just not right. Longdu Peking Duck is like that, and the one I had with my teacher’s family on the 34th floor of the World Trade Club’s Chinese restaurant was also amazing. Last year around this time, I also had Peking Duck at the old-school spot "Song’s Kitchen" with some colleagues. To be honest, I forgot about it afterward—it didn’t leave much of an impression.

The owner brought out sweet bean sauce, cucumber, scallions, and warm pancakes, followed by the sliced Peking Duck.

It didn’t disappoint. I picked up a slice of duck skin, took a bite, and the juice exploded in my mouth—a kaleidoscope of flavors. Chewing further, the unique aroma of the duck skin slowly spread. I know it’s the sin of gluttony, but I just couldn’t stop.

Eating Peking Duck on its own is one way to delight your taste buds, but pairing it with its classic companions is another wonderful experience. Wait, don’t I avoid carbs at night?

Anyway, pragmatism wins—I’ll just have two rolls for now.

This is the second way to enjoy Peking Duck: three-cup duck bones. This is another dish not to be missed. The best tool for eating this isn’t chopsticks—it’s your hands. Just grab the bones and gnaw, biting and sucking the meat stuck to them, paired with the savory flavors of the three-cup sauce and basil. It’s finger-licking good.

The third way to enjoy Peking Duck is stir-fried duck with cabbage. This is really unique—usually, the third way is soup or congee, but Fushunlou thoughtfully prepared stir-fried cabbage for us to add some fiber.

I thought Fushunlou’s pickled cabbage hotpot would be the traditional charcoal-fired kind, but it turned out to be a regular hotpot. The pot was pre-cooked, so it was ready to eat when served. Looking at the generous ingredients—frozen tofu, egg dumplings, shrimp dumplings, shrimp, pig’s blood, clams, and, of course, the pickled cabbage and pork underneath. Doesn’t it look hearty?

That’s how the pickled cabbage hotpot is. At first, the flavor hasn’t fully developed, and the broth is light. After a while, the tangy sweetness of the pickled cabbage gradually comes out, and the soup becomes rich and delicious.

We ate like crazy and even took leftovers home, but then the owner brought out complimentary sesame balls for dessert.

A guilty, satisfying, and super fun night of chatting. The five of us ordered one duck and one hotpot, averaging 420 NT per person. Next time, we plan to bring more people, order more dishes, and enjoy even more delicious food.

Thinking about it now, being able to run a restaurant that everyone loves, where guests enjoy a comfortable dining environment, warm hospitality, and unforgettable dishes—is truly a virtuous act.

Fushunlou Taipei Arena Branch
Address: No. 2, Lane 52, Section 3, Bade Road, Songshan District, Taipei City (about a 10-minute walk from Taipei Arena Station or Zhongxiao Dunhua Station)
Phone: 02-25781819
Hours: 11:00-14:00 / 17:00-21:00, open daily

Guangfu Branch
Address: No. 2, Lane 443, Guangfu South Road, Taipei City
Phone: 02-87860615

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