"A Feast for the Five Senses" — A Hakka Culinary Experience Where Life Should Never Be Insipid

Reported by Cai Qinghui / Taipei

The owner says her dishes will have you going back for bowl after bowl of rice — dieters, stay away. Hakka Stir-Fry, Ginger-Sautéed Intestines, Kumquat-Glazed Cold Chicken... blending tradition with a touch of innovation, and innovation with confidence.

Running a restaurant requires one quality: a love for food. Being a chef requires one quality: a great love for eating. Being a restaurant owner requires one quality: being very good at talking about food. The owner of this "Old Place" is a master of food talk, and she doesn’t think anyone else’s cooking is better than hers. This mugwort-infused braised pork belly paired with the aroma of the "Forest Living Aromatherapy" herbal tea being brewed by Xiao Zhi temporarily pushes any diet plans aside.The air is filled with the traditional scent of mugwort, as the leaves of mugwort and camphor are kneaded together. Add to that the delicious spread of food and the owner’s confident voice — isn’t this what they call a "five-sensory experience" (sight, sound, smell, taste, touch)? Of course, if there were also a guqin performance playing in the background, it would truly be one of life’s greatest joys.

The air is filled with the traditional scent of mugwort, as the leaves of mugwort and camphor are kneaded together. Add to that the delicious spread of food and the owner’s confident voice — isn’t this what they call a "five-sensory experience" (sight, sound, smell, taste, touch)? Of course, if there were also a guqin performance playing in the background, it would truly be one of life’s greatest joys.

The owner of the "Old Place," Liu Guiyu, along with her son’s classmate Chen Bingwen, who has competed internationally, introduces Hakka braised pork belly.

The mugwort-braised pork belly is rich and savory, and then suddenly it becomes refreshing.

Want to make Hakka Stir-Fry yourself? The owner specifically advises soaking the squid first.


NL

In Hakka cuisine, eating sliced poached chicken with kumquat sauce is traditional — turning it into a salad is a creative twist.

Ginger-Sautéed Intestines must have a good chew to be authentic — not suitable for those with weak teeth.