A French bistro serving Taiwanese goose meat – Le Pont’s flavors come from “vintage broth”

▲ Can you imagine a French-style restaurant serving Taiwanese goose meat? (Photo / Chen Tzu-yin)

Reported by Chen Tzu-yin / Taipei

Nestled in a nearby alley of the Yongkang Street shopping district, Bistro Le Pont has become a popular spot among French cuisine aficionados,One blogger once described it as, “This isn’t France, but it feels just like a Parisian street.” Yet what truly sets Le Pont apart is its French-style décor paired with Taiwanese-style goose meat.

Speaking of this contrast, the restaurant’s owner, Lin Weichao, said:“Actually, there was no deliberate intention. To us, French cuisine can definitely feature Taiwanese goose meat, and I believe the quality of Taiwanese goose meat has surpassed that of France—so why not use it?”Sticking to this philosophy, it’s not strange at all to enjoy locally sourced goose meat in a restaurant that looks like a Parisian bistro—on the contrary, it feels natural and genuine.

Lin Weichao, who trained in Burgundy, fell in love with the dining ambiance and habits of European restaurants and wanted to bring that exact atmosphere back to Taiwan. Thus, the blueprint for a quintessentially French-style eatery was born. Even more interestingly, he remembered a friend who ran a goose meat shop in Renwu District, Kaohsiung—and so a French restaurant serving authentic Taiwanese goose meat came to life.


▲ Goose meat from Qiaobian in Renwu District, Kaohsiung. The owner believes its texture and flavor surpass those of French goose. Pictured is Qiaobian’s original-style goose meat and their signature tea-smoked goose in a combo. (Photo / Chen Tzu-yin)

The essence of all the goose meat dishes here comes from the “vintage broth,” made using a broth derived from goose. The geese, sourced from Qiaobian in Renwu District, require 4 to 6 hours of simmering and are then submerged in goose fat and the vintage broth for over a day before being used. Lin Weichao says that goose fat is the least burdensome animal fat on the body, second only to fish oil.

If you want both original-style and smoked goose, try the “Goose Meat Combo.” The original-style goose is slow-cooked in the vintage broth, deboned, and then drizzled with goose broth, delivering the pure sweet taste of the meat itself. The tea-smoked goose is smoked fresh daily, with the aroma of black tea offering a completely different experience. Don’t miss the “Champion Goose Rice,” which won the rice category championship in 2003. The perfectly chewy white rice is coated with goose fat and topped with crispy scallions, giving you the rich flavor of goose without being overly greasy.


▲ The “French Confit Goose Leg” requires three days of preparation—the leg is first cured with sea salt and spices for one day, washed and slow-cooked in low-temperature goose fat on the second day, and only served on the third. (Photo / Chen Tzu-yin)

 
▲ “Celery with Goose Intestines” uses blanching to preserve the crispiness of the intestines; “French Confit Goose Gizzard” is processed separately from the legs using the same confit method. (Photo / Chen Tzu-yin)  

▲ For a taste of nostalgia, don’t forget to order a bowl of “Qiaobian Goose Meat Rice Noodles.” (Photo / Chen Tzu-yin)
% The “Goose Rice” uses goose oil to enhance the texture and flavor of the dish, bringing out the umami of the rice and lean meat without being overly oily. (Photo / Chen Tzu-yin)
【Restaurant Info】
Le Pont
Address: No. 176, Chaozhou Street, Da’an District, Taipei City
Phone: (02) 2396-5677
Business Hours: 12:00–14:30, 18:00–22:30
Price Range: NT$50–450, set meals range from NT$300–800



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