A Tainan-inspired nostalgic series in Taoyuan: penny-priced Taiwanese sushi and tender soy sauce chicken legs

Text & Photos /Sir San Gao

It’s been ages since I last wrote a local Taoyuan series. These small shops may not necessarily be gourmet-level, but they all have quite a history—decades, at least. I’m not here to explore fine dining, but to indulge in nostalgia.

Fook Kee Nanjing Salted Duck on Zhongzheng Road is one of the old-school spots here. The lighting is usually dim, and it seems they don’t take an afternoon break. Many customers come here to grab a bento box—saltwater duck rice, triple delight rice, soy sauce chicken rice... This time, I ordered their signature rice (NT$90), plus the back half of a soy sauce chicken leg and some saltwater duck, along with a few chicken feet to take home and munch on. Though I haven’t been here many times, the shop owner’s attitude has always been pretty good—not the kind that just wants you to buy and leave quickly.

The signature rice comes with a fragrant semi-runny egg, along with roast duck, Chinese sausage, char siu, and liver. The portion is decent. The roast duck and char siu are a bit on the dry and lean side—if you’re into crispy, juicy textures, sorry, this isn’t it. But my favorite here is the roasted pork liver—it’s firm on the outside yet tender and uniquely aromatic inside. Overall, you could even say Fook Kee’s roast meats aren’t usually in my “delicious” category, but having them once in a while lets me savor the key “aromas,” which is quite nostalgic~

Soy sauce chicken.

The back half of the soy sauce chicken leg has a nice texture, with smooth, fragrant skin. The saltwater duck is a bit too salty, with the saltiness overpowering the flavor and aroma from the curing process, so I like it a bit less.

Saltwater duck.

Near Fook Kee is Lao Zei Sushi, where Taiwanese-style sushi rolls are nothing new, but Lao Zei has consistently been the busiest in Taoyuan. A box costs just NT$30–50, with a wide variety of flavors. Compared to similar shops, their vinegar rice has better firmness, texture, and seasoning. The constant restocking also highlights the freshness—the rice grains mostly still hold moisture, making it especially refreshing and appetizing in summer. I like the wasabi fish roe and cheese flavors.

Dahua.

Wasabi fish roe.

Cheese.

Meat floss.

Teriyaki sea bream.

Fook Kee Nanjing Salted Duck
Address: No. 344, Zhongzheng Rd., Taoyuan District, Taoyuan City
Business hours: 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM

Lao Zei Sushi
Address: No. 328, Zhongzheng Rd., Taoyuan District, Taoyuan City
Business hours: 6:00 AM – 8:00 PM (Closed Mondays)

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