This braised food shop in Taichung offers four ways to enjoy it: fried, blanched, stir-fried, and in soup!

Text and photos byDaku

I wonder if you’re as obsessed with braised food as Daku is—especially satisfying as a dinner or late-night bite!

Speaking of which, a unique braised food shop recently popped up in Shalu, Taichung, and it was truly an eye-opener for us. “Man Dayan Braised Food” is located right across from Providence University. With its slightly Japanese industrial-style interior and wooden textures, it looks nothing like your typical braised food shop—and you might even mistake it for an upscale hot pot place. The most special thing is that they offer four ways to enjoy their braised food: stir-fried, fried, spicy hot pot, and nourishing old-fire soup, ensuring you won’t get tired of it even if you eat it every day. On top of that, their ingredients are clean and hygienic, bursting with flavor. Whether you’re pairing it with a beer or having it for dinner or a late-night meal, it’s perfect. Now, let’s dive in and see just how tasty their braised food is!

“Man Dayan Braised Food” is located on Beishi East Road in Shalu District, Taichung City, right across from Providence University. Its clean, bright, and slightly Japanese industrial-style interior doesn’t look anything like the braised food shops you’d typically imagine!

The menu board, packed with all kinds of braised food, is making our mouths water—we had to get the most substantial option right away. They offer both dine-in and takeaway options here, and the layout is well thought out. Just pick whatever you want yourself!

After placing your order, head to the counter to pay. Dine-in customers can go inside and wait for their food, while those getting takeaway can wait in the seating area nearby.

Their ingredients are neatly categorized and arranged. The top section holds vegetables and staple items, while the bottom has hot pot ingredients, offal, and various types of braised food—all looking very clean and hygienic.

There seem to be quite a few choices, and everything is individually portioned so the flavors don’t mix too much. Some items are pre-braised, which makes them even more flavorful!

There are also baskets and tongs nearby, so you can pick whichever ingredients you like. They also sell homemade garlic chili sauce—if you like spicy food, you should definitely give it a try. Every ingredient looks absolutely delicious, like duck hearts, pig’s blood cake, five-spice tofu, black tofu, regular tofu, duck wings, crystal dumplings, and more. We had to get at least one of each, XD.

They offer four ways to enjoy their food: stir-fried braised food, fried braised food, spicy hot pot, and nourishing old-fire soup. For the stir-fried and fried options, you can simply order from the menu, while for the spicy soup and old-fire soup, you pick your own ingredients. They also serve tea and alcoholic drinks, which pair perfectly with braised food!

Ingredients like pork, beef, spicy duck blood, spicy tofu, and old-style youtiao (fried dough sticks) just require you to place the pre-made wooden tags into your basket.

Even their wooden tags are super nicely made—you can really tell how much care the shop puts into the details!

Near the entrance, there’s a row of single-person seating—perfect for dining solo.

Who would’ve thought braised food could be enjoyed in so many ways? Aside from stir-fried, fried, and spicy hot pot, there’s also the new nourishing old-fire soup. It’s the kind of variety that keeps braised food lovers like us coming back for more without ever getting bored.

There’s no shortage of seating inside—there are tables for two or four, and you can even push tables together for larger groups. It’s perfect for gathering with friends to enjoy some braised food.

There are also seating areas that can fit 4 to 6 people comfortably, and they’re really cozy to sit in.

The fridge is stocked with a variety of alcoholic drinks, sparkling beverages, and teas—plenty of choices. It’s a great spot to enjoy braised food with a cold beer. Cutlery and bottle openers are also self-serve, making the whole dining experience relaxed and enjoyable.

● ETtoday News Cloud reminds you: Don’t drink and drive. Don’t drive after drinking.

Before long, the delicious food arrived. Since it was our first time here, we decided to try all four styles in one go—we ordered one of each. It looked like enough food for a whole party!

Let’s start with the spicy hot pot. Their spicy hot pot is in a Sichuan style, simmered with Sichuan peppercorns, chili peppers, and dozens of Chinese herbs. Despite that, it’s not overly spicy—it has a fragrant, numbing, and mildly spicy taste. It’s incredibly satisfying in winter and warms you right up!

It comes with ingredients like tofu skin, enoki mushrooms, crystal dumplings, meatballs, and sliced meat—the whole plate is packed with good stuff.

The crystal dumplings are pre-braised, and when paired with the spicy hot pot broth, they’re tender, smooth, and flavorful, with a savory touch and a hint of spice. The enoki mushrooms soak up tons of the broth and have an irresistible Sichuan peppercorn aroma, along with a mild spiciness. They’re juicy, smooth, and incredibly easy to eat.

The pork slices are soaked with the essence of the broth—spicy, numbing, and slightly sweet—with a bouncy, flavorful texture.

Tofu skin is always a great match for braised food, and it works amazingly in the spicy hot pot too. Once it soaks up the broth, it’s packed with aroma and bursts with flavor in your mouth. It’s soft, chewy, and simply delicious.

You can even drink the broth from their spicy hot pot. It’s perfect for someone like Daku who loves soup. XD Aside from the classic spicy hot pot aroma, it has a sweet undertone and a mild, non-irritating spice level that’s very pleasant.

How could spicy hot pot be complete without duck blood and tofu? Their tofu is soft and tender with a bouncy texture, and when you bite into it, the juice inside bursts out. The duck blood is silky smooth, with barely any visible pores, and the hidden spicy broth inside is sweet, flavorful, and super satisfying. You can also add old-style youtiao to the spicy hot pot. We let them soak for a few seconds before eating—they’re soft on the outside and crispy on the inside, full of absorbed broth flavor, and the burst of juice in your mouth is so refreshing!

No braised food meal is complete without a starch component. We ordered prince noodles and steamed noodles, paired with both the spicy hot pot and the nourishing old-fire soup.

The steamed noodles are soft, chewy, and smooth, quite different from the fried ones. Paired with these two types of broths, they’re refreshing and not greasy—each has its own unique charm!

Instant noodles are the ultimate companion to marinated dishes, especially hot pot. After soaking up all the rich broth, they taste aromatic, numbing, mildly spicy, and savory with a delightful kick. They also pair wonderfully with old-fire soup, balancing salty-sweet flavors with hints of spices—absolutely addictive!

The health-focused old-fire soup is a family-secret broth made with garlic, onions, goji berries, cardamom, and more. It’s a great choice for those who don’t eat spicy food.

The broth tastes somewhat like a Mongolian-style health pot—balanced between salty and sweet with a touch of spice. It pairs well with tofu, meatballs, black fungus, or sausage—every combination works!

Now for the stir-fried marinated dishes—can we just say, this is pure indulgence? The glossy, deeply flavored look is almost too tempting!

It includes shiitake mushrooms, meatballs, fish cakes, chicken wings, intestines, sliced pork, and large black tofu—all first marinated then stir-fried with basil and garlic. The aroma is incredible!

The pig’s blood cake is sticky, chewy, and smooth, infused with marinade, sauce, and a strong scent of basil and garlic—so many layers of flavor!

The large black tofu is a must-try. Inside, it’s packed with rich marinade aroma, while the outside carries a deep stir-fried sauce flavor. It’s soft yet full of taste. The intestines are tender, chewy, and have a sweet-salty fragrance—super moreish. The meatballs have their signature firm, bouncy texture along with intense sauce and marinade flavors, enhanced even more with basil and garlic. Spicy-food lovers can also enjoy it with homemade bird’s eye chili sauce!

The chewy, springy fish cakes are deliciously savory and elastic. With added bird’s eye chili, they become even more fragrant—but go easy if you can’t handle too much heat!

Next up: fried marinated dishes. Duck wings (2 pcs / 55 TWD) and chicken feet (6 pcs / 45 TWD)—first marinated then fried, they look absolutely irresistible!

The chicken feet are salty, savory, and slightly sweet from the marinade. They’re chewy and full of texture—perfect for nibbling by hand!

The duck wings have crispy skin, tender meat, and are deeply flavorful. Salty, savory, and super moreish—great for drinking!

● ETtoday News Cloud reminds you: Don’t drink and drive. Don’t drive after drinking.

Fried combo platter (135 TWD): includes meatballs, squid balls, sausage, fish cakes, pig’s blood cake, and baby corn. It looks a bit like salt-and-pepper chicken but isn’t quite—it goes through an extra marination step, giving it a unique texture!

The pig’s blood cake is first marinated then fried, resulting in a crispy, chewy texture with savory, flavorful goodness. The fish cakes are springy with a slight crunch, even more delicious with added pepper. The squid balls, sausage, and meatballs are also great, but the baby corn steals the show—it’s crisp, sweet, and still holds onto some broth inside. Absolutely delicious. If you’re not sure what to order, go for the combo—you’ll get a little bit of everything!

Crispy fried pork intestines with pepper salt (130 TWD). This seems like a classic stir-fry house dish. XD The green beans are super crispy and juicy, with a mild savory taste—great texture. The intestines are deeply marinated, then fried to a crispy exterior while staying tender inside. Absolutely delicious. Also perfect with beer!

● ETtoday News Cloud reminds you: Don’t drink and drive. Don’t drive after drinking.

It was so good we even took some home for a late-night snack (were we that hungry? XD). Their hot pot, old-fire soup, and other items come in PP bowls with special sealing film, so no worries about spills. The fried and stir-fried dishes are packed in quality lunchboxes and paper bags that look pretty premium too!

“Man Da Wan Marinated Dishes” not only offers a clean, bright dining space with a touch of Japanese industrial style, but also carefully selects ingredients. They’ve developed four different ways to enjoy marinated dishes: fried, stir-fried, hot pot, and old-fire soup—giving marinated food fans tons of variety and keeping things fresh every day!

When it’s cold, try a bowl of hot pot—the Sichuan-style is numbing, spicy, and warms you up from the inside out. Non-spicy folks can opt for the old-fire soup, which is rich, mellow, and sweet. For bold flavors or pairing with drinks, go for the stir-fried or fried marinated dishes—they’re diverse in texture and flavor, super aromatic, and indulgent. Highly recommended—if you love marinated dishes like Da Kou does, come give them a try. You might just fall in love!

Man Da Wan Marinated Dishes
Address: No. 536-2, Beishi East Road, Shalu District, Taichung City (opposite Shu-Te University)
Phone: 04-26527000
Business Hours: 17:00–23:30
Website:http://www.full-food.com.tw/
Facebook Fan Page:https://www.facebook.com/fullfood88/
Franchise Hotline: 0930-028981, 0930-984369

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