A hidden Chinese casual eatery known only to locals in Neihu — savory and satisfying soy-glazed roast chicken leg

Text & photos byOld K

Sundays are usually the most troublesome time for Old K when it comes to lunch. The city center of Taipei is packed, and finding a place to eat means squeezing through crowds. Eating in Neihu isn’t much better either, as many shops are closed. The safest bet is to dine at the food street in Xihu Market, but today it’s so hot — who knew October could still be this sweltering? So he thought he’d first look around nearby for something to eat, and if he really couldn’t find anything, he’d just go to Xihu Market in the end XD

Walking along Huanshan Road, they spotted Tiancong Fusion Dining. Its signboard seemed to have fallen off — maybe blown away by the typhoon earlier this week? They knew it was called Tiancong Fusion Dining because Mei Ji had eaten here long ago. Back then, it wasn’t located here but had since moved to this spot, serving casual meals.

There were also new arrivals displayed at the entrance, so they decided on this place.

For a casual dining environment, it’s pretty good. Even past 1 PM, there were still quite a few diners. Many customers seemed quite familiar with the lady boss, chatting and laughing — it seems she has a solid local customer base.

There are also paintings and a postcard wall on the walls.

Most set meals are priced at NT$280, including soup, a main dish, fruit, and a drink. The price isn’t steep, and there’s a decent variety of main dishes. Drinks come as an 8-selection. Old K ordered the soy-glazed roast chicken leg, while Mei Ji chose the seasonal fish of the day — today it was pan-fried mackerel.

Their soup is the fastest-serving one Old K has ever had. How fast? While he and Mei Ji were still choosing their main dishes, the soup had already arrived XD It was a carrot and corn soup, refreshing to drink, with sweet-tasting corn.

Before long, their main dishes arrived. The sides included stir-fried bok choy, preserved radish omelet, and braised tofu. Both got the same sides — all were tasty and not too greasy.

The braised tofu was especially flavorful.

Soy-Glazed Roast Chicken Leg (NT$280): Although it’s labeled as teriyaki flavor, aside from the bonito soy sauce taste, there’s also a hint of barbecue sauce flavor and a slight tanginess — it’s somewhat a fusion of Japanese and Taiwanese styles. The chicken leg has a firmer texture and is a bit on the salty side.

But it pairs perfectly with rice. The plain rice is well-cooked, with a nice balance of softness and hardness, making it quite delicious.

Pan-Fried Mackerel (NT$300): The mackerel is coated in flour before frying, giving it a semi-deep-fried appearance. It comes with pepper salt on the side.

The mackerel is rich in oil yet tender, with a crispy, seared crust. The saltiness is just right, making it a delicious pan-fried mackerel. Adding some pepper salt enhances the aroma, but it can easily become too salty, so go easy on it XD

The meal comes with four types of fruit: watermelon, orange, mandarin, and apple. The oranges and mandarins aren’t in peak season yet, so they’re a bit sour XD

After the fruit, time for drinks. Old K opted for an iced Americano black coffee, while Mei Ji went for a hot cappuccino. Their Americano black coffee has a very strong charcoal-roasted flavor. Old K isn’t a big fan of such intense coffee XD Mei Ji said hers was okay — the milk tones down the strength.

K’s little tip: Tiancong Fusion Dining might not be super affordable, but considering you get soup, a main dish, fruit, and a drink in one set, it’s not expensive. The main dishes taste good, there are plenty of choices, and the environment is fairly comfortable. If you’re in Neihu and want to enjoy a more refined casual meal, this is a great option — recommended to everyone.

K’s personal rating (out of 10, higher is better)
Taste: 8 points
Value for money: 7.5 points
Dining Environment: 6.5 points
Price: 7 points

Tiancong Fusion Dining
Address: No. 125, Section 2, Huanshan Road, Neihu District, Taipei City
Phone: 02-2658-8220 (reservations available)
Business hours: 11:00–21:30 (closed on Saturdays)

Old K
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