Taipei Yansan Night Market – Golden-skinned braised pork rice & crispy fried pork chops!

Text & photos byXiaohu’s Dream Food Net

The "Yansan Night Market" favorite night market in Taipei replenishment plan continues. On this visit to "Yansan Night Market," we happened to catch its annual "banquet day." With less than a quarter of the shops open along the entire street, our choices were limited. That’s when we spotted a small stall selling "pork chop rice" and "zhi gao rice." Thinking we hadn’t yet written about Yansan’s pig trotter rice, we decided to sit down.

This stall is one I’ve passed by countless times in Yansan Night Market but never really paid much attention to. It’s located roughly in front of "Daqiaotou Braised Pork Rice" and "Sun Moon Lake Black Tea."

Actually, I’m not a huge fan of pig trotter rice — I’d say I prefer "thigh meat" more, though it’s been hard lately to find thigh that’s fragrant, soft, and tender.

The skin on this pork is quite thick, but it melts in your mouth, very soft, and the sweetness level is just right. The sauce is slightly thick, even a bit sticky, but not overly salty. I really enjoyed both the texture and flavor, especially the skin.

As for the sides, the tofu soaked in the braising sauce was quite tasty, but I preferred the crisp, refreshing, and slightly sweet cucumber.

I hadn’t originally planned to get pork chops, but the aroma of the fried, oily goodness was too much to resist, so I ordered a single piece to try.

The coating on these fried pork chops is a bit thick, but the steamed-bun-like texture is actually quite appealing. The crispy edges with their oily crunch and flavor are particularly delicious.

The pork chop has good thickness, the texture is quite solid, and the sweet aftertaste of the meat upon chewing is just right. Aside from the slightly thick batter, it’s a pretty delicious fried pork chop.

Finally, my favorite of the three — the "braised pork rice," which might even rank in my top three braised pork rice experiences at Yansan. The skin is nearly all fat, with a golden hue, melting in your mouth with a sticky, luscious texture that totally wins me over. The flavor balances the sweetness of the fat, the sweetness of the fried shallots, and the savory saltiness of the sauce perfectly. Though similar in taste to the pig trotter rice earlier, it seems just a little sweeter.

The rice is also well-cooked. By the last bite, the flavor of the braising sauce still complements the rice nicely. Friends who prefer their braised pork rice more melt-in-your-mouth and oily should definitely give it a try — you probably won’t be disappointed.

Daqiaotou Pork Chop Rice
No. 64-1, Section 3, Yanping North Road, Datong District, Taipei City (next to Daqiaotou Braised Pork Rice and Sun Moon Lake Black Tea)
Business hours: 17:00 until sold out.

"Xiaohu’s Dream Food Net
If "eating" is just about filling your stomach, then "food" would be far too boring~~~"