Banqiao Big Bowl Lamb Soup羊肉汤！ Savory, glossy, and sweet-aftertaste "Lu Rou Fan" (braised pork rice)

Text and photos byXiaohu’s Food Dream Blog

Speaking of which, a few days ago I came across a listicle titled "Top Five Delicious Lu Rou Fan in Banqiao." Surprisingly, there were two places on the list I’d never tried… well, actually, I’d never even heard of them. The one that piqued my curiosity the most was this bowl of Lu Rou Fan with an unusually dark color. Suddenly hit with a craving, I hopped on the “youbike” downstairs and rushed over that very day.

If you live around Xinpian area, you’d probably know that there are quite a few snack shops along Siwei Road and Yumin Street. It’s not too far from where I live in Jiangzicui, but for some reason I rarely come here to eat—most of the time I just stick to Julu Road… so I end up eating at the same few places. Okay, I guess I’m really not much of a Banqiao local, because I only found out afterward that this place’s Lu Rou Fan is actually pretty famous. But actually, this spot is more known for its Angelica lamb soup. As for how long it’s been around, I’m not really sure either.

The menu is pretty simple—they mainly serve Angelica lamb soup, though the cuts of meat vary, and so do the prices. I had originally wanted to order the sliced lamb soup, but for some reason when the young staff asked me, I replied, “The lamb soup with skin.” …Aside from the Lu Rou Fan, they also have dry spaghetti and sesame oil noodles—I suddenly felt I should’ve brought a friend along that day XD.

Lu Rou Fan (small) 25 NT$. When I first saw that article, the Lu Rou Fan in the photo was “black”—its color and appearance were just like my #1 favorite Lu Rou Fan.【Xiaohu Eats Randomly】【Longshan Temple Station】 Huaxi Street – Xiao Wang’s Pickled Tofu Clear Soup Lu Rou Fan, which is what people in the food scene call the “Black Gold Lu Rou Fan,” looked very similar. But when I ordered it in person, I realized it should be dark brown instead, and it looked super glossy and oily.

Because the sauce was so dark and shiny, before taking a bite I expected a heavy flavor—but it turned out to be saltier than I imagined. Strangely enough, I didn’t dislike the saltiness—in fact, the aftertaste had a sweet note, and of course, it included the rich aroma of perfectly braised fat. Also, the way the Lu Rou sauce clung to the rice and melted in my mouth was absolutely delightful, making it perfect when eaten with the rice.

If I really had to compare it to Xiao Wang’s, the difference would be in how long it stays enjoyable. With Xiao Wang’s, I could finish the whole bowl without a single bad bite—the last bite was still amazing. But with this one, I stopped eating about 1/5 from the end, because it got a bit dry and salty, even though the oily fragrance was still very tempting. Maybe I just didn’t mix the rice and sauce well enough?

Also, the rice I had that day was cooked well—it was soft yet firm to the right degree after being drizzled with the Lu Rou sauce. All in all, this is probably one of the top two Lu Rou Fans I’ve had in Banqiao so far. The other one is【Xiaohu Eats Randomly】【Jiangzicui Station】 Sister Er’s Noodle Stall. However, the two are pretty different in terms of flavor profiles.

There were two types of blanched vegetables—I chose “Dalu Mei” (a type of greens), and I forgot what the other one was XD. The sauce had a lovely garlic aroma, and the crunchy, juicy Dalu Mei was pretty tasty.

When the bone-in lamb soup arrived, my first impression was that it smelled amazing—the Angelica aroma was strong and fragrant. But after taking a sip, I realized the Angelica flavor was even more intense, with a slight hint of shredded ginger. The lamb flavor was present, but you really had to search for it. Also, the Angelica taste was so strong that it gave a slightly bitter aftertaste toward the end—but I didn’t actually mind that bitterness. On the contrary, I thought it paired quite well with the slightly salty, oily Lu Rou Fan.

As for the lamb with skin (which also had bones), the meat was a bit tough to chew—you could tell the quality of the lamb was decent and it was cleaned well, but there wasn’t much fat, so I didn’t love it that much. The skin was slightly chewy with a bit of bounce. I think next time I probably won’t order the lamb with skin XD.

Big Bowl Angelica Lamb
Address: No. 196, Siwei Road, Banqiao District
Phone: 0976-476-567
Business Hours: 4:00 PM – 12:00 AM

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