Taiwanese braised pork rice transforms into "duck lu rice" – a perfect pairing with angelica duck soup

Text & Photos /KUNI

(Yonghe’s Duck Lu Rice)

In August, I received an invitation from the owner of Yonghe Duck Lu Restaurant on their blog and promised to visit one day. Unexpectedly, it got postponed until October, and I felt too awkward to notify them again. On a whim one noon, I quietly headed to their shop on Zhulin Road. There weren’t many customers, and the spacious second floor was completely empty. After heading back downstairs and settling in, I started ordering:

Hundred-sheet tofu (NT$20)
Pickled vegetables (NT$35)
Angelica duck soup (NT$55)
Signature bento (NT$85)

(Shop on Zhulin Road)

(The second floor has plenty of space)

(Menu)

After paying, the dishes arrived all at once.

With the weather suddenly turning cooler, a steaming bowl of angelica duck soup felt like an old friend. The warm aroma entered my mouth, bringing a comforting warmth that spread through me, ending with a slight sweetness. Aside from the bone-in duck meat, I was pleasantly surprised to scoop up a few slices of thinly cut duck breast. The Korean pickled vegetables were surprisingly spicy, which caught me off guard, but the hundred-sheet tofu was perfectly tender.

(Angelica duck soup)

(Korean pickled vegetables and hundred-sheet tofu)

So-called duck lu rice is a combination of duck meat and Taiwanese-style braised pork rice. It’s like a twin sibling to the recently popular chicken lu rice, sharing a similar concept, and comes as a signature bento paired with three side dishes. I took a few bites— the braising sauce had a simple yet not greasy flavor, and the duck meat, with its skin on, was tender without being dry. Unfortunately, the white rice wasn’t steamed long enough and was a bit too wet, and the proportions weren’t quite right. After finishing the top layer of duck meat, I was left with a whole bowl of soggy rice and had to give up—such a waste.

(The three side dishes in the signature bento)

(Duck lu rice)

Stepping outside and seeing the warm sunlight again, I suddenly thought—will people come up with ideas for “beef lu rice” or even “goose lu rice” in the future?

Duck Lu Rice – Yonghe Zhulin Main Branch
Address: No. 141, Zhulin Road, Yonghe District, New Taipei City
Phone:(02)8925-9758(02)8925-9758
Hours: 11:00–21:30

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