Challenge your taste buds: Afternoon tea in Eastern Taiwan – a surprising match of tuna and coffee

Photos and text by /Happy Cloud

Visiting this fishing town of Chenggong, apart from the fish market, the most anticipated experience has to be an afternoon tea pairing fresh tuna with coffee. Perhaps it’s because of the fishing town setting that there’s an abundance of fresh sashimi, inspiring such a creative combo — a bite of fresh tuna, followed by a sip of coffee. This kind of afternoon tea is undoubtedly unique to the people of Chenggong in Taitung.

The one who introduced fresh sashimi paired with coffee is “Jiabin Chenggong Tuna,” whom we met last year. At the 2014 “Flag Invites Success” press conference, the delicious taste of their tuna left a deep impression on us that still hasn’t faded. I remember the young owner saying it was the most flavorful part of the tuna… And indeed, after trying that piece of tuna sashimi, none of the other tuna sashimi we had afterward were bad — but none could beat that first incredibly delicious bite.

Mr. Lin Baoshan, a tuna expert with over 40 years of experience, uses his expertise and skills to select top-grade, fresh white-meat tuna. With rapid low-temperature preservation techniques, he retains the tuna's freshness and umami. Through years of experience and continuously refined freezing technology, the sashimi produced by his shop has received high praise and built quite a reputation locally. It's also one of the must-visit spots in Chenggong. In addition to selling fresh sashimi, the shop also serves dishes made with fresh seafood, especially during the Tuna Festival, where you can enjoy a variety of tuna prepared from different parts, offering a rich range of flavors.

This 2015 “Flag Invites Success” slow travel journey finally gave me the chance to visit “Jiabin Chenggong Tuna” and experience the legendary tuna coffee — a unique local afternoon tea.

It’s not about putting tuna into the coffee, but rather replacing the usual sweet treat in an afternoon tea with delicious tuna sashimi — a bite of sashimi, followed by a sip of coffee. The two seemingly mismatched items, once you get past the initial hesitation, turn out to be unexpectedly delightful, adding a whole new flavor dimension.

But what’s most intriguing is tuna + coffee. No doubt about it — it’s truly fresh tuna sashimi paired with a cup of coffee. Choosing top-grade white-meat tuna along with a cup of coffee makes for Chenggong’s special “afternoon tea.”

Pour some soy sauce into a small dish, add a bit of mustard; the tuna sashimi in front of you, with such beautiful marbling, is about to take a “bath,” haha — just a light dip in the soy sauce with a touch of mustard!! Then put it in your mouth and savor the deliciousness of the tuna. Wow!!! The fat in the tuna melts in your mouth, carrying a hint of saltiness and mustard, almost letting you taste the ocean itself. This must be top-tier tuna. While tuna might not have as much fat as the more well-known blackfin tuna, the fat in this piece of tuna is just like the memorable one from last year’s sashimi — making you want to eat several more slices!!

After enjoying the tuna sashimi, have a sip of a hot latte with rich milk foam. At first, you may need to overcome some psychological barriers, but when your mouth still carries the oceanic flavor of the tuna, and you take a sip of the coffee full of creamy foam, you’ll find this seemingly odd duo actually complements each other surprisingly well. It’s a truly wonderful sensation — and then, after another sip of coffee, you’ll find yourself craving another bite of the delicious fresh tuna. Haha, it’s an addictive combination!!

After finishing the tuna sashimi, the dish specially recommended on the table is “Seafood ??” (a dessert). Apparently, it’s a very popular item at the shop. When it’s served, its transparent appearance feels refreshing. You catch the scent of lemon with a slight tang, and upon tasting, you get a chewy QQ texture, paired with thinly shaved lemon peel that makes chewing feel like a fun little oral exercise. This fragrant and refreshing taste has you going back for more. Only when you come to your senses do you realize this dessert is actually made of “fish” too!!

It turns out it contains “Manta Ray”! Haha, a fish rich in collagen that’s great for beauty. Haha, it’s so delicious you just keep eating more, feeling prettier with every bite. But this is really a pleasant surprise — who would’ve thought that processed and seasoned manta ray could turn into such a stunning dessert? Highly recommend this sweet treat!!

This afternoon tea in Chenggong Town is truly a delightful surprise. Who would’ve thought such a combination could be so good?! And that a dessert made of fish could taste this delicious. No wonder it’s a famous local spot — it really lives up to its reputation!! Next time friends visit Taitung, make sure you stop by Chenggong Town and don’t miss the “Tuna Coffee” at “Jiabin Chenggong Tuna”!

Jiabin Chenggong Tuna
Website:http://www.makaira.com.tw/makaira/
Address: No. 65-1, Datong Rd., Chenggong Township, Taitung County
TEL: 089-854899 FAX: 089-855010

* For more content, please see -->Happy Cloud’s Travel Blog*

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