16, Lane 232, DunHua S. Road
(02) 2731-2269; 2731-9098
Hours: 11:30 am-9:30 pm |
Honey
Flavor Pork, porridge of scallops, crispy deep-fried
bread sticks and peanuts, Oyster Oil Dumpling
Noodles, Thousand-Year-Old Ginger Egg
Real Hong Kong dining
at Lao You Ji
--By Hsiang Ray
Translated by Sho Huang
Lao You Ji, near Sogo on DunHua
South Road, is different from the typical busy,
noisy and oily Hong Kong-style restaurant, with
a recently-renovated, inviting interior that provides
a modern, bright and clean atmosphere.
The restaurant's name means "old
friends" in Cantonese because of its vision
of delivering authentic Hong Kong cuisine to an
old friend. Owner Mr. Huang came to visit his
brother 12 years ago and found that there was
always something missing in the food served in
Taipei's restaurants. He decided to change all
that. In order to maintain the authentic flavours
from home, all his chefs were hired in Hong Kong
and hearing him communicate with his chefs adds
to the authentic atmosphere.
Oyster Oil Dumpling Noodles (NT$100)
is highly recommended by the owner. Eggs are added
to the recipe for a chewier texture. With fragrant
oyster oil and red vinegar specially brought back
from Hong Kong, this dish is sure to make your
mouth water. And, if you like spicy food, don't
miss the owner's personal-recipe chili sauce,
special for its warm fragrance combined with a
kick-ass spiciness.
Traditional Hong Kong food tends
to have a heavier, oilier taste. When diners want
a change from this, porridge and Chang Fen (a
sticky rice powder-based dish) are two top choices
for light food. The porridge of scallops, crispy
deep-fried bread sticks and peanuts (NT$75), and
Shrimp Chang Fen (NT$75), with big chunks of shrimp,
are two popular dishes. The Ginger Thousand-Year-Old
Egg (NT$35) uses chef-made pickled ginger, which
goes well with the egg.
Hong Kong cuisine is famous for
its "Shao La" dishes, featuring various
food preparation methods, including barbecuing,
stewing and roasting. All sorts of Shao La are
ready between 11:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Honey Flavour
Pork (NT$100) matches moist flavours with the
right proportion of honey and salt, so that you'll
savour the juice through your teeth when you bite
into it. If you're not fond of fat, you can ask
the owner for a leaner portion with the same taste
satisfaction. Mr. Huang is also planning to add
a drinks section to the menu, including Yuan Yang
(usually meaning "couple" in Chinese)
Milk Tea, Iced Milk, and Iced Lemonade, to give
guests an even more authentic dining experience.
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