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COMPASS MAGAZINE March 2014
　

2-in-1 satisfaction at Dazhaimen Duck Head Pot By Niang Chen Translated by Angela Cheng 5, FengDa Rd, Xitun Dist. (04) 2708-5969 Hours: 11:30 am-2 pm, 5:30-10 pm Credit cards accepted. 10% service charge. Parking lot available. Dazhaimen Duck Head Pot originated in China, in Hebei province's Shijiazhuang city, where it won the Dazhaimen health-food competition. Here in Taiwan, the oily, spicy original version has been transformed into a less-potent, more delicately-flavored version for local palates. Uniquely, this pot is enjoyed in two ways--first, by enjoying the duck head and wings before adding a broth and cooking other ingredients. Diners arriving here are greeted with a festive-feeling Chinese decor that includes red lanterns and light gauzy curtains, and are offered an appetizing black bean dish, made from a pot of pure black beans, as a warm-up to their meal. There are also a variety of braised and fried selections available on the menu.
	Spicy Shrimp Pot (NT$380), The restaurant's exclusive hot pot spicy sauce gives these shrimp a totally unique flavor. Peel open the spicy shells to enjoy the soft, fresh and savory meat inside.
	Beef Shank and Beef Belly Platter (NT$180/360), These beef parts are braised with various Chinese herbs to a light, tender consistency and nice fragrance and evenly sliced with impressive knife skills.
	Complex Mushroom Dish (NT$230), Five-Color Vegetable Dish (NT$160)－All the pots come with a chicken and pork bone broth, used to cook the rest of the ingredients after you've eaten the duck head--a two-in-one eating style diners of all ages find satisfying.
	Spicy Duck Blood (NT$80), Water Bamboo (NT$200) This local-flavor spicy duck blood can be enjoyed as is or cooked in the pot. Salty egg yolk is fried with Puli water bamboo in this yellow-and-white, delicious entree.
	Signature Pot (NT$480), Boiled and braised duck's head, wings, legs and neck are enjoyed without broth but, rather, a hot sauce created with 20 different chili peppers, like lantern, "chicken heart" and red cluster chilies. The duck parts are tossed in the pot with this sauce without any oil or water until they fully absorb the spices, whose pungent flavor can be enjoyed with each bite (even better with rice and alcohol).
	Cantonese Double Cured Steamed Rice (NT$200/380)－Double-cured rice is steamed with less oil and salt and is fluffy and delicious, with the added, very-Cantonese aroma of cured sausage.
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