Jess Food Therapy
 
Last time I went to Kenting, it was for our 6th grade camp. I still remember the busses filled with hyperactive, testosterone-driven boys and naive, chatty girls, all excited to go on a trip without their parents for the very first time. For almost all of us, it turned out to be one of the best memories throughout our young, adolescent lives.  Haunted trail, boogie boarding, team building, hiking, talent shows, communal dinners…the trip was a wonderful bonding experience. But surprisingly, the very best part of that trip had to be the 12 or more hours spent on the road. With no other choice but to sit through the long bus ride, new friends were made, old friends got closer, secrets were shared, crushes were revealed, first loves were formed. Ah, "the magic school bus." 

Fast-forward some 13 years. 

Half awake, I stumbled out of my apartment complex at 9’oclock in the morning to find a perky, smiley driver opening the door to a shabby, 8-person van.  As I clumsily climbed into the vehicle, I caught incoherent mumbles of what appeared to be “good mornings” and “hellos” from my groggy, absolutely-not-morning-people friends. Some were staring into space as they bit into their breakfast sandwich while others were already fast asleep.  I looked down at our weekend itinerary.

Destination: Kenting. Time: 6 hours (AT THE VERY LEAST)

“Oh boy,” I thought as I closed my eyes.  “This is going to be a long ride...” 


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For many of us, despite having lived in Taiwan for many years, it’s not often we would venture out the Taipei bubble. We would always travel out of the country, but rarely within. This time around, friends and co. decided to change up our repetitive weekend activities and give Taiwan a chance. To really “appreciate” Taiwan thoroughly, we passed up on the convenience of a train and decided to go with the old-school method of driving instead. And when I say "appreciate," I mean "pig out." 



Stop #1: Taichung 
(台中)

Our first stop of the trip was Taichung, the third largest city in Taiwan with a population of just over one million. Also known as Taiwan's "culture city," Taichung offers cultural attractions like museums, temples, art galleries and historical sites. But for my hungry companions and I, we were more into the local delicacies, like the suncakes (太陽餅), milk candy (牛軟糖), pineapple cake (鳳梨酥), chicken feet jelly (
雞腳凍)... 

But my Taichung highlight gots to be the Taiwanese "meatball" (肉丸). Normally not a big fan of 肉丸, this 60-year-old restaurant completely restored my respect for this local dish. At first look, it resembled every other 肉丸 you find in every alley of Taiwan. Gooey and transparent on the outside, it could pass for a block of clay. But as soon as I took the first bite, I was completely taken away by the perfect combo of the flavorful, tender pork meat/the soft, chewy dough/and the pungent garlic sauce that unified everything. Though the 肉丸 was fried, it was light and fluffy. Costing a mere 30NT, I could've had seconds or thirds if we didn't have a packed schedule in front of us. Addictive!! 

People: next time you're in Taichung, be sure to visit 台中肉丸60年老店 and bring me some to go!
Stop #2: Kenting (墾丁)

After probably 1000 tracks of songs, 10 rounds of games, 5 sessions of naps, and 2 more bathroom breaks, we finally arrived in Kenting. Yippy!

Hungry as hippos, we headed straight to the busy Kenting Street Market (墾丁大街) to get our night started. Aside from the myriad food stands, the street was packed with fun souvenir shops, eclectic restaurants, cheap-thrilled games, tons of out-of-towners, and 
pubs with not-so-hot trannies...

"Funny" I thought to myself, " not the Kenting I remember."
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Out of all the food stands, my favorite was 一品滷味. Can I say MARINATE HEAVEN? There are a couple famous marinate stands throughout Kenting Street Market, but ㄧ品 is by far the most OG of them all. The story goes that the owner started cooking since he was 16. After years of training, he then went off on his own with nothing but 500NT in his pocket. With that, he worked his way to opening up the first marinate stand in Kenting Street Market that's now visited by thousands of locals/tourists on a daily basis. Bravo!

We ordered three full plates of marinated tofu, tempura, pigs blood, daikon, broccoli, noodles, and more. We were finished and out the door in 20 minutes. Delicious! 
To our disappointment, after a long night of crazy fun and games, we woke up the next morning to an unwelcoming weather that Kenting's usually not known for. What could've been a lovely day of sailing, surfing, go-carting, paint-balling or just laying out on the beautiful white, sandy beaches... came down to staying dry, playing more games, and eating some more. 

It didn't turn out half as bad as we ate more of Kenting's seafood delights while also leveling up on our Taboo skills. 
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Stop #3: Tainan (台南)

Alas, it was time to say goodbye...

Before heading back home, we made one last stop in Tainan for lunch where we unexpectedly came to discover another 30NT bowl of wonder. It literally made one us cry from happiness. Located on 國華街, this obscure, little shop has no store name. It simply sells two items: Taiwanese herbal soup with intestines (四神湯) and minced pork over sticky rice (米糕). 

The 米糕 unconditionally, irrevocably stole all our hearts...

What seemed like a simple bowl of rice had such depth and warmth it left me scratching my head, wondering how it was ever concocted. And of course, the owner would not spill a single word. Rightfully so. That spoonful of sticky rice topped with marinated diced pork, homemade dried pork (肉鬆), and slice of vinegar cucumber will forever linger in my mind. 

Till next time, Tainan.

P.S. - we ended up going back and ordering 20 more 米糕 to go. 
Stop #4: Taipei (台北)

I watched as the beat-up van slowly drove away from my apartment complex.  I can't believe we've just survived lord knows how many hours in there, I thought to myself. How did the time ever pass us by? 

21 questions. Singing to Babyface. Rapping to Jay-z. Napping. Bejeweled. Heart-to-heart. Categories. Going down memory lane. 

I smiled. 

Fast-forward some 13 years, some things don't change.
 
BBQing was one of my favorite activities back in LA. With Cali's beautiful, sunny weather, you can have a BBQ for no reason at all. Whether it was for someone’s birthday, a Lakers’ game, or just for the heck of hanging out, it was always so easy to get a BBQ going. All we needed was a backyard/beach/park, a portable grill, a group of chill friends, frisbee/football, buns/patties, condiment, and we were good to go! With an ice-cold Corona in one hand and a perfectly grilled bacon-wrapped hot dog in the other, life was pretty darn good… 

Now that I live in Taipei, all-American BBQs are a thing of the distant past. Unless you feel that Chili’s and Friday’s can suffice.  I've got the friends, the food, the grill, the location – but what always ruins the plan is the stubborn weather. If Cali is "not too cold not too hot," then Taiwan is "very cold, very hot, very rainy, and very humid.”  Plus, people can't seem to get up early enough even if their lives depended on it (I have to admit, myself included).   

But one thing Taipei does not lack is the limitless restaurants hidden in the nooks and crannies all over the city. Although authentic Western BBQ restaurants are hard to come by, you pretty much forget about them once you try the Taiwanese version of BBQ (烤肉/燒烤). 

While I do miss the outdoorsy California BBQ experience, hickory-smoked beef ribs, and pulled-pork drenched in ten layers of BBQ sauce, Taiwan offers me something better and more unique:  thinly-sliced beef tongue, salmon-filled rice balls, buttered spinach and corn, chicken cartilage, and miso-marinated intestines. And instead of dipping your meat in thick, heavy “Smokin' Coles Original Bold n' Spicy Barbeque Sauce,” you can enjoy each bite with the effortless combination of lemon juice and finely, finely chopped onions & scallions. 

Simplicity at its best! 

胡同
www.hutong.com.tw
台北市敦化南路一段161巷17號
(02) 277601575


大腕燒肉專門店
台北市敦化南路一段177巷22號1樓
(02) 27110179

**call beforehand for reservation

 
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I remember back when I used to live in LA, my fiancé and I would oftentimes crave for some good old-fashioned Taiwanese food. And when that happened, we would have to fight through an hour of traffic and starvation after work to somewhat suffice our hunger. Even though we knew LA already offered much better Taiwanese food versus other cities in the states, we still couldn't help but miss the 燒餅油條 (baked buns w/ fried crullers) from 永和 or the 仔麵線 (oyster vermicelli) up in 七段 or the 大腸包小腸 (sausages) outside of Sogo Cashbox...

It just wasn't the same.

So, when we moved back to Taiwan, we wasted no time hitting up all of the above and more. Out of them all, 度小月 (Tu Hsiao Yueh) became one of our favorite local "攤子"(food stands). 

There are a few reasons why I think people enjoy 度小月 so much. The food, the decor, the atmosphere, the location(s)... you name it. But, what captures me the most is how it still appeals to the modern customer even after 115 years in business.

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The story goes way back to 1895 with a young fisherman named Hong Yu-tou. During the summer and autumn, fisherman could not go out to sea due to hurricanes. They coined the season as "小月." Thus, in order to make ends meet and "度過" (survive through) the difficult months, Hong knew he had to branch out into other sorts of businesses. Luckily, he remembered an old minced meat recipe he learned from a chef back in his hometown Zhangzhou, Fujian and decided to experiment on his own. Next thing he knew, he came up with an amazing new noodle dish which he carried on shoulder poles and sold throughout the village. Customers would gather around his mobile food stand and watch as he pull together his newfound masterpiece. Hong decided to name his new success: "度小月但仔麵" (Tu Hsiao Yueh Tan Tsai Noodle). 

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After a century has passed, the stewed-minced-meat-and-shallots-sauce-with-shrimp-soup-and-oil-noodle recipe still remains a big hit with the locals (and tourists alike). But what used to be bamboo shoulder poles and one simple dish of 但仔麵 have been replaced with four restaurant chains, thick menu booklets, inflated prices, and even its very own branded products. While some may feel 度小月 has fallen victim to today's franchise frenzy, I don't mind and even appreciate the upgrades and changes because the restaurant has remained true to its Taiwanese heritage through its cooking method and food.  

And plus, I always get a warm, fuzzy feeling after a 度小月 meal, as if I've been brought back 115 years to a home kitchen in Southern Taiwan! 

Although much has changed with 度小月 over the decades, there are still noticeable traces of its century-long history embedded throughout the restaurant: pictures of master Hong at work, old Chinese tunes playing in the background, traditional lantern lighting/decor, and most distinctly, the old-school 攤子 that greets customers as soon as they walk in the door. Just like how it was done a hundred years ago, customers can gather around the storefront kitchen and watch as the cook whips up a hearty bowl of Tan Tsai noodle, now with the options of 米粉 (vermicelli) or 粿條 (pho). 

P.S: I always go for the 粿條! 

The menu selection has also expanded over the hundred years, with popular new items including 蚵仔 (fried oysters), 滷大腸 (stewed pork intestines), 炸蝦捲 (fried shrimp rolls) or 烤虱目魚肚 (grilled fish stomach). Though the menu has gone through considerable transformation, you can taste the time and thought that went into inventing each new dish. Each simple yet complex dish reflects 度小月's continued dedication to delivering the highest quality and most authentic Taiwanese cuisine. 

So, the next time you crave for some Taiwanese food, make sure to pay a visit to your local 度小月 for a real, time-warping experience. That is, if you live here. (Sorry!)

As my fiancé simply puts it: "Dude, it's Taiwanese soul food."
度小月
www.iddi.com.tw

台南店
台南市中正路16號
16 Chongcheng Rd, Tainan City
(06) 2231-744

台南中正二店
台南市中正路101號
101 Chongcheng Rd, Tainan City
(06) 2259-554

台北分店
忠孝東路四段216巷8弄12號

12 Lane 8 Alley 216 Sec 4 Chung Hsiao E. Rd, Taipei City
(06) 2259-554


台北中山店
台北中山北路2段180號1F
No.180 2 Zhongshan Rd, Taipei City  (02) 2585-1880