A-Tu Sesame Oil Chicken (Linsen Main Shop)

Review

A-Tu Sesame Oil Chicken was founded in 1974 and grew out of the Qingguang shopping area, so it is about 50 years old and now has several branches in Taipei. The Linsen North Road shop is called the main shop, and map listings label it the original Linsen location. Supertaste says fresh chicken is chopped and simmered every day, queues form at mealtimes, and seats are hard to get when a cold front arrives. It is the soup spot most often named in winter around Zhongshan Elementary School station and Qingguang Market.

The signature sesame oil chicken broth has a mellow rice wine aroma, a strong sesame flavour that does not feel greasy, and big pieces of chicken that are springy and come off the bone easily. Beyond chicken there are sesame oil kidney, pork heart, pork liver, offal, fresh fish and oysters, and those who avoid sesame oil can choose a clear broth; ginseng chicken, four-herb chicken and angelica pork trotter are also available. For staples, pick sesame oil vermicelli, satay dry noodles or sesame paste noodles; diners suggest the vermicelli because it soaks up the broth best.

Praise focuses on the fragrant broth and fresh, tender chicken, with some calling it one of the best sesame oil chickens in Taipei, and the free broth refill with vermicelli is seen as good value. Critics say the alcohol is too strong and the broth slightly bitter, leaving unaccustomed diners dizzy, and one blogger even reported a hangover after several bowls; others find the chicken overcooked, the chicken rice mushy, and the refilled broth weaker in sesame flavour.

Hours are Monday to Saturday 11:00 to 21:00, closed Sundays. Supertaste lists sesame oil chicken with vermicelli at NT$180, satay dry noodles at NT$40 small or NT$60 large, and pig's blood rice cake at NT$50. Diners say it is cash only, around 2 p.m. is quieter, and evenings bring long lines outside. Media give the address as No. 552-2 Linsen North Road while maps show No. 528; sources differ, so check before you go. It is a five- to ten-minute walk from Zhongshan Elementary School MRT station.

It suits anyone wanting to warm up on a cold day or who loves a heady rice wine aroma, and it is an easy stop after the Shuangcheng Street night market. First-timers are safest with the sesame oil chicken and vermicelli, adding pig's blood rice cake or blanched greens; offal fans can try the sesame oil kidney. If you need to drive afterwards or have a low tolerance, choose the clear broth or drink less of the soup.