Hsiao Cho Chih Chia

Review

Hsiao Cho Chih Chia sits at No. 420 Jilin Road in Zhongshan District. It opened in 1995 with only five tables, and the MICHELIN Guide notes it is now run by former regulars, with a head chef of about 40 years' experience. The kitchen stresses fresh, line-caught sea fish and bold Taiwanese flavours. It first joined Taipei's Bib Gourmand list in 2023 and remains on the 2026 list, a low-key but often fully booked Taiwanese restaurant on Jilin Road.

The must-order abalone and black-boned chicken soup is slow-simmered with Chinese herbs for about two hours into a deep broth that diners describe as full of umami yet balanced. The other signature, roast pork trotter, uses the front trotter of Taiwanese black pork and takes two days to prepare, ending up tender and rich in collagen. Diners also often mention the wok-charged fried rice, sweet and crunchy stir-fried cabbage and oyster dishes, and many choose a set menu to taste several signatures at once.

Praise centres on the fresh seafood, refined seasoning that is never overly salty, a chef who asks about preferences and adjusts the menu, and attentive service, with many foreign visitors rating it highly. The main complaints are the small room and few seats, which make dinner bookings hard to get, and some feel it is not cheap for a Taiwanese restaurant, with about NT$1,000 per person a reasonable budget.

Hours are Tuesday to Friday 17:30 to 21:00, with weekend lunch 11:30 to 14:00 and dinner from 17:00, closed Mondays; media list slightly different weekend dinner start times, so check before going. MICHELIN lists it as cash only, and reservations are by phone. The room is small but air-conditioned, parking nearby is limited, and you can take the MRT to Xingtian Temple station and then walk or catch a bus.

It suits small families or groups of friends who want refined home-style Taiwanese food and care about seafood quality. About three people can share half a pot of the abalone chicken soup, plus fried rice, stir-fried cabbage and a seafood dish of the day; on a first visit or a tighter budget, ask for the set menu. Book several days ahead for weekends.