Jiaobanshan Old Shop Eatery

Review

Jiaobanshan Old Shop Eatery is at No. 7 Zhongzheng Road in Fuxing District, on the main street of the Jiaobanshan shopping area, and is often recommended for meals on trips along the Northern Cross-Island Highway. Yam Travel's Taoyuan must-eat roundup lists it among the representatives of Fuxing, and another Taoyuan food guide also includes it; both mention that its dishes combine Hakka and Atayal flavours and that amateur singers sometimes perform on weekends, giving meals a relaxed, lively feel.

Frequently named dishes include bamboo-tube rice, stir-fried wild boar, fried shiitake, Hakka stir-fry and braised pork rice. Bamboo-tube rice is a common Indigenous staple in the mountains, the rice picking up a bamboo fragrance. The wild boar is wok-fried with scallions or spices to go with rice, the fried shiitake are crisp outside and juicy inside, a must-try snack in the hills, and the Hakka stir-fry adds a savoury, bold side. You can order individual dishes or a set of shared dishes to suit different group sizes.

Praise focuses on the distinctive local mountain dishes, generous portions, suitability for groups, and prices friendlier than some scenic-area restaurants, with some especially recommending the fresh-fried wild greens and mushroom dishes. Complaints include inconsistent textures, with some finding the boar tough or the fried shiitake dry, waits on busy weekends, and mountain greens that vary by season.

As for hours, both write-ups say it opens on weekdays from 11 a.m. until around 3:30 to 4 p.m., and on weekends until around 6:30 to 7 p.m.; sources differ, so check before you go. There is no weekday dinner service, so plan for lunch. Jiaobanshan is busy with cars on holidays and parking around the shopping street is limited, so head up early or use a public car park and walk over.

It suits families and groups on day trips to Jiaobanshan and the Northern Cross-Island Highway, and anyone who wants mountain flavours without travelling too far. Two or three people can order bamboo-tube rice, stir-fried wild boar and fried shiitake plus a plate of seasonal greens; larger groups can go straight for a set of shared dishes, then stroll the shopping street for local mushrooms or peach products before heading down.