Tsui Feng Yuan

Review

Tsui Feng Yuan is tucked into Lane 8, Section 3 of Bade Road in Songshan District and is one of Taipei's best-known old-school Cantonese restaurants. The MICHELIN Guide once traced its roots to Fung Lam, a now-closed restaurant in Sha Tin, Hong Kong; the Peng brothers brought the cooking to Taiwan, and several Taipei Cantonese restaurants descend from that line. Owner Peng Chun-chih cooked at his uncle's restaurant before opening his own more than 30 years ago with his wife, and it has appeared every year since the Bib Gourmand list began in Taiwan.

The signature taro duck pairs Dajia taro with duck steamed with herbs, deboned, then fried and steamed again; the crust is flaky and the taro smooth, and a blogger recorded it at NT$320. The NT$400 crispy chicken has thin, crackling skin with no batter and juicy meat; the NT$360 salt-baked shrimp are fried until the shells can be eaten; and the Qiongshan tofu is actually steamed egg white under scallop broth. The NT$480 beef and glass noodle pot must be pre-ordered and is braised in house-made XO sauce, so the noodles soak up a savoury, spicy flavour.

Praise centres on classic Cantonese dishes done right, big portions and fair prices for a Michelin-listed spot, often with complimentary red bean soup to finish. Complaints mention price rises of 10 to 20 percent in recent years, a smaller noodle pot than before, a dated dining room and only average service; some foreign diners found the taro duck light on meat and dry, and ordering goes smoother if you read Chinese.

The MICHELIN site lists hours as Tuesday to Sunday 11:40–14:00 and 17:40–21:00, closed Mondays, and cash only. It is often full even on weekdays, so call ahead, and always pre-order the beef noodle pot. The restaurant sits in a lane near the Nanjing Fuxing and Taipei Arena area; drivers will need a nearby car park.

It is ideal for family dinners, office banquets or a group of friends sharing dishes, since more people means more signatures on the table. Three or four diners can order taro duck, crispy chicken, salt-baked shrimp and a green vegetable; bigger groups can add the noodle pot or steamed grouper. If you avoid heat, ask for the noodle pot mild.