Xiuhua Dalin Dogtail Chicken

Review

Dalin is a slow-city township at the northern tip of Chiayi County, and Xiuhua Dalin Dogtail Chicken is a veteran chicken restaurant where locals gather and returning families treat guests. According to travel reports, it has about forty years of history; it was founded by proprietor Liu Xiu-hua and is now run by the second generation. The restaurant is tucked down a lane off Zhongshan Road, with plenty of seats and private rooms suited to family meals.

The signature dogtail chicken soup is simmered with the root of a plant nicknamed dogtail grass and Chinese medicinal herbs. The broth is clear, sweet and not greasy, with a faint herbal aroma, and the chicken keeps its spring. Reports also recommend the old-style preserved radish fried rice and camellia oil chicken. Diners mention a weekday-only mint chicken that must be pre-ordered, cooked with mint leaves stuffed inside for a distinctive fragrance. The complimentary homemade peanut tofu pudding after the meal is soft and creamy, and many call it a thoughtful finish.

Reviews are mostly positive. Diners often say the soup is sweet with a lingering aftertaste, the vegetable dishes are good, food comes out quickly and the spacious room suits whole families. Some find parts of the chicken not very moist, and the name appears as both nine-tail chicken and dogtail chicken in different articles, which can be confusing. Overall it is homestyle local cooking for sharing rather than fine dining.

According to Google, it opens from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 to 8:30 p.m. and closes on Mondays; sources may differ, so check before you go. Different sources list different phone numbers, so cross-check before booking. The mint chicken requires pre-ordering and is weekday-only; for group meals, book early or reserve a private room. The restaurant is within walking distance of Dalin Station, and drivers can use street parking nearby.

It suits travellers strolling around slow-city Dalin, visiting the Wanguo Theater or nearby farms, and is ideal for family gatherings or taking older relatives for a nourishing meal. Two or three people can order a pot of dogtail chicken soup with preserved radish fried rice and a vegetable dish; larger groups can add camellia oil chicken or pre-order the mint chicken. Save room for the peanut tofu pudding afterwards.