Yi Zhan Shi Tang (Station Diner)

Review

Yi Zhan Shi Tang sits on Tianjin Street behind Kaohsiung Station, near the Houyi metro stop, and is a nostalgia-themed Taiwanese restaurant. Vintage objects and wooden furniture fill the room to evoke an old Taiwanese railway station, with large round tables for groups and long tables with benches. A food TV program has visited, and bloggers often list it as a gathering spot near the station.

The menu focuses on Taiwanese stir-fries and home cooking. Frequently recommended dishes include scallion omelet, sliced pork jowl, cold squid salad, water snowflake stir-fried with pineapple bean sauce, crispy oysters, golden tofu, cabbage with fermented tofu sauce, garlic pork and braised tilapia. The style is rice-friendly with savory seasoning, good with beer or a bowl of rice.

Diners praise the fair prices and authentic stir-fries, the owner who kindly helps with ordering, and the relaxing nostalgic mood; foreign visitors say it feels like stepping into an old film. Complaints include some greasy dishes and no air conditioning, only fans, which makes summer warm; some also note it is a short walk from the station and that walk-ins without a booking may be asked to wait.

Current hours are roughly 11:30 to 13:30 and 17:30 to 19:30, closed Mondays and Tuesdays; earlier TV listings gave 14:30 and 20:30, so sources differ and it is best to check before going. Expect NT$200 to NT$400 per person. Seats are limited at meal times, so phone ahead to book; orders are written on a sheet.

It suits small groups of friends or families wanting an atmospheric Taiwanese meal near the station. Share several dishes: start with scallion omelet, pork jowl and stir-fried water snowflake, then add braised tilapia as the main. If you dislike heat, choose the evening session and avoid midday in high summer.