TAIPEI, Dec 20 — The broth is thick and unctuous. Rich and golden. Its aroma sublime.
This is the chicken soup of our dreams. Simmered for over 12 hours using only the best ingredients — free-range hens, premium scallops and dry-cured jīnhuá huǒtuǐ — the Chicken and Jinhua Ham Soup in a Clay Pot (shāguō yīpǐn jī) is the epitome of decadent comfort.
We inhale deeply, nourished by every breath we take. We sip reverently, stunned by its flavour.
This isn’t a soup you’d get at simply any restaurant. Nor in every city in the world, for that matter.
The name of the restaurant is the Guest House. Located in central Taipei, it is one of the few in the capital to command two Michelin stars.
The head chef, Lin Ju-Wei, oversees a menu exploring two of the Four Great Traditions in Chinese cuisine (Sì Dà Càixì) — Huaiyang and Sichuan — albeit from a Taiwanese perspective.
Black and white scenes from Jiangsu Province breathe some minimalist elegance to the wood panelled walls.
The canals of Zhouzhuang and the bridges of Suzhou, zigzaging over islands and pools, gently remind us the wonders of China isn’t limited to its myriad regional cuisines.
In Huaiyang cuisine, every dish revolves around one main ingredient. Sounds simple but what is basic can reveal layers of complexity: the skill in which a specific ingredient is sliced will determine how it is to be cooked. The texture dictates the taste.
Take the Shredded Hundred Leaves Tofu (xiān lù dòufu sī) that our server recommends to us.
The tofu skin is finer than any yuba we’ve ever had in Japan — a reminder that the first people to have made bean curd were from the Han Chinese dynasty over 2,000 years ago.
There are centuries of craft, handed down from cook to cook, generation by generation, to slicing the fragile tofu so finely, like whisper-thin layers of soy mille-feuille. These leaves melt in the mouth, like snow on a summer’s day.
Huaiyang cuisine often has a touch of acidity from the use of the regional Zhenjiang vinegar.
Dishes benefit from a subtle sweetness though they are rarely spicy, unlike those of Sichuan cuisine.
Therefore the inclusion of Sichuan favourites such as mápó dòufu offers an interesting contrast to the lighter Huaiyang fare.
At the Guest House, this traditional Sichuan classic is given a contemporary Taiwanese twist: the Braised Tofu with Fish Roe (yúzǐ shāo dòufu) is enriched with the amber orbs to counterbalance the heat of the Sichuan pepper powder.
We go slow, requesting that the dishes be served course by course to better enjoy each on its own merit.
Such is the spirit of Huaiyang cuisine — a relentless showcase of the best every ingredient has to offer — while the Sichuan influence ensures hits of málà (“numbing” and “piquant”) when we least expect them.
There is a meticulous art to the seemingly basic Sliced Boiled Pork with Mashed Garlic (suànní báiròu); careful simmering and low fires are required to ensure the delicate meat isn’t overcooked.
Similarly, the Ferns with Japanese Dressing (héfēng jué cài) is a display of restrained and fresh flavours.
Another Sichuan staple, Deep–fried Szechuan Green Beans with Shrimp & Chopped Pork (gān biān sìjì dòu), is elevated by wrapping the beans with spring onion pancakes (cōng yóubǐng). The aromatic crêpes made every roll more addictive than the last.
Time for some serious carbs. Another signature dish at the Guest House is their Chicken Rice with Black Sesame Oil (máyóu jī fàn).
A traditional Taiwanese dish, comfort food at its best, this version is made using koshihikari — a sticky and sweet Japanese rice — that is first soaked in rice wine to further enhance its fragrance.
Is there a perfume more heavenly than that of spicy old ginger and high quality black sesame oil, than that of tender morsels of chicken stir-fried with rice wine? Forget any diets you’re on; one bowl is never enough.
Other house specialties include Crispy Cherry Duck Leg (xiāng sū yīngtáo yā tuǐ), Pork Tail in Fermented Red Yeast (hóng qū wěibā or literally “red dragonfly tail”) and Stewed Pork Belly with Preserved Plums (méigān cài kòu ròu).
But you should always make room for dessert; we always do.
Every Chinese meal has to finish with something sweet — though perhaps not too sweet, given the light Huaiyang touch — for good tidings and happy endings.
The ubiquitous Sweetened Red Bean Pancakes (hóngdòu jiān guō bing) served at every Chinese wedding banquet is filled with coarsely mashed adzuki beans rather than commercial red bean paste. The wafer-thin pancakes shatter deliciously with every bite.
For something soothing, their sweet soups or tángshuǐ will ease any aches. Be it the Lotus Root Soup with Sweet Lily-bud and Goji Berries (bǎihé lián’ǒu lù) or the Sweetened Hasma Soup with Red Dates (hóngzǎo xuěhá zhōng), every sip is tiny prayer for wellness.
And who wouldn’t feel hale and wholesome, after such a sumptuous meal? No guests have ever felt quite as welcome, we reason, or as well fed!
The Guest House 請客樓
17F, Sheraton Grand Hotel, 12, Section 1, Zhongxiao East Road, Zhongzheng, Taipei 110, Taiwan
Open daily lunch 11:30am-2:30pm & dinner 6pm-9:30pm
Tel: +886 2 2321 1818
