Wu Zhu Ju Taipei

Posted By Jennifer Ho Jul 20 2011 · 0 comments · Dining Out

Handmade Tofu With Pine Seeds, Shredded Dried Pork, Coriander and Homemade Soya Sauce

Two hours away from Taipei (one if you drive quickly) there is a beautiful little restaurant off a back road called Wu Zhu Ju. The entranceway winds through a small garden full of bamboo shoots, a little stream and a tiny bridge. It is full of greenery and exotic flowers and it is also very quiet and zen-like. Natives that I went with truly appreciate the place for the authenticity of the Hakka style food as well as the chance to be around nature, a sort of getaway from the hustle and bustle of Taipei city.

Spicy Shredded Beef and Mango Passionfruit Starter

This restaurant has a separate building for those who prefer eating the Japanese way with tatami mats, socks and slippers as well as another area with air conditioning (the main area does not have this feature). There are also many bottles of different kinds of homemade fruit and vegetable vinegar for sale.

Pork Intestines Marinated With Sweet Red Peppers and Kumquats

We ordered several xiao tsai – little dishes traditional of Hakka cooking. This included a mango passionfruit bowl and a spicy shredded beef bowl to start. There was a pork plate that had quite a few fatty pieces in there, actually considered one of the most delicious parts of the animal (careful not to eat too much!). We also had a sliced bamboo and carrot starter, pork intestines marinated with sweet red peppers and kumquats (definitely my favorite dish of the night), handmade tofu with pine seeds, shredded dried pork, coriander and home made soya sauce, dried tofu with shallots and fried beef, savory duck with Hakka style sweet and sour sauce, a dragon eye soup with marinated chicken and button mushrooms and finally, a shot of cranberry vinegar to wash it all down and cleanse the palate.