“If it is difficult to fish, let’s open up a noodle stand.” Things I have dreamed about.

This is the Taiwanese entrepreneurial spirit. The fisherman from Tainan decided to open up a noodle stand during the typhoon months of August and September in 1895 when fishing was challenging.  This is to weather the storm; the literal translation from Chinese is to pass the small months in fishing, 度小月。 The restaurant is famous for its authentically Taiwanese noodle stand at the entrance of the store where the chef makes the noodles to order.

What the noodle stand would have been like in 1895.

Sauces, meatballs, and stewed soup.

The full view of the noodle stand

A small bowl of the Tainan danzai noodles, 擔仔麵。

Tainan’s famous pork rice tamale， 肉粽。I would like to say that this is the best pork rice tamale in Taiwan.  I grew up with this delicacy in Kaohsiung. My second aunt from my mother’s side would make them by hand for 端午節， for the celebration of the famous poet, 屈原。 This is the same holiday where we do dragon boat racing. This is so authentically Southern Taiwanese and brought back so many memories. Can you tell that I am Southern Taiwanese?  To my regret, all the Asian grocery stores in NY do not make them as delicious as this!

Oh my my my! This is mullet’s roes, grilled and served with daikon and green scallion.  This is one of my most favorite foods in the world.  The mullet’s roes are usually in season during the Chinese New Years.  Chinese New Year celebrations are on par to those for Christmas. For New Year’s Eve, my family would grill some of the roes and I would binge on them.  It was one of my happiest memories of Taiwan.

This is how you put it together and eat it in one bite.  This is something I dream about… That connection made long ago is still there! This was extremely satisfying!

Milkfish’s belly, pan-fried.  It was good but not my cup of tea.

Believe it or not, for a girl who does not like alcohol, I finally found my vice. This is good beer.  Beer with Taiwanese oranges. But I guess this is a sissy drink with only 2.8% alcohol content and 5.5% juice.

This experience brought back some happy childhood memories and satisfied a part of me that I have forgotten.  What great eating!  I highly recommend it.  The restaurant is

Du Xiao Yue (度小月), Taipei, Taiwan

Address: No. 12號, Alley 8, Lane 216, Section 4, Zhōngxiào East Rd, Daan District, Taipei City, Taiwan 106

Bon appétit!