HOME CENTRAL TAIWAN DINING

COMPASS MAGAZINE February 2013
　

	Ji Jiu Zhan puts a modern spin on traditional favorites By Niang Chen Translated by Angel Pu 22, MeiCun Rd, Sec 1, West Dist. (04) 2328-3737 Hours: 11 am-2 pm, 5 pm-3 am English menu Credit cards accepted. 10% service charge. Parking available. Its bright-red neon sign and big lanterns make Ji Jiu Zhan, located next to SOGO Department Store, a very striking evening sight. In order to differentiate himself from other traditional "shao-jiu-ji" (chicken with rice wine) and "jiang-mu-ya" (stew duck with ginger) restaurants, which tend to all look the same, owner Mr. Chiu decided that his restaurant had to be stylish and attractive for younger diners. Besides decor, Ji Jiu Zhan's chicken dishes are also very international, developed by professional chefs and mostly created out of local ingredients. The restaurant insists that everything--from the dipping sauces to pepper salt--be handmade to help ensure that diners will enjoy chicken-based cuisine here that is not only very delicious but also authentic. ding Stewed Soft-Shell Turtle & Chicken in Broth (NT$1,280), Gold Caterpillar Fungus Chicken Soup (NT$580/half chicken), Rice Wine Stewed Chicken Soup (NT$620/half chicken), Singapore Bak Kut Teh Chicken Soup (NT$620/half chicken), and Caterpillar Fungus with Spicy Chicken (NT$620/half chicken) with hot-pot ingredients ordered a la carte. All types of Taiwanese stir-fried dishes are available, too.
	Stir-fried bitter melon with salted eggs is a very common dish so, in order to stand out, the chefs developed Bitter Melon Balls with Salted Eggs (NT$220) which boasts the light, refreshing flavor of bitter melon without the bitterness, making it hard to believe it contains these fruit. Also pictured is Stir-Fried Intestines (NT$200).
	Made with the freshest beef that the owner purchases from the Jianguo traditional market daily, Sliced Beef with Scallions (NT$280) is a juicy, tender stir-fried dish.
	BBQ Roast Shrimp (NT$280) is made from juicy, sweet live shrimp that can be eaten without peeling away their shells. Rum provides this dish's special flavor.
	Made of sesame oil, eggs, rice wine and rice, Fried Eggs with Rice Wine (NT$80) is a classic dish used in traditional times to give nourishment to women who had just given birth.
	The sweet-and-sour Shrimp Balls with Kiwi Fruit (NT$260) is an addictive dish.
	Gold Caterpillar Fungus Chicken Soup (NT$580/half) is made with fresh caterpillar fungus and a two-kilogram adult black-boned chicken. Its broth has a refreshing, smooth flavor.