[Taiwan] 李仔哥 (Lee Zai Ge) 爌肉飯 @ Xinyi Road, Puli Township, Nantou

After our good stay at Sun Moon Lake, it was time to head back towards Taipei. We went to visit Puli Wine Brewery and we got hungry thereafter. It was almost 1pm before we stopped by this shop that Sam, our local guide suggested. Braised pork rice for lunch? Yes please.

shopfront

It feels like a hometown eatery where parking space is limited and by the roadside. Lucky us, we managed to find a spot within walking distance to the shop. They have seats upstairs so one need to place order at the counter downstairs for food and drinks, make payment and then get a table upstairs. There are washrooms available upstairs and differentiated for males and females.

Mostly uncles and aunties were seen in the shop. Local tourists, they seemed. Sam mentioned that they have a special off-menu item called tui ku rou 腿裤肉 (leg pants meat?), or maybe they meant the upper limb meat. Not quite sure but Sam warned us that this is one piece of fatty meat!

Was seriously thirsty by the time we got to this shop. Partly due to the alcohol tasting at Puli earlier. Keke. The drinks was nice but the tiny tiny fen yuen (flour balls) makes it really hard to get to the liquid. Ugh.

wintermelon lime with fen yuen

Very quickly, lunch is served. We ordered fried pork ribs rice, braised pork belly rice, one dried preserved vege braised rice and two specials of fatty meat rice. Side dishes of braised items and stir-fried lettuce. The lettuce was the only greens amongst the browns.

lunch for 5 pax

Had a quick question for our guide as to why the braise sauce in Nantou, southern of Taiwan, is so light. For Hokkien or Cantonese style of braising, usually we will use the dark soy sauce and the colour would be much darker. He pondered, and answered. He also does not know why! So, if anyone could help enlighten, please send an email to purplerain@gmail.com. Thanks!

腿裤肉 (fatty meat) braised rice

Surprisingly, while there were plenty of fats for the meat, it wasn't cloyingly oily. It was just soft collageny goodness. The meat was also rather lean in the sense the fats were all on the skin part. Yummy with the bamboo shoots. Worth ordering.

李仔哥爌肉飯

Address: No. 326, Xinyi Road, Puli Township, Nantou County, Taiwan 545
Website: https://www.facebook.com/%E6%9D%8E%E4%BB%94%E5%93%A5%E7%88%8C%E8%82%89%E9%A3%AF-146746108713498/
Contact: +886 4 9298 3496
Business Hours:
Daily: 6am to 3pm