Ximending is the oldest developed area in Taipei. It's a place where delicious food gathers, with everything from traditional snacks to foreign cuisine. Today, I'm going to recommend a long-established roast meat shop that has a long queue every lunchtime - "Fengcheng Roasted Delights". Not only is the roast meat at this restaurant delicious, but the price is also very reasonable. It's the first choice for lunch for many office workers and students!
Le Palais, a Chinese restaurant located on the 17th floor of Palais de Chine Hotel (above Q Square / Taipei Bus Station) under the LDC Hotels & Resorts group, has been honored as one of the Top 10 Restaurants across Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau. Thanks to a friend's year-end party, I finally had the chance to visit a floor above the 5th in Q Square. It’s incredibly convenient to eat, drink, and just head downstairs to catch a bus back to Taichung!
Appetizers: The appetizers here are excellent. The "Rice Killer" is inspired by the classic dish "Fly's Head" (stir-fried minced pork), swapping chives for green beans—it's incredibly savory and pairs perfectly with rice. The "Fuzhou Stir-fried Dual Crunches" features premium pork kidney and scored squid, stir-fried rapidly over high heat with a rich sauce, offering a delightful dual-crisp texture.
Signature Dish: The legendary "Prophet Duck" (Baby Roast Duck) uses a 28-day-old Cherry Duck. Due to its young age, the breast meat is slightly thinner, but the tenderness of the meat is unmatched by adult ducks. The bones are so soft that the chef can easily carve the whole duck with just a pair of scissors. The crispy duck skin is my favorite part! The remaining bones and head are used to cook a rich, flavorful duck soup and duck congee—a perfect remedy to replenish your HP after a few drinks.
Crispy Roast Pork: This dish brought gasps of admiration from everyone at the table. Made from Matsusaka pork (pork neck), it has a caramelized, crunchy sugar coating on the surface. The sweet and savory taste, combined with a crunch rarely seen in Taiwanese roast pork preparations, locks in the rich juices. It is truly the pinnacle of roast pork.
Truffle Fruit Roast Goose: Finding good roast goose in Taiwan requires luck. This dish features an innovative East-meets-West dipping sauce infused with truffle. The staff will help wrap the crispy goose skin, cucumbers, and fruit pieces in a thin pancake. One bite reveals an incredible crunch, and the addition of fruit prevents it from feeling greasy. This is arguably the best roast goose skin I’ve had in Taiwan so far.
Specialties and Sichuan Classics:Drunken Pig Trotters are chewy, rich in collagen, and carry a delightful aroma of wine.
Sichuan Poached Sliced Beef & Mapo Tofu offer authentic numbing-spicy flavors that pair perfectly with rice.
Sichuan Pepper Fried Egg & Spicy Fried Chicken provide explosive spicy flavors, with the chicken acting like a spicy popcorn chicken.
Drunken Egg & "Whispers" (a playful dish made by rolling pork tongue inside a pig ear) are highly creative.
Typhoon Shelter Style Milkfish Gizzards are deep-fried and stir-fried with garlic and chili.
Fried King Oyster Mushrooms & Salted Egg Yolk Bitter Melon are perfectly executed, crispy and flavorful.
Lastly, the Deep-fried Tofu Cheese Pastry is crisp outside and tender inside, while the Signature Shrimp Dumplings come with a creative syringe to inject red vinegar directly into the dumpling!
Hidden Menu & Conclusion: We were treated to an amazing hidden menu! Including a luxurious stir-fried rice vermicelli made with shredded roast goose, and an extremely rare delicacy—Frog's Stomach. Shaped almost like pitted olives, this was my first time trying it, and it was incredibly delicious, perfectly complementing the drinks. Big thanks to my friend for this grand experience. Le Palais is truly an exceptional restaurant, easily accessible right above Q Square.
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