Dishes to order when trying rechao for the first time
A beginner's guide to three shareable stir-fry classics
Rechao, or stir-fry, restaurants are casual Taiwanese eateries that became popular in the 1980s among workers looking for quick, cheap food and cold beer.
They also fill a gap in Taipei’s dining scene. Lots of restaurants in the city do not serve alcohol, and plenty of smaller places close relatively early. Rechao restaurants, by contrast, are built for those wanting to stay awhile.
They are loud, informal, and social, with bright signs, plastic stools, short tables, and a steady flow of salty, wok-fried food delivered to your table.
Menus at rechao restaurants can be long, with dozens of seafood, meat, vegetable, tofu, and rice dishes listed across several pages or wall signs. For first-timers, This Is Taipei recommends starting with these three reliable and shareable dishes.
#1: Sizzling Tofu
A mild hot-plate dish with tofu, vegetables, and a savory sauce
Served on a hot iron plate, sizzling tofu (鐵板豆腐, tiě bǎn dòu fǔ) is a popular rechao dish.
The version we ordered was still bubbling when it arrived at our table, with pieces of tofu, onions, scallions, carrots, and wood ear mushrooms coated in a soy-based sauce.
The tofu was super crispy on the outside and soft inside, and the sauce had a light, savory flavor.
Overall, This Is Taipei recommends it for first timers because it is mild, easy to share, and pairs especially well with rice. It can also be a good option for vegetarians, though it is worth checking whether the sauce contains meat stock.
#2: Kung Pao Chicken
A familiar, spicy-sweet dish with crisp pieces of chicken
Served with dried red chilies, garlic, and scallions, Kung Pao chicken (宮保雞丁, gōng bǎo jī dīng) is a sweet and salty dish with a spicy edge.
It is popular among foreign diners, partly because it is familiar from Chinese restaurants overseas, but also because it is simply tasty: Crisp chicken, peanuts, garlic, scallions, and dried red chilies that give it a kick. The version we ordered came with a generous amount of sweet-salty soy-style sauce and a lot of chilies.
Overall, it is familiar, easy to share, and has enough spice to be interesting without being overwhelming. It also pairs excellently with beer.
#3: Hakka Stir Fry
A texture-heavy stir-fry with pork belly, dried tofu, and squid
Built around pork belly, dried tofu, squid, scallions, and chilies, Hakka stir-fry (客家小炒, kè jiā xiǎo chǎo) is ubiquitous at Taipe's rechao restaurants.
According to Taiwan's Hakka Affairs Council, the dish is a frugal home-style dish first put together by Hakka women who used leftover meats and ingredients from religious festival sacrifices.
The main ingredients are pork and squid, and the dish is designed to taste salty, fragrant, and greasy. However, what arrives at your table will vary from restaurant to restaurant and your location in Taiwan.
The version we ordered had thin strips of pork, tofu, and squid tossed with a soy sauce, which gave the dish a salty and smoky flavor.
