Usually at home I would just drive straight to the Chick-Fil-A on Sunset Blvd (barring whatever ignorance the franchise owners may have, good food is still good food). But since Hollywood is no longer a 15 minute drive away (more like 15 hour flight), there is now no quench for that fried food craving. And that can really drive a person nuts (trust me!). So now I’m here in Taipei and I just refuse to believe there isn’t a great place serving the same delicious dish of crisp, well-seasoned tender chicken that doesn’t taste like the shameful stuff that McDonalds, KFC or Burger King are trying to sell.
Also wondering the same thing about fried mushrooms (those things are just amazing). Names of your favorite stores along with its location/address would be very appreciated.
The family working a few stalls in from the entrance at YongHe nightmarket. Middle-aged, wiry-looking guy and pudding-faced wife (sometimes their daughter also). Haven’t been there for a couple of years so it’s possible they’ve gone. But they are, undoubtedly, the best.
Don’t know the name of the chain but the best (garlic marinated) fried chicken parts I always eat are to be found at the entrance of Shimending, near Nova ( close to the MacDonalds) and in other parts of town.
Juicy, not fried in 4 weeks old oil and simply tasty.
I think the paper bags carry a picture of a chicken if remembered correctly.
In Shilin night market, just at the entrance, they have fried BBQ chicken. Delicious. It is the first stall on the row right across from the MRT station, the road that goes to the new Shilin roofed market place where they put all the stands that were indoors before.
[quote=“ceevee369”]Don’t know the name of the chain but the best (garlic marinated) fried chicken parts I always eat are to be found at the entrance of Shimending, near Nova ( close to the MacDonalds) and in other parts of town.
Juicy, not fried in 4 weeks old oil and simply tasty.
I think the paper bags carry a picture of a chicken if remembered correctly.[/quote]
YES. They are soo good. I think its called DinGuaGua Tzah Tzee (ding gua gua fried chicken)
Wow… really? I’ve only ever tried them once, and never had the inclination to repeat the experience. Maybe I just got unlucky.[/quote]
Their chicken has a pretty distinctive flavor, but what I really like is their sweet potato fries. Overall, it has a very localized flavor, quite unique.
Wow… really? I’ve only ever tried them once, and never had the inclination to repeat the experience. Maybe I just got unlucky.[/quote]
Their chicken has a pretty distinctive flavor, but what I really like is their sweet potato fries. Overall, it has a very localized flavor, quite unique.[/quote]
you ma’am, know whats up. sweet potato fries are amazing. theres a cajun seafood place I used to frequent back home, and I’ll always order a side dish of sweet potato fries to go with whatever it was I was having. de-lish.
It wasn’t so much the taste (which was fine) as the texture, which resembled a deep-fried cardigan. It seemed to have been sitting in the cabinet for several days before I got to eat it.
And I still say the aforementioned pudding-faced family do the world’s best sweet potato fries too, as well as chicken.
Wow… really? I’ve only ever tried them once, and never had the inclination to repeat the experience. Maybe I just got unlucky.[/quote]
Its very different from American style Fried chicken my friend.
IM used to it and I sure do miss it. I make sure to get some each chance I get when im back on the rock.
Its ok if you dont fancy it though. Its not for everyone. Not very American tasting at all.[/quote]
Hi there. And where in California might you be? (assuming by “calif” you mean the great Golden State)[/quote]
Yes I am in California close to the tony town of Walnut Creek . Cant give the exact address of course in case anyone wants to target an ICBM at the tomster.
It wasn’t so much the taste (which was fine) as the texture, which resembled a deep-fried cardigan. It seemed to have been sitting in the cabinet for several days before I got to eat it.
And I still say the aforementioned pudding-faced family do the world’s best sweet potato fries too, as well as chicken.[/quote]
Thats the thing you see, you CAN throw it in a closet for a few days and it will STILL taste have a texture like a cardagan.
No actually it really is very very good, but its a conditioned response.
Many many moons ago when Jesus was jut a young fella KFC came to Taipei . Or perhaps a knock off KFC. And i do believe there was just ONE store. And that ONE store went the way of the Eagles. And then not much later came this DingGuaGua fried chicken. Which at that time was basically the ONLY fried chicken there was to eat.
Hence the conditioned response thing. SInce it was the ONLY fried chicken you could get, if you wanted fried chicken you got that. Because there simply wasnt anything else.
Then came the real KFC and then Texas Fried Chicken (and yes PIzza Hut does a really good fried chicken, strange as it may be).
The thing is the Dingguagua chicken taste exactly the same as it did 20 years ago. Heck it may be the same chicken stored since 20 years ago, who knows. But it sure is doggone good (to me).
and yes love the sweet potato fries. Its the ONLY fries to have man.
My favorite is a stall behind Zhong Shan Jr. High MRT station on the Mucha line. Make a right upon exiting, another right at the stoplight (Jinzhou St.), and just after you cross the first small alley it’s on the right. Google Maps tells me it’s “approximately” 450 Jinzhou St.
They specialize in deep fried chicken patties, pounded flat and made to order in a hearty breaded batter. But in the display, they sell “typical” fried chicken that not many people seem to order, but I love. Usually you can go to the front of the crowd (who are usually waiting for their chicken patties, but seem intent on waiting in front of the display) and point at the pieces you like to the lady behind. These are a lighter breed of fried chicken: golden vs. golden brown, crispy instead of crunchy, and a bit less greasy. I think it’s juicy and delicious but that is my purely subjective opinion. If you don’t like spice, make sure you say up front, or else, she’ll dash the obligatory pepper and spicy red powder on it.
Ya know what, fellas? Everyone who’s posted directions to the location of their recommended store, I will make it a point to give that place a visit (if it ain’t too far out).
Food is wonderful. Food is great. All hail delicious substances that also provide nutritional support to the body.
Iv been to two locations of Din Gua Gua fried chicken in Hsimenting. They are both not far from the Hsimenting station of the MRT. Just wander around there, you are sure to come across them.
TKK (http://www.tkkinc.com.tw/main.asp) (or Muscle Chicken, as we used to call it) was Taiwan’s first major attempt at a Western-style fast food chain.
There used to be a ton of them around, but sadly, they don’t seem to appeal to this generation’s taste.
They’re continually raising prices, reducing portions, and closing down outlets.
As I’ve mentioned before, it’s dang good fried chicken, better by a long shot than The Colonel AND that pre-frozen over-salted mutant crap from McDs, Burger King, and Domino’s.
None of those Western Imperialist outfits can offer you, in addition to the aforementioned delectable Yam Fries, the unspeakable glory of:
Necks, sold by weight
OR
The Infamous Taiwan Rice Roll, a hearty portion of You Fan wrapped in chicken skin and fried.
Serious eating.
ETA: In an actual attempt to address the original post, there’s a tabbed (supposedly current) list of locations there on the website.
I know of about 4 in Taipei and county that are still open.
