Restaurants of the week

Despite being the size of a bedroom, this shop has built a reputation for Taiwanese dumplings -- pen-shih (扁食) -- that has attracted a range of celebrities, from movie star Jackie Chan to politician James Soong (宋楚瑜).

It is another store rich with history. Established on Wu-fu Road in Kaohsiung 38 years ago, the diner earned its fame when it moved to Taipei 13 years ago. The owner, Lin Chin-tai (林進泰), once won the title of the fastest (hand-made) dumpling-maker in Taiwan.

Lin, of course, pays attention to more than just speed. He invented an original wrapping method to make his Shrimp Pen-shih (鮮蝦扁食), in which the skin folds the stuffing in a rectangular shape instead of a round one. This requires more time and labor, but it shows why Wu-fu has become the most popular Taiwanese-style dumpling diner.

Although Taiwanese dumplings tend to be less solid, this doesn't mean their taste is in any way watered down. According to Lin, there are six kinds of secret seasonings inside his stuffing, which smells something like sesame oil. We recommend the Shrimp Soup Pen-shih and Spicy Red Oil Pen-shih (香辣紅油扁食), which resembles a Sichuan dish. To enjoy more Taiwanese snacks, try the house's well-known Stewed Minced Pork with Rice (魯肉飯) or Octopus Salad.