Pujing Huchou Sharks Fin Restaurant 〈葡京湖州魚翅酒樓〉

For the past 20 years, the chefs at the Pujing Husa Sharks Fin Restaurant (葡京湖州魚翅酒樓) have been cooking up some of Taipei's most talked-about Cantonese fair. So well known is the Pujing that regular clientele includes an ex-president, several ex-premiers, legislators, lawmakers, the odd pop star or two and even coach-loads of Japanese tourists.

Originally located in a rather shabby building in one of Taipei's less fashionable districts north of the city's main railway station, the Pujing moved to its present location in the chic Dinghao neighborhood four years ago.

While the move to one of the city's more swank locales saw the restaurant's environment take a mighty leap forward, it certainly didn't affect the food served by the Pujing's head chefs, all of whom hail from the true home of Chinese cooking, Hong Kong.

"Cantonese cuisine outclasses its rivals," explained Cheng Kam-choi (鄭錦財), the Pujing's manager and Hong Kong national. "There's no clutter and the food is simple. Instead of relying on spices or salt for flavor, good Cantonese food should taste natural and of course, fresh."

While patrons of the Pujing won't find much of interest to ogle at in the way of interior design, the odors emanating from the kitchen will have nostrils twitching. In fact, were it not for the lack of the Cantonese tongue wafting through the air, diners at the Pujing could be forgiven for believing they'd just wandered into a restaurant on the Kowloon peninsula.

To ensure a truly Hong Kong flavor, none of the restaurant's dishes have been changed in order to cater to local tastes.

While the extensive menu includes a selection of meats, such as various styles of duck and goose alongside oddities such as double-boiled birds nest with coconut milk (NT$450, 椰汁燉官燕) and the interesting garlic-scented frog casserole (NT$420, 蒜子田雞煲), it is the restaurant's seafood creations that draw the crowds.

Some of the most popular seafood dishes include the braised lobster in bouillon (高湯焗龍蝦), salted scallops with broccoli (NT$450, 帶子扒西蘭花), pan-fried loofah country style (NT$300, 家鄉絲瓜煎) and mullet (NT$300, 鳥魚).

Unlike many of the city's more up-market Cantonese eateries, dim sum is served all day long. And with dim sum dishes costing from between NT$58 and NT$170 diners don't have to break the bank in order to enjoy the taste of Hong Kong at the Pujing.