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Kaokeng Beef Restaurant 高坑牛肉麵

By Ian Bartholomew
STAFF REPORTER
Friday, Oct 29, 2004, Page 15

The cold collation of ox tongue and stomach is a great introduciton to the 'whole cow' banquet. PHOTO: IAN BARTHOLOMEW, TAIPEI TIMES

Kinmen is famous for its history, not for its food. But this doesn't mean that good, or at least interesting, food cannot be found on the island. Kaokeng Beef Restaurant will provide plenty of interest for carnivores and is a special delight if one is interested in pushing the envelope of beef cuisine.

Kaokeng Beef Restaurant is not your average steakhouse. It has plenty of good beef, but the excitement -- or possible revulsion -- comes with the serving up of virtually every other part of the cow that you have ever heard of. These are available as individual dishes, or as part of the restaurant's "whole cow" banquet.

With the arrival of the cold collation, you know that the people at Kaokeng Beef Restaurant are not fooling around. The sliced tongue and shredded stomach is accompanied by a vibrant chili sauce and coriander leaves. It's a great way to get you in the mood. Then one can move on to the deep fried large intestine, crisp and lusciously greasy.

Kaokeng might be unpretentious, but it rises to the occasional culinary playfulness. The meal can be completed with a simple bowl of beef noodles, which is tasty and good value at NT$80, but is not the stuff of indelible memories.

For those venturing on the "whole cow" banquet, a high level of commitment is necessary, both in time and in a willingness to explore new sensations. With a total of 17 dishes, around two hours is recommended. Brought face to face with curried cow eyes, bull's penis in brown sauce, tendons in spicy sauce, and cow's heart in sesame oil you might want to find some Dutch courage with some of Kinmen's finest Kaoliang spirit.

The "whole cow" banquet serves up to 15 people and costs NT$6,000. A slightly less daunting "half cow" banquet is also available for NT$3,000. Dishes can be ordered individually and there is a small selection of plates with chicken and pork, or simple fried vegetables, but these are definitely an afterthought. Basically, if you don't like beef, Kaokeng Beef Restaurant is likely to be a little off-putting. Presentation is straightforward and things look like pretty much what they are. Watch out for the eyes!

If all this sounds a bit too much, there is also a shop selling Kaokeng's own beef jerky, which is a popular local specialty.
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