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Restaurant: Ever Green Restaurant (常青餃子館)

By David Momphard
STAFF REPORTER
Friday, Feb 25, 2005, Page 15

Pot stickers and a Coke make for a great, quick dinner. PHOTO: DAVID MOMPHARD, TAIPEI TIMES

Some restaurant reviews take a critical look at a popular eatery and others just point you in the right direction, i.e. take Nanjing Road west until you come to the circular glass building in the middle of the street, then look for the sushi place in the alley on the left; or, go the Wan-nian Building in Ximending and try the cold noodles in the stall at the bottom of the down escalator.

This review is more like that. So to cut to the chase, if you're interested in trying some of the best pot stickers in town, go past Minquan East Road heading north on Zhongshan and check out Dou Jin-ying's (竇錦英) place in the alley beside the Watsons store. Don't bother looking for an English sign -- there isn't one. And don't bother spending too much time reading the menu -- just give Dou a number for how many you want.

Hers are better pot stickers than others I've tried because the bread wrappings are thicker than the average dumpling. The result is, when fried, the outside becomes a bit crispy and chewy.

Use a chopstick to punch a hole in the crust of each -- the pork stuffing is scalding hot. Pour a bit of soy sauce in a ramekin, dab in some chili and you're ready to go. I recommend ordering a Coke because it's the perfect compliment to the dipping sauce and helps cuts the grease from the pot stickers.

The grease is worth mentioning, actually, because of the grill that produces it. Dou's place has been frying up pot stickers in the same kitchen since 1958 and the grill has nearly a half-century of seasoning burned into it. Her mother ran the place before her and can still be seen each night at her table by the kitchen, quietly letting everyone know she's still the boss.

Disclosure: I may be partial to Dou's pot stickers because they were the first I had after arriving in Taipei some years ago. And I ate them frequently after that. I'd order a slab of 20, wash them down with a bottle of Coke, and waddle back to work.

A general "Anyone for pot stickers?" asked to the office usually solicited several positive responses back then. They're likely still a favorite dinner option for those who work at that office now. They still are for me.

If you try them and find they're not your thing, check out the cold noodles in Ximending. Take the escalator to the basement of the Wan-nian Building and hang a left.
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