If you're familiar with the cuisine of China's Yunnan Province, you're probably in the habit of keeping your ears open for a good Yunnan restaurant. If you've never tried it, then you need to do yourself a favor and remedy that as soon as possible. In either case, you'd do well to stop by Dianwei Chufang next time you're in Muzha.
The restaurant is not big, but it's one of the longest-lasting of those that exist to suckle from NCCU's hungry students. It's survived summer dry spells simply because its food is inexpensive and wonderful, and it does jumping business during the school year.
The specialty of the house is babasi (粑粑絲), which is a standard thin rice noodle served al dente. Traditionally, it is sometimes served cold, and although Dianwei Chufang doesn't do this, the food is refreshingly light, so you can eat it even on a hot summer's day without feeling heavy.
The babasi is mixed with ground meat (pork, chicken or beef) and vegetables, and seasoned to perfection. You can get it dry or in a light but fragrant broth. There's a babasi stir fry (炒粑粑絲) as well, which focuses on tomato and bean sprouts. They do it up in a very thin sauce that picks up flavor from the tomato and from Yunnan spices, and it comes out delicious.
The other main dish comes in a huge, white ceramic bowl filled with scalding water, into which a waiter will dump a plate piled bounteously with meat, vegetables and seafood. It tasted a little bland compared to the rest of the food, and it's probably too big for just one person to eat, especially if you get an appetizer. And you definitely should get one of these, all meant to be shared among two or three people.
By far the most popular is jiaomaji (椒麻雞), a tender, very lightly fried chicken breast seasoned with cilantro and fresh peppers, served over a bed of soft, vinegary cabbage. And if you're one of those poor souls to whom cilantro tastes like soap, they'll be happy to leave it out.
Dianwei Chufang looks packed during nearly every lunch and dinnertime, but there are almost always a few seats left open.
To get there, cross the street from the Taipei Zoo MRT station and take a bus to NCCU. Stay on the side of Zhinan Road (指南路), which runs along the front of the university. Walk away from the river and it is the last restaurant on the left before the end of the university.
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