With its two big dining halls dominated by banquet tables, the Big Fisherman Guoyan Restaurant (大漁翁國宴美食餐廳) can be a little off-putting for the casual diner, but it does cater to couples and smaller groups. The friendly and helpful staff and the range of unusual items on the menu make up for the lack of a cozy atmosphere.
Big Fisherman, located within the National Center for Traditional Arts (國立傳統藝術中心), specializes in Ilan fare, which has good claim to being a traditional Taiwanese regional cuisine. This is emphasized in restaurant’s name: guoyan (國宴) translates as “state banquet,” which goes some way to explaining the rather formal decor.
The signature dishes such as kaocha (糕渣, NT$160) look remarkably simple, but are masterpieces of Chinese culinary art. This traditional Ilan dish, made from a reduction of chicken stock and minced seafood that is then formed into a jelly and deep-fried, is a tour of intense flavors and a fascinating mixture of textures, with its crisp skin, soft gelatinous interior and flavorsome meat and fish.
The platter of Ilan and Hakka preserved meats is also exciting. While the slices of lightly cooked pig’s liver (粉肝) had a slightly smoky flavoring that differentiated them from the usual method of preparation, the Hakka plate of liver marinated in gall (膽肝), with its mix of salty and slightly fermented flavors, proved an extraordinarily tasty accompaniment to rice, but not one for the unadventurous. Shredded preserved duck (鴨賞) mixed with scallions, also an Ilan specialty, showed off the charcutier’s skills. Each of the above three dishes can be ordered individually; ask for a mixed platter (NT$220) if you want them served together.
Less adventurous but also an instant hit was bursting pork (爆肉, NT$160), another Ilan specialty in which the pork is marinated then deep-fried in a light batter and served with salted pepper. It is simple, but also very flavorful, as was another uncompromisingly simple dish of fried Sanhsin scallions (三星蔥蒜, NT$200). The township of Sanhsin (三星鄉) in Ilan County produces the most highly regarded shallots on the island, and this refreshing vegetable stir-fry is proof that top quality ingredients need little adornment. An attempt at a more conventional dish, a stir-fry of asparagus and mountain yam (蘆筍山藥, NT$220), which had no particular association with the region, proved rather uninspired compared to the specialties.
To finish off the meal, a range of desserts are available, and once again it was the humble mashed taro (古味芋泥, NT$100) which came up trumps. Basic mashed taro is part of many Chinese sweets, but this bowl of taro, mixed with lard, egg yoke and preserved orange peel, was an outstanding variation on a theme.
While Big Fisherman Guoyan is clearly set up for banquets, it was its small local dishes that really shone. Getting to the restaurant requires admission to the National Center for Traditional Arts (NT$150). The restaurant also has a branch in Ilan City located at 433 Kungyuan Rd, Ilan City, Ilan County (宜蘭縣宜蘭市公園路433號), tel: 03-9255589.
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