Shin Yeh Taiwanese Signature 欣葉•鐘菜 @ Taipei

This is a rags-to-riches story, one of many in Taiwan, that proves that if you sod something really well and persist with it, you can be extremely successful no matter how humble the thing is.

Shin Yeh Taiwanese Cuisine 欣葉台菜 started in 1977 on Shuangcheng Street 雙城街 as small eatery offering Taiwanese porridge 清粥小菜. Taiwanese cuisine is about the original taste of the ingredient, and the familiar taste of Taiwanese since childhood.

In order to present a complete food puzzle of Taiwanese cuisine, the group invited Master Guan Maoyin 官茂寅, who is good at making dimsum snacks, and Master Chen Weinan 陳渭南, who was trained among the restaurants in Beitou. PS: Beitou was a hot spring area where during the Japanese occupation catered to the officials – many classic dishes were invented there.

Fast forward to today, and a Michelin star later, Xinye is now synonymous with the completely new category of Taiwanese cuisine. I am not so keen of the new, innovative dishes, but the classics which we ordered for dinner.

蔭豉蒜青蚵 Fresh Oyster, Leek, Soya Bean, Stir-fried

Fresh, fat and juicy oysters are stir-fried over high heat with black fermented soybeans and scallions. It is an extremely delicious and tasty dish, a rice killer.

麻油腰花 Pork Kidney, Ginger, Sesame Oil, Stir-fried

The moment it was served, the room was filled with the aroma of the sesame oil. The pork kidney was cooked a la minute, and the texture wa crunchy. The sauce was filled with the strong and distinct taste of Taiwan rice wine and ginger. A very good eat during the cold winter nights.

香煎豬肝 Pork Liver, Corriander, Fried

Shin Yeh Executive Chef Nan, affectionally known as 阿南師’s creation pays a lot of attention to the selection of ingredients as well as knife work and wokhei. Every slice of pork liver is of equal thickness with the membrane removed. After a thin layer of flour is applied, the liver goes through a quick shower of hot oil, and then finished quickly with soy sauce, pepper and sugar. The pork liver is smooth and tender and full of aroma, and yet remains tender and perfectly cooked. Eat it immediately after it is served!

松子時蔬腐皮卷 Tofu Skin, Sprout, Black Fungus, Carrot, Pine Nut, Sesame Dressing

This is one of the two innovative seasonal dishes that we ordered. Refreshing cold appetiser made from wrapping different ingredients with beancurd skin and drizzled with a sweet and spicy sauce, it could be from a table of Western fine dining if not for the distinctly Chinese ingredients.

海鮮炒米粉 Sea Cucumber, Squid, Shrimp, Fresh Oyster, Cabbage, Carrot, Scallion, Rice Noodle, Stir-fried

Shin Yeh’s fried rice vermicelli is one of the favourite dishes of regular customers. The vermicelli are smooth, springy and still retain their length, unlike most other restaurants that overcooked their vermicelli that they turned mushy and broken. With shredded meat, scrambled eggs, cabbage, snap peas, dried shrimp and other seafood, it is a must-order.

五味鮮九孔鮑 Baby Abalone, Five Spices Sauce, Chilled

The other innovative appetiser takes farmed baby abalone locally known as 九孔 or “nine holes” because opf the nine holes on the shell boiled and chilled them before smothering the with a very complex tasting sauce. The sauce is sweet, tangy, spicy, umami and pungent (in a good way) all at once.

紅蟳米糕 Roe Crab, Pork, Mushroom, Glutinous Rice, Steamed

Roe Crab, Pork, Mushroom, Glutinous Rice, Steamed

This is a delicacy that is served whenever there’s a happy occasion – baby showers, birthdays of elderlies, etc. The locally sourced mud crab 紅蟳 that was filled with roe was chopped to pieces and steamed with the glutinous rice, together with shredded shiitake mushrooms, pork, dried shrimp and deep fried shallots. The crab paste was rich and oily, and the crab meat was fresh and sweet.

Also referred to as 油飯 or “oily rice”, the glutinous rice absorbed the flavours of ingredients and the sweetness of the mud crab. I always enjoy this dish whenever it is served, because of the happy connotation it brings.

白片土雞 Savoury Chicken, Poached

I find it strange to say, that the chicken has “chicken taste”. This is not an exaggeration because modern farming created these growth hormone-laden chickens that grew to slaughter size in a very short period. As such the taste and nutrition of the chicken are sacrificed. These days people seek free-range chickens that take a much longer time to rear. The result can be felt (and tasted) in these poached chicken that has great texture and chicken taste.

杏仁花生豆腐 Almond Tofu with Peanuts

I didn’t know that their almond tofu had peanuts in them until I read the description and allergy warning. It was a good eat, but I wasn’t that keen on the texture – different from the Cantonese version of the same.

杏仁花生茶 Almond Tea

The almond tea came with a slice of almond puff pastry. The tea had a rather nice fragrance and a good almond taste, not too overpowering. And you can taste that it was made from scratch and not from essence or powder.

After everything was served, the complementary mochi coated with peanut powder and a strong brew Chinese tea were brought out before the bill came along.

The meal here was exquisite, the service staff was much more polished than the other Shin Yeh I have been too. The menu is an expanded version with more new dishes, but the classics are still covered. The price is the same as the other stores, but the location is in Nangang, which is a traffic nightmare. So if you cannot get a table elsewhere, this could be a better choice.

Shinye Taiwanese Signature 欣葉•鐘菜
No. 199, Lequn 2nd Rd, Zhongshan District, Taipei City, Taiwan 10491
Tel : +886 2 2532 7373

Visited Sep 2023

Michelin Taiwan Guide 1 Star 2022-23

@shinyehsignature #shinyehsignature