This quaint restaurant, situated on a slightly inconspicuous street down in Chishang, is the home of ordinary people. As soon as you walk in, it becomes obvious that it is just an ordinary country house with a small garden, where all the grass and trees were planted by the owner, Po-Po. It makes you want to stay, it feels like home and puts you in a good mood. Look forward to Po-Po’s secret menu!
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As long as you have visited at least once, you will not forget the warm feeling here. You will want to visit again next time you come to Taitung. Po-Po is a retired kindergarten teacher, so why did she start cooking? It turns out that she wanted to reproduce her mother’s craft, to commemorate her mother’s warm days of preparing three meals for her family, and cooking for guests. She wants everyone to eat delicious and healthy food.
Before guests arrive, Po-Po is already waiting at home. As soon as guests sit down, she gets to work right away. After guests have enjoyed their meal, Po-Po comes over for a chat. She especially likes to share with young people. Her age is not an issue, as she is open to a large variety of ideas. This solidifies the theme of her restaurant. She reminds guests of the aunt who you have not seen her for a long time.
As for her cooking, Po-Po has her own philosophy. First, she places emphasis on “color” and “original taste” as natural ingredients. She does not add food coloring and flavoring agents, as she believes they are harmful to our health. Secondly, she believes that food should be prepared according to crops produced throughout the different seasons. She explains that fruits and vegetables that are not in the season do not give the best taste, nor can it provide the nutritional value that people need at certain times of the year. In short, you must know how to eat, and know how to keep fit.
Po-Po pays special attention to the climate and harvest according to the season, but there is no established menu. Just like moms who look for seasonal fresh ingredients at the market, so does she like to prepare hearty meals on the table for everyone!
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The most talked-about is the grandmother who makes all kinds of meals and desserts in Chishang. The signature dish here is the five-color rice taro. Its colors are produced from the ingredients themselves, and not artificial colors: red comes from red yeast rice, green from red toon, yellow from goji berries, and of course original white. The rice steamed bread creatively uses the advantages of two kinds of ingredients: the fluffy flour with sticky, sweet-scented rice in the middle, and the aroma of the flour is also very healthy.
The other thing that has to be introduced is the rice pudding made of brown rice. The egg pudding is much more eaten. The authentic taste is hard to find anywhere else. The rice pudding has the same white color as beancurd, but it doesn’t tend to be soy-sweet like beancurd – it’s not sweet and has just the right taste. The rice pudding is topped with homemade pineapple or hibiscus sauce. The fruit is sweet and not greasy, and one bite of the pulp fiber is not to be missed! That’s right, just imagine this kind of dessert, that is, the magical Po-Po who won the 2012 Most Innovative Creative Research and Development Dining Award.
Po-Po has many other masterpieces that simply cannot be recorded, such as rice popsicles, sesame oil fried brown rice, rice syrup, etc. Come to Chishang and personally receive the wisdom and full of human health.
However, just a warm reminder. Friends who want to come and enjoy need to call first to make a reservation with Po-Po! If you make a reservation, please arrive on time. The fresh ingredients Po-Po are always ready, and they have been waiting for you!
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