Maokong is renowned in Taiwan as the place where tea culture is strongly promoted and appreciated. Even though we are no stranger to tea (there are ample tea plantations in Cameron Highlands), we did manage to try something really quite unique; food cooked with tea leaves.
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Before i dive into the details, let me introduce you to Daguanyuan Teahouse; one of many teahouses in the Maokong region! I didn't do any research beforehand, hence i would have to weigh my options using the number of customers in each teahouse of which Daguanyuan won with the highest number (around 10 to 15 customers).
Hotplate Beancurd
鐵板豆腐
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Don't belittle this simple plate of beancurd cubes; the sauce was nothing to scream about but the highlight was the amazingly soft texture of the tofu. It's of no coincidence that the tofu tasted so great in Maokong since it is relatively close to the tofu capital of Taiwan, Shenkeng!
Guomao Vegetables
和風過貓
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As i mentioned before, this guomao vegetable was a personal favourite when i was in Taiwan. It's a must order even though in the case here, it turned out to be served a bit too cold for my comfort. They were still crunchy and continued to marvel me in that Japanese mustard-based sauce!
Tea Leaves Fried Rice
茶葉炒飯
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I didn't know such a weird combination can be so delicious! Every scoop i had filled my mouth with a nice tea aroma and it proved to be so addictive; we finished it no time at all! Maybe i should ask my mom to whip up something like this using the tonnes of tea leaves we have at home!
Tea Leaves Fried Egg
茶香煎蛋
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While the fried rice left a great impression, it was a different situation for the fried egg. It was easy to identify the presence of slightly burnt tea leaves because they had a bitter aftertaste, which unfortunately didn't manage to complement the rich egginess. The taste was unique yet i doubt i would want to have a second round. Even Alex, the egg guru, felt the same way!
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Location
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From Maokong Gondola Station, take the middle street and walk straight until you see Daguanyuan teahouse to your right.
Price
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Hotplate Beancurd - NT$200
Guomao Vegetables - NT$200
Tea Leaves Fried Rice - NT$100
Tea Leaves Fried Egg - NT$150
Menu
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As above.
Set Menu
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As above