San bei ji is the signature Hakka-Taiwanese braise: chicken pieces stir-fried with equal cups of rice wine, soy sauce and sesame oil, finished with handfuls of Thai basil.
Where to eat it: 2 restaurants across 1 city.
Three-cup chicken is a Hakka dish brought to Taiwan by 17th-century settlers from Jiangxi province. The three cups (sometimes 'one cup' each of rice wine, soy sauce and sesame oil) give it its name and the explosive aroma. Shin Yeh, opened 1977 in Taipei, popularised the dish on Taipei tourist menus. The finishing handful of nine-layer Taiwan basil (jiu ceng ta) is what distinguishes it from mainland Chinese braises.
Common allergens: Gluten, Soy
Tip from the editors. Thai basil is the only viable substitute for nine-layer Taiwan basil; sweet Italian basil doesn't carry the right note. The dish should be glossy, not soupy.
Shin Yeh Shuanglian is round-table taiwanese banquet cooking in zhongshan since 1977, the family-table standard locals book for new-year reunion meals.
Why locals love it: Round-table Taiwanese banquet cooking in Zhongshan since 1977, the family-table standard locals book for new-year reunion meals.
Tip: Phone reservations. Service charge added.
Mountain and Sea House on Ren'ai Rd is the restored Japanese-era mansion in Taipei reviving 1930s Taiwanese banquet cuisine for a quiet local crowd.
Why locals love it: A restored Japanese-era mansion on Ren'ai Road in Taipei reviving 1930s Taiwanese banquet cuisine, often missed for the louder Le Palais.
Tip: Closed Mondays. Reserve through the operator's site.
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