Hidden gem with lovely local tables upstairs: Restaurant 大隱酒食 James Kitchen (30. May 2017)
As ‘English’ as James Kitchen sounds as Taiwanese it is! Although it has been reviewed by a couple of bloggers in the past, it doesn’t seem to be visited by tourists too often as half of the staff doesn’t speak any English. Although the menu is translated to English, it is rather rudimentary but there is also a ‘picture’ menu! As it was already full downstairs we were asked if we mind to get upstairs in the traditional area where you have take off your shoes and sit on the floor. Wasn’t the most comfortable experience but it was definitely an experience.
One heads up – the portions are large! We went for the “five spices squids” (250 NTD) as well as the “bamboo shoots with salted pork” (295 NTD) which were both tasty – although I definitely preferred the squids but both were not only tasty but huge in size!
Next in line were the “lean thin slices of uppermost pork leg” (250 NTD). Frankly, not sure what exactly an ‘uppormost pork leg’ is but it was definitely something worth trying.
As mostly, I figured the “pumpkin fried rice noodles” (250 NTD) would be lovely if they had any form of protein in it. However, as they didn’t it lacked a bit in variety.
Now, that was a dish which sounded interesting to me – but was actually not that interesting but at least ‘interesting’. “Pork with garlic sauce” sounded like regular pork with some creamy garlic sauce – well, it wasn’t. It was pork, yes, and quite a portion again but the ‘garlic sauce’ was something like a not acidic vinegar with garlic gloves.
Not sure it was because we were hungry or because it was the position we were eating in (sitting on the ground) but what looked lovely in the beginning …
… turned out to be a mess after about an hour! But definitely an interesting experience.
So, if you are up for a local experience and are happy to try out new things, you should definitely try James Kitchen!
And, when you decided to go, make sure you know how the entrance looks like as we would have almost passed by – if it wasn’t for Google maps!
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Contact Details:
Restaurant 大隱酒食 James Kitchen
No. 65? Yongkang Street
Da’an District
106 Taipei City (TW)
Tel.: +886 2 23 43 22 75
About the Author: Sven
I started the blog in October 2009, while living in Milan which I definitely consider to be one of the food capitals of the world. I was in touch with food since my early childhood (as my father is a former chef). Whenever I can, I travel the world to discover new places, to meet people but mostly to try local dishes and to find hidden gems! If you know a place worth going, please drop a line to: info@thediningexperience.org.
Currently, I am a member of the following food-related associations: Chevalier @Chaîne des Rôtisseurs Zurich-Ville; Membre Gourmet Dégustateur @Ordre Mondial des Gourmets Dégustateurs [OMGD]; Gesellschafter @Goldener Fisch and Member @Slowfood Convivium Zurich City. 
