Marilyn T.
Yelp
Years ago, we tried to come for dinner on a weekend, and the line was too long. We came for a weekday lunch this time and it was full, but turnover was pretty quick, and we didn't have to wait.
After you order, you get your own utensils, condiments (ginger, vinegar, soy sauce, hot sauce) and cold dishes from the fridge (we got marinated cucumbers and a dish with tiny fish in it). Napkins (more like tissues) are in a dispenser on the wall. Note: I usually bring my own water bottle and napkins when I eat out in Taiwan. I'm not sure you can get water there ...
Anyway, into food -
- XLB: solid - good thin skin, good broth
- Crab XLB: I don't think I've ever had a crab version that I thought was worth the extra cost
- Green squash and shrimp XLB: LOVED this - the skin is a little different, and it's less soupy, but it was my favorite
- Beef wrapped in scallion pancake: the pancake was nice and thin. It could have used more sauce
- Steamed cabbage: interesting dish - it was literally steamed cabbage leaves topped with some mushrooms and other stuff. It was a good light vegetable dish
- Radish cake: super solid - there was actual grated radish that you could taste, flavor was great, and the texture was light. I do wish it had more of a seat outside
- Hot and sour soup: good flavor, but I'm not a fan of the pork blood
Food comes out very quickly.
The menus have both Chinese and English, and I saw some tourists there.
Note: the bathrooms are actually really clean, and they have a real toilet (also a squatting option) for women. They also have soap and a dyson for hand washing (sounds like a low bar, but hey it's Taiwan).
I would definitely recommend trying this place. Everyone only hears about DTF, but there are many other solid XLB options. Definitely try the squash and shrimp one!