/әa/ /tzεn/ (Oysters Fried) [Taiwan]

That’s Taiwanese in the phonetics up there. This here is supposed to be one of the classic Taiwanese dishes. Several ingredients here: eggs, starch, oysters (hidden in the egg), and a mysterious sweet orange sauce, probably of some relation to ketchup. Everything is fried together in one of those giant woks, sauce added after it’s all cooked to perfection. Think of it as an omelet. But with oysters. And gooey starch.

Taste:

Quite good. This Taiwanese original has a one-of-a-kind kind of taste, and when you think about it, the combination of flavors is absolutely insane. My first bite was filled with a sweet, savory taste with a texture similar to scrambled eggs—similar but not identical. The sheer amount of starch sets the texture off from complete similarity. As one would expect, the aroma is that of oysters. Of course, if you happen to bite into an oyster, the taste will be of oysters as well.

Reflections:

It’s kind of messy to be honest. Not something you want to eat standing up—definitely a plate and spoon affair. Still, it’s a delicious experience. Cheap one too, for less than 3 dollars a plate.

Pig's Blood Tofu [Taiwan]

Ah pig’s blood. We meet again. I remember fondly the last time I experienced you…around ten years ago, when a family friend thought I would enjoy a Pig’s Blood Cake (gelatinized pig’s blood). I did not enjoy it. I did not enjoy it at all. In fact I almost puked.

So I face you again, friend pig’s blood, though you are less potent this time around. My grandparents tell me that this dish is made using pig’s blood mixed into tofu mix. The result is what you see here.

Taste:

Nowhere near as unpleasant as I thought it was going to be. The best way to describe this dish? Awkward tasting tofu. Tofu with a strange aftertaste. I think it might be described as a very slight metallic aftertaste. Ultimately, it tastes overwhelmingly of tofu, and had I not known the name of the dish, I probably wouldn’t have noticed that hint of whatever.

Reflections:

Just goes to say: some things are worth another try. While this wasn’t unpleasant, it wasn’t anything special either. That hint of whatever that makes the difference between Pig’s Blood Tofu and just Tofu just isn’t that noticeable. I think I’ll just have to try Pig’s Blood again in some other, more pungent form.

Mango Ice [Taiwan]

Perfection on a platter. Three beautiful ingredients: mango, sweet condensed milk, and shaved ice. Pure genius.

Taste:

Good.

Reflections:

MORE.

And for your viewing pleasure, here it is in two more vantage points:

Yoshinoya Beef Bowl [Japan]

There are very few chains in Japan. I think it’s a thing of Japanese culture—perfection takes precedence over ambition. Yoshinoya though, is a bit of an exception.

For a cheap price (about three US dollars) you get a bowl of rice, sauced with something simple, covered in a meat of your choice. Shown above is Beef-Don. This sort of thing is probably the closest one can get to Japanese fast food. And as with most Japanese versions of American products, they do it better.

Taste:

So simple. Three ingredients: rice, teriyaki-ish sauce, and slices of beef. The Japanese have long since perfected the art of rice making, and the difference can be tasted once you step off the plane and into any restaurant. It’s a beautiful thing that even their cheap, fast food gigs hold themselves up to that perfect standard.

The sauce is something that most Asians would consider familiar tasting. It’s a thing of soy, beef, and savory sweetness. I suspect that they throw the rice into the same wok that they cook and spice the meat in, since that beefy taste is found throughout the rice.

The beef is sliced thin, usually something done to hide the cut of the meat. A tough flank is inconsequential when the meat is too thin to chew more than once. They probably do choose the cheapest cut of the cow—there’s no reason not to when their slices are so thin. Not that I mind though: there’s plenty of protein in their beef bowl, slicing makes the beef tender enough, and I’m not expecting filet mignon when I pay $3.25.

Reflections:

Brilliant. Such a simple thing for such a low price. I would pay for it again. In fact I probably will, since the chain exists outside of Japan...

Fried Chicken Cartilage [Japan]

I never knew there was an aversion toward eating cartilage and tendons until my friend’s girlfriend shirked in disgust when I pointed out tendons in the Chinese meatballs that we were eating. So this dish isn’t that big of a deal to me.

I will say though, that I’ve never seen cartilage actually isolated and cooked separately before. Tendons yes, but cartilage no. In fact, isolated, the cartilage really looks like chicken popcorn or whatnot. My Japanese hosts who brought us to this restaurant described the dish as “between two bones.” Between two bones indeed.

Taste:

Fried chicken. Because it is fried chicken. Texture’s the game here. Think soft and crunchy at the same time. Or even better: the tip of the last drumstick you had, that last bite at the edge of the bone. That’s cartilage.

Reflections:

So damn straightforward it’s hardly worth an entry, hence why this isn't getting that "exotic" tag. It was a pleasant eat though. Crispy outside with a nice crunch interior. Like popcorn but better. And tastier. Yum.

Chicken Liver Yakitori [Japan]

One would think that the understandings in modern biology would put people off to organs like the liver, kidney, and intestines. Shit holes of the body. Then again, it also makes sense that all three organs (in my experience) are also the most aromatic. That’s the draw I suppose.

The Yakitori (Japanese shish-kabob) shown here may not have its skewer, but rest assured, it is still very much Yakitori. Unskewered before I could snap my photo.

Taste:

Think of this as everything in a chicken concentrated in the yolk of a hard boiled egg, disguised as a nasty looking piece of meat. It tastes like Yakitori—barbecued somesuch sauced with a light teriyaki jig. The texture really does resemble the yolk of a hard boiled egg, but the similarity is only a slight resemblance: there’s no question that you’re eating liver.

Aroma is what sets this apart. Pungency only begins to describe it. Liver has a very distinct aroma, and it tends to smash into the senses like no other. It’s the reason why the French adore their foie gras I suppose. Anyway, it’s an aroma that can only be described as “liver,” and I don’t really have the words to describe it.

Reflections:

Liver is an acquired taste. I imagine much of its allure comes from people seeking for the ultimate aromatic experience—there is really nothing like it. Yakitori doesn’t necessarily bring out the aromas. Rather, it just adds that barbecue crunch to the whole deal. Needless to say, I’m not a fan, at least not yet. The odor is a bit too much for me.

Chicken Gizzard Yakitori [Japan]

What is a gizzard you ask? Bird stomach! Trust me, it sounds nastier than it actually is.

The fancy change in nomenclature actually makes some sense anatomically. As seed eaters, a conventional stomach just won’t suffice for your average feathered friend. Instead, birds ingest grit (rocks) along with their normal fare to aid in the breakdown of hard shells, and have evolved specially designed stomachs to facilitate the process. The result is a particularly hardy alimentary system—especially around the gizzard itself. The result is a particularly unique texture.

Yakitori if you were wondering, is Japanese charcoal barbecue. Japanese shish-kabob if you will: the most primitive of cooking techniques rehashed for modern enjoyment.

Taste:

Like chicken. Mostly because it is chicken. This here is a thing of texture, and I for one, can’t figure out what’s the ho-hum about gizzards. People have told me how wonderful they’re supposed to taste; how unique their textures are. I suppose their textures are unique.

Crunchy meat. Awkwardly crunchy meat. That’s the best I can do. Gizzards are relatively tough, and make no attempt at being tender. They do have a grittiness that is probably the result of…well, grit. A strange experience overall.

Reflections:

Well it wasn’t bad. It wasn’t good either. I’d take normal chicken over gizzards any day.