TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Michelin announced the winning eateries in Taipei, Taichung, Tainan, and Kaohsiung for its 2024 Bib Gourmand awards on Tuesday (Aug. 20).
The prestigious award is given to restaurants that offer a “three-course meal at a reasonable price” and with a consistent “high quality.” This year's list included 126 establishments, including 43 in Taipei, 27 in Taichung, 31 in Tainan, and 31 in Kaohsiung. Among the 16 new additions to the Bib Gourmand list, more than half feature local Taiwanese flavors and street food.
According to a company press release, the full Michelin Guide for Taiwan will be released on Aug. 27. This year's Bib Gourmand features six new entries in Taipei, two in Taichung, three in Tainan, and five in Kaohsiung.
The six new selections for Taipei include Sinchao Rice Shoppe, Huang Chi Lu Rou Fan, Noodle House, Pang, Soft Power, and Xiao Ping Kitchen. Sinchao Rice Shoppe is a brand launched by the famous Kaohsiung Taiwanese restaurant Old & New Taiwanese Cuisine, and its name is a homophone for its popular dish “new fried rice,” striking a balance between innovation and tradition.
Huang Chi Lu Rou Fan is an old establishment that has been operating in an alley for decades. Its signature braised pork rice “leans more towards the fatty side,” but is rich without tasting greasy.
The eatery's salty and savory pork sauce has a “mild gelatinous feel." Pang is the first and only restaurant on the list offering Mexican cuisine, blending refined Mexican flavors with Taiwanese ingredients.
Two new restaurants in Taichung made the list: Li Xiao Lou and Ajisai. Li Xiao Lou is known for its Taiwanese home-style dishes and small plates, with sorghum liquor-scented Kinmen sausages that come in a “crisp thin casing.”
In Tainan, three new establishments were added to the Bib Gourmand list: Bue mi .Lab, Eat to Fat, and Yeh San Duck Thick Soup. The latter, which used to operate in Chiayi County's Xingang Township, moved to Tainan in 2021.
Its duck is stir-fried in a small pot, achieving a subtle “wok hei” (wok aroma). This is complemented with garlic and bamboo shoots for “extra depth and aromas.”
Kaohsiung has five new entries this year, including Mai Yen Shun, Simmer House, Chun Lan Gua Bao, Hsiu Ming, and Liang Chia Pig Knuckle.
Hsiu Ming’s braised ground pork rice is topped with a sunny-side-up egg. Michelin recommends piercing the yolk “so it runs down the rice for a mouthful of tasty goodness.”
Liang Chia Pig Knuckle's pork knuckle rice has been a local favorite for over two decades. Its Ham hock is braised in spices and Chinese herbs with a hint of pepper, served with an amber sauce, and has a peppery aftertaste that is “spellbinding.”
The 16 new restaurants on the list are as follows:
Taipei
Huang Chi Lu Rou Fan (黃記魯肉飯)
Noodle House (麵鋪)
Pang
Sinchao Rice Shoppe (新炒飯)
Soft Power (軟食力)
Xiao Ping Kitchen (小品雅廚)
Taichung
Ajisai (繡球)
Li Xiao Lou (裡小樓)
Tainan
Bue Mi.Lab (麥謎食驗室)
Eat to Fat (添厚)
Yeh San Duck Thick Soup (葉桑生炒鴨肉焿)
Kaohsiung
Chun Lan Gua Bao (春蘭割包)
Hsiu Ming (秀明豬心冬粉)
Liang Chia Pig Knuckle (良佳豬腳)
Mai Yen Shun (賣塩順)
Simmer House (小燉食室)
