Updated, May 2023
prices updated
If you are looking for authentic Taiwanese cuisine in Taipei, don’t miss this 1 Michelin Starred Taiwanese restaurant, serving some of the traditional Taiwanese dishes.
60+ years old, and full of traditionally Taiwanese food from start to finish.
In Tianmu’s East Road, Golden Formosa is very popular and I would definitely recommend you to book in advance (see below for phone number).
The menu can be checked on the website.
Spiced meat sauce with tofu
椒香肉醬豆腐 jiāo xiāng ròu jiàng dòu fu
$350
Just give me a bowl of this with rice and I I’ll be happy.
Lightly spiced, rich, thick sauce, silky smooth tofu with a nicely seasoned skin on it. This really is a top dish at Golden Formosa.
Fish and rice noodle pot
土魠魚米粉鍋 tǔ tuō yú mǐ fěn guō
$1480
It may seem quite expensive initially (and it kind of is) but the amount of things inside this pot is nothing short of eye-popping.
Expect to pull up some deep fried fish chunks, some meatballs, chunks of different fish and noodles a-plenty.
Deep fried seasoned pork
古早味紅糟肉 gǔ zǎo wèi hóng táng ròu
$380
Bam! Crispy fried pork, no grease stains in sight, meat juices (the good kind) explode in your mouth when you crunch down on the crispy exterior. The meat is seasoned beautifully and has a slight sweetness to it. The batter is also seasoned with plenty of pepper, making it fragrant and lightly spiced. Another solid dish, see a pattern emerging here?
Deep fried taro balls
香炸芋條 xiāng zhà yù tiáo
$450
I’ve had these in NingXia night market and loved them. Basically, taro is made into a thick paste and a dried egg yolk is used as the centerpiece, with the thick taro paste moulded around it. Lightly dusted with a nice batter and then dropped in the fryer for a short time, these are something special. Expect a crunchy exterior, soft filling, with that kind of savoury sweet flavour that taro often packs.
Oyster pancake
干貝蚵煎 gān bèi é jiān
$520
Egg + oysters = heaven. Again, a special from NingXia night market, this one is slightly crunchier on the outside with less sauce (a good thing, definitely a plus point in this ones flavour!).
Lots of oysters, delicious flavours running throughout, and plenty of sauce to boot. It was solid, but I kind of felt it didn’t go with the rest of the meal. Perhaps that was our fault for ordering it, though.
Braised pig intestines
古味滷大腸 gǔ wèi lǔ dà cháng
$380
Arguably my favourite offal, intestines tend to have a slightly chewy exterior whilst they’re soft and fatty on the inside. It’s all about what they are cooked in, though, and these delivered on so many levels!
Salty and deep-flavoured braising sauces are served up with this plate of moreish goodness. Highly recommend.
Stir-fried water lotus
炒水蓮 chǎo shuǐ lián
$280
You always need some greens to wash down the saltiness of the other dishes. We chose these stir-fried water lotus for ours. Not often a dish we order, but a good choice. Fried up with some shallots, this hit the mark.
Bamboo
紅燒桂竹筍(小) hóng shāo guì zhú sǔn (xiǎo)
$300
Stewed in a slightly salty sauce, the bamboo retained a nice fresh crunch.
1/2 a Chicken
白片放山雞(半) bái piàn fàng shān jī (bàn)
$580
Good chicken, yummy chicken, delicious chicken, tasty chicken. Recommended chicken at Golden Formosa. Avoid if you don’t like bones.
House specialty fried pork
蓬萊排骨酥 péng lái pái gǔ sū
$280/serving
You have to order this at Golden Formosa. Just in case that wasn’t enough of a persuasion, I will tell you what to expect when you finally get these onto your chopsticks: crunchiness, saltiness, natural sweetness of the pork, delectable addictiveness.
You have to order this ^
The interesting thing about Golden Formosa’s Michelin Star, is that it is completely different to the Michelin Stars of other restaurants around Taipei, such as MUME. With MUME you expect intricate and expertly executed dishes served up with an explanation and description. Here, at Golden Formosa, you should expect big portions of rustic Taiwanese dishes served up with a smile. Excellent, from start to finish.
Opening Times: Tuesday – Sunday 11:30 – 14:00 and 17:30 – 21:00.
Tel: 02 2871 1517