Lan Family GuaBao is just one of many incredibly popular restaurants in Gongguan night market, which sells the classic street food – GuaBao. This iconic Taiwanese delight, often referred to as the Taiwanese hamburger, has carved its niche in the city’s rich culinary landscape. Lan Family’s rendition elevates the experience, offering umami flavors that perfectly catches the essence of authentic Taiwanese cuisine in the form of a Taipei street food classic.
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From succulent braised pork belly to the carefully balanced combination of coriander, pickled mustard greens, and crushed peanuts, each bite tells a story steeped in tradition. Often served as part of a Chinese New Year meal, Guabao is the perfect blend of textures that simply explodes with flavour.
The Menu at Lan Family GuaBao
What sets Lan Family’s GuaBao apart is a closely guarded family recipe passed down through generations. Meticulously prepared, the dish showcases the perfect harmony of ingredients, allowing diners to savor the culinary expertise honed over decades. The heart of Lan Family’s GuaBao lies in its secret recipe and the dedication to crafting the perfectly soft steamed buns. Soft yet slightly chewy and airy, these buns provide the ideal canvas for the flavorsome fillings, making each bite a journey into the soul of Taiwanese street food.
Even the guys over at Migrationology have been posting about Lan Family’s GuaBao, so you know it’s legit!
Sticky Rice Dumpling
粽子 zòng zi
Alright so I am not going to go into the long history of the ZongZi, but rest assured that this tried and tested method of carbs is a true winner. Inside this one you’re going to find peanuts, fatty pork, chestnut, egg yolk, and a bit of mushroom thrown in their for good measure. Topped with coriander, and lashings of the red bottled sauce that’s on each table, and you’re flying high.
Gua Bao
割包 – 綜合(半肥半瘦) Guā bāo – zòng hé (bàn féi bàn shòu)
But seriously, never, ever look past the incredible flavours of a delicate steamed bun stuffed with fatty pork, coriander, peanut sugar, and love. I always go for the third one down from the top – 綜合 (半肥半瘦) at Lan Family GuaBao, which translates as a mix of fatty and lean meat. It’s the best.
If you really want an artery clogger than go for the top one – 肥肉 all fatty pork. And if you’re one of those fitness freaks that is on a ‘cheat day’ (every day, am I right?) then go for the 2nd one down from the top – 瘦肉 lean meat.
Seriously, Lan Family’s GuaBao is a once every couple of weeks eatery. If you really love life, then once a week. There’s just something about the smell of the steamed bun mixed with that deeply rich fatty pork and peanut sugar wafting through the air. Once you’ve been here once, you will no doubt come here again and again.
Important to note is that this is not the only GuaBao in Taipei, but it certainly draws in a long line of customers throughout the day, and you won’t go far wrong with anything on the menu.
Extras
Herbal Soup w/ Pork Intestines and Stomach
四神綜合湯(腸+肚) Sì shén zònghé tāng (cháng +dù)
Out of the murky soup emerge adlay, lotus seeds, pork intestines, and pork stomach. It may not look appetizing, and the description might sound unappealing, but if you’re willing to give it a try, you’ll find it surprisingly delicious. The soup lacks sweetness but offers an earthy flavor from the adlay and lotus seeds, imparting a medicinal quality to the dish. Shortly after, you’ll encounter some intestine and/or stomach. While offal may not be everyone’s cup of tea, I’m a fan. I enjoy the chewy, fatty, silkiness of the intestine and the intense pork flavour it brings. Additionally, the chewy and intriguing texture of the stomach adds another layer of interest for me.
This isn’t for everyone. But it’s nowhere near what you have undoubtedly imagined it to be.
Pork & Corn Soup
玉米排骨湯 yù mǐ pái gǔ tāng
Perhaps a more ‘normal’ offering of soup here is the pork and corn soup. There’s plenty of pork and corn in this soup, and with it comes this incredible sweetness. I want to believe that the sweetness comes from the long slow cooking of the corn, but it seems unreasonably sweet to be natural, in my opinion. This doesn’t make it bad in any way, but it is in stark contrast to the bowl of Herbal soup above.
The pork and corn are both really tender and tasty, but I wouldn’t say that the soup here at Lan Family GuaBao is a must order by any means.
The Bottom Line
Is it worth it? Lan Family Guabao is perfect for a street snack if you’re feeling peckish. There may be better out there, but you really won’t go far wrong with this.
What’s the best dish? Easily the mix of fatty and lean meat Guabao.