Dumpling Delights & Taiwanese Culinary Treasures in Munich

During a trip to Munich, a colleague and I decided to have dinner after work at Song’s Kitchen in Munich’s Marxvorstadt district. The restaurant specialises in Taiwanese cuisine and dumplings.

As I had rarely been exposed to Taiwanese cuisine before, this was a good opportunity for me to broaden my culinary horizons. Taiwanese cuisine is extremely diverse due to the island’s tumultuous history, and is influenced by many cultural currents, including elements from various Chinese provinces (especially Fujian Province), echoes of the Japanese colonial era, references to Taiwan’s indigenous culture and, increasingly, Western influences.

Taiwan has a vibrant street food scene with many mobile stalls or small local eateries, particularly the bustling night markets in Taipei. Due to its geographical location, Taiwan is also rich in seafood. Fried squid, prawn dishes and fish soups are common and often freshly prepared.
As you may know from previous posts, we are big fans of Chinese dumplings (jiaozi and baozi). As one of the main focuses of Song’s Kitchen is homemade dumplings, I had to indulge.

To try a variety of dumplings, we chose the mixed plate of steamed dumplings (饺子拼盘) as our starter. This plate consists of dumplings stuffed with shrimp, beef, pork and vegetables. They are generously sprinkled with white sesame seeds and served with a vinegar sauce, to which a little chilli oil can be added for a spicy kick.

The shrimp filling has a delicate seafood flavour that blends beautifully with the other ingredients. The prawns are tender and juicy, giving the dish a slightly salty and sweet flavour.

The beef dumplings have a robust and hearty meaty flavour, while the pork dumplings are milder and sweeter. Vegetable dumplings are particularly light, very refreshing and have a slightly sweet note.

As an alternative to steamed dumplings, fried dumplings are also available. The steamed dumplings melt in your mouth and have a tender and soft texture. Fried dumplings, on the other hand, are fried in oil and fat to create a golden brown crust and crispy texture. The high heat of frying can also intensify the flavour of the filling.

Our first main course of the evening was Taiwanese Braised Pork Belly with Pakchoi and Smoked Eggs (台式卤肉饭). This “Gaifan” dish, also known as Lu Rou Fan (卤肉饭), is a classic Taiwanese dish that originated in the Fujian province of China. Gaifan (盖饭) refers to a rice dish in which rice (饭) is combined with a garnish or topping.

The pork belly is slowly cooked in a spicy soy sauce with spices such as star anise, ginger, garlic and rice wine. The result is tender, juicy and highly aromatic meat. The flavour is often sweet-salty and spicy with a hint of umami.

Pak choi, also known as Chinese mustard cabbage, is a crunchy vegetable with a mild, slightly bitter flavour. It absorbs the flavour of the braised pork belly and adds a pleasant freshness and crunch to the dish.

The smoked egg has a rich, smoky flavour that adds depth to the dish. The smokiness complements the spicy and hearty flavour of the braised pork belly.

For our second main course, we ordered Taiwanese beef noodle soup with braised beef, also known as Xiang La Niu Rou Mian (香辣牛肉面). Xiang La translates to ‘fragrant and spicy’ in Chinese, and the name lives up to its promise: it’s a Taiwanese take on a dish from Sichuan cuisine, known for its rich flavour and pungent spices.

The Braised beef is tender, juicy and aromatic. It’s usually cooked in a spicy soy sauce with various spices such as star anise, cinnamon, ginger and garlic. This gives the meat a rich umami taste with sweet, salty and spicy flavours.

The spicy Soup is made from a hearty beef broth enriched with chilli oil, Szechuan peppercorns, fermented soybean paste and various spices. This gives the soup an intense flavour and pleasant heat.

You can order either wheat or rice noodles. The noodles are very soft, have a pleasant texture and absorb the flavours of the soup and the braised beef.
A warming and satisfying dish, ideal for a cold winter’s day like this!