aeeble

Ask a Matsu local about the most iconic traditional restaurant on Nangan, and nine times out of ten they’ll say “Di Yi.” It’s the oldest name in town; weddings and banquets used to be held at “Di Yi Restaurant,” so its flavors have stayed rooted in island memory. Chef Chen learned his craft in his youth from a Fuzhou master: authentic Fuzhou techniques, filtered through his own hands, turn Matsu ingredients into dishes with a taste all their own. Times have changed—troops have withdrawn, new eateries have opened—and Di Yi no longer reigns alone, but whenever talk turns to red-yeasted chicken or wine-lees eel, Di Yi is still the first choice for Matsu folk.