Xishi Lu-cooked meats started as a tiny stall in front of a Japanese-era wooden market. When supplies were scarce and there were no refrigerators, salting and marinating were the only ways to keep food from spoiling, giving rise to this cooking style. Now in its third generation, Xishi Lu-cooked meats still fetches pigs from the wholesaler near midnight so everything is freshly cleaned and prepared for the next day. The ancient recipe is preserved yet refined: the meats are smoked with Alishan high-mountain oolong tea, adding an extra fragrance beyond the usual brine. Order a platter of assorted lu-cooked meats and savor pork lung, pork tongue, crab cakes, rice-blood sausage laced with sweet potato, and more, all dipped in a sauce of house-made soy, minced garlic, and wasabi—one bite and you taste heaven on earth.
