Lu Rou Fan @ Taiwan Ho Ja, Kiyokawa, Chuo Ward, Fukuoka

 

Recently I was told of an Asian specialty store that was worth a visit. And since its closer to the main city where I live, that has definitely caught my interest. I usually get my stuff in a place called Asia no Eki, which is quiet far and in the middle of the suburbs, a bit away from the main nodes. But when someone said that there is an equally good one closer to the Tenjin area, say no more. Your boy is going there. 

Well stocked!

Yuu Gi Shouten (友誼商店) has all the bells and whistles that makes it a great place to get your fiid supplies and snacks. Specialising in Chinese, Taiwanese and bits and bobs of South East Asia, no wonder this has such a good reputation. I was actually lowkey impressed as to how this was not in my radar for so long. But what makes this better is there is a small food court at the front of the premises. This is where our lunch of the day comes in. 

The front of the store, time for lunch!

The supermarket has 3 different food stores. One for Chinese, one for Vietnamese, and one more which is our focus of the day Taiwanese. Taiwan Ho Ja, where the word is a variation of 'ho jiak' meaning tasty or 'good to eat', serves a lot of the usual suspects of a usual Taiwanese diner. But the one that I was looking for was the braised pork rice dish in the form of lu rou fan.  There is no dish that actually defines the Taiwanese food culture like this. It is like what ramen is to Japanese people. Simple, straight forward, lots of calories and feeds the masses, but at the same time being the ultimate soul food. As such, it was just an obvious choice for my sojourn on that day. Standing at 950 yen for a set meal, this was a complete bargain. 

At the ready

The set consists of the aforementioned braised pork and rice. Alongside it is half a braised egg, slices of braised tofu, and a side of veggies. This looks like some homestyle comfort food, which it practically is. But do not let this exterior fool you. There is so much more under the hood. And when simple is done well, it is worth a shout out. 

Simple beauty

The braised ingredients were just sublime. Probably all cooked in the same broth, the soy based nectar has permeated everything. Plus, being cooked alongside the pork, the porky aroma and flavours from the fat has entered deep into the egg and tofu.  In addition to the bacon-like aroma from the pork fat, there were strong hints of cinnamon and star anise which provides a sweeter aftertaste and floral aroma. You can also sense a strong garlic and ginger aroma, which is a staple in the building blocks of the braising liquid. And speaking of of the braising liquid, it was slathered on the rice, making this a rather punchy experience. 

Look at that close up

But flavour is not the only thing here. the texture is also pretty solid. The pork was so soft and tender where the meat was barely holding up. This makes for a slightly sloppy meal, but for all the right reasons as it will break into the rice that it is served with and mixed well. Despite the pork sounding like some magical cuisine from the heavens, the rice is crucial as it cuts the fat and intensity of the overall bowl. Lucky there was a side of veggies to help push everything down. 

The front of the premises. Don't let the outer area mislead you as the store is inside. 

Of course, this place does not sell just pork and rice. The classics like Taiwanese fried chicken, dumplings and various desserts are there too. And I will definitely be looking forward to trying those. if you would like to have a taste of what is to offer, I am sure you would not be disappointed. This includes the supermarket as well, with an arsenal so deep, they even have frozen durian! So if you would like to get some exotic spices or a great meal, or both for that matter, why not drop by for a visit? The address is as follows:

〒810-0005 Fukuoka, Chuo Ward, Kiyokawa, 1 Chome−14−13 Watanabedori CCD Building 1F