Azure seaside house

For over three decades, the owner-chef has been supporting charitable causes and cooking for the disadvantaged. Regulars come here not just for his classic banquet dishes, but also for his vision of using only local, eco-friendly ingredients. All dishes, including the array of signature milkfish items, and ‘herbal’ prawns farmed without antibiotics and harmful chemicals, are available in different portion sizes.

In stark contrast to the century-old façade, the interior juxtaposes local serpentine stone and cypress wood for a sleek, Nordic vibe. The owner remodelled the family manor she inherited and manages the business; her partner, who received formal training in France, helms the kitchen. The menu showcases local ingredients such as Muscovy duck or glue berries into culinary gems using French techniques. To honour the family's roots in poultry farming, the menu includes a signature egg dish that celebrates their history.

Its sign could use a new coat of paint and the room is nothing to write home about, but the regulars have been returning for its hearty beef soup for nearly three decades. The broth is made from beef bones and tendons, slow cooked for up to eight hours. Fresh local beef is shipped from the slaughterhouse three times a day to ensure freshness. Besides the soup, beef stir-fry and braised pork rice are also popular. Avoid peak hours if you don’t want to wait.

The early bird gets the worm; you really need to come early to get a taste of this restaurant’s famous beef soup – it tends to sell out before 11 am. Those in the know go for the hand-sliced Taiwanese beef in a beef bone stock that is amber-coloured and deeply flavoured, followed by stir-fried beef or offal and a bowl of braised pork rice on the side. The rice is slow cooked with pork rind and peanuts for exceptional richness.

In the past 10 or so years, nearly every car on the way to Jiangjun Fishing Harbour stops here to try its fresh catch at great prices. Pick your critters from the fridge and ask the server for the best way to prepare them. The sizzling three-cup marbled eel is its speciality, exuding heady aromas and savoury umami. A great spot for lunch on your trip to Qinkunshen Salt Fields or Mashagou 3D Mural Village. Reservations on holidays are recommended.

Founded over 70 years ago, this eatery is justly proud of its famous lamb soup, which is simmered for at least four hours before the Chinese angelica is added for fragrance and invigorating effects. Lamb from central Taiwan is slaughtered and shipped to the shop on the same day to ensure freshness. Scalding soup is poured over the raw sliced lamb cooking it to medium rare. Also try the bouncy lamb skin roll, available on holidays only, and the braised pork rice made with lamb fat.

A must for birdwatchers and seafood lovers, the restaurant is one of the best places to see endangered black-faced spoonbills in Taiwan. From September to May, these migratory birds fly here and feed on the fish in the restaurant owner's pond. Try the sustainably farmed milkfish and clams straight from his fish farm. To reduce food waste, the servers suggest the right portion for your party. Reservations are mandatory on holidays.