必比登¥¥Taizhou
A mezzanine adds visual depth to the venue and the boat-shaped pendant light sports an oceanic theme. The owner, who used to sell seafood, cherry-picks each ingredient. Natural flavours always come first in his score with an emphasis on razor-sharp doneness and seasoning. Try his red-braised squid with a snappy bite and heady aromas. Steamed Sanmen mud crab with soy sauce and scallion oil boasts firm meat and buttery roe.
必比登¥Small eats
The simple room may be a bit dated, but the incredible smell of its beef blood curd soup is irresistibly enticing. Its signature soup is the classic comfort food of the landlocked county; chunks of silken blood curd and melty white radish nestle in a savoury broth seasoned with dried chillies. Their beef offal noodle soup is equally famous: the offal is meticulously crafted and the flavourful broth clings nicely to the springy noodles.
必比登¥Taizhou
Near Guoqing Temple tourist attraction, this rustic joint attracts both locals and visitors with its comforting homely cooking. Before ordering, browse the menu wall and display fridges of fresh produce to find something that catches your eye. Wild-caught river fish is lightly fried and braised in aromatics for silky meat and rich flavours. Meatballs wrapped in tofu skin are served in a broth with varied textures of egg dumplings and bamboo shoots.