Tor-San. Local Cat-Fish?

It's October! I apologise to my loyal and ardent reader *singular*, Z*e. [Her name is kept confidential for safety purposes, as if one * is enough to conceal her identity =). Hey at least I tried]. Haven't wrote a single thing for the month of September. It's been a roller-coaster ride here, already busy enough trying to blend in.

I'm well for all concerned, just maybe not been eating enough "exciting" food (eg. Rooster testicles) to crow (pun intended) about. So without further delay, let's start of the month of October with some catty issues.

Tor-San, is a local delicacy here in Taiwan. It's a very common fish, so common that it's overpopulating the waters. So we all know what do Chinese do when creatures try to invade our territory, we cook em!

To me, it looks like the catfish, but the locals here say it's not. Come on, just look at those whiskers and tell me it's not a catfish? Maybe just a Taiwanese species.

Anyhow, I've tasted catfish in Bangkok, especially those grilled ones found at those road-side stalls. The texture's abit rough, tastes abit muddy, but quite good. HOWEVER... Tor-San... ho ho ho... I tell you... tastes like PORK! You probably won't believe me but it really does.

The first dish that we ordered was Tor-San with Tang-Gui (some chinese herb) My first thought was, since when did i order Bah Kut Teh? The fish came in huge (porky) chunks, infused with the fragrant herbal stock that it's cooked in. It's fish meat after all, so the texture is like the tender-est of pork yet with the sweetness of fish that I appreciate. The meat slid right off the bone. Yum yum! (Minghui, this might be able to cure your fear of fish, because it's Fish Kut Teh!)

Taiwan loves its squid, and almost every meal at the 熱炒店 must have a 花枝 dish. This squid was fried in pepper, spring onion, garlic. A tad too oily for my liking. But what I like about this dish is that the squid is not the QQ and springy type that ALL squid connesuirs will swear by. This squid heretic here likes it tough, then proves that the food is cooked thoroughly mah!

Everyone had a main-course for their own. I ordered fried lamb noodles (it was supposed to be beef but the waiter must have been sleeping and counting SHEEP, took the wrong order). Nothing fantastic here, just that they seem to like their stuff soupy & wet here. I prefer my fried noodles, well, fried... not stewed.

Healthnut Rating:

Comments: It was just a simple meal that turned out something special in the form of a PIG-Fish. Had to travel quite far for this meal so I doubt I'd be returning here. Hopefully I can have this Fish-Kut-Teh some other place.