When I visit Taiwan, I always want to try something I can’t easily find in Japan. Goose meat is a common dish in Asian countries like Taiwan and Hong Kong, but for some reason, it’s quite rare in Japan.
Naturally, I make it a point to visit goose meat restaurants whenever I travel to such countries. One of the most famous places in Taipei is Acheng Goose (阿城鵝肉), a Michelin-recognized restaurant. I heard it’s always busy throughout the day, but when I arrived before 5 p.m., there were still plenty of available tables.
The restaurant is spacious with many tables and seats, but they filled up quickly after I arrived. There’s a self-service setup for drinks, and while I wanted to enjoy a beer, only large bottles were available, which felt excessive since I was dining alone.
From the tables, you can watch the staff slicing goose meat in the kitchen. When I entered, a staff member asked if I wanted to dine in or take away. After choosing “For here,” I was handed an order sheet and guided to my seat.
The menu, which includes both English and Chinese, was straightforward to understand. Although it didn’t have Japanese, the Chinese characters were familiar enough for me to figure out.
Goose meat is offered in two cuts: breast meat (“前半段”) and leg meat (“後半段”). However, if you order the 200 TWD portion (suitable for 1-2 people), you can’t choose the cut.
The restaurant has a self-service system for plates, chopsticks, and seasonings, all located on a nearby shelf. After submitting my order, I grabbed everything I needed from the shelf.
Craving some vegetables, I ordered fried sweet potato leaves. This dish, which is also uncommon in Japan, was stir-fried with garlic and red chili, giving it a crunchy texture and fantastic flavor.
Of course, my main focus was the goose meat. Since I was dining alone, I opted for the 200 TWD portion, but in hindsight, I could have easily finished the 300 TWD serving. The meat, which was breast cut, was incredibly tender and fatty, with a sweet, jelly-like skin that was simply amazing.
The dish came with shredded ginger on the side. While the meat itself was delicious on its own, pairing it with ginger elevated the flavor, balancing the richness of the fat perfectly. I even saved some ginger to mix with the leftover fat on the plate for a flavorful finish.
Lastly, I decided to try Goose innards soup. The soup contained a generous amount of goose innards, Taiwanese basil, and shredded ginger.
The innards had a springy texture and no unpleasant odor, but the soup itself tasted strongly like Chinese herbal medicine, which wasn’t to my liking. Despite finishing the innards, I couldn’t bring myself to drink much of the soup.
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Name Acheng Goose (阿城鵝肉)
Open Day through night
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