Sharing my birthday dinner with you all 🎂
Last Christmas my wife booked this place — Celebrity Cuisine (名人坊) at Xinyi.
There're a few branches around, but she specifically likes this one in Xinyi District.
Last time we had the char siu and roasted suckling pig.
I told her next time I wanna try some of their signature dishes,, we call that “kung fu dishes” — so here we are this time. 🍽️
There’re many types of abalone, but this kind — the dried one — takes a lot of work to prepare, especially the sauce.
The gravy itself needs layers of ingredients like Jinhua ham and more.
The key is not to let the sauce overpower the abalone, ‘cause the centre of a well-braised abalone has its own unique savoury richness.
For shark fin dishes, the soup base makes all the difference.
It's what brings out the fin's texture and ties the whole flavour together — too strong and it covers everything, too light and it feels flat.
This one had a gentle, well-balanced broth — smooth and easy to drink, with a very refined taste.
The fin itself had that perfect texture — slightly crunchy yet soft at the same time.
I highly recommend the roasted pigeon 🕊️ — it's not something you see often in Taiwan, but it's a true Hong Kong classic.
Don't be fooled by its small size — this little bird is packed with juice and flavour.
The skin was beautifully roasted till golden and crisp, while the meat stayed tender and rich inside.
Every bite had that mix of smoky aroma and savoury sweetness that only a perfectly roasted pigeon can give.
It's a pre-order dish, so I'd really suggest booking it in advance — totally worth it. 🔥
When it comes to the four great treasures of Cantonese cuisine — it's gotta be abalone, sea cucumber, shark fin and fish maw 🐚
So of course, next we ordered the sea cucumber (參) and fish maw (肚).
Sea cucumber is prized for its bouncy, gelatinous texture — the softer it is, the higher the skill.
Fish maw, on the other hand, is all about that smooth, melt-in-your-mouth feel and rich collagen.
But again, it all comes down to the sauce. That's where the real kung fu is.
A good restaurant makes a unique sauce for each — the abalone, shark fin, sea cucumber and fish maw all have slightly different flavours and depths.
Many places just use one base sauce for all, but the real masters never do that.
Photo credit for my wife
If you're visiting Taiwan and looking for a bit of fine dining, this place is definitely worth a try.
Dining here is still much cheaper than in Hong Kong, for sure.
As for the rest of the dishes — just explore the menu and pick what catches your eye. 😋
Name:
Hi-Lai Celebrity Cuisine TWTC Branch
Address:
https://maps.app.goo.gl/w7L3g9jTAmUdeqja6
110, Taipei City, Xinyi District, Section 1, Keelung Rd, No. 333, 34F
Tel: 0227232938
Website: https://www.hilai-foods.com/brand-content/7#branch-5
Map:
Open Box (2)