Dadaocheng, nestled in northwestern Taipei, has long been synonymous with abundance. The neighborhood’s name carries agricultural roots: cheng in Taiwanese Hokkien means an open space, while daocheng refers to a ground where farmers once spread and dried golden rice.

Along the Tamsui River, where golden grain once blanketed and shimmered across the drying grounds, this area has witnessed remarkable transformation. Since the opening of the Tamsui port in 1860, Dadaocheng has not only experienced the flourishing era of tea and textile trade but also preserved the memory and evolution of urban development.

A Living Realm Where History and Modernity Converge

From the late Qing Dynasty through the Japanese colonial period, Dadaocheng witnessed a brilliant chapter in Taiwan's history. Commercial activities flourished like stars in the night sky, with the tea trade shining brightest among them. In 1867, British merchant John Dodd introduced "Choicest Formosa Oolong Tea" to the United States; soon after, Taiwanese tea captivated markets across more than fifty countries worldwide with its distinctive aroma and flavor, establishing Dadaocheng's reputation as a premier tea trading hub.

The completion of the North-South Railway in 1908 expanded Dadaocheng's commercial reach even further. Wholesale businesses dealing in Chinese medicine, premium ingredients, and textiles thrived along the route. Wealthy merchants competed to construct ornate European-inspired buildings along Dihua Street, laying the foundation for today's historic Dihua Old Street.

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Liuguan Street, the Qing Dynasty name for the stretch from Tacheng Street to Huanhe North Road at the end of present-day Nanjing West Road, once hosted imperial envoys; “Liuguan” (Six Halls) refer either to six tea houses along the street or to six connected guesthouses built by the prominent Lin family in 1892. This historic street also housed Jianxiang Tea Company—once Taiwan's largest tea merchant—and Taiwan's first government-run Western-style school, established by Governor Liu Mingchuan to teach English, French, and sciences.

Festival on South Street, 1930 (Image source: Taipei Fine Arts Museum)

The Ten Connected Buildings on Dihua Street served as the backdrop for the bustling commercial district depicted in Kuo Hsueh-hu's 1930 painting Festival on South Street, marking an indelible chapter in Dadaocheng's history. This row of two-story structures, blending Baroque and traditional Chinese architectural styles, has witnessed Taipei's transformations through changing eras. Built in 1912, these buildings stand not only as Dihua Street landmarks but also as testaments to Taiwan's early trade prosperity. Their proximity to the Tamsui River made them a crucial distribution center during the Japanese colonial period.

Today, the Ten Connected Buildings embody the neighborhood’s dual identity. The front section preserves its original red-brick arcade façade, transformed into art galleries and cultural exhibition spaces; the rear section embraces contemporary life with restaurants and commercial venues. This living realm where history and modernity converge pulses with Taipei's cultural heritage and innovative spirit.

19th-Century European Dining in a Taipei Historic Landmark

Canard à la presse (pressed duck), the renowned 19th-century French dish, showcases culinary artistry through its elaborate preparation. The chef roasts a plump duck until medium-rare, removes the breast and legs, then places the remaining meat, bones, and skin into a specialized pressing machine to extract duck blood and bone marrow. This essence is combined with duck liver, spirits, and butter to create a sauce of sublime richness, paired with the duck breast to achieve transcendent flavors.

The Maqaw Oil-Confit Duck represents a signature expression where Taiwanese soul meets French technique. This dish features duck legs slowly confited at low temperature in oil infused with maqaw from Ruisui Township, Hualien County—a wild, robust flavor profile. Maqaw, also known as mountain pepper, comes from a small tree or shrub in the Lauraceae family and serves as a traditional seasoning for the Atayal and Saisiyat Indigenous peoples.

The Maqaw Kung Fu Duck, prepared with oil infused with Ruisui maqaw, delivers distinctive spice notes. Paired with South African RAKA wine crafted in Bordeaux style or Japanese whisky aged in red wine casks, it evokes an alluring exotic character.

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Reimagining Taiwanese Flavors, Redefining East-West Perceptions

Traditional dishes are reimagined in unexpected ways: stinky tofu—a dish that often perplexes foreign palates—transformed into European-style cuisine with garlic butter seasoning and naturally fermented with amaranth, developing lingering flavors reminiscent of aged Camembert; Northern Italian trofie pasta reimagined as "eel pasta"; jumbo white prawns from Hualien's Fengbin Township dressed in rich sea urchin-infused béchamel sauce for authentically European dishes.

A Stroll Through Time: From Flavors to Street Life

Dadaocheng's culinary movement—blending French techniques with Taiwanese soul—has sparked increasingly innovative expressions of new-generation cuisine. Many chefs dedicate themselves to exploring distinctive local ingredients, showcasing regional flavors through global culinary techniques to create unique value that merges international trends with local character. The more local, the more global—each bite reveals Taiwan's distinctive terroir.

Excessive drinking is harmful to health. No alcohol for those under 18. Don't drink and drive.