The ultimate gua bao
Yuan Fang Guabao, located in Taipei’s Huaxi Street Night Market, is a venerable eatery that opened in 1955. It too is on the Michelin Bib Gourmet list. Owner Wu Huang-yi goes to the market every morning to buy fresh streaky pork, which he puts in a stockpot along with traditional Chinese spices, sugar, and soy sauce, to simmer for over an hour. Then he removes the meat from the pot to cool, and as the day goes on he stews pieces of meat in a small pot as needed according to the number of customers. Wu explains that this convoluted process ensures that the pork is not overcooked and will not break apart, which is why Yuan Fang’s gua bao retain the chewiness of the pig skin. Wu is very meticulous about this process and insists on having this texture.
Lan Jia Guabao, in Taipei’s Gongguan area, has been on the Michelin Bib Gourmand list for three straight years, and its products have even been served at state banquets. Asked where he acquired his skills, owner Jack Lan replies: “From my mom.” The shop has no secret recipe, but uses selected Taiwan pork, cooked in a simple way. Lan first sautés shallots and garlic in a wok, adds the meat and continues sautéing, then further adds brown sugar and soy sauce and simmers the mixture, with the whole process taking four to five hours.
People today are concerned about healthy eating, and many have turned away from fatty foods. Based on customer suggestions, Jack Lan changed his menu to let people order gua bao with meat that is fatty, lean, or various gradations in between. Seasonings include Hakka pickled mustard greens, and peanut powder from a century-old Taiwanese producer. He even has bought coriander at the steep price of NT$1,000 a kilo, because he is not willing to skimp on ingredients.
Ah-Song Gua Bao, located in Tainan’s Yongle Market, has been around for at least 80 years. The flavor and seasonings originally came from Fujian Province. Third-generation owner Lin Chaohui explains that at first his grandfather sold buns with meat, pouring the meat juices over the buns. But after coming to Taiwan he discovered that local people did not take to this serving style, so after some experimentation he settled on meat wrapped in buns. Today, every morning at around 1 a.m. Lin starts simmering pig’s tongue and pig’s head in traditional Chinese spices. Each type of meat has its own texture, so he pays particular attention to their different cooking times. Moreover, says Lin, “because this is not braising, you have make extra sure the ingredients are fresh.”
The bun of Ah-Song’s gua bao has a texture like mantou steamed buns. They also use different ingredients than other vendors, preferring the roots of the leaf mustard plant to pickled mustard greens because the former are crisper, and using pickled daikon radish to provide a more refreshing mouthfeel. They top off their gua bao with specially made peanut sauce.
Joe Luo, the owner of Love Bao Taiwanese Kitchen, lived abroad for many years before returning to Taiwan in 2015 and opening his first gua bao shop in Keelung. He says: “Because my shop was near the Keelung Night Market, many foreign tourists ate my gua bao and were delighted with them, so I thought there could be a market for them overseas.” In 2017 he closed up his Taiwan store and moved to North Carolina in the US, where he reopened in 2019.
Ethnic Chinese make up only a small part of the population in North Carolina, but gua bao have been greeted with unexpected enthusiasm by locals. People have asked him: “How is it that such unremarkable ingredients as pork, a bun, pickled mustard greens, and peanut powder can be combined together to make something so delicious?”
In fact, Luo learned his skills from his father-in-law. “He taught me to first pan-fry the streaky pork piece by piece to bring out the fat, so that the mouthfeel is not so greasy. That’s the secret.”
Wu Huang-yi says: “I make gua bao with a unique flavor. That’s what makes them special.”
Jack Lan says: “What I preserve is the flavor of home.”
Lin Chaohui says: “Satisfied eaters are what keep this family business going, and keep these flavors and memories alive.”
Joe Luo says: “My modest hope is that foreigners will recognize what is good about Taiwan through our foods.”
With so many people sweating over their stoves to preserve the “memories” of our taste buds and using cuisine to “communicate” with other people, how could you not love this unique flavor?
Gua bao sellers are a common sight on the streets of Taiwan. Lan Jia Guabao, a Michelin Bib Gourmand awardee in Taipei’s Gongguan area, always attracts a long line of customers.
Tainan’s Ah-Song Gua Bao preserves traditional methods, with the buns being cut open each day by hand.
Ah-Song Gua Bao is unusual in offering pig’s tongue as a filling. Accompanied by free soup, their gua bao offer delicious flavors that have kept the shop in business more than 60 years.
Taiwan is the place in the Chinese-speaking world that has done the most to bring out the best in gua bao.