LiuBiJu — Restaurant in New Taipei

Ordered Abalone Congee and Golden Sandy Shrimps (i.e., Shrimps with Salty Egg Yolk) on a Sunday evening.

The best thing I can say about the congee is that there were quite a bit of shrimps and scallops in it although the amount of abalone was not quite up to par as per the namesake. The abalone and shrimps were overcooked although the scallops are all right. The congee itself was too thick so it failed the all important feel test during the first sip. I have had plenty of authentic Cantonese style congees and this particular one was below average in texture and flavor. The fact that it costs NTD 600 just added insult to injury.

The shrimps in Golden Sandy Shrimps were also overcooked although slightly better than the shrimps in the congee which is to be expected given the difference in cooking method. Nevertheless, I always found a dish of stirred shrimps to be an accurate measure of the culinary acumen of a dining establishment. This particular eatery does not quite measure up to the bar. Furthermore, half the dish was peppered with fried donuts to make the dish appears more plentiful than it actually is.

There's a 10% service charge although there was no service to speak of.

In summary, this is not a place I would plan a second visit to, especially given the fact that there was a three hour wait for a table that...

This is a nice family restaurant with quality dishes. For a light dinner for two, I ordered Crab and Seafood Congee in a clay pot, Oysters with garlic sauce, and Spicy Century Eggs. The Congee is the absolute highlight. The flavor is very rich, and the texture is smooth and satisfying. You can tell that the wonderful flavor is developed with patience and time, which is why you will need to make a reservation and preorder your Congee. This is not a dish that can or should be cooked quickly.

The other two dishes are nice as well. I wish I had come with a larger group so I could try more dishes. I was peeking at other tables, and all the dishes looked pretty good.

The price is on the higher side considering how affordable food in Taiwan is. The interior is clean but nothing fancy. Overall, if you like deep and rich seafood flavors, I recommend trying the Congee at this restaurant. Remember, you will need to make a reservation and preorder your Congee...

Warning to solo travelers! This restaurant initially turned me away because I was by myself and they wanted to seat parties of multiple people. Then I spoke to someone else and I was told I can wait 3 hours (until 9PM) to get a seat because I was only one person in my party. Well, at least they were honest about it. Waste of a trip there.

[edit] Since the owner seems to be in denial of what happened, let me be very clear what happened on August 8 at 6PM in New Taipei City. This was the initial conversation (in Chinese).

LBJ: "Do you have a reservation?"

"No."

LBJ: "How many people?"

"One"

LBJ: "We are seating parties with multiple people"

"What does that mean?"

LBJ: "No food."

"What do you mean no food?"

LBJ: "You can talk to someone else."

LBJ: "How many people?"

"One"

LBJ: "You must wait until 9PM" ...