For panoramic views of Taipei most people go to Yangmingshan, forgetting that at the southern end of the city are hills that provide some equally superb vistas and less crowds -- at least on most days. It's here at the end of a winding mountain road, above National Chengchi University, that the Monkey Mountain Chicken Farm enjoys a solitary perch with a truly spectacular view of the city.
The views alone would be enough to recommend this spot for a leisurely meal, but the unpretentious, country-style food makes a trip to this out-of-the-way spot just as worthwhile.
True to its name, the restaurant raises its own chickens. Some of these are kept in a coop at the farm's entrance, while others seem to have the freedom to wander about. Whatever their status, after a few years of gleefully pecking their way around the mountainside, they eventually make it to your plate as one of the restaurant's two specialty dishes: three cups chicken (三杯雞) or 100 dips chicken (百轉雞), the latter of which is chilled and ideal on warm summer days.
PHOTO: MAX WOODWORTH, TAIPEI TIMES
Be sure to try the deep-fried tofu, which is prepared to precisely the right texture and color. Another specialty dish at the farm is its breaded fried mushrooms, cooked to retain flavor without being overly greasy.
The farm grows most of its vegetables, but the best and most unusual is the so-called dragon whiskers (
The menu does, however, include most of the fry-up staples, such as beef and onion, and tomato and egg, but the star of the show is the chicken and it's what draws the locals back to this hidden spot.
Most diners choose to eat on the open terrace with the view of Taipei, but be sure to take a look at the extraordinary statues and relief carvings on display in the interior dining area. The intricacy of many of these pieces should warrant them being kept in a museum.
The restaurant is located adjacent to the Maokong tea farms that dot the hills above Mucha, but does not share the frequently clogged road to the tea houses. This is a blessing if you despise traffic in what should be a natural setting, but it can be a drawback if you travel by taxi, because cabbies either don't know the address or are afraid of ghosts that supposedly haunt the mountain.
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