Goose and seafood

Mike and I had a great time last night out in beautiful Taipei.

We'd read about this place called #21 Goose and Seafood and decided to give it a try. We hoped it would be similar to the place we went to with the English teachers, since we were desperately craving more of that fresh fish soup. The facade looked promising, so we took a seat at a table outside. Thankfully the sidewalk fans were blasting. 

From our table, we could see the available greens and seafood. 

 The spread looked fresh and clean, but we weren't ready to commit to an order right away, so we decided to work up an appetite with a couple of Taiwan beers. 

It was a surprisingly beautiful night to sit outside and enjoy the balmy air. Of course the fans helped. 

I took in the street-side scenery...

While Mike used a translator to help us decide what to eat. 

We started off with greens.

And took our time deciding what else to get. 

Finally, we selected a fish hot pot.

 And soon discovered that the name on the menu was really an understatement. This "fish hot pot" had everything in it. A whole fish, yes. Tons of veggies, of course. But also: 

Whole prawns, crab meat, pork dumplings...

clams... noodles...

and... Hello Kitty!?  

Actually, the deeper in the pot we dug, the more of these little cutesy guys we found. At the time, I thought they might be a doughy potato or flour dumpling. But I did some research and the good ol' internet has convinced me they were actually shaped and dyed "fishballs"-- which I'm assuming, in this case, are perhaps dumpling-type-things made with fish paste? I don't know. They were definitely doughy, with a hint of fishy sweetness. Now that I think about it, they were not unlike the artificial crab meat we have in the States...

THEN, as if the huge treasure-chest of a hot pot wasn't enough, we got some Kung Pao chicken (Mike's favorite dish... he--like George Costanza-- likes his chicken spicy!). 

And by that point we were really on a roll, so we ordered two more things: 

A delicious grilled fish, seasoned simply, with lime and white pepper salt

And a goose noodle bowl. 

I felt compelled to try some goose meat since it was in the name of the restaurant and all, but to be honest, I did not like it.  

Before this night, I don't think I really understood the term "gamey" when used to describe meat. Now I do, so I can say with confidence that this goose was sooo very gamey. And I'm not just talking about the skin, bones, and connective tissue; I've had meat in all kinds of weird cuts with all kings of weird parts attached. What I'm talking about is a wild, fatty, dead bird tasting quality that the meat had. In the future, I will happily stick with duck. Or chicken. Despite our disappointment with the final dish, though, I would highly recommend a night at #21 Goose and Seafood to anyone looking to eat out in Taipei. 

Our next edible adventure? A shrimp farm feast! I'm told you can catch your own and then tell the restaurant how to cook it... we'll see!