Where to Eat this Sept: Taiwanese Street Eats in Shanghai

As the sweltering summer heat fades and September brings cooler, more comfortable days, it's the perfect time to treat yourself to some high-calorie comfort foods to keep us warm and happy. And what better way to indulge than with Taiwanese street food.

Jianjiao Taiwanese Eatery (捡角台湾食堂) is now a super popular chain in Shanghai for authentic Taiwanese comfort food. It's run by a young owner from Taiwan. His family back in Taiwan owns a century-old shop famous for their braised pork rice.

The name "Jianjiao" (捡角) is a fun one — in the local dialect, it basically means "loser" or "useless guy." The owner's dad used to lovingly call him that, so when it came time to name the restaurant, he decided to keep the nickname. Sadly, during the COVID lockdown, the owner didn't get the chance to fly home and say goodbye to his dad one last time. So now, cooking here in Shanghai is his way of honoring his father's wish.

The star of the menu? Taiwanese Braised Pork Rice (Lu Rou Fan / 卤肉饭). It's savory, and incredibly satisfying. There are two styles:

Northern style: made with purely fatty pork — super fragrant but maybe a little too heavy if you're not used to it (Our rating: 9/10)

Southern style: a mix of lean and fatty pork (Our rating: 8/10)

Both served with pickled cucumbers and a braised egg.

Another must-try is their Salt and Pepper Fried Chicken (Yan Su Ji / 盐酥鸡). Here, it's served loaded - assorted with goodies like rice cakes, king oyster mushrooms, and...shrimp-shaped chicken? Anyways, it is delicious (Our rating: 8/10)

Don't miss their sausage dishes! The famous “Big Sausage Wraps Small Sausage” (Da Chang Bao Xiao Chang / 大肠包小肠) - Taiwanese sausage wrapped in sticky rice. (Our rating: 8/10) Or simply enjoy the sausage on its own with slices of raw garlic for a bold flavor punch. (Our rating: 7/10)

The best part? Everything comes in small portions, kind of like tapas. Whether you're dining solo or with friends, you can try lots of different dishes without overordering. And it's super affordable, about RMB 40-50 per person.