The Persistence and Gratitude of a Restaurant in Carrying on the Legacy of Authentic Taiwanese Cuisine

 

An Interview with Memory Corner, an Authentic Taiwanese Restaurant in Richmond

 

Memory Corner 有香
6900 No 3 Road, Richmond, BC V6Y 2C5
604 284 5434
http://www.memorycorner8.com

 

Memory Corner was originally founded by Grandpa Wu, a man from Kangshan District, Kaohiung, Taiwan, who named the restaurant after him and his wife by using one monosyllabic character of each of their names.

 

 

In the 86th year of the Republic of China (1975), Grandpa Wu had an opportunity to learn the recipe of a traditional Taiwanese delicacy made from mutton, building on which he managed to develop a special recipe for Chinese herbal mutton renowned for its tastiness and authenticity. With years of persistent efforts, Grandpa Wu’s house specialty mutton began to gain popularity and eventually became a household name for diners craving for its palatability. After more than 4 decades, the descendants of the Wu family are still engaged in this business at the restaurant of Memory Corner, a place that entails legacy, persistence and gratitude.

 

Raymond, the young owner of the restaurant, immigrated to Canada with his family when he was still a sixth-grade student. Under the influence of his grandparents, Raymond has developed a keen interest in authentic and palatable Taiwanese food since his tender age, along with an aspiration to carry forward that unique cuisine culture originating from his grandparents. To that end, Raymond has been immersed in culinary jobs, either full-time or part-time ones, from the age of 15 to 28. Starting as a dishwasher, Raymond has conscientiously worked his way up from being a waiter to a beverage server to the management.

 

 

Originally a student of interior design, Raymond decisively gave up his academic pursuit and totally devoted his enthusiasm to the food industry, regardless of the objections from his family. In 2013, his endeavor and persistence finally paid off – Memory Corner, a restaurant featuring authentic Taiwanese dishes emerged in Richmond, Canada.

 

As a traditional Taiwanese restaurant, the unique characteristics of Taiwanese culture are highlighted both in the way the restaurant is decorated and the sense of authenticity that the restaurant’s offerings bring to its customers. Memory corner offers a retro and nostalgic environment where opera masks featuring the Eight Ancient General Patron Saints are hung on the wall, and two traditional style glove puppets symbolizing loyalty and unity are placed at a corner, creating an intense Taiwanese aura.

 

The truthful and considerate services provided by Memory Corner allow every guest to feel at home.

 

 

Here, guests can not only savor the unique house specialty mutton series of the Wu family, but they also can have a bite of other authentic Taiwanese cuisines. The most popular signature dishes offered by the restaurant include the Taiwanese Meat Sauce on Rice, Deep-Fried Crispy Chicken, Taiwanese Three Cups Stewed Mix.

As a Taiwanese saying goes, “wherever there is a smoking kitchen chimney, there is Taiwanese Meat Sauce on Rice”. As a signature dish of Taiwan, the Taiwanese Meat Sauce on Rice offered by Memory Corner is undoubtedly able to ignite your appetite. The combination of fragrant and chewy rice and the juicy braised pork which is deliciously fatty yet without any trace of disagreeableness is irresistible.

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Taiwanese Three Cups Stewed Mix is made of high-grade dark meat, which is first marinated for 24 hours with spring onion, ginger, garlic and condensed soy sauce, and then stir fried in a hot wok along with spring onion and garlic, followed by a stewing process with three-cup sauce, an ingredient indigenously made by the restaurant. Finally, a special spice called the “basil” , which is unique to Taiwan, will be added. The result is a wonderfully mouth-watering combination of fragrant and tender chicken, refreshing ingredients and sweet scented basil.

 

 

Ever since it was launched, the restaurant has been gaining high popularity and recognition among local diners thanks to the authentic flavor it delivers. “We are planning a restaurant expansion to lift the quality of our dining environment. And we are also going to make our services more thoughtful to pay back our customers”, says Raymond.

 

At Memory Corner, guests can not only savor authentic food and feel the indigenous culture of Taiwanese cuisine, but more importantly, they are able to perceive the legacy and persistence that have made all these possible. We firmly believe that Memory Corner is bound to grow into a landmark local cuisine brand in Richmond.