Rechao

At left, men eating at a rechao restaurant in Baoshan in Taiwan's Hsinchu County. At right, a man leaning on crates of empty beer bottles at a rechao eatery.

Rechao (traditional Chinese: 熱炒; simplified Chinese: 热炒) is a style of Taiwanese cuisine that uses a wok to stir fry food. Rechao combines the Chinese characters for "hot" (Chinese: 熱) and "stir-fry" (Chinese: 炒) and is the Mandarin pronunciation for those characters. It is also known as kuaichao (Chinese: 快炒), which literally means "fast stir-fry". Rechao eateries have been compared to Cantonese-style dim sum eateries, the Japanese bar izakaya, British pubs, Hong Kong's dai pai dong, and night markets in Taiwan.

Rechao restaurants built a significant foothold in Taipei in the 1970s. Originally offering seafood from the nearby port city of Keelung, they later expanded their menu options. During the Taiwan Economic Miracle in the 1980s, the strong economy kept people focused on their jobs and working into the evening. As they finished their work for the day, these workers sought inexpensive and fast food choices. Seafood restaurant owners capitalized on this by converting their businesses into affordable rechao eateries. The modern version of the rechao restaurant emerged in the 1980s once heavy-duty burners operated by gas became available. The struggling economy in the 2000s induced people to avoid fine dining restaurants in favor of cheap options like rechao restaurants, causing a surge in their popularity. Despite their widespread appeal in Taiwan, rechao restaurants remain relatively unknown internationally.

Rechao eateries have simple decor, typically featuring plastic stools and short tables for seating. People of various social backgrounds dine at the venues, which provide a casual atmosphere for them to unwind and connect. Meals can last for several hours, as copious amounts of beer—frequently from the Taiwan Beer brand—is drunk. Rechao menu items are influenced by numerous cultures including Fujianese, Japanese, Korean, Sichuanese, Southeast Asian, and Taiwanese. Dishes contain large helpings of oil and salt which complement beer.