Bib Gourmand recommended stores issued a statement: Please do not use "Bib Gourmand Standards" to make things difficult

"Aba's Hakka Cuisine", a famous local restaurant in Sanxia District, New Taipei City that has been open for more than 20 years, was recommended by Bib Gourmand in the Michelin Guide Taiwan last month.

However, the restaurant recently issued a distressed statement, stating that it had previously made it clear that it would not accept any selection. After the shortlist was released, many new diners criticized and made things difficult for the restaurant. The store sincerely welcomes customers recommended by Bib Gourmand, but please do not use "Bib Gourmand's standards" to require, compare or blame the store. The store emphasizes that more than any evaluation, the most cherished thing is always the customer's "It's delicious, I will come again."

"Abba's Hakka Cuisine" is a well-known local classic food that has been open in Sanxia Old Street, New Taipei for more than 20 years. According to the Michelin Guide, the restaurant's space exudes a retro feel, from the wooden tables and chairs to the hand-painted murals on the walls. The chef has more than 30 years of experience. The dishes carry forward the Hakka sauce vat culture and use their own sun-dried, pickled and fermented ingredients for seasoning. Among them, the evaluators gave high praise to the dish "Steamed Fresh Fish with Pineapple Sauce", pointing out that the sauce is made from native pineapples from Kaohsiung's big trees, which are marinated with soybean meal, licorice and salt for more than three months.

However, nearly a month after the incident, "Abba's Hakka Cuisine" issued an important statement on the fan page, stating that the restaurant had never signed up, provided information, or participated in the Michelin Bib Gourmand selection from the beginning, and had made it clear that it would not accept any relevant selection. However, according to the official reply from the Michelin Guide, its reviewers conduct anonymous interviews on their own. Whether to include and recommend items is decided independently by the review team, which has no cooperation or participation relationship with the store.

The store pointed out that being included in the recommendation is a decision made by the Michelin Guide based on an independent selection mechanism, and is not the result of the store's active application or participation in the selection. The store also shouted to customers: "If you come because of Bib Gourmand's recommendation, we sincerely welcome you; but we also kindly ask not to use 'Bib Gourmand's standards' to demand, compare or blame us."

The store owner also complained in the comment area, saying that a Bib Gourmand recommendation has caused many recent customers to be picky and difficult with words, so they made an announcement. "We understand everyone's expectations for affirmation, and we are grateful to every guest who is willing to come to dine. But for us, evaluation should never become pressure. What we care about most is to always cook every dish well and make our guests who have always liked us enjoy their meal."

The store owners also said that they never change their original intentions for any selection, and only hope to pass on the good taste. Although Michelin is a private evaluation system and does not have the power to force stores to cooperate, they have refused any related marketing and publicity. More than any evaluation, what I treasure most is always the customer's words of "delicious, will come again."