International Mall/Photo: Cynthia Clampitt
Talking about Taiwan can get complicated. The food from Taiwan is Taiwanese, of course, but it’s a blend of a variety of influences that reflect those who have lived on, or laid claim, to the island over the centuries, including the Chinese (Qing Dynasty), Dutch and Japanese. However, the people who live in or come from Taiwan are not necessarily Taiwanese, though that is an evolving story. Most people in Taiwan are from Chinese families who fled Mao’s revolution. They speak Mandarin. But the indigenous people, the Taiwanese, are Austronesian, also called Formosans (Formosa being an older name for Taiwan). They have a tribal culture and speak one of several Formosan languages. Hence, even as you order a meal of Taiwanese classic dishes, the person serving you, even if from Taiwan, will almost certainly be Chinese; and while you will recognize elements from the varied influences, the cuisine itself has become distinctly Taiwanese.
Searches for Taiwanese food around Chicago often turn up restaurants, usually Chinese, that have one or two Taiwanese items on the menu. They will usually offer at least beef noodle soup, generally recognized as the national dish of Taiwan. But there are a few places with a true Taiwanese focus, and they are worth seeking out.
One Taiwanese item that many people will have tried is bubble tea (aka boba tea). Created in Taiwan, where texture can be almost as important as taste, this sweet, milky, cold tea beverage with the tapioca pearls that give it its name, was introduced into the United States by immigrants from Taiwan in the 1990s. It is now widespread, and has been joined by popping bubbles, which are made from gelatin or agar-agar and are popular, I am told, among teens. But it’s worthwhile getting beyond bubble tea to actual food.
Tugo Tea House, Taiwanese kimchi and popcorn chicken/Photo: Cynthia Clampitt
I had read long ago about beef noodle soup, the most iconic of Taiwanese dishes, and it interested me: the Chinese on the whole dislike beef (I remember being told in China that beef was for barbarians). So, when I learned a few years ago that Tugo Tea House in Arlington Heights offered beef noodle soup, I wanted to visit. As you might guess from the name, Tugo offers bubble tea, though they also have hot tea from their family tea fields back in Taiwan (Alishan Mountain Tea, which was my choice). It was quiet when I was there, so owners Gerald and Jessica Barrett could chat, and they were wonderfully informative. The name “Tugo” is both the name of the village in Taiwan where Jessica’s family lived and a play on words, since they do a lot of carry-out and to-go business. When I ordered the beef noodle soup, Jessica asked if I wanted thin noodles or sliced noodles. I asked which was more traditional, and she said “sliced, though thin noodles are very popular.” I got the sliced noodles. I also ordered Taiwan kimchi, which is sweeter than Korean kimchi. The soup was elegantly presented, with steamed bok choy arranged on top. Reflecting the long hours of cooking, the generous slices of beef were meltingly tender, the broth rich and flavorful. Chili oil was served on the side.
As I visited other places, I discovered that, of course, dishes vary by venue and cook—but not so much that you can’t easily recognize them. At the International Mall in Westmont, the beef noodle soup had handmade noodles (though thinner than the sliced noodles), but due to the fact that Saturday morning at the food court is a stampede, this was not served as elegantly as it was at Tugo. Here, I was with friends, so we were able to try a considerable variety of foods, in addition to the beef noodle soup. We split a huge flaky scallion pancake, an order of fried stinky tofu, dumplings, steamed buns, braised eggs, sautéed cabbage, braised chopped pork, and seaweed salad. (Braised eggs are hard-cooked eggs with shells removed that are then simmered for a long time in seasoned soy sauce. Remarkably tasty.) In addition, we shared a couple of orders of the food that was drawing the crowd: youtiao—long sticks of crispy fried bread, which, along with soy milk, are a classic Taiwanese breakfast.
Bento box at Tapei Cafe/Photo: Cynthia Clampitt
At the South Halsted location of Taipei Café, I was impressed by the fact that they listed on their menu seven different versions of beef noodle soup: spicy, fatty, with tendon, or some combination of these, as well as eight other noodle dishes. I was focused, however, on trying a bento box, also called a rice box—clearly reflecting Japanese influence. I ordered braised pork belly, rich and flavorful, which came with turnip soup, vegetable of the day, braised egg, Asian vegetable pickle, and rice with a cinnamon-flavored sauce. The clientele was, as it has been in each of these places, almost entirely Asian—I’m guessing, folks looking for a taste of home. And clearly there is demand, as Taipei Café has now opened a second, though smaller, location.
As I perused the menu on my most recent visit to Tugo Tea House, Gerald told me I needed to try popcorn chicken. He said this is the most popular street food in Taiwan. It was easy to see why: crunchy morsels of chicken thigh dusted with a seasoned starch (rice flour, corn starch, tapioca starch, sweet potato starch—each place has its own coating, so ask, if you need to know; all are usually gluten free), then fried or even double-fried, to make each crisp chunk irresistibly crunchy. Easy to see why this snack rules the night markets.
The above are far from being the only Taiwanese food items, but they are the most common, the don’t-miss options. But there is more to explore. With elements and influences from so many countries and people groups, Taiwanese food can often seem familiar, yet also a bit exotic. There are a few that might be challenging, like stinky tofu, seaweed salad, and, at Taipei Café, the appropriately named “Adventurous Hot Pot,” with intestines amid the meats. Overall, however, if you have any familiarity with Asian cuisine, this will seem like comfort food—and sometimes comfort is needed.
There is still one more Taiwanese place I’ve yet to visit: Hello Jasmine, which focuses on street food and bento boxes at its two locations. Other than the handful of Chinese restaurants that feature a few Taiwanese items, that’s it. Those listed are (at present) the only Taiwanese restaurants in the Chicago area. They are worth searching out, if only for beef noodle soup and popcorn chicken.
