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| - Located at the corner of S. Jones and Spring Mountain near the 168 Market, this small humble eatery provides a comprehensive array of Taiwanese breakfast items that elicit childhood nostalgia for many 1st generation Taiwanese/Chinese folks and are definitely on the must-eat list for those of us second-generation folks who have been fortunate to have made a pilgrimmage back to Taiwan (or as I like to call it, Foodie Island).
Soybean milk- this is not the chalky stuff that you find in your supermarket that adds a nice dimension to your latte or cereal, this is enjoyed straight up either as a sweetened cold/hot beverage or in a savory form where a shot of vinegar and soy triggers a reaction so that the soymilk takes on a creamy custardization accented by little bits of green onion and pickled veggies. For those with discernible palates, I've been informed by reputable sources that the soybean milk across the street at China Mama is superior.
Rice Ball (Fan Twan)- a classic item my parents used to grab on the go while heading to school, don't be fooled by the simple name. This is steamed sticky rice enclosing a savory deep fried chinese doughnut and pork sung. The ratio of the rice and filling is perfect and it's as classic a combination as pb and j.
Temple meatball (Ba Wan)- not sure if there are any other places in town that offer this, and fortunately they make a wonderful version of this popular street food item. Finely chopped mushrooms, bamboo, and stir-fried pork encased by a glutinous tapioca flour bun and bathed in a thick orange sweet savory sauce that has an additional note similar to cinnamon/star anise, this one will flood your head with umami and makes me think if boba and dim sum were to conceive a rockstar child, this would be it.
Spicy Beef Noodle soup- Served piping hot and can easily feed 2 or more, the meat is impeccably braised and comes with garnishes of pickled mustard greens, cilantro, scallions, and bok choy. Detractors might say it is on the oily side and is way spicy (in which case the version at Noodle Pot may be closer to your liking), otherwise this one punches you in the face and is not shy on flavor in the best way possible.
Leek Pancake- A deep-fried empanada filled with garlic chives, scrambled egg, tofu, and mung bean noodles, this is a tasty rendition if you really like garlic chives.
Items that have room for improvement include the savory chinese doughnuts (yiotiao) and the sesame bun (sao bing) which I found to be a tad bit on the dry side, and the hunk of pork in the pork bun (gua bao) is also a bit oversized and lacking unctuousness (Sheridan Su does a better rendition at Great Bao which is now Fat Choy). Looking forward to trying the pork chop with rice, sweet tofu custard (do hua), and the lotus wrapped tamales (taiwanese and shanghainese varieties available) on future visits.
Not sure if this is an outpost of Yi Mei Deli Co. in Rowland Heights, CA (the fonts on the food signs look similar), but if you're expecting the same level of quality, it may come up short since they set the bar extremely high, otherwise it's a great primer on Taiwanese cuisine for the uninitiated. Unbelievable value for your wallet but don't forget cash if you're spending under $10 and they accept visa/mastercard but no amex.
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