Zachary Herb
Google
Unique fast casual counter serve spot serving up a variety of Taiwanese grub for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. They’re situated among a strip of storefronts in the base of a larger building on JFK. Look for the chalkboard sign out front. Once inside you can expect a fast casual vibe with nondescript booths, yellow walls, and a few tablets to place your order.
The open kitchen confirms the majority of their menu is made in house. We went with a variety pack of bao buns, chicken wonton soup, Taiwanese fried chicken paired with slaw, and potstickers. We were most impressed by the soft, pillowy bao buns. Specifically, the heritage pork belly buns which are packed with tender meat, tangy picked radishes, creamy aioli, and slightly sweet crushed peanuts. The fried chicken was perfectly crunchy, but the accompanying slaw was a little plain for our taste. In fact, the texture of everything we ordered was phenomenal whereas the flavors, aside from the bao buns, weren’t as pronounced as we anticipated. To be clear, everything tasted great and the lack of bold flavor could be more a reflection of the cuisine than the kitchen.
The location and atmosphere suggest the majority of their business comes via to-go orders. I’d certainly return for a midweek order of bao buns or one of the menu items we didn’t order. Recommended for a quick, casual meal or creative to-go option.