Taipei Cafe

"Taipei Cafe’s bright interior is decorated with small plants, postcards, and cartoons of bubble tea and Chicago landmarks. And though the long beverage menu and cute illustrations suggest you’re at this Taiwanese spot for the boba (we like the Taipei milk tea), not ordering any food would be a mistake. Their crispy popcorn chicken is pleasantly salty with a slight kick, and each order comes with enough bite-sized pieces to qualify as a meal. But for something more balanced, we like the braised pork in a sweet and salty dark soy sauce that comes with rice, a hardboiled egg, pickled vegetables, string beans, and a side salad. Most people order food to go since the space is fairly small, but they have a few tables and counter seats available." - sam faye, adrian kane, john ringor, veda kilaru

"Taipei Cafe’s bright space is full of small plants, postcards, and drawings of bubble tea and Chicago landmarks. And though the long beverage menu at this Lakeview Taiwanese spot suggests you’re here for the boba, you shouldn't leave without ordering any food. Their delicious popcorn chicken is salty and spicy, and each order comes with enough crispy pieces that you could entire box for a meal. But we also like the braised pork in a sweet and salty dark soy sauce that comes with rice, a hardboiled egg, pickled vegetables, string beans, and a side salad. Many people order food to go since the space isn't too big, but they have a few tables and counter-seats available." - John Ringor

"Taipei Cafe, a popular spot for Taiwanese-style hot pot in Bridgeport, will open a second location this summer at 820 W. Belmont Avenue. The restaurant has passed all its inspections and the owners are now focused on hiring and training, aiming to open in late June or early July." - Naomi Waxman