Taipei Bistro

We tried the beef noodle soup (niu rou mian), deep fried pork chop (pai gu fan), Taiwanese deep fried pork (red grain pork at Monja Taiker), minced pork rice (lu rou fan), deep fried stinky tofu and pork blood rice cake. Everyone enjoyed the beef noodle soup, minced pork rice and deep fried pork chop. The Taiwanese deep fried pork was okay. We would skip the deep fried stinky tofu and pork blood rice cake.
The beef noodle soup (niu rou mian) here is the soy sauce version rather than the clear soup version. Everyone seemed to enjoy this dish, and it was definitely one of the better versions around the San Gabriel Valley area, as some places are pretty lacking in flavor. We chose the thicker noodles which had a good chew to them. It’s been awhile since we’ve had a good version of this, so this may be our current favorite.
We chose the deep fried pork chop and the Taiwanese deep fried pork in bento style, served over rice with several small dishes, which included soy sauce braised tofu, some curry items, bean sprouts, eggs cooked with tomatoes. I preferred the deep fried pork chop (pai gu fan) which is a Taiwanese dish where the pork is marinated in soy sauce and sugar, then coated usually with a thin batter and deep fried. It was pretty good, crisp on the outside and tender on the inside, again among the better versions around the San Gabriel Valley area. I didn’t like the Taiwanese deep fried pork as much, but this is a personal preference. Here the Taiwanese deep fried pork is the red grain pork at Monja Taiker. It is, however, better seasoned here. It is boneless (unlike the deep fried pork chop), coated with some red powder and deep fried. While it is better than the flavorless version at Monja Taiker, I find that the deep fried pork chop has more flavor. As for the side dishes, alas, they were not as memorable. The egg with tomatoes was a bit sweet, and the braised tofu was a needed a bit more seasoning.
The mince pork rice (lu rou fan) was also very good. The mince pork was fatty and well seasoned with soy sauce and sugar. It went very well with the rice. Again, it is one of the better versions around the area, having had a relatively flavorless version only a week earlier.
Disappointingly, the deep fried stinky tofu was lacking in flavor. For instance, the version at Tofu King on Colima is much better. Similarly, the pork blood rice cake was okay but did not have the typical peanut powder that I normally associate with the dish. The sauce that was served with it is good, being sweet, savory and a bit spicy. We preferred the version at Class 302 better.
All in all, there are several things to recommend coming back to this place. The beef noodle soup was very good, as were the minced pork rice and the deep fried pork chop. Next time, we would try the dry version of the beef noodle. Everyone was very helpful and nice which makes you want to continue supporting this place.

Wow… they recommended beef noodle soup and friend chicken rice. The beef noodle soup was terrible, noodle was soggy and beef soup is super oily and there’s no beef taste in soup which is what I was looking for. 4 pieces of beef only… sigh. I would not recommend this place if you’re trying to get beef noodle soup. Other dishes like the vermicelli and rice plate were tasteless she I had a bite from friend’s.

Quite the hidden gem despite all of its signage. Right next to Luscious Dumplings for those who don’t want to brave the crowds.
I actually stumbled into this place not because of Luscious Dumplings, but because of a planned trip to Half & Half Good Old Time next door. All the seemingly unnecessary signage was what drew my boyfriend and I in, losing our commitment to try our planned lunch place.
Super affordable prices with six lunch specials to choose from. Boyfriend chose simple minced meat (you can choose ground or pork belly) over rice, which comes with an egg, 2 pieces of broccoli, beansprouts, and veggies. I had the fried chicken leg with rice that came all the same sides except with tomatoes and eggs instead of the tea egg. The fried chicken was perfectly fried and super crispy and came with 4 – 5 pieces. What I found really interesting and comforting was that the food was served on ceramic plates. It was incredibly unexpected because of all the times we’re handed food in disposable containers in small restaurants like this one. It was a nice home-​y feeling to have it served on a real plate. No clue if that’s consistent though. They had a bogo drink special of black, green, or winter melon tea for $ 2.75 with $ 0.50 add-​ons that we didn’t take advantage of, unfortunately.
Just like Sinbala, this place is CASH only so if Sinbala seems too pricey for you, make the trip here. Oh, and no MSG! :)

My friend and I wanted to get lunch at Benten ramen but the wait was taking forever so we tried luscious dumplings, which also had a long wait, and ended up eating here. I had the beef noodle soup and my friend had the minced meat noodles. We both liked our dishes. For my dish, the noodles were a good consistency and flavor was good. The beef wasn’t too hard and I liked that they offer pickled veggies on the side. Overall, solid Taiwanese food. If anything, I thought the soup was a tad salty. Also we got the bogo milk tea and winter melon tea since it was cheap. Milk tea was ehh (Quickly quality).

One of the best if not THE BEST Taiwanese restaurants I’ve ever been to, and I’ve been to many. Their service is absolutely impeccable and unlike any other service I’ve seen. And don’t even get me started on their food, its a stunner!
My mother and I ordered deep fried tofu, Taiwanese kimchi, deep fried pork, and a bean curd and egg combination, oh, along with a buy one get one free green tea! None of our orders disappointed me but exceeded my expectations!
The deep fried tofu we get regularly, and it’s THE BEST deep fried tofu I’ve ever had, seriously, it has a solid nice crisp on the outside and a slight chew before hitting the actual tofu. The dipping sauce is amazing, it compliments the fried tofu so well! It has garlic and some other ingredients that match well with the tofu. Oh! And the tofu isn’t super greasy like some restaurants’ tofu.
The Taiwanese kimchi is HANDS DOWN KILLER AWESOME. Bestest Taiwanese kimchi ever!!! I know I constantly say best ever, but that’s the quality this place gives you! It has so much flavor, and the crunch and bite to the cabbage and carrots are to die for. I’ve tasted some Taiwanese kimchi dishes that are watery, soggy, and rubbery, but trust me– this place has got their Taiwanese kimchi going on.
Their deep fried pork man. Oh my goodness!!! The crunch on the outside reminds me of popcorn chicken, and their meat has no fat, which I’m particular about. The pork is very good quality pork, and the taste is so good, even on its own! However I used their dipping sauce, chili oil (already on the table), and chili sauce (ask a server), because I love chili.
Their bean curd (aka tofu) and egg combination normally comes with seaweed, but I didn’t want to get seaweed. It was a winner! The sauce once again perfectly compliments the tofu and egg. (The tofu is not the square kind that you get when you order deep fried tofu, its the thinner rectangular tofu, super good for this dish)! The sauce is not the thick kind I normally see with these dishes, but don’t let that keep you from ordering this dish– it has FLAVOR and makes this dish OUT OF THIS WORLD. So glad we ordered this!
Their green tea is buy one get one free, if that doesn’t make you want to buy it, get this: you can taste real tea leaves, their sweetness is the right amount, and it’s just overall refreshing and perfect for any day.
Oh! And their bathroom looks small on the outside, but the inside is like a queen’s bathroom. It is so well kept and even has lotion for their guests. Plus, they keep hand sanitizer and Lysol in there! The restaurant itself is not the biggest, but it’s very well kept and clean; the tables are cleaned well!
So in summary, check this place out– I promise you won’t be disappointed. Five stars well deserved!

Nothing fancy, just simple well-​prepared Taiwanese food. Friendly servers. Yummy! Tummy very happy!

Love the beef tendon noodles, yummy. There is also a buy one get one free on the drinks, super bonus right now. The boiled vegies with mince meat is flavorful but ask for some rice on the side, it is worth it. My mom ate all the vegetables and left me the mince meat, so put it on rice. The staff is friendly and nice, it has a warm home feel to the place. This is a great place to eat.

I stumbled upon this place after turning to Unilocal for help for lunch specials near my area. They serve bento box lunch specials from 11am-​2pm Tuesday-​Friday with each main dish accompanied by 4 sides. The price ranges from $ 4.95-$ 6.95.
I had a craving for the spicy beef noodle soup. It came out with a side of pickled mustard greens. The meat was chewy and tough but the broth and noodles were delicious. All the food is made without MSG and I liked that it wasn’t overly salty, spicy or oily. The soup tasted light. The noodles were cooked perfectly.
The owner is nice and helpful. Cash only.

It’s mom and pop place, simple, how it should be when what you want is Taiwanese comfort food. Love the Fried Chicken over rice, the pork and preserved vegetable noodle soup.

I loved it! Beef stew noodle was as amazing as they advertised it to be. Fried pork chop and fried chicken legs were so comforting and satisfying. It came with many side dishes, it was like a Taiwanese bento. Fried tofu was surprisingly crispy on the outside and the sauce that came with it was perfect. I don’t live very close to SG but I’m seriously thinking about going back there for lunch tomorrow.

So yum!!! This place serves true authentic Taiwanese food and totally exceeded my expectations. There is not too many places in SGV that makes me feel at home! But this place hits the spot. The bento entrees all come with 5 – 6 other small dishes and are different everyday. Today, they served sides of bean sprouts, cabbages, tomato and onions, half an egg, and sautéed water chestnuts. They also have weekly lunch specials that are ridiculously cheap for less than $ 6. They also serve bobas too.
As far as the entrée, I would recommend the fried chicken leg served over rice for $ 7.75. The batter they use is really amazing. It’s not too greasy and very crispy! I can’t compare it to any other place.
They are so known for the best beef noodle soup in town! I’m gonna come back the next time I have cravings for beef noodle soup.
The owner is also very nice and friendly. You can tell she’s is from Taiwan. She does her best in keeping you happy and always a pleasant to speak with.

The best authentic Taiwanese cuisine from a Taiwanese. The owner is so kind. Makes me thankful I’m from the beautiful island of Taiwan… Formosa forever

BEST stewed tendon rice dish in the 626. I only come here for their tendon rice dish, but the other things I’ve tried here are really good as well. It’s really hard to find a restaurant that serves perfectly stewed tendon to go with rice and a bunch of healthy sides. I could eat this everyday. On top of that, you can also request brown rice for in incredibly healthy meal.
Their spicy beef noodle soup is probably the best I’ve had in the area. It’s a little on the sweet side, but it suits my taste just fine. The beef isn’t overcooked and falls apart nicely once you bite into it.
Oh, and cash only!

The white chicken with wine tasted pretty decent. Prices were average to slightly pricey. I like how many different things came with my order (rice, small portions of corn, egg and tomato, bean sprouts, etc.), as I don’t believe the menu tells you that your entrée order comes with these small sides as well. The plate itself looks pretty big with all these different sides, which I like. My white wine chicken was nice and cold. It was pretty good to me, but it may be an acquired taste as I have had it before at other restaurants and my boyfriend disliked it when I let him try.
It would be nice if the employees could speak more English, as it was a little difficult to communicate with them when we asked a few questions about menu items. The employees we interacted with were all nice enough though. It can feel pretty hot inside the restaurant, so you may want to try to sit more towards the back to be away from the window, because light and heat still gets through the big front window, even though it is completely covered. I would come back again to try other things from their menu if I ever crave Taiwanese food.
Cash only!

This is a little small restaurant in the Phoenix and luscious dumplings plaza. I was craving for some fried tofu so me and my boyfriend decided to come here to try it out. We didn’t even notice this place was even in this plaza.
The lady who works here is extremely nice. They only had fried tofu by itself, but I really wanted it in a combo because I wanted rice with my meal. It wasn’t on the menu but she said they could accommodate to me. Their tofu had a nice crisp to it and I really liked the seaweed that they give you on the side. My boyfriend got the chicken leg and he said half of the chicken was pretty much all fat. He didn’t enjoy it that much at all, poor guy.
Taipei bistro reminds me of sinbala because of all their rice dishes. Sinbala is a little bit more generous with their food though. The portions here are kind of small and their presentation is no where up to par with sinbala’s.

I love Taiwanese food and this place is right up my alley, especially those great lunch specials!
What I got:
1. Pork belly over rice: This comes with rice and veggies and it’s overall very filling! The pork belly was flavorful and delicious. Definitely a good choice for lunch and you can’t beat that price of only $ 5.95! (⁵⁄₅)
2. Veggie stir fry noodles: This isn’t part of the lunch special menu. The noodles were great, but I wasn’t a fan of stir-​fried vegetables. You could tell that they definitely gave you huge portions of the veggies and small amount of noodles. (³⁄₅)
3. Salt and pepper shrimp: Flavorful, but it was pretty expensive for 4 pieces. (⁴⁄₅)
4. Tomato egg flower soup: Tasted decent. To others, it may taste bland, but it’s not meant to be a fully flavorful soup. But I liked it. (⁴⁄₅)
Overall, I recommend the lunch specials (there’s limited choices). The pork belly over rice is definitely my favorite because my stomach and wallet were happy. Definitely a good place to come for lunch! =)

$ 40 lunch for two, including 2 entrees, 2 boba’s, 3 small sides and 1 appetizer platter. Not too shabby. Flavor-​wise, Taipei Bistro was a-​ok.
I’d definitely recommend for sides the mung bean sprouts — well marinated and crunchy. Also, the «lu wei» app, which included seaweed, marinated egg, and marinated tofu was an excellent authentic choice.
My brother and I were pretty let down by the cold cucumbers and the pickled cabbage («pao tsai») though. The cold cucumbers weren’t seasoned well and the flavors hadn’t infused fully into the vegetable. The pickled cabbage reminded me more of kimchi instead of the sweet ‘n sour flavors they had pictured on their menu/​walls.
Both our entrees were good, but my brother’s fried chicken meal was probably a big step up from my fried pork meal. The meat was just more tender, juicy and flavorful. The pork itself was more on the dry side.
Boba in the bubble tea were a little old. They sat sort of mushy and sticky at the bottom of the cup. However, flavor of the milk tea itself was decent. Cant complain too much for a buy one get one free beverage, I suppose.
Bottom line, an OK place to grab Taiwanese lunch. I’d hit up some other Taiwanese food joints before coming back again though.

My friends and I came here for dinner on a Sunday evening. We all heard about the awesome Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup so we each ordered a bowl and a «rainbow salad» type dish (see picture for reference). There are 3 types of noodles: extra thin, medium, and thick/​wide. I opted for the extra thin noodles. Tender beef and free unlimited amount of salted pickled veggies (one of my favorite add-​ons in any Taiwanese beef noodle soup!) to go in the soup thanks to the lady owner.
I would have given 4 stars, but the soup needed a little bit more flavor. Drinks are buy 1 get 1 free. I got the winter melon tea, but it was over sweet, nothing that adding water can’t fix.
The «rainbow salad» was light and refreshing. I feel that this is more of a lunch-​time item and can go well with plain rice.
Service was fantastic! Perhaps it was speaking Chinese with the lady owner that encouraged her to come to our table often. She just has such a «motherly» vibe.
Cash only.
I’m willing to come back again to try other items and hopefully my review update will include a higher rating.

I’ve only had their beef noodle soup and they definitely serve one of the best ones around. This dish is really tasty and it tastes clean as well. They appear to use quality ingredients as I really could not find much to complain about. The beef quality was good and all of the pieces were pretty tender. The veggie, soup, and noodles were all good as well.
To be honest, I pass by here all the time and never gave it much thought since it never seemed to have many customers. Surprisingly, the beef noodle soup is pretty legit here and I’m looking forward to trying some of the other items.
FOOD: Beef Noodle Soup — Recommended
SERVICE: friendly, efficient
PARKING: Parking isn’t too bad here usually. Shared parking lot; street (free)

GENUINE TAIWANESE FOOD! YEEEE I cannot express my joy in words. Oh and did I mention, NO MSG?
Came here on a Friday lunch for their amaze-​ball $ 5 weekday lunch specials. Don’t forget to check in on Unilocal to get $ 5 off $ 25!
Food Ordered from favorite first:
(1) Fried Pork Chop w/​rice lunch special ($ 4.95): Oh my. The moment I sunk my teeth into the pork chops, I knew I came to the right place. It’s been a while since I’ve had such juicy, tender pork chops bursting with flavor. The skin is perfect, thin and fried just enough. It came with some veggies that I did not fall in love with, but tasted healthy so I was happy. Also had some eggs & tomatoes that were just sweet enough, yummy! I would return to get this dish in a heartbeat.
(2) Taiwanese Deep Fried Pork w/​rice lunch special ($ 4.95): Took this to-​go for dinner. I love Taiwanese deep fried pork! The pork has a red outer lining that makes it sweet. But this isn’t your Panda Express Orange Chicken crappy nonsense sweet, this is a very balanced sweetness. Again, it came with the same veggies and egg w/​tomatoes on the side.
(3) Spicy Steamed Sole ($ 4.95): This was listed under «Today’s specials.» Although it only came with 3 pieces, I was very satisfied with taste and freshness quality. Sole can be expensive, and they were able to make it super tasty with a hint of spiciness!
(4) Taiwanese Sausage w/​rice lunch special ($ 4.95): Took this to-​go for dinner as well (to share w/​the boyfriend). This was actually just ok. Sausage wasn’t as flavorful as I had hoped… probably wouldn’t get this again.
(5) Tossed cucumber ($ 2.75): Not the spicy version I usually prefer, but it was crunchy which means it hasn’t been soaking for too long :) Refreshing and reasonably priced for a nice side to go along with any meal.
(6) Stewed Pork Hock ($ 4.50): Probably worst dish of the night. Most of it was too dry, but maybe because I took it to go and the sauce was solidified in the fridge? The parts that were tender tasted good though!
VERDICT:
Such good value for delicious Taiwanese food that has no MSG in it. With the $ 5 off from checking in on Unilocal,I only spent $ 25 pre-​tip! What a steal :) I am definitely coming back!
PS. Cash only!