The North Taiwanese Cuisine won me over with their house specials, like thickened pork soup and funky dessert offerings.
The interior of the Richmond Hill restaurant is bright and simple with nostalgic touches, courtesy of the Chinese menu signs hanging on the wall that are reminiscent of night market food stalls in Taiwan.
The wide range of food offerings will transport you to the bustling lanes of Taipei, with Taiwanese-style breakfast, braised dishes, and night market snacks all on offer in a decent price range.
Winter Melon Tea ($1.99) is known for both being cooling and refreshing, and for its reddish-brown colour. Made with winter melon syrup, this Taiwanese drink has a unique sweetness with a subtle herbaceous finish.
You can’t go wrong with the classic Taiwanese Iced Milk Tea ($3.99). The delightful blend of rich red tea and silky milk makes it perfect to drink by itself or with boba added.
The house special, Thickened Pork Soup ($10.99), is a peppery and smooth broth, simmered with plump pork nuggets and veggies like carrot, bamboo shoots, and black fungus, resulting in a warm and hearty meat soup.
Bamboo Tube Sticky Rice ($13.99) is a truly traditional Taiwanese dish. Steamed in a bamboo tube, this cylindrical-shaped snack fully absorbs all the flavours from the pork, dried shrimp, and mushroom.
I’d suggest eating it with crunchy pickled cucumber to balance out its gooeyness.
Chhek-A-Mi Pork Noodles ($14.99) can be eaten either in soup or as a dry option. Thick yellow noodles, braised minced pork, pork shoulder slices, and a touch of crunchy bean sprouts delivers complex textures in this hot noodle dish.
Blanketed with an egg/starch mixture, the pan-fried Oyster Pancake ($14.99) is crispy yet chewy, with the slightly briny fresh oysters and crunchy greens complemented perfectly by a sweet finish from the red sauce on top.
Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken ($10.99) is another must-try street food, commonly served in a paper bag with bamboo skewers. Coated with salt and pepper, these bite-sized chicken pieces are irresistible, savoury, and crispy.
Braised Minced Pork with Taiwanese Sausage on Rice ($14.99) is a typical Taiwanese bento box. Served along with their daily special side dishes and a braised egg, it’s the ideal grab-and-go lunch option.
Taiwanese Braised Beef Soup Noodles ($16.99) is the perfect comfort food for a cloudy day. Chinese braising spices give the dish an earthy flavour, which is best enjoyed by scooping a spoonful of rich and slightly spicy beef broth along with a pinch of pickled cabbage.
Cooked in rich bonito broth, their Oyster Soup Vermicelli with Pork Intestine ($15.99) has a deep umami flavour. The juicy oysters and fatty pork intestines create a delectable match to the tender vermicelli, all finished with an aromatic touch from the garlic paste and cilantro.
Lemon Aiyu Jelly ($4.99) is made from Aiyu fig seeds, a fruit native to Taiwan. Served chilled in a pool of honey-lemon juice, this dessert drink has a jiggling texture and mild sourness, making it a refreshing palate cleanser between dishes.
Traditional Hakka Peanut Mochi ($11.99) is an old-fashioned sweet treat. Thoroughly coated with sweet peanut powder, you won’t be able to get enough of these nutty, soft, and stretchy rice cake pieces.
Round off your visit with their latest winter dessert, Hot Grass Jelly ($11.99), made with red bean, sweetened taro, and yam chunks with a velvety drizzle of cream. Make sure to scoop all the toppings together to properly savour all the contrasting textures at once.
The North Taiwanese Cuisine is located at 360 Hwy 7 Unit 3.