One of the wonderful things about living in the 21st Century is that no matter where you are, the world seems to have become smaller. This can be attributed to the growth of the internet, the global interest in travel, or simply because people move to new places, bringing their culture with them. You don't necessarily have to travel the ends of the earth to experience different people or cultures. No matter where you are, you just have to reach a little beyond arms length to learn something new about someone new.
Being a food lover, I love experiencing new cultures through their cuisine. Living where I do, it's great that there are so many opportunities to visit the world through the restaurants within a few miles from where I live. Today I had my first taste of Taiwanese food from a restaurant appropriately named "Facing East". I first heard about this restaurant a few months ago, from a Taiwanese friend of a friend. It came highly recommended as an authentic bang-for-your-buck type of place serving Taiwanese Street Food. The restaurant is tucked away in a quiet corner of an unassuming shopping center named Belgate Plaza on Bellevue Way, just about a couple of blocks north of Bellevue Square. And it does face East. I had heard that it was a very small but very popular place that didn't take reservations, so the wait for a table was always very long. I was told the best thing to do was get there before they opened for the day. When I first went there upon hearing about it two months ago, I was disappointed to find the restaurant closed indefinitely while it underwent renovation. I could only hope that once they reopened, they would be big enough to accommodate a larger clientele.
I decided to order some take out food for two from Facing East restaurant today. They open at 11:30 a.m. and I was there at 11:45. I walked in and was greeted by the look of a neat and clean restaurant that had obviously seen a recent makeover. It looked authentically Taiwanese, although never having been to Taiwan I wouldn't really know any better. The staff were very personable and the restaurant seemed to have sufficient seating for all of its customers. I ordered the Pork Burger, Sweet Potato Flour Pancakes with Mixed Seafood and Lamb with Barbecue Sauce. I was told it would be about 15 minutes before my order was ready, so I decided to run some errands in the meanwhile. When I returned, the restaurant was full to capacity, with about 20 people waiting! So much for sufficient seating. I had to wait a few additional minutes for my order, but that gave me more time to scope out the place. What I noticed was that every single dish that left the kitchen looked amazing. It seemed like presentation was very important. Whenever a dish is presented extremely well, it raises my expectation of it. I began to hope I wasn't setting myself up for disappointment. I also happened to notice that everyone there seemed to be ordering some very interesting non-alcoholic drinks.
The food was still quite warm when I got home, so there was no need to reheat anything. We tried the Pork Burger. Oh my word! It was delicious! It consisted of grilled onions, ground pork, fresh cilantro and a slice of pork belly inside a folded steamed bun. The combination of flavors and textures was just amazing! I could have had two Pork Burgers and called it a day, it was that substantial and that good! We moved on to the Sweet Potato Flour Pancakes. The pancakes were translucent and almost glutinous, but were nice and crisp around the edges and on the top. They were slathered with a light sauce and were filled with the most delightful combination of shrimp, oysters and other seafood, along with some leafy vegetables that I couldn't identify. Not a big deal really, because everything combined so well and tasted very good. Finally it was time for the Barbecued Lamb on steamed white rice. Again, there were some unidentifiable leafy vegetables with really thick stems all through this dish. And again, it didn't really matter because the dish was awesome! The thinly sliced lamb combined very well with the vegetables and the sauce. There were large slices of garlic and red Serrano peppers, which contributed to the bold flavors that combined very well with the steamed rice. Overall, it was a wonderful meal. Everything I had ordered was flavorful and delicious, without being overpoweringly spicy. It seemed to be the perfect meal for a warm summer day like today. I am not sure if the prices have stayed the same after the restaurant has reopneed, but a decent meal can set you back around a reasonable $20.
If there was one thing I were to change, I would mke the menu more descriptive so I knew what I was ordering. I don't know if that will take away from the entire experience, although I don't believe it will. It is quite possible that perhaps while dining in the waitstaff will be very helpful with explaining the dishes. However, if I didn't know someone who recommended what to get, I'm not sure I would know what to order. That being said, I can't wait to go there again. I will definitely eat in, making sure to order some of those pretty-looking drinks. If I have room, I would also make sure to order their red bean soup or some of their shaved ice for dessert. I will also make sure to take pictures of their food.
If any of my local readers/followers would like to join me the next time I go to Facing East Taiwanese Restaurant, please let me know.
1 comment:
Uh, yeah, I'll join you!
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