beef noodle soup (Photo by Luis Samayota/Stripes Japan)
We arrived at Shinjuku Station at 11 a.m. and headed out to a small restaurant called Taiwan Ten Cafe. This cafe opens at 11:30 and there is no need to make a reservation, so coming on time or a bit after isn’t an issue.
After we were seated, the server told us we could order through the QR code at the table or the LINE app on our phones. I tried the LINE app, but it was difficult since the menu was all in Japanese. Fortunately, ordering at the counter is also an option, so I went up and placed my order without hassle.
I picked the 3-piece shrimp dumplings, one beef noodle bowl and jasmine tea for 2,430 yen (about $15). It was an affordable meal compared to the big city prices for similar meals in the big city.
It took a few minutes for my meal to arrive, so I sat just admiring this small restaurant and its aesthetics of bright red Taiwanese Lanters, photos and designs. The music in the background was a bit of Japanese pop and the whole restaurant was just relaxing.
When my order arrived, I decided to try out the Taiwanese dumplings first and to my surprise, they were absolutely amazing. Each bite was mouthful and the dumplings disappeared in minutes. The beef noodle broth was equally delicious. The broth, thick noodles and beef chunks were unique but towards the end, it started to get a bit heavy. For a day trip, I would recommend this but at the end of the day to just crash out with a full stomach.
Taiwanese dumplings (Photo by Luis Samayota/Stripes Japan)
All in all, I had a great time coming here. I like Taiwanese food and it’s always a delight to grab a bite when I can. I would recommend this small restaurant since there is no reservation needed and it’s affordable.
Taiwan Ten Café
Address: 3-36-10 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Ainz and Tulpe Shinjuku East Exit store, 2F
Hours: 11 a.m - 8 p.m. 7 days a week.
Other info: Yen and card accepted.
– Luis Samayoa
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Although my travel buddy Luis picked Taiwan Ten Café, I ended up quite liking it!
The café had a casual but slick design that reminded me of Gongcha the Taiwanese tapioca tea chain. Adorned with red lanterns and colorful illustrations, it had a fun interior.
Their menu items included beef noodle soup, braised pork rice, taro balls, and Taiwanese castella cakes.
I went with a boiled shrimp dumpling set for 1,180 yen (approx. $7.28), which came with seven pieces of dumplings, almond jelly, and Chinese soup. The dumplings were quite hearty, with a whole piece of shrimp filling the dumpling wrappers. I also liked the delicate sweetness of the almond jelly and the tapioca pearls that were also in there. Washing down the big dumplings with mango juice (medium size for 620 yen) helped me recover from our long walk around Yanaka Ginza.
– Shoji Kudaka
