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    BAO & RICE

    3.0 (1 review)
    Open 11:00 am - 9:00 pm

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    2 years ago

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    Tainan Bistro - Beef Noodle Soup (牛肉麵)

    Tainan Bistro

    4.2(135 reviews)
    14.9 miChinatown, Sharpstown
    $

    This is a casual Taiwanese restaurant in Houston Chinatown. The food was cheap and delicious, but…read morethe environment was slightly dirty and old. We got the oyster pancake, fried chicken with squid tempura, beef noodle soup and lurou noodle - all were very good and filling. There was complementary soup as well - though it was mostly sesame oil in hot water with some bits of egg and tomatoes.

    It seems a bit strange how hard it can be to find Taiwanese food in a city like Houston but glad we…read morestumbled upon this one! Its a very casual, cafeteria-esque restaurant with a pretty extensive menu. The owner was really nice but I think assumed I could speak Mandarin/Taiwanese but sadly I'm just a Canto boy. Anyways, we ordered with him and he gave us a number and explained the process in Taiwanese but we figured it out. Grab the items you need, get water if you want, sit at an open table and wait. I ended up trying the oyster pancake and the leek, pork intestine, and blood claypot. Both were great and really hit the spot for me (pro tip, their chili oil is great and adds another great layer of flavor). The oyster pancake had quite a bit of oysters and they were nice and plump. For those willing to try offal meats, the pork intestine and pork blood was amazing, flavors exactly what I wanted and cooked very well, nothing was chewy or over/undercooked. Prices and portions were also great and I was able to have my meal for 3 different days, and the third day I just overate. Overall, I'm glad to have found this spot and recommend it for anyone wanting Taiwanese food or to try something different. They have a lot of options and a really great deal for the more buffet/cafeteria style plates. Def can't wait to come back and get some more food!

    Photos
    Tainan Bistro - No they don't got Banh Mi!

    No they don't got Banh Mi!

    Tainan Bistro - Braised Pork Belly w/Preserved Vegetables (梅干扣肉)

    Braised Pork Belly w/Preserved Vegetables (梅干扣肉)

    Tainan Bistro - Inside - Ordering Counter

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    Inside - Ordering Counter

    Asia Blue - Grilled Chicken ramen

    Asia Blue

    4.6(223 reviews)
    18.9 mi
    $$

    Asia Blue is one of those places that have authentic taste but keep a low profile because they're…read moremore focused on delivering quality than nonessential marketing. I have passed by their restaurant many times, but it never occurred to me to go in until one day I was surprised to see them ranked in the top 100 ramen places nationally on Yelp! With less than 300 reviews, I was skeptical at first but was intrigued to give it a try, and I'm so glad that I did! I visited on a Friday afternoon right before New Year's and was greeted warmly by the staff inside. As I was indecisive on what to order in the ramen section, I asked the staff for suggestions. She was kind to walk me through the menu without rushing to get an order, and she mentioned that their most popular item is actually the beef noodles. That was all I needed to make a decision to try the beef noodles. While waiting for the food, I chatted with the staff and learned that the restaurant opened right before the pandemic then shifted their model to take-out only as the pandemic begin. Since then, they've tried to make use of their restaurant space to return to dine-in but it has been difficult to find reliable workers. In the interest of keeping the quality consistent and customers happy, they've decided to make sacrifices to keep the business model as is for take-out only instead of scaling up with additional staff, which is such a shame given the rent in the area is not cheap and they have such a beautiful space! When you hear "take-out only", I know what you're thinking, BUT I promise you this is the best takeout food you will ever have! The packaging is very well-designed to keep the flavors and ingredients at its finest! As I mentioned, I ordered the beef noodles, and typically noodle dishes are not ideal for takeout, but Asia Blue separates the soup from the noodles so that the noodles are not soggy, and even after half hour, the soup stayed warm and flavorful. The noodles also came paired with many mini side dishes as palate cleansers, which were a nice surprise. From my conversation with the staff, I've also learned that this is one of the rare places that truly make their broth fresh from premium ingredients! You can be sure that it's MSG free and packed with healthy nutrients, and that's a quality that you can taste. I highly recommend this place for your next ramen adventure, and I certainly will be returning again very soon to try the other menu items. :)

    This is a full sit down restaurant but only does To-Go orders. This place opened a before Covid…read more When Covid hit, they did To-Go only and stayed that way since. When you pickup your food, the sit down area is dark, and there isn't much of a waiting area. It looks to be run by two folks, the cook and the cashier. It is probably best to order over the app, as the one cashier is busy packing the food in the fancy packaging and dealing with the money transactions. Since it is only two people, it can be slow to get your food when it is busy. I waited an additional 20 mins from the projected time it was suppose to be done. As for the food, the miso ramen was packed in this fancy box. The box contained the soup separated from the noodles with a few side dishes. I believe this is the only vegi ramen they offer. It is nothing special. The broth is basically miso soup with soy sauce. (2 out of 5) The cold sesame noodles was better. It had more flavor. (4 out of 5) The Salt & Pepper Chicken was good (4.5 out of 5). I couldn't help eating it while in the car, as it smelled so good. The Braised Pork over rice was decent. It was cut up thick pork belly, braised in an Asian brown sauce. The flavoring was a little one sided. (3 out of 5). I'm giving this place an overall 3 stars because the food isn't something to rave about. Packaging and presentation were great, but tastes was more important to me.

    Photos
    Asia Blue
    Asia Blue - Ig: @whatsviveating  |  thai red curry seafood rice

    Ig: @whatsviveating | thai red curry seafood rice

    Asia Blue - Beef Noodle Soup $17.95 4/5 stars

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    Beef Noodle Soup $17.95 4/5 stars

    Yellow River Restaurant 何處覓小館

    Yellow River Restaurant 何處覓小館

    3.9(42 reviews)
    14.7 miChinatown, Sharpstown
    $

    The many folks who have heard my rants on (the lack of) Taiwanese cuisine in Houston were also some…read moreof the same folks who advised I check "He Chu Mi." After passing by Yellow River countless times, I soon realized the Chinese characters are in fact, He Chu Mi (何處覓) (#1) and decided to give it my best shot. Their format is reminiscent of many casual Chinese spots I've seen: Get a tray, pick 4-5 items with rice and/or soup, and pay a flat rate. Back in my NY days, this meal would be anywhere from $4-6. Here in Houston and in current foodflation, it's $9. The interior is so dated that it reminds me of another time. Perhaps a period where things were simpler, food was cheaper, but an old school vibe that I can get behind 100%. Despite the small space, they've done well to insert enough seating to make it group or solo dining friendly. While the menu is still completely in Chinese, it seems no one working there actually speaks it. I placed my food / counter orders in Spanish and made jokes with the cashier person, who was Vietnamese. More importantly, apart from some dated signs for bento boxes, I didn't find anything that was actually Taiwanese. (#2) From looks alone, the food sort of looked like a mediocre Chinese buffet. The vegetarian section wasn't particularly appetizing, but then again, neither was the section with meat in the dishes. I eventually went for tea eggs, braised tofu, a meatballs with braised cabbage, and a curry beef that was loaded with carrots and potato. And of course, a mound of white rice. Sadly, my eyes did not deceive me, as the food was as bland as it looked. The meatballs were tough, as was the beef chunks from the curry. The tea eggs were mildly okay, but also a bit on the hard side as they've been sitting in bevy of sauce under a hot lamp, and the braised tofu was extremely bland. Any semblance of sauce left for the rice was also wasted, since it was lacking flavor all around. While the food wasn't my bag, I understand this is a place of nostalgia for most. I also appreciate a good deal and a tray of food for less than $10 in 2026 is a win. It's also a no-frills type of place, which is the kind of non-pretentious vibe I want in any establishment. I will likely give it another shot in the future, but for now, it's a 3 star spot. ___________ (#1) Which loosely translates to "The bistro / cafe where one seeks" rather than "Yellow River." This name is a pseudo play on words from a commonly used phrase in Chinese literature (e.g. "何處覓知音?") (#2) New ownership?

    I used to come here about once a month because my chiropractor was right around the corner, but I…read morehaven't visited in several years. It's clear the place has changed ownership-- it used to be run by a Taiwanese grandma, and now it seems to be owned by a Chinese-Vietnamese family, based on hearing Taiwanese, Mandarin, and Vietnamese spoken behind the counter. They've added more selections where they place them by the chili oil. However, nothing is labeled so it will be hard for folks who aren't familiar with them. When you walk in, the setup is still the same fast-paced, cafeteria-style service. You pick two vegetables and two meats for about $9 if you pay cash. They do accept credit cards, but there's a service fee. I usually go for the stir-fried vermicelli plate, which comes with one meat and two vegetables--perfectly ok for a quick meal. Just a heads-up: the line moves really fast. As soon as you enter, someone will immediately ask whether you want white rice and then whether it's for here or to go. They expect you to know what you want, so first-timers might feel a little rushed, especially since none of the dishes are labeled. Most dishes are vegetable-based--green beans, eggplant, tofu, celery, shredded potato, tomato and egg, etc. On the left side, they usually have things like three-cup chicken, curry, fish, meatballs, and stewed chicken dishes. Service is quick, and the food is decent--not the best, but definitely not bad. They offer complimentary hot tea and soup, though the soup is usually pretty watered down with a few vegetables floating in it. Still, it's a quick, no-frills meal if you're in the Dynasty Plaza area. Plenty of free parking, too.

    Photos
    Yellow River Restaurant 何處覓小館 - Inside

    Inside

    Yellow River Restaurant 何處覓小館
    Yellow River Restaurant 何處覓小館 - Inside

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    Inside

    BAO & RICE - taiwanese - Updated May 2026

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