FOOD
VISIT 1:
Oyster Pancake: 4 Stars
* Oysters: fresh, juicy, plump, sweet; evenly distributed throughout the pancake.
* Pancake: tastes like the ocean with notes of garlic, tomato, vinegar, and grassy herbs; excellent texture; goldilocks-approved consistency--not too dry, not too slimy.
* Veggies: scattered throughout; balance the meatiness of the dish
* Portion: the size of my face.
* Last Thoughts: I love my protein, so more oysters and egg (and less veggies) would elevate this dish to 5 Stars in my books.
Sesame Dry Noodles: 3 Stars
* Noodles: medium-wide and resembled linguine; smooth and perf for slurping.
* Sesame sauce: needs more zing; maybe add a sour kick with lemon or vinegar, some sweetness with caramelized shallots or scallions, or a bit more umami with fish sauce or sacha paste. These flavors would cut the nuttiness of the sesame base and create more dimensions to the dish, which was a bit too basic for me.
* Bok choy: crunchy, fresh, lightened up the load of noodles.
* Portion: large enough for two.
* Last Thoughts: Noodles could have had more bite, but that's only because I tend to like my noodles more "Q."
Dolphin Milk Tea with boba: 4 Stars
* Milk Tea: refreshing yet still creamy and indulgent; finally a place that harmonizes two unlikely companions, milk and tea; best I've had in Boston!
* Boba: perfect texture; could have more flavor (perhaps soak longer in honey or brown sugar?).
* Last Thoughts: Glad I asked for 1/4 sweetness. Still pretty sweet!
VISIT 2:
Popcorn Chicken: 3 Stars
* Chicken: well-seasoned; tender dark meat; true to popcorn size.
* Breading: not crispy enough for my taste.
* Portion: enough for a meal; just right for sharing.
* Last Thoughts: The actual popcorn part of the popcorn chicken was average.
Sausage and Egg Fried Rice: 5 Stars
* Rice: distinct kernels of short grain white rice; slightly sweet; saucy, but not too oily; chewy qq texture.
* Sausage: like Taiwanese-styled candied bacon; sweet, but not cloying; lean, but still juicy; bite-sized, abundant, and evenly spread throughout the rice.
* Portion: Huge, but I ate it all because it was that delicious!
* Last Thoughts: Love the white onions and appreciated how Yvette accommodated my request for no green onions; more egg in the rice would have been nice.
Dolphin Milk Tea with pudding: 4 Stars
* Pudding: home-made, fresh, not too sweet, resembles more of a jelly. Less eggy than the pudding flavor that I prefer (i.e. from Sin Ba La in LA).
* Everything else is the same as the Dolphin Milk Tea with boba--still sweet, although I asked for ice in this one and love how it was crushed.
SERVICE: 5 Stars.
Come and see for yourself. The staff brings the good island vibes to the States.
VERDICT:
Definitely a worthy spot to check out, at least if you're craving refreshing boba milk tea, an oyster pancake, or some hearty fried rice. I have yet to find a better place for Taiwanese in Boston.
I'll be back to try more dishes. Would be cool if they added the option of subbing the linguine noodles with dong fen. read more