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    Old Taro

    3.7 (283 reviews)
    ModerateTaiwanese
    Updated over 3 months ago

    Old Taro Photos

    OLD TARO ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Old Taro

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    Reviews With Photos

    Anthony H.

    Taiwanese food is still a niche in the Bay Area, and Old Taro is a good place to be introduced. The vibe here is homey Taiwanese, with cartoon graphics on the wall and playful banners and ceiling hangings. We started with stinky tofu for appetizers. The version here is atypical in that the dipping sauce was not the garlicky sweet soy sauce but lighter with no visible garlic. The dipping sauce was also poured on top of the tofu rather than on the side. It was enjoyable nevertheless. The tofu was perfectly fried on the outside and moist on the inside. With a generous heaping of chili sauce and outstanding pickled cabbage, this dish was a good reinterpretation of the Taiwanese classic. We tried various tasty bento boxes- fried pork chops, Taiwanese sausage, popcorn chicken. Each bento boxes came with side servings of steamed vegetables, stewed egg with bean curd sheet or mini spring rolls. We also had the pork knuckles over rice, which had very tender stewed pork knuckles over rice with meat sauce, bamboo shoots and a stewed egg. Beef noodle soup is an iconic dish in Taiwanese cuisine, and at Old Taro I gave it high marks. The broth was very aromatic and mildly spicy which was perfect for me. You can specify the noodles and I requested the thick flat noodles which really soaked up the broth. The bowl was a good size and filled with prodigious amounts of tender beef chunks, tripes and soft tissues. The meat was tender so it went down without getting between my teeth. Taiwanese desserts are a must, and here you can choose from a selection of shave ice, tofu puddings, regular as well as fried mochis. We had the cute little bathtub filled with taro shave ice, grass jelly, colorful sweet rice dumplings and a panda shaped mango sorbet. A second dessert was soft tofu puddings covered with the colorful sweet dumplings. This came with a side dish of two incredibly flavorful taro cookies. So many dishes we wanted to try. Guess we have to come back!

    Deep fried pork cutlet
    Caroline L.

    Probably one of the better Taiwanese places in the area. The soup base is flavorful and the noodle has that food chew. The beef is also surprising tender. They don't cheap out on the meats like some other places in the bay. I also like that the soup was pipping hot when it came to us. There's plenty of seating for both large and small parties. We barely had to wait and were seated right away for a weekday lunch. And the food came out super fast too and felt very fresh.

    Wonton Noodle Soup
    Natalie C.

    A hidden Taiwanese gem in Fremont that we found via a popular YouTuber! The interior is a cute, night market themed place with padded stools and lots of old timey decor. Staff mostly speaks Chinese but there was a lady who spoke great English that can help answer questions so fear not! Ordering is done via QR code and THEY DO TAKE CARD! I saw other comments mention it was cash only so they must've changed this recently but it was nice to not have to run to an ATM in the middle of our meal. We ordered the Spicy Beef Stew Noodle soup and the Wonton Noodle Soup. Both were spot on! The beef noodle soup had great flavor with nice, al dente noodles and a deceptively spicy broth that got hotter as you kept eating (or maybe I'm just weak ). The wonton noodle soup was a surprise to us - very tasty with a lot of clean, natural tasting chicken broth (didn't feel like they used coloring or chicken powder to have that artificial taste) and the noodles were a thinner, rounded rice noodle that paired well with the dish to make it taste very clean. Great if you're looking for a lighter, less oily option. We also got their black sesame soy milk and black tea soy milk. Both were very tasty, came in a sealed cup with no ice but still cold. A bit on the sweet side but with a spicy noodle soup - having something more sweet was a relief although we'd probably pass on these next time given how sweet it was. It's also right next to Pineapple King Bakery so great for a two for one pit stop! We'll definitely be back to try more of their appetizers like their fried pork chop or popcorn chicken!

    Irene L.

    Was craving Taiwanese food and came across this cute restaurant. It's in the same plaza as Pineapple King, so tons of parking! Shared two dishes with a friend and it was enough because the items were pretty large in quantity. We got the dry noodles and spicy won ton dumplings. Both were good but not something that amazed me. It was pretty empty as we came about 40 mins before closing so service was fairly quick.

    Super tasty Taiwanese beef noodle soup
    Alex H.

    Why so glum, Mr Old Taro? Every single time we are there we try to smile to the owner. He could care less about our presence at the restaurant. The server ladies are great, though. They're always there to help and serve. The grumpy owner is putting a bad taste in our mouths.

    Combination beef noodle soup
    Emily H.

    Came on a Saturday night for dinner before 6pm. It was pretty empty but later more people came in. You order with a QR code, and they brought out warm water. The seats like other reviews mentioned are cute little cubes, although maneuvering them may be a little challenging. We ordered the beef noodle soup, combination beef noodle soup, and scallion/green onion pancake. Within 10 minutes the food came out. I can see why plenty of reviews mention the beef noodle soup broth is flavorful, but in my opinion it's because the taste of star anise is evident - even to the point of overwhelming for my husband and I. It overpowered the rest of the stuff inside - the noodles, which are chewy, and the beef, which are nice big chunks but can be a bit fatty. The scallion pancake was also crispy but only around the outside - the inside was doughy and a little undercooked. Overall, we might come back to try other items on the menu. But would probably look elsewhere for beef noodle soup. P.S. The restaurant started playing music 5 minutes after we arrived and it was the same song, super loud and strong bass, for about 10 times lol. After that they finally changed to a playlist but I wouldn't be surprised if they do karaoke here with the strong music system lol!

    Stewed beef combo noodle soup and braised tofu
    Ivonnie S.

    Old Taro is still a solid 4! We've come by to eat here in-person many times since my last 2021 review for their takeout. FOOD // Our go-to's are: + Fried vinasse fish filet with rice bento set (4.5/5): the fried fish is nice and crispy on the outside, and tender and moist on the inside. I like that the rice has minced braised pork on top. The cooked Taiwanese cabbage (or sometimes it's edamame) is a good small side. The braised egg and tofu are okay; one time, the braised egg was quite dry inside and looked like it had been braising for a little too long. + Fried Taiwan-style chicken with rice bento set (3.5/5): the fried chicken cutlet was very lean and a bit dry, but okay. Crispy outside. + Pepper Popcorn Chicken with rice bento set (3.5/5): similar to the other fried chicken cutlet bento, this popcorn chicken was also a bit tough/dry, though the outside was a nice crunch. + Wonton soup (5/5): Grandma and I are fans of this one! Soothing warm clear broth, tasty wontons, and veggies for a healthy light meal. + Braised tofu (4.5/5): this braised tofu has a nice meat-y sauce on it and has more flavor than the one that comes with the bento box. It's a smoother tofu texture as well. Goes well with rice. + Stewed beef noodle soup (5/5): our parents always get one of the beef noodle soups. Nice and comforting broth with good flavor, not too salty. Beef is tender, and there's a good portion. SERVICE + AMBIANCE // Plenty of seating inside, with space for larger groups. I love the decoration on the walls and around the restaurant - one side has a fun Mario-inspired wall decoration, and another side inspires memories of Taiwanese night markets. Service has been very kind every time we've eaten here.

    Spicy beef soup
    Gwyne P.

    Absolutely loved this place! It's a cute spot located in a corner inside a plaza. The inside is decorated very cute! Lots of room for people to sit too. There's a QR menu to order your food. My friends and I ordered our food separately and were able to split the bill. The food here is AMAZING! Everything was flavorful and delicious. The fried XLB was probably favorite. The soup inside was tasty. The dry noodles weren't super sticky but the flavor was perfectly spiced. Those two also paired really well. The service was quick and they didn't rush us out once it was closing time! We'll definitely come back!

    Spicy wonton
    Carson M.

    Service was standard. Took the waiter 5 minutes or so to bring out water and extra bowls. I wouldn't expect much though! Lots of tables inside and no line when we came on Mother's Day at 1pm for lunch. Fried pork chop: (4.5/5) fried well and has a slight thin crispy exterior. Smaller appetizer but it tastes like a very good popcorn chicken substituted as pork. Thin strips of pork chop, not dry but also not juicy so it's a good in between. Slightly salted. Spicy wonton: (4/5) has a slight peanut butter taste to it and not spicy chili oil like din tai fung. Wontons are fairly small so you can eat them in one bite with ease. Spicy stew beef noodle soup (4.5/5): it has a nice spice. Not overly spicy but it has a kick to it. Broth itself seems fairly clean and not overly oily at all. Came with 4 small palm sized pieces of meat that were soft. You could break them apart with your chopsticks. None of the pieces had chewy tendon in it either.

    Beef noodle soup
    Ashley H.

    This is a new favorite beef noodle soup spot for me. It has the perfect amount of spice. I'd come back again!

    Bento
    S F.

    Quirky. Yeah that's word to describe the ambiance and experience. Super Mario brother inspired picture. Taiwanese Night Market. Cubes as seats. "Old Taro?" Quirky! The menu is broad (with the requisite misspellings) and you order from a QR code. The bento was well portioned. The beef soup was spicy. Upon paying they gave us a very dense moon cake to go. It was curious until we cut it open it was chock full of nuts.

    Fried Pork Chop
    Vivienne C.

    Honestly very disappointed in Old Taro. I remember going to their other locations previously, so was excited to try this one out. Got seated right away as there were not that many people in the store. - Taiwanese "Pickles" (Napa Cabbage) - The naming conventions of this palce is something else. Either way, felt like the typical garlic flavor didn't seep through the cabbage which was a bit disappointing. - Fried Pork Chop - Was not a huge fan of this as the pork wasn't super tender and the flavors didn't seep through. Also at first I was a little worried that we didn't order rice with this, but it turned out to be okay because the pork chop didn't have a lot of flavor anyways. - Stew Beef Combo Noodle Soup - I appreciate the different kinds of beef cuts they put in here including the beef itself, tendon, and stomach lining. The broth didn't particularly stand out to me. I should've ordered the spicy version of this instead, maybe that will have more flavor. Honestly, pretty disappointed with Old Taro - not sure if I will come back again. I think the biggest thing is the overall lack in flavor but ordering three dishes was very filling for two people as the portion sizes were all quite large which is a plus.

    Mark L.

    Spicy beef noodle with tripe - it's not that spicy but enjoyable. The soup is very flavorful and the thick noodle has a bit of texture if you like al dente texture. Tripe and beef is very tender. Noodle with tripe - tender tripe, soup is flavorful, the thin noodle is soft but not soggy. I like the soft noodle even I usually like al dente. Pan fried bun - very crispy, not too oily. Good amount of meat and veggies inside but unlike Shanghainese pan fried bun, it's got no soup inside. Still, taste pretty good. For a bowl of noodle soup, I think this is a great place.

    Fried Pork Chop Bento, Taiwanese Sausage Bento, Hu Jiao Bing

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    Old Taro Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Old Taro

    When will you guys have 羊肉爐?

    Sorry No

    Do you open 11/25/22 ~ 11/27/22? If so, what are the hours?

    Yes

    Do they sell fan tuans everyday or only on weekends?

    Weekends only

    Does it open tomorrow?

    Yes

    View All 7 Questions

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    4.0(247 reviews)
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    I came here for stinky tofu! Easy parking. Nice and quick service. Will be back soon.read more

    I had high hopes, as the Chinese bane of this restaurant is of the famous night market of my home…read moretown. I was not expecting great service as soon as we walked in. It was a bit unorganized and people walking around but not sure where to seat us. We finally got seated and had to wait a while and waved down people a few times to get out orders in. It is okay, I am here for the good, not the service after all. Right? I was disappointed. The oyster pancake was extremely fishy. The rice cake (well not really a cake but inverted sticky rice cup) was cold and where is the pork floss? The chicken rolls were decent, the best dish. I didn't try the fried intestines but was told there were okay. The stinky tofu not really stinky. I think it is because we are in the US and many restaurants stopped selling this due to complaints. I can take that but the dipping sauce was lacking with no garlic flavor. The other items were nothing to write home about. We were waiting for our stir fried seafood noodles and finally waved down someone only to find out it is out, but no one told us. So we ordered pork chop bento as we saw the next table had one and the portion was amazing. Well, someone must have eaten our order in the kitchen as ours was half of the size as what we saw from the other table. The decor was very simple and as with most Asian restaurant it was noisy. But I was there for the food so no problem. But the food didn't deliver.

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    Taiwan Porridge - Fremont

    Taiwan Porridge - Fremont

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    Not what I expected. For fast food and on the run, maybe. Otherwise, not for me…read more The sausages didn't feel they were cooked enough. The chicken dish, what an unexpected cold chicken. I'm sure for those not are use to it, go for it. Anyway, best to you and your business.

    I honestly can't believe I never knew this place existed! I am a huge fan of porridge, and this is…read moreofficially my new favorite spot. The first thing I noticed is how spacious the restaurant is. It's clean, open, and has a great atmosphere. If you've had a "crazy night out" and are looking to recover from a hangover, this is exactly where you need to be. There's something about that warm, soupy bowl of porridge that just brings you back to life the next day. The best part about this place is the variety. You get your porridge and then you head to the counter to pick out all the different sides to eat with it. We went with a solid mix: Braised Squid Perfectly tender and savory. I got the Chinese Squash with Scrambled Egg which a great, light comfort dish that goes perfectly with the texture of the porridge. Also get the anchovies these added that perfect salty crunch. I can't remember the name for these Crunchy Black Mushrooms but these had a great "snap" to them and were soaked in flavor. If you love Taiwan-style porridge or just need a solid meal to settle your stomach, you have to check this place out. The selection is huge, the portions are great, and I felt 100% better by the time I walked out. I'll definitely be a regular here!

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    I came around 1:45pm on Saturday and didn't have to wait in line. Note that they have a lunch break…read morestarting at 2:30pm. My friends and I each got a beef noodle soup and a pork chop fried rice to share. We also split the century egg with tofu appetizer (15% off with entree order). Ironically enough, the fried rice was my favorite. It was seasoned really well, wasn't too oily, but had that wok aroma. The pork chop was also seasoned well and the meat was high quality. I got the beef shank noodle soup with flat noodles. I am a wider noodle type of gal, but I think I would go with the thin noodles next time. Those feel more inherently "correct" for a beef noodle soup dish. I got 3 decently sized pieces of meat. Meat was really tender. Overall a delicious experience. Definitely one of my favorite beef noodle soup spots in the bay. It was $18 for the beef shank noodle soup. A bit pricier but a decent amount of food.

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    located in pac rim , parking can be a bit hard even during lunch on weekdays…read more order on kiosk to the left as you enter person will call out your order when it's ready - sandwiches aren't made to order tho cus they're just premade & sitting there anyways brings back the feeling of breakfast in Taiwan & it's nostalgic I always get the Taiwanese classic sandwich or whatever it's called

    I have had this in my bookmarks for a long time never had a chance to go because the hours don't…read morework for me. Finally I had a day off in the weekday so I got to go! This is in Auto mall, I always wonder what it is because it was always close when I was in the area. Plenty of parking. The inside is pretty big with plenty of seats. It is a sight to see all of the aunties making the sandwiches and other food in their little stations. It also seemed like there was an area for grab and go sandwiches but I am not completely sure. They had a little kiosk to order. I have a confession to make, I am not big on sandwiches. I know, sacrilegious. But these sandwiches are different. I got this combo sando, sausage, egg, ham, tomato lettuce. It sounds simple but I think the combo with the soft fluffy bread is what makes it irresistible. I also got soy milk because it seemed like the right thing to do. It tasted fresh, not super sweet, and a perfect pair to my breakfast sando. If I could, I would love to go again and try other things they have to offer and maybe a gallon of soymilk!

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    3.3(262 reviews)
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    The Red Oil Wontons (chao shou) really packs flavor! The wontons are wonderfully savory and juicy…read moreinside. The dipping sauce punches your senses with chili oil, vinegar, and garlic. It is kind of spicy and clears your sinuses, so be ready with tissues or napkins! The peanuts and green onions on top provide good crunch and texture to the dish. Each wonton was decent sized, very filling overall. Side note - I like that they double wrapped the container, so it doesn't spill or leak. At the front counter, they have many boxes of apps and side dishes already made and ready to eat. This includes rice dumplings, radish cakes, meatballs (ba wan), rice rolls, poached chicken, pig ear, tofu skin, braised wheat gluten, steamed buns, cucumbers, and black fungus. So convenient to just quickly select some to eat immediately. You can also order fresh hot food from their large menu. They're always busy with long lines, however their service is fast so you don't have to wait long. Most people take their food to go, but there are a few tables inside for dine in too. Very casual environment, kind of a hole in the wall place. It is in the middle of a large shopping center next to Osaka Marketplace with many parking spots. I will be back to try their premade foods!

    In a large plaza surrounded by other fancier eateries, Little Taipei can be considered a hole in…read morethe wall, not for its size, but for its lack of decor or ambiance. We came here before picking up an order of buns from Pineapple King nearby (see my other review) and wanted to grab lunch before a long drive back to LA. Inside, there are some tables pushed against the walls. Seems like there are a lot of regular customers lined up to order their steamed buns and leek pies. We got just a couple of dishes: spicy fish, ja jiang mein and a few leek pies (they sell them 3 in an order) the spicy fish had the perfect amount of mild heat and went well with steamed rice. The Ja Jiang mein was not bad, but didn't have that extra umami I had in other places. The leek pies were delicious. Service wasn't bad. Most of the staff were in the kitchen and only one lady worked the front, taking care of the ones lined up for the steamed buns and table service. Though there was no decor, the tables were placed in awkward areas, and we had to wait for service sometimes, it was a decent last meal before leaving Fremont to come back home.

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    if taiwan cafe has 100 fans, i'm one of them. if taiwan cafe has 1 fan, that one fan is me. if…read moretaiwan cafe has no fans, i'm either dead or their quality has massively tanked. i grew up eating at this place and was reminded to review it after trying a different taiwanese place while on the brink of graduating college and about to move to a completely different state and the fact that i won't get to eat here anymore makes me so damn sad. the service is nothing special for most people, but my dad has picked up takeout from this place so often that they know him by name and give him cardboard boxes to transport the huge quantities of food (for a family of 3 btw) to his car. the ambiance is that of a typical asian restaurant: not aesthetic at all and very noisy, but it feels like home. the food of course is to die for. 肉圓 (taiwanese meatball) was my absolute favorite growing up. sweet, savory, sticky, and with that qq chewiness that is so famous in taiwanese cuisine. while most people will get the traditional taiwanese night market style 豬血糕 or pork blood sticky rice cake, i opt for the 3 cup style which has a basil soy sauce flavor instead of the usual sweet sauce. and of course, you would simply be doing yourself a disservice if you didn't get what taiwan cafe is most known for: their pork hock rice or 豬腳飯. the pig feet are cooked so perfectly and paired with a bed of braised pork rice (滷肉飯) and pickled bamboo shoots. the oyster omelette or 蚵仔煎 is another classic taiwanese night market food done so right here. definitely try it. and if you like spicy food and aren't adverse to trying pork innards, i was obsessed with the 五更腸旺 (a spicy stew with pork intestine and blood) when i was in high school and still crave it sometimes. this place is so underhyped and needs all the business it can get. please try it i promise you won't regret it -- i'm literally making plans to have their pig feet and 肉圓 shipped to another state because i already know how much i'm gonna crave this place.

    I was shocked, to say the least, about the quality of this unassuming restaurant in Milpitas…read more Serving up authentic cuisine for a reasonable price -- this place is a combination of quality comfort food meets affordability. The service is what you'd expect at an Asian restaurant in the Bay -- efficient and no frills -- but gets the job done well. Immediately after the food arrived -- we dug in. Not just because we were famished, but because it was THAT good. (One of those situations where you stop talking and just eat...) I'd wholly recommend the Oyster Pancake (a balance of briny seafood with sweet pancake sauce) and the Specialty Hakka Noodles ("Q," i.e. chewy, in the most perfect sense). Will definitely make a pit stop in Milpitas for Taiwan Cafe next time in Milpitas and highly recommend for anyone who's looking for a taste of some excellent Taiwanese cooking.

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    3.9 mi
    $$

    Overall, this cozy place is a good spot for authentic home-style Taiwanese food. I have to also…read morepreface that I found a rock in the food. -Garlic pea shoots 5/5, perfect sautéed greens -Pork & crab XLB 5/5, so tender and juicy without excessive grease. Just FYI it is not the typically "soupy" style, the broth is held delicately by the soft filling! -Crab, seafood, pork clay pot 3/5, although very delicious and exquisite delicate flavor, I unfortunately found a rock mid-chew. Thankfully I was eating mindfully and did not bite down hard. Disclaimer: You should always be careful when you eat - accidents happen, so things like hair, bugs, rocks, paper, plastic, or bits of metal just end up in your food sometimes. The service is fine. We did come on a busy Saturday afternoon. This type of restaurant is not one where you should linger and socialize for long, just come fill up and then be on your way lol. We were slowing down on our meal, but there was still like half of the food left, and the waitress still came over with the check when she noticed we weren't eating constantly anymore. Taking it as the trade off for the good prices!

    We decided to come to Full House Dumpling for a dinner on a Friday night. The inside has a line…read morewith a divider that's similar one you would often see in Chipotle so our assumption is that it is a takeout like it. However, when we moved toward that direction, the waitress flagged us down and told us it is a sit down restaurant. Odd? Yes. The decor inside is fairly basic but clean, it's like a place you'll go to get your food but not remember the inside very much after you leave. There was no one when we came inside so we got our orders in pretty quick. We ordered: Food - (3 out of 5 stars) 1. Matsuzaka Meat with Garlic Sauce 2. Juicy Pork Dumplings (6 Pieces) 3. Green Onion Pancake with Egg (6 Pieces) 4. Sautéed Plain Asparagus 5. Salted Egg & Yolk with Tofu 6. Prawns Fried Rice 7. Mushu Pork with Egg top While most of the dishes tasted "fine", we could tell that the dishes weren't cooked by a professional chef from Taiwan. The taste are just a little, "off" and on the lighter side of things. While they didn't taste bad, they weren't great either. Service - (4 out of 5 stars) The waitresses were okay, there was no one that particular serves your table. They simply took turns and at times it took us a while to get someone. They were friendly, but it was a little chaotic. All in all, I felt my overall experience was just okay. I think I'll go elsewhere if I want something similar in the future unfortunately...

    Photos
    Full House Dumpling - Bathroom needs maintenance

    Bathroom needs maintenance

    Full House Dumpling - Juicy Pork Dumpling

    Juicy Pork Dumpling

    Full House Dumpling - Scrambled Eggs & Basil w/ XO Sauce @lesminaddio

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    Scrambled Eggs & Basil w/ XO Sauce @lesminaddio

    Shihlin Taiwan Street Snacks - popcorn chicken rice

    Shihlin Taiwan Street Snacks

    4.4(92 reviews)
    0.2 mi
    $$

    Shilin remains my go-to for Taiwanese fried chicken! Ordered on a Sunday around 7pm via the…read moreself-serve kiosk. It was fast, efficient, and easy grab-and-go. Located inside Ranch 99, the ambiance is casual and busy with plenty of nearby seating. The XXL chicken thigh (cut, extra seasoning, extra spicy) was still juicy and crispy as ever. This time, I also tried the fried fish balls. It was plump, soft, and well-seasoned. 5/5. Order was ready in about 10-15 minutes. Overall, Shilin continues to be consistently good and I would highly recommend!

    I've been a fan of Shilin Street Food in Fremont for a while, especially their XXL chicken thigh --…read moreit's always been one of my go‑to comfort items. The flavor is still on point, no complaints there. But the portion size... that's a different story. The XXL thigh used to actually feel XXL. Now it's noticeably smaller -- honestly, about half of what it used to be -- while the price has stayed pretty much the same. That's not a small change, and it's hard not to feel a little cheated when a "popular item" suddenly shrinks this much. I get that costs everywhere have gone up in the Bay Area, but cutting portions this drastically without adjusting the name or the price feels unfair to customers who've been loyal from the start. The food is still tasty, but the value just isn't what it used to be.

    Photos
    Shihlin Taiwan Street Snacks - Front counter

    Front counter

    Shihlin Taiwan Street Snacks - Chicken Pancake ($13)

    Chicken Pancake ($13)

    Shihlin Taiwan Street Snacks - XXL Chicken is super juicy

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    XXL Chicken is super juicy

    Old Taro - taiwanese - Updated May 2026

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