Taiwanese-inspired Cuisine
I visited Joy, a famous Taiwanese restaurant located in Highland Park, for dinner.
This place is inspired by Taiwanese street food culture, offering dishes like minced pork rice and pancakes that you can find at night markets around Taipei. It’s also a sister restaurant to Pine & Crane, and since I usually enjoy the food from that restaurant, I was even more excited.
Upon entering the restaurant, you order at the counter, receive a number, and then find a seat. When we arrived, it was already full, so we placed our order and waited a bit before sitting down. We ordered Vegetarian Mapo Tofu, Wonton Noodle Soup, and Thousand Layer Pancake with Egg & Cheese, along with drinks of Sea Salt Cream Tea and Joy Fresh Fruit Tea.
First, the Sea Salt Cream Tea and Joy Fresh Fruit Tea arrived. For the Sea Salt Cream Tea, I could choose between Green Tea and Black Tea, and I opted for Green Tea. It was less salty than the Sea Salt Cream Tea I usually have, but it was still delicious and had a smooth taste. Joy Fresh Fruit Tea, as the name suggests, was filled with fruits, and a spoon was provided to scoop them out. The sweet and refreshing fruit flavor was delightful.
Next came the Vegetarian Mapo Tofu, served with a generous portion of rice. When I topped the rice with the tofu, it melted in my mouth, incredibly soft, with a slight spicy aroma lingering behind. Overall, it wasn’t overly spicy, but there was a hint of a sharp finish that made it very tasty.
Next, we had Wonton Noodle Soup and Thousand Layer Pancake with Egg & Cheese. The weather was chilly that day, so I ordered the Wonton Noodle Soup, which turned out to be an excellent choice with its mild broth, chewy noodles, and juicy wontons.
Lastly, the Thousand Layer Pancake with Egg & Cheese allowed for topping choices: plain, egg, cheese, or egg + cheese, with different prices depending on the topping. When ordering, they also ask if you want chili oil added, which you can choose based on your preference. This pancake tasted similar to Korean jeon, not exactly the same but familiar, and it was even more delicious with the added chili oil, giving it a slight spiciness. The portion was quite generous, so I took the leftovers home and enjoyed them thoroughly.
Joy
All the dishes we ordered were delicious, and I was very satisfied with the restaurant, so I think I will go back soon to try other menu items. If you’re curious about Taiwanese street food, be sure to visit Joy.
