Name: Taiwanese 101
Address: 135-11 40th Rd. Flushing, NY 11354
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Taiwanese 101 is a spacious restaurant situated in a rather rare nook in Flushing. From the bustling Main Street and its intersection of Roosevelt Avenue, I followed the latter street westward, escaping the human clusters. The next street parallel to Main Street is Prince Street, where I made a left and another left to come to 40th Road. A few more steps planted me in front of Taiwanese 101, which, upon entering, seemed like a normal Asian restaurant. There are rectangular, dark and polished wooden tables that seat four people and round tables for larger groups. Carefully looking around, I found that the restaurant was extended deeper into the building, filled with rectangular tables. Contrasting with the norm of Asian decorations such as framed Chinese characters written in brushstrokes and colored paper balloons, are names of dishes plastered onto the wall opposite the entrance. Bright, neon cardboard papers the size of a hand are adorned with Chinese characters in bubbly fonts. There are also aquariums tucked into the walls next to the entrance, and two to three rows house lobsters and fishes. The restaurant gave an impression that it was trying to remain wholly Taiwanese, from its interior to its food, but failed to abstain from bringing in American elements.
I was served hot tea upon arrival and seating, and the menu was brought out promptly. The LTR-size menu is four sheets long, pictures included to aid and entice customers. It is divided into: Cold Appetizers, Taiwanese Appetizers, Taiwanese Specials, Seafood, Meat, Vegetable, Soup, Noodle Soup, and Lunch Specials. I ordered Crispy Shrimp Pancake with duck sauce; Spicy Squid with Hot Pepper; Shrimp, Ham and Vegetable Noodle Soup; and Taiwanese Burger.
Being more familiar with the cramped, dilapidated, and not-too-friendly-looking quasi-Asian restaurants on the bypass, Taiwanese 101 was a pleasant surprise. Its interior was not unwelcoming and the tranquility from simply being a block away from Main Street was blissful. The noodle soup had a pale coloration and failed to electrify my taste buds, but its mellowness and subtlety comforted my system, like chicken soup except for the saltiness and thickness. I really enjoyed the spicy squid due to my personal preference for spicy foods. It was composed of bite-sized squid with chili peppers, peanuts and scallions all mixed in red sauce. The burger, which I took home, had pork, cilantro and peanuts stuffed in white lotus bread. It was sweet and slightly juicy, with cilantro contributing its unique herb kick and peanuts providing the crunch. The lotus bread enveloped all the different textures and tastes into one, neutral, soft blanket. The pancake was the one I was slightly disappointed in. It was not even crispy, and only dipping it in duck sauce saved the bland flapjack from being chucked. I was convinced with the soup, the squid and the burger that this restaurant served decent Taiwanese foods, but the pancake made me doubt a little. Also, when I spotted non-Asian names such as Popcorn Chicken and the wall enhanced with neon cardboard pieces, my willingness to deem the restaurant quintessential disappeared.
Taiwanese food is one of the many cuisines that have immigrated overseas into America. Like any other Asian cultures, it eventually found its niche according to its demand. Flushing is occupied and used by a majority of Asian-descents, and a lot of them seek out Asian cuisines. Also, non-Asians who want to enjoy different dishes try out Asian foods. Being in America, which means being surrounded by people of various origins, and trying to make a living, it is almost impossible for an ethnic restaurant to remain completely unaltered by American features. As was observed in Taiwanese 101, there were dishes such as Popcorn Chicken, Sweet and Sour Spare Ribs and Beef with Broccoli that were not particularly Taiwanese but were put in to appeal to a broader range of customers, and the large store space hinted at the economical importance preceding the family experience of dining out in a cozy and homey environment. Dining in Taiwanese 101 further strengthened the idea that my group had, which is that ethnic restaurants in America conform to the desire of the surrounding population and eventually acculturate American qualities. I believe this review will help not only those who wish to dine in Taiwanese 101 but also those who want to reflect on how the assimilation impacts ethnic cuisines and their representative restaurants. I hope that my descriptions of the restaurant and its foods trigger individual memories and opinions about Taiwanese food and that they help to make an informed and validated statements about ethnic restaurants in NYC.
