Taipei Cafe, Taiwanese in Downtown Rockville, Run By The Former Chef of Bob's Noodle 66

[KenL]

Greetings folks,

I've mostly lurked on this website (and have admittedly been extremely inactive).

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3 months ago Taipei Cafe  took over the the space formerly occupied by Ambrosia Grille (Mediterranean grill).

What is most interesting about this new restaurant is that it is headed by the former head chef of Bob's 66.

Rumors suggest that Bob and the chef had a falling out of sorts, and the chef decided to (quietly) open a restaurant about a mile away from Bob.

The menu is nothing new, in fact it more or less contains every item that Bob's 66 sold before the location moved.  If you frequented Bob's in years past, you will find the exact same dishes at Taipei Cafe.  It seems like the chef is adding a lot of more traditional Taiwanese desserts/appetizers as time goes on (things that Bob's did not offer before).  I saw items like "not stinky tofu", "ba wan (Taiwanese gelatinous meatball)", and "tong zai mi gao (sweet rice with sauce) on the menu.

Taipei Cafe also accepts credit cards.

I ordered 2 plates of pork chop rice (pai gu fan), oyster pancake (oh ah jian), sweet rice with sauce (tong zai mi gao), 2 braised pork rice bowls, and a 4 gods soup.  The dishes were all delicious, and tasted the way I expected them to taste.  This is a description that I understand is hard to visualize, but the closest term I can think of is "it tastes legit".

I will be back to test out the other dishes, I used to frequent Bob's 66, but since their move the dishes have started to taste a little off.  My family heritage is Taiwanese, and my parents currently live in what is basically Little Taiwan in California.

For a 1 person test drive: I suggest you order 1 order pork chop rice, 1 order oyster pancake, 1 order 4 gods soup, and take 1 order braised pork rice to go.  The pork chop rice (depending on how much you can eat), may be enough for 2 people though.  The portion sizes were ridiculous(ly huge).

[DanielK]

I had the salt-and-pepper (head/shell on) shrimp for lunch not long after they opened, and it was quite good. Very friendly service.

[goodeats]

The chef and staff all looked familiar, but my experience was a little disappointing. I think, though, it was an off-day, so I will be going back again. The staff was super nice.

For a 1 person test drive: I suggest you order 1 order pork chop rice, 1 order oyster pancake, 1 order 4 gods soup, and take 1 order braised pork rice to go.  The pork chop rice (depending on how much you can eat), may be enough for 2 people though.  The portion sizes were ridiculous(ly huge).

Definite other worth ordering items are:

1. Stinky tofu (same as the really old, in the former space Bob's 66 taste)

2. Minced Pork Stew over Rice (Taiwanese comfort food)

3. Braised Pork on Rice (also traditional)

Stir fry veggies are still the same. KenL's soup is listed as "Four-herb soup."

I keep meaning to, but will definitely work on scanning menu tonight.

Chinese character for restaurant is: é ‚é®®å°ç£æ–™ç†

[DonRocks]

Greetings folks,

I've mostly lurked on this website (and have admittedly been extremely inactive).

---

3 months ago Taipei Cafe  took over the the space formerly occupied by Ambrosia Grille (Mediterranean grill).

What is most interesting about this new restaurant is that it is headed by the former head chef of Bob's 66.

Rumors suggest that Bob and the chef had a falling out of sorts, and the chef decided to (quietly) open a restaurant about a mile away from Bob.

The menu is nothing new, in fact it more or less contains every item that Bob's 66 sold before the location moved.  If you frequented Bob's in years past, you will find the exact same dishes at Taipei Cafe.  It seems like the chef is adding a lot of more traditional Taiwanese desserts/appetizers as time goes on (things that Bob's did not offer before).  I saw items like "not stinky tofu", "ba wan (Taiwanese gelatinous meatball)", and "tong zai mi gao (sweet rice with sauce) on the menu.

Taipei Cafe also accepts credit cards.

I ordered 2 plates of pork chop rice (pai gu fan), oyster pancake (oh ah jian), sweet rice with sauce (tong zai mi gao), 2 braised pork rice bowls, and a 4 gods soup.  The dishes were all delicious, and tasted the way I expected them to taste.  This is a description that I understand is hard to visualize, but the closest term I can think of is "it tastes legit".

I will be back to test out the other dishes, I used to frequent Bob's 66, but since their move the dishes have started to taste a little off.  My family heritage is Taiwanese, and my parents currently live in what is basically Little Taiwan in California.

For a 1 person test drive: I suggest you order 1 order pork chop rice, 1 order oyster pancake, 1 order 4 gods soup, and take 1 order braised pork rice to go.  The pork chop rice (depending on how much you can eat), may be enough for 2 people though.  The portion sizes were ridiculous(ly huge).

Ken, thank you for such a glorious second post - you may have been primarily a lurker here, but you more than made up for it with this.

Do you know the chef's name, and whether or not (s)he came from Bob's Noodle 66, or Bob's Shanghai 66? (This is resurrecting the nightmarish confusion I had in trying to sift through the various Bob's restaurants, Big Boy not included (I really should stop discussing my penis on a family website.)).

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Mary, what do the Chinese characters transliterate to?

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Note that there are also two "Taipei Tokyo" cafes in Rockville, and this is unrelated to them.

[goodeats]

Don, a transliteral meaning is: "Top notch (é ‚) Fresh (é®®) Taiwanese Cuisine."

[KenL]

Ken, thank you for such a glorious second post - you may have been primarily a lurker here, but you more than made up for it with this.

Do you know the chef's name, and whether or not (s)he came from Bob's Noodle 66, or Bob's Shanghai 66? (This is resurrecting the nightmarish confusion I had in trying to sift through the various Bob's restaurants, Big Boy not included (I really should stop discussing my penis on a family website.)).

---

Mary, what do the Chinese characters transliterate to?

---

Note that there are also two "Taipei Tokyo" cafes in Rockville, and this is unrelated to them.

Unfortunately, I do not recall the name of the chef, but he was the former head chef of Bob's Noodle 66.

I heard there was quite a lot of drama when Bob came back from China actually; he was in China for an extended "research stay" (about 3 years), came back and opened Bob's Shanghai, while moving Bob's Noodle to the old Shabu Shabu place.

[deangold]

Went last night for a light dinner.  Hard to evaluate as we are not Taiwan food experienced.

Not Stinky Tofu is bean curd skin rolls, deep fried and topped with some sort of a mild pickled veg.  Super.

Handcrafted fish ball soup - no flavor tot he broth, fine if not exciting fish balls.  Amazing flavor from Chinese celery.

Radish & Egg pancake- pickles radish, chopped other stuff to small to really know what it was, very fresh and tasty, but deparately in need of a sauce to pull it together from food into a dish.

Very friendly help, nice space.  Will go back and order more widely from the menu,

[DonRocks]

Not Stinky Tofu is bean crud skin rolls

I am assuming this is a typo. 

[seanvtaylor]

Don, a transliteral meaning is: "Top notch (é ‚) Fresh (é®®) Taiwanese Cuisine."

I like the transliteral name better than the official English name. Kind of like Mama Dumpling/China Bistro.

[goodeats]

As promised, the menu.

[KenL]

Went last night for a light dinner.  Hard to evaluate as we are not Taiwan food experienced.

Not Stinky Tofu is bean curd skin rolls, deep fried and topped with some sort of a mild pickled veg.  Super.

Handcrafted fish ball soup - no flavor tot he broth, fine if not exciting fish balls.  Amazing flavor from Chinese celery.

Radish & Egg pancake- pickles radish, chopped other stuff to small to really know what it was, very fresh and tasty, but deparately in need of a sauce to pull it together from food into a dish.

Very friendly help, nice space.  Will go back and order more widely from the menu,

Great choices!  The radish and egg pancake (frittata) is traditionally a southern Taiwanese farmer's dish (my grandma eats this every day, 365 days a year).  It's primarily made out of salted/preserved radish, green onions, and pan fried eggs.

More info here! -- http://taiwanfoodculture.net/ct.asp?xItem=48195&ctNode=2682&mp=1502

It's usually eaten as a quick appetizer, since it takes less than 10 minutes to prepare.

[Lydia R]

Thanks for posting the menu. It's like reading a travel magazine and planning a vacation.

Any additional description for: T20 Night Market Style Lamb?

As promised, the menu.

[goodeats]

Good question, Lydia! I've never had lamb when I went to the night markets, since other tastier things beckoned to me (never enough hours and stomach room to try everything).

So I did a search typing in the characters and not a specific dish came up with that exact name. Rather, lamb-based stuff that is sold at night markets showed up, like lamb kabobs, or lamb intestines that were stir-fried, etc. Guess we just need to try it!

Maybe a dinner next weekend?

[KenL]

Thanks for posting the menu. It's like reading a travel magazine and planning a vacation.

Any additional description for: T20 Night Market Style Lamb?

Sounds like stir fry lamb (similar to Mongolian Beef).

[DanielK]

So, a few of us are going to go for Sunday lunch and work our way through the menu. Probably 11 or 11:30am, before they get swamped (they get swamped on weekends).

Send a PM if you want to join us. All are welcome!

[DanielK]

Five of us so far meeting tomorrow (Sunday) at 11:30. Again, PM if you'd like to join. Always room for more at the table.

If you've never been to a DR event, never met anyone on the board, or even never posted, you're still welcome.

[Marty L.]

Five of us so far meeting tomorrow (Sunday) at 11:30. Again, PM if you'd like to join. Always room for more at the table.

If you've never been to a DR event, never met anyone on the board, or even never posted, you're still welcome.

Unfortunately I'll have to pass on tomorrow since I happened to be up there today and stopped in for the first time.  Excellent meal -- pork chop on rice, "not stinky" tofu, tong zai mi gao (I think), salt & pepper chicken.  Much better than most of my past meals at Bob's 66, including at the new location.  Cleaner space; cleaner and fresher tastes.  FWIW, you might want to order the lobster, since virtually every table other than mine seems to have received the memo explaining that that should be the centerpiece of the meal!

[KenL]

Thanks for posting the menu. It's like reading a travel magazine and planning a vacation.

Any additional description for: T20 Night Market Style Lamb?

I was back in LA for about 2 weeks, and had 羊肉串, spicy lamb kabobs (http://ediblyasian.info/recipes/lamb-kebab-yang-rou-chuan-).

Perhaps they're those!

Unfortunately I'll have to pass on tomorrow since I happened to be up there today and stopped in for the first time.  Excellent meal -- pork chop on rice, "not stinky" tofu, tong zai mi gao (I think), salt & pepper chicken.  Much better than most of my past meals at Bob's 66, including at the new location.  Cleaner space; cleaner and fresher tastes.  FWIW, you might want to order the lobster, since virtually every table other than mine seems to have received the memo explaining that that should be the centerpiece of the meal! 

Great choices!

[DonRocks]

There's a Taipei Cafe in Leesburg (with online ordering and about seventeen websites) that is unrelated to this restaurant.