** This restaurant is now closed. **
Back when Portuguese explorers stumbled upon what we know as Taiwan today, they called it "Ilha Formosa," or beautiful island.
That is the inspiration behind the name of Formosa Bistro, the charming family-owned Taiwanese restaurant that opened on 34th Avenue early last year.
Before Formosa and global chain Chef Hung opened their doors, I actually don't recall any restaurants in Edmonton that served Taiwanese food. (And no, bubble tea shops don't really count.)
Taiwan itself is a melting pot and its diverse cuisine also reflects that. It blends various Chinese styles, along with influences from Japan and America.
At Formosa Bistro, you'll find a clean, almost modern room. Alternating lime green and white banquettes brighten up the sleek and shiny black walls. Posters of their most popular dishes, as well as photos of Taiwan, are hung up with pride.
The menu is pretty large, with a wide array of appetizers, noodles, and rice dishes to choose from. Service is friendly; our main server was eager to lend explanations for things that may have seemed unfamiliar. Between the three of us, we were able to knock out a good variety of dishes.
Arguably the most popular street food in Taiwan is Taiwanese popcorn chicken (small $8.99). These little nuggets are coated with sweet potato starch and seasoned with garlic, ginger, soy sauce, and Chinese five-spice. They're crispy, tender, and seriously addictive. Don't make the same mistake that we did; get the large!
For another appy, we ordered one of their newer menu items, the beef rolls ($9.99). It's a crispy, somewhat flaky pancake wrap filled with tender pieces of beef, cucumber, and scallions. Hoisin sauce is brushed inside, giving the rolls that characteristic sweet, salty taste, similar to a Peking duck wrap. It wasn't the most memorable dish we tried but I would order it again.
We were most excited to try the gua bao ($6.99), a Taiwanese 'burger' if you will. A traditional gua bao consists of a steamed bun, braised pork belly, pickled mustard greens, fresh cilantro, and ground peanuts. At Formosa, you also have the option to swap out the pork belly with a braised pork chop or chicken karaage.
The bao was soft and fluffy, but sturdy enough to hold everything together. The braised pork belly was much the same way; soft, tender and fatty but still meaty. KT and LT took out most of their pickled mustard greens but I liked them and stuffed their pickings back into my half. I could see how it might be too pungent for some people, but I thought the sour pickle and the cilantro helped to cut the fat and freshened things up. I also really enjoyed the addition of ground peanuts, which added a sweet, nutty note. With everything combined, it was a nice balance of sweet, herbaceous, sour, and savoury.
Since the parentals were gone to the motherland for three whole weeks, there was a collective craving for some rice in our diet. We ordered a small braised pork rice ($6.99), or lu rou fan, to help combat those cravings. The diced pork belly is braised in a mixture of soy sauce, herbs, and spices. The tender, saucy meat is scooped onto white rice, along with some cucumber and a marinated egg. We were also given a bowl of clear soup on the side.
This, folks, is comfort food.
Our last dish was a small bowl of Taiwanese beef noodles in stewed broth ($12.99). The soup is boiled for six hours with no added MSG. We got the medium spice level and the broth had a good, tolerable heat. As a result of the braising, the beef was soft and tender. The noodles are also locally made and have a nice springy chew to them. A few pieces of bok choy, carrot, and daikon also round out the bowl.
In an area dominated by Korean and Indian eateries, Formosa Bistro is not unlike its mother country. Geographically isolated, but a gem just waiting to be discovered.
Formosa Bistro
9314 34 Ave NW
Edmonton, AB
(780) 503-0110
- CT
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