Mama Bear Taiwanese Cuisine - Tastes and Smells of Taiwan

Salty Crispy Chicken aka Popcorn Chicken

I finally got to try Mama Bear Taiwanese Cuisine about a week ago.  Mama Bear first became popular through their sticky tofu sold at the night market festivals that happen every summer and over a year ago they opened this restaurant. It's been on my list of places to-go for ages, but has always been packed.   I think part of me had high expectations that I was also scared to be disappointed if I went.  But, we went for lunch one weekday and I wasn't disappointed.

We ordered quite a bit to my surprise.

I have to say, most items were decent.  They weren't amazing, but you can definitely get a taste of Taiwan here. 

The beef noodle (non-spicy) for the large was a big bowl and it was good.  It's not my favourite in the city, but still very good and I'd get this again. 



The "popcorn" chicken was probably the best item we tried and portion was in line with the price.  Oyster omelette was yummy and instead of lettuce that is common at night markets they used tung ho/tong ho (茼蒿) vegetables (also known as Garland Chrysanthemum which I had to look up).  Apparently some places in Taiwan use it to make oyster omelette and I think it was a really nice addition.  However, I think I would love more egg and less tapioca starch in the omelette. 

Oyster omelette

The minced pork on rice was good, could be fattier in my opinion but it did contain pork belly and wasn't dry like other places.



The "shui jian bao" or pan fried buns were freshly made and tasted pretty good as well, but I'm still debating on whether the price is worth it with this dish.





Space is actually larger than I expected and there were quite a number of booths and tables. Didn't seem cramped which is nice.  Service was good, no complaints.

 

 

If you're looking for some good Taiwanese food, this definitely is a good option.  They also had set meals where there is a main item and 3 side dishes which I think would be a great option, but we wanted to try a number of different things.  Desserts like shaved ice and some traditional drinks like Aiyu in lemon juice are available and round out the experience; we just didn't have space for these extras.  Oh, also important to note, as we were leaving, the smell of sticky tofu started to permeate the air so you are now warned that you may experience this if there are orders for sticky tofu!

 

 

Mama Bear Taiwanese Cuisine

 324 Hwy 7 E #7

Richmond Hill, ON L4B 1A6

T: (905) 597-7770

https://www.facebook.com/mamabearrichmondhill

High chair and baby changing table available.

 

Book Review: The Fortune Cookie Chronicles

At Paradise Fine Chinese Dining Restaurant (but, I think they reserve it for children and likely non-Asians)

The Fortune Cookie Chronicles
Author: Jennifer 8 Lee

Interesting!  I said that a few times throughout the book.  This book is more than it lets on, you think you are just reading about how fortune cookies came to be associated with Chinese food in America by the title, but this book goes into so much more.

The dish General Tso's (or Tao's) Chicken and how it became famous is also in this book which was the actual impetus for my choosing the book to read (this book was published back in 2008). Taiwanvore highlighted the documentary "The Search for General Tso" that came out in 2014 and thus, I was motivated to read the book. (Thanks!)  It's actually funny, the first time I ever had General Tso Chicken was in my twenties at a Malaysian restuarant in New York's Chinatown, lol!  I actually really liked it and when I came back to Toronto, it wasn't the same and wasn't as good so I've never really wanted to order it again.  There is definitely so many versions of the dish now, it was interesting to read how the original dish was supposed to be made.

I know some information about the migration of Chinese people to North America as my own family history in Canada dates quite far back. But, Lee goes into quite a bit of depth on the migration into America, more than I expected.  There is actually quite a bit of info on human smuggling into America as well.  And, if you've every wondered (like I have) why in remote towns there always seems to be a Chinese restaurant, you get your answer here. 

Part of the book also delves into the question,"Where is the best Chinese restaurant in the world?" and Lee takes us on her journey to answer this question. People will definitely argue over this and also argue over the fact that there is no such thing as "the best Chinese restaurant in the world".  But, it was interesting to read and I'm happy to say that out of the restaurants she presented, I came up with the same answer she did :)

What I particularly liked...

- The depth she went into on the fortune cookie and on General Tso's chicken
- How she ended the book: a look at who writes the fortune cookie messages and how they come up with the messages.

Parts that you may wonder why they were included...

- Although I enjoyed reading all chapters of the book, I can see others maybe thinking that there are a few chapters that were nice to know but weren't as connected.  The book includes topics such as: why Chinese food is popular with Jewish people, why Chinese delivery men are so vulnerable where "homicide is a leading cause of on-the-job deaths", and the soy sauce trade dispute where soy sauce could contain ingredients that don't include soy.  To me, they added an extra element to the book as it goes beyond the food itself and highlights aspects of Chinese food that we don't often think about.  I'm really being nit-picky at this point because I do think Lee knows her stuff. I'd really have no comments and just would happily soak up the information and be in awe of the work that went into putting the book together!


It's funny, there are some similarities to Canadianized Chinese food but also trends that didn't take off like the characteristic take-out boxes in America that are not used here.  I remember a long time again, they were used but it didn't last. 

Overall, a great non-fiction read for those interested in North American Chinese food on a more social and historical perspective; I'd definitely recommend!  It's going in my book collection.  Even after reading it, I think I'll refer to it for the historical info and can always share with others. 

Snacks: Hmmm, What's That?! - Satsumaimo Caramels

So, I've been snacking on little treats lately but haven't had time to post.  Most have been just okay.  But, on a recent visit to T&T, I noticed a cute little box.  Well, actually, it kinda looks a bit retro, not necessarily "cute" so I had to pick it up.  It turned out to be sweet potato caramels and although I don't particularly eat caramels, the sweet potato in it was interesting enough to make me want to try it. 

Taste - mild sweet potato taste and yes, it is like caramel but less sweet.
Texture - soft, chewy, but a little less chewy and sticky that regular caramels.  Consistency is not as thick as your typical caramel which I quite liked.

The little squares are actually wrapped in paper candy.  Yes, if you are familiar with Asian treats, some of the more stickier candies are wrapped in paper that is edible.  On the packaging they refer to it as "a thin edible layer of starch".  I always thought this was neat :)  Reminds me of a blog post I read on this paper factory in Taiwan where part of the factory makes edible paper.

I'd definitely buy again as it's a nice little treat. Too bad I don't have a use for the box though!

Oh, and just to add to the sweet potato theme, I came across really nice pictures of soft serve ice cream and ice cream served in a sweet potato skin that I'd love to try (at SobokSobok Korean Dessert Cafe)!  Unfortunately it's in Seoul, Korea!

Nohohon Tea Room - Japanese Tea Drinks/Bubble Tea

If you're a fan of Matcha or other Japanese teas, you'll probably like to check this place out.  Serving iced drinks, they have matcha, homebrew hojicha beverages, and sencha tea drinks.  No powder is used to make the drinks which is nice to know.  The night before they had just got in dry tea retail packages and I of course had to pick one up too!

I got their new drink, Furano Fields; matcha tea flavoured with lavender milk.  The matcha was good tasting, not too sweet, and was hand whisked.  You could taste the lavender but it's subtle and not overwhelming.  Of course I didn't know Hokkaido is known for lavender as I always think of Hokkaido as the place famous for their milk and in the winter crab, so I had to check out some info on the place. Here is a site with nice pics and travel info.  I'll definitely be back to try their other teas like their hojicha homebrew or the ume sencha which is more unique.

Not sure if they have any hot beverages as I didn't see it on the menu or missed it, but in the winter it would be a great option to have. 

The space is quite open with a bench on one side and it's more of a take-out type place (too bad, a sit-down place would be awesome).  They sold vegan oatmeal cookies which I was really tempted to get, but I decided I'd try one next time.  The owner(?) was really sweet, taking the time to explain a little bit about the teas.  She didn't have nice bags yet for the retail dry tea leaves and apologized for it; it's nice to have but wouldn't stop me from coming back.
 

I picked up a package of Sencha which is actually by Momo Tea in Toronto, an online retailer. So glad to have been introduced to this retailer as my initial impression of the tea is that it's quite good. Would definitely buy more tea from here as the prices are also quite reasonable.  When I first opened the package the scent was very strong, loved it!  Brewed myself a small cup and the taste was as expected, green and grassy but stronger than other places I've purchased Sencha from.  I also was able to brew it 3 times (didn't try a fourth though) and it was just a lovely way to spend a morning. 

Brewing at home

 

 

Nohohon Tea Room

467 Queen St. W.

Toronto, ON

http://www.nohohon.ca/

T: 416-603-2366

 

 

Chef Papa Tea and Noodle Bar

 

Chef Papa Tea and Noodle Bar recently took over the Congee Wong space in the Kennedy and Hwy 7 (Peach Tree) Plaza and it follows the same format as Deer Garden; you customize your meal by selecting your soup base, noodles, and toppings.  But, it seems like they offer a few more soup bases and less variety of toppings.  They also have rice dishes as well which I was tempted to get but wanted to try the noodles as it seemed to be their speciality.  Comes with a drink, Presotea drinks are an extra $2.50 with your noodle or rice combo.

 

They also have side orders and surprisingly the side of grilled lemongrass chicken was quite tasty!  The noodle soups were pretty good too but the chicken was done better than expected.  Don't get me wrong, I would definitely get the noodles again, but the chicken (albeit a bit small) was tender and very flavourful! 

 

I ordered a Chiu Chow style broth with fresh udon, Japanese chashu, and soft egg.  My partner got the hokkaido pork bone ramen (comes with the soft egg) with egg noodles and fish puff.  The udon noodles were definitely chewy and tasted fresh, this was probably the best part of my bowl!  The soup was flavourful but I think I prefer Deer Garden's Chiu Chow broth more (sorry, it's hard not to compare!).  The Japanese chashu was slices of pork belly (good portion size) which was decent, but not as tender as Japanese ramen houses.  Opted for a cold milk tea instead of Presotea which was okay, but they put in quite a bit of evaporated milk, seemed like condensed milk was added.

 



Overall, a decent meal with quite a number of options.  Especially great if a group of people want to eat differing types of noodles/rice, this place offers Japanese, Vietnamese, and Chinese noodles and rice dishes to satisfy a variety of cravings.

Chef Papa Tea and Noodle Bar
8390 Kennedy Road, Unit B1-3
Markham, ON L3R 0W4
T: (905) 604-1588

Macchina Mobile Cafe - So Cute and the Coffee is Good Too!

Wednesdays I try to make it to the Ryerson Farmer's Market in hopes of seeing the cute orange truck that is actually a mobile cafe - Macchina.  Earlier in the season, I came across it and it was so cute, offering a selection of espresso drinks, but I was on my way to lunch so didn't stop for a drink.  Several visits after, they weren't parked in their spot until last week Wed.  So, knowing the market is over the following week (Oct 7 - today), I decided to try a latte.

It was quite good!  Flavour was strong enough, not bitter and the milk was nice and frothy.  It went down pretty smooth.  No latte art, but I was taking it to go so it would be covered up anyway. 

Definitely check out their facebook page or website to find out where they'll be next!
https://www.facebook.com/MacchinaMobileCafe

October: I'm Dreaming Of...

October

In Canada, Thanksgiving is the second Monday in October. 

One of the books I've finished reading, Picnic in Provence, ends with Thanksgiving (review to come soon).  Another one I finished, The Fortune Cookie Chronicles, also mentions Thanksgiving...interestingly enough, it's mentioned because it's supposed to be the busiest day for Chinese Weddings in America  (everyone is eating Turkey at home) - go figure!

So it's got me thinking about Thanksgiving. I'm very thankful to have my family in my life and it's during the holidays where I think about it the most.  My family gathers for Thanksgiving to have the usual: turkey, ham, stuffing, mashed potatoes, corn...it's all good home cooking.  Usually I don't have to do any cooking, but this year, my mom is not in the mood to cook so the rest of my sibblings are going to be preparing the meal. But, everytime I cook for my extended family, it's not very good...I think I tackle things that are just too involved or require practice which I often don't do much of before the day I decide to make it.  So me being me, I'm thinking of making a Corn Souffle...a recipe from Picnic in Provence...that sounded so good in the book but have yet to try! (Maybe I should do a test run?)

So what am I dreaming of for October, I'm dreaming of...

...A successful corn souffle (of course!) 

And a couple of other things that have nothing to do with Thanksgiving

 

...(the patience) to start baking with my toddler...the above pear cake was one such effort.  It was a bit of a trying experience for me because she really wanted to do her own thing and on several occasions was on the verge of scooping the flour out onto the table and floor. So in the end, after the cake went into the oven, she played with the used bowls, spoons, spatula, and the bit of batter she scooped out of the cake pan while I did the dishes.   I think she enjoyed it.

...Something chocolate (mainly eating it)...I've been on DavidHChow's Instagram...enough said!