Wen Bing Taiwanese Restaurant Depot Island

With Taiwan on our doorstep, it’s time to try Taiwanese cuisine.

Wen Bing has something for everyone, including a view. This quaintly decorated café seats about 35, and the glass outer wall gives most diners a panorama of American Village. Chinese food lovers can enjoy sweet and sour pork (¥900) with sweet or black vinegar, spicy Kung Pao shrimp (¥950) or chicken (¥850), or chow mein-like stir fried noodles with shrimp and vegetables (¥850), which comes with a cup of brothy soup.

The dish “rice covered with Chinese omelet” (¥650) is an egg foo young patty, smothered with a choice of sweet and sour sauce or soy gravy. This delicious omelet is filled with shrimp, bamboo strips, and mushroom slices, plus shredded carrot and green onion sprinkled on top. Like many of the dishes at Wen Bing, it’s small and inexpensive enough to allow you to try other items, like a croquette sandwich, a fried bread filled with cabbage, mayo, and choice of fried shrimp, roasted pork or other meat.

The reasonable prices make it fun to try and share different dim sum. I’ve introduced my friends to the large steamed buns (¥250), and they’re hooked. The white dough is fluffy and slightly sweet, and filled with red bean paste or pork and gravy, similar to duck sauce. The sesame balls (¥450) come to the table piping hot, crispy, and filled with sweet red bean paste. Also worth trying are the shumai (¥400), steamed pork and vegetable dumplings with dipping sauce.

Three lunch sets are available, even on the weekend, from 11 am to 2:30 pm. At ¥980, they include unlimited soft drinks and salad bar, plus a choice of crispy fried chicken with fragrant sauce, roasted pork on fried rice, or Special Chop Suey ramen noodles. The bone-in fried chicken has a slightly spicy, ginger flavor, and is served on top of shredded cabbage, with white rice on the side. The Special Chop Suey ramen consists of a big bowl of dark broth loaded with noodles, roasted pork, shrimp, vegetables, and even a quail egg. The soup is subtly flavored and perfect for rainy days.

Open – Sunday through Friday 11 am – 9:30 pm, Saturday 11 am – 10:00 pm, Closed Tuesday

Depot Island 2F, Chatan

¥, $ and C/Card

Tel: 098-936-9333

Since this review was written, Wen Bing has moved to the back of depot island, in front of the sea close to the flea market.