I’ve had the opportunity to eat at a number of locations across the K-W area in what started as a quest for good Chinese food. I started my adventure by (what else?) searching for restaurant recommendations on Google. Although that provided me with a good starting point, I felt that many of the resources were incomplete or outdated. Therefore, I’ve decided to start my own review list of good eats with an emphasis on good taste, bang for your buck, and home delivery availability.

This list will not only focus on Chinese food and it will be updated as time permits.

The first place I would like to recommend is:

Name: Taste of Taiwan Home Garden

Delivery: YES (orders over $25)

Delivery Fee: $0

Website: http://www.tasteoftaiwan.ca

Phone Number: 519-886-3999

Location: UWaterloo University Plaza (close to the TCBY)

Review: You get great value for the amount that you’re paying. Not only are they a lot cheaper than most of the other Chinese restaurants in K-W, in this case, cheap prices doesn’t translate to cheap quality. Most Chinese restaurants in the city (except for a handful of exceptions) serve “Canadian Chinese” food; this restaurant does not. The first time I ate at Taste of Taiwan, I was shocked at (a) how much I was served (b) how cheap it was (c) how good and authentic it tasted. (For those curious, I ordered the Taiwanese Style Stewed Beef combo for $7.49 and I still highly recommend it!). Warning: I’ve sampled more of their menu (approx. 20% of it) and not everything on the menu is good. For example, I really wouldn’t recommend their braised beef noodle soup.

Not only is the food good, the service is also pretty good. Everyone on staff is very friendly and I’ve never seen anything but a smile on their face. Currently, the restaurant is still gearing up and is in the process of expanding their menu.

Menu prices range: $4.29 to $8.49 at the date of this editing (Dec. 13, 2008).

The Bottom Line: Good food, good prices, and they deliver! If you’re in the mood for pretty authentic Chinese/Taiwanese food, try this place sometime.

3.5/5