Little Taipei - Christchurch

My friends took me to this restaurant while I was visiting in Christchurch.<br/ <br/ Upon entry the restaurant has a good atmosphere, the staff greeted us promptly and took us to our table. <br/ <br/ I soon realised the stools accompanying the tables were just like the ones you would find in the more rural places in Taiwan! Paired brilliantly with the brick interior and Taiwana furnishings, which bring you a sense of early Taiwan and the sweet charm of a country home/village. Very nostalgic.<br/ <br/ One of the reviewers mentioned it was a bit claustrophobic inside this was not the case at all! There were plenty of room between the tables and you could sit as far or as close with your mates at the table on the chair/stool as you wished. The same could be said for the lanterns they looked well secured and have a good distance between the bulb and paper so I 'm sure they are fine and won 't pose a fire risk. Did I mention they were very charming too?<br/ <br/ The food was very good! It tastes just like home we had the popcorn chicken which was hot, crispy, tender and flavourful. The braised goods were on point and tasted just like the ones you 'd find at a street stall or served as a small dish in a eatery. My friends had the hot pot which was and the 3 cup chicken set, which I tasted and it were very delicious and the flavours reminded me of home! You even received a complimentary soup with unlimited refills with a set meal (I also has some of the seaweed based soup, it was again, very on point and tasted just like the ones I used to have around my neighbourhood eateries .<br/ <br/ I had the classic beef noodle bowl the noodles were just right, nice and chewy but soft. The soup was a lighter broth that I expected (which isn 't a bad thing! and sweeter than the regional variety I was used to; but still delicious nonetheless!<br/ <br/ The drinks menu contains very classic Taiwan style tea drinks and such, my friends got some but I opted not to as I had my eye on one of the desserts hot grass jelly!<br/ <br/ This was the highlight of my trip. The grass jelly tasted even better than the ones I have in Taiwan, due to the owners ' hand making the kumara and taro balls themselves; which ended up in ultimate deliciousness and texture. The balls were soft, 'al dente ', chewy, smooth and had a good texture compared to the typical factory made ones you 'd commonly find at drink stalls in Taiwan. I loved it so much I went back and had another meal with it for dessert before I left Christchurch that weekend.

After tasting many Chinese mixed Taiwanese style food in New Zealand, I am lucky to find a place that is really authentic Taiwanese food. The decoration and set up of the little restaurant brought me back to the time that I was in Taiwan.Food is nice and delicious, I personally love the giant chicken cutlet. but the combo +3.50 with a classic green tea is a bit pointless in my opinion. You may just go to the bubble tea selection with 2 dollar or more. There are many selections of drinks, and also a lots of topping as well. I am surprise to find that I can order winter melon tea 冬瓜茶 and white pearl 韓天 , which I hardly see in New Zealand. Overall, I enjoyed the food here a lot. and when I miss my hometown I could come here.

A good place for a taste of Taiwan ! Love their chicken cutlet , crispy and juicy. Authentic Taiwanese cuisine.

Awesome food, awesome service and awesome atmosphere! A small but perfect selection of authentic Taiwanese foods with good portions. The bubble tea is just like from Taiwan, if you haven't tried it, you must give it a try! You can definitely tell it is owned by Taiwanse, as the staff are so warm and welcoming, and always happy. I never leave here feeling dissapointed, whether eat in or takeaway.

This is a wonderful restaurant with fantastic staff and delicious food at great prices. As locals, we will definitely be returning. Papanui is becoming a true food paradise, and you all deserve to be a part of it.