Family Affair, The Chius Bring Legit Taiwanese Taste to Sukhumvit | Bangkok Foodies
We may have just found the solution to Bangkok foodies’ craving legit and quality-made Taiwanese dishes, in the form of a mother and son team. The family duo recently launched their second restaurant, Hoja Taiwanese Bistro by Chiu in Sukhumvit 33 touting delectable Taiwanese dishes, based on their combined nostalgic recipes.
When you’re craving Asian flavour, which cuisine came to mind first? While Bangkok offers plenty of choices when it comes to Japanese food, Chinese-influenced Street Food and obviously plenty of Thai, Taiwanese cuisine seems to be a little bit more hard to come by. With its distinctively salty-sweet, spicy flavour that sometimes comes with a pungent aroma, Taiwanese cooking is a melting pot between Chinese, Japanese and even western flavours that make it one of the most unique cuisines in the world. Now Bangkok Foodies don’t have to travel far to sample Taiwan’s best dishes, you can try it right here on Sukhumvit Rd. at Hoja.
A brightly lit, golden bistro decorated with Taiwanese inspired, hand-painted murals created by the owner himself stands out amongst the surrounding grey shophouses on Sukhumvit 33. The cheerful atmosphere invites customers inside to take a break from the hectic street. “Beside the food, I love the social aspect of eating and that’s part of why I wanted to start the restaurant,” said owner, Eugene Chiu. Having lived in Thailand for 14 years, Eugene had already had his foot in the restaurant business when he launched his first restaurant, Taiwan Yes more than a year ago before he opened the door to Hoja. “The main difference about the two restaurant is that while Taiwan Yes serves more of a Street Food selections, Hoja’s menu is more drinking friendly and shareable.”
The concept of socialising with food reflects in the menu here at Hoja, from drinking snacks to comforting Taiwanese dishes, Eugene works closely with his mother to create every single dish on the menu, staying true to the authentic Taiwanese taste. For example, the Taiwanese Fried Chicken, which started off with marination, deep fried, dusted off with herbal powder imported straight from Taiwan and topped with refreshing fried basil. The result is a flavourful and juicy chicken that comes in a perfect snacking portion to enjoy amongst good company.
Another iconic Taiwanese dish not to be missed here is the Beef Bao Bun; fluffy homemade bao is stuffed with juicy beef shank and pickled vegetables, a perfect lunch if you asked us. The portion is generous and perfect for sharing, but we don’t think that you would want to share this beauty with anyone, even your friends!
If you’re into something hearty and a bit tired of Thai style noodles, Hoja also offers authentic Stewed Beef Noodle. You won’t be disappointed with their take on Taiwan’s national dish here; hearty and mildly spiced broth meets super tender beef shanks, tendon, chewy noodles and mustard greens, imagine slurping on one of these during a rainy day in Bangkok.
Even though Mapo Tofu may seem easy to put together, Eugene shared with us that there are actually 12 steps to making this simple dish taste iconic. “I think it’s about attention to details when it comes to Mapo Tofu; the order of putting ingredients in makes a difference on extracting maximum taste, even the thickening of the sauce requires adding starch 3 different times to get the right consistency,” said Eugene. With a hit of Sichuan Peppers, Spicy Fermented Bean Pastes, Chili Oil combined with ground pork and tofu, this dish gives out a deep umami flavour and just enough spice to keep things interesting, and for that we’d say more rice please!
One of the most famous drinks from Taiwan is tea, and that’s where the socialising aspect comes in at Hoja. ‘Teatails’ are a marriage between authentic Taiwanese tea and unique cocktail recipes you’ll have to come try at the bistro yourself in the near future. The price point for the drink here started only at ฿250 which for Sukhumvit standard, considered to be very reasonable.
So foodies, if you’re looking for an adventure, flavour wise, you must stop by Hoja Taiwanese Bistro by Chiu and don’t forget at the end of the meal, to say ‘Hoja’ (delicious) to the Chius!
Hoja’s menus are available for delivery, however, their value set is only available when you choose to order from selected delivery apps. At ฿180, you can score your favourite Taiwanese main, rice, appetiser, and also a drink.
Hours: Tues-Sun, 11AM – 9PM, closed on Monday
Tel: +66 98281 9072
Address: 14 2-3 Sukhumvit 33 Alley, Khwaeng Khlong Tan Nuea, Watthana, Bangkok 10110
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