• Taiwan •
TW Kitchen
September Showcase
Primely located in North Oakland, TW Kitchen serves traditional Taiwanese cuisine. Whether you’re wanting a delectable noodle bowl, a satisfying bento box, or a comforting bowl of soup, they can fulfill any craving. Although the restaurant only opened relatively recently, in March 2019, it has already generated a loyal following and excellent reputation among its customers.
Owner
The owner and head chef of TW Kitchen, Stephen Chow, left Taiwan in the 1970’s to move to the United States. Chow worked in several Chinese restaurants in Colorado, Michigan, and New Jersey before relocating to Pittsburgh where he and his family have been living for over 20 years. Chow and his family opened up two restaurants in the Northern suburbs of Pittsburgh, where they served American-style Chinese food. After receiving many requests from mainland Chinese and Taiwanese customers to move closer to the city and the growing Taiwanese population in Pittsburgh, Chow and his family established their third restaurant, TW Kitchen, in Oakland, in March of 2019. With his youngest daughter being at the University of Pittsburgh for college, Chow figured this would be a good way to be close to her as well. Chow’s goal is to cater to a more diverse population in Oakland and incorporate traditional Taiwanese flavors into his food to create a more authentic experience. Something very interesting that Chow shared with us is that, after being in America for so long and with Taiwan’s food scene evolving so quickly, he feels that he cannot actually taste traditional flavors he remembers from childhood in Taiwanese cuisine. Many of the skilled Taiwanese chefs and street vendors have passed away, taking their culinary secrets with them. Chow recalls that one of his favorite dishes from childhood was the smoked duck in Yilan, an area in northeastern Taiwan where he grew up.
Restaurant
After working in many restaurants, Chow gained lots of knowledge and experience on how to operate a restaurant kitchen, and actually designed and remodeled the restaurant himself. The building TW Kitchen is housed in originally used to be a cupcake shop, so Chow and his family had to make many renovations to create the atmosphere and kitchen that they wanted. After 5-6 months of remodeling and restaurant design, Chow and his family created a homey atmosphere with an open kitchen that customers can see while ordering their food. The restaurant features cafe style seating and details like plants and a hand written menu to emphasize the cozy atmosphere he wanted. The handwritten menus also allow for quick changes and help save paper. Knowing that their customer base would mainly be Chinese and Taiwanese students, the Chow family tried to select traditional dishes to bring a taste of home to students far away from their own homes and families. With the outbreak of the COVID pandemic, TW Kitchen has transitioned to a take-out only format and is taking orders on their Facebook page for easy access. The Chow family explained to us that many customers order an Americanized Chinese dish without even looking at the menu because they expect TW Kitchen to be another “American Chinese” restaurant, but they are “very proud of [their] traditional Taiwanese flavors that you cannot get anywhere else in Pittsburgh. [They] encourage everyone to be open-minded, ask about the dishes, and try something new.”
Food
While Chow’s other 2 locations primarily served American-style Chinese food, TW Kitchen highlights a variety of traditional Taiwanese dishes to bring a taste of home to students far away from their own homes and families. If you’re looking for authentic Taiwanese flavors, the chef’s specialties section will pique your interest. When asked to choose a favorite menu item, Chow replied, “I don’t have a favorite dish to make -- there are too many to choose from! And they’re all good!” TW Kitchen also offers a “today’s special’s” section on the menu where they feature seasonal dishes or dishes for cultural festivals, such as zongzi (sticky rice dumplings in bamboo leaves) for the Dragon Boat Festival and radish cake, which requires reservations in advance as it is so time consuming to make. We tried a variety of dishes and highlighted some of our orders below.
The Sa Cha chicken over rice combines seafood flavors with hints of garlic and chilies. An absolutely delicious meal that comes with mixed veggies, the Sa Cha chicken is a great savory option for lunch or dinner. TW Kitchen’s Honey Chicken over rice is an excellent take on a classic dish that is sure to satisfy your cravings.
The flavors of TW Kitchen have the perfect balance of umami and sweetness. The sauce on the tofu salad featured below had bursts of a delicious savory taste from the garlic and scallions, but wasn’t overwhelming, since it was paired with a sweeter soy flavor that the chef prepared the tofu in. Additionally, their miso soup was simply incredible. The broth was absolutely amazing, and somehow the included tofu and seaweed took on all of the flavors of the broth while also bringing their own unique tastes to the palette. Finally, coming from someone who had tofu in both of their TW Kitchen dishes, I can say with confidence--order something that has their tofu!!
TW kitchen has a great blend of traditional Taiwanese food and more Americanized dishes. I’m not terribly adventurous, so I stuck to the fried wontons, and they were amazing! They were crispy, but not too greasy, and they came with a delicious sauce that was sweet and tangy. The portion size was big enough to be an entree, making it a great value for the money. I may get more adventurous and try a more authentic dish next time, but what I got was so good I may just get it again! With a variety of daily specials made from fresh, local ingredients there’s plenty to try. The owner, Chow has also expressed that he’s happy to make other traditional dishes upon request if you’re craving a particular flavor from home.
We highly recommend grabbing a bite at TW Kitchen here in Oakland! On their Facebook page, you can easily access their menu and order online for pickup. With delectable flavors, TW Kitchen offers those who are new to Taiwanese food with a memorable first experience and those who are more familiar with Taiwanese flavors, more authentic cuisine. Regardless, you’ll be wanting more! If you are looking for a wide variety of delicious, traditional Taiwanese dishes, then TW Kitchen is the place for you!
Owner
The owner and head chef of TW Kitchen, Stephen Chow, left Taiwan in the 1970’s to move to the United States. Chow worked in several Chinese restaurants in Colorado, Michigan, and New Jersey before relocating to Pittsburgh where he and his family have been living for over 20 years. Chow and his family opened up two restaurants in the Northern suburbs of Pittsburgh, where they served American-style Chinese food. After receiving many requests from mainland Chinese and Taiwanese customers to move closer to the city and the growing Taiwanese population in Pittsburgh, Chow and his family established their third restaurant, TW Kitchen, in Oakland, in March of 2019. With his youngest daughter being at the University of Pittsburgh for college, Chow figured this would be a good way to be close to her as well. Chow’s goal is to cater to a more diverse population in Oakland and incorporate traditional Taiwanese flavors into his food to create a more authentic experience. Something very interesting that Chow shared with us is that, after being in America for so long and with Taiwan’s food scene evolving so quickly, he feels that he cannot actually taste traditional flavors he remembers from childhood in Taiwanese cuisine. Many of the skilled Taiwanese chefs and street vendors have passed away, taking their culinary secrets with them. Chow recalls that one of his favorite dishes from childhood was the smoked duck in Yilan, an area in northeastern Taiwan where he grew up.
Restaurant
After working in many restaurants, Chow gained lots of knowledge and experience on how to operate a restaurant kitchen, and actually designed and remodeled the restaurant himself. The building TW Kitchen is housed in originally used to be a cupcake shop, so Chow and his family had to make many renovations to create the atmosphere and kitchen that they wanted. After 5-6 months of remodeling and restaurant design, Chow and his family created a homey atmosphere with an open kitchen that customers can see while ordering their food. The restaurant features cafe style seating and details like plants and a hand written menu to emphasize the cozy atmosphere he wanted. The handwritten menus also allow for quick changes and help save paper. Knowing that their customer base would mainly be Chinese and Taiwanese students, the Chow family tried to select traditional dishes to bring a taste of home to students far away from their own homes and families. With the outbreak of the COVID pandemic, TW Kitchen has transitioned to a take-out only format and is taking orders on their Facebook page for easy access. The Chow family explained to us that many customers order an Americanized Chinese dish without even looking at the menu because they expect TW Kitchen to be another “American Chinese” restaurant, but they are “very proud of [their] traditional Taiwanese flavors that you cannot get anywhere else in Pittsburgh. [They] encourage everyone to be open-minded, ask about the dishes, and try something new.”
Food
While Chow’s other 2 locations primarily served American-style Chinese food, TW Kitchen highlights a variety of traditional Taiwanese dishes to bring a taste of home to students far away from their own homes and families. If you’re looking for authentic Taiwanese flavors, the chef’s specialties section will pique your interest. When asked to choose a favorite menu item, Chow replied, “I don’t have a favorite dish to make -- there are too many to choose from! And they’re all good!” TW Kitchen also offers a “today’s special’s” section on the menu where they feature seasonal dishes or dishes for cultural festivals, such as zongzi (sticky rice dumplings in bamboo leaves) for the Dragon Boat Festival and radish cake, which requires reservations in advance as it is so time consuming to make. We tried a variety of dishes and highlighted some of our orders below.
The Sa Cha chicken over rice combines seafood flavors with hints of garlic and chilies. An absolutely delicious meal that comes with mixed veggies, the Sa Cha chicken is a great savory option for lunch or dinner. TW Kitchen’s Honey Chicken over rice is an excellent take on a classic dish that is sure to satisfy your cravings.
The flavors of TW Kitchen have the perfect balance of umami and sweetness. The sauce on the tofu salad featured below had bursts of a delicious savory taste from the garlic and scallions, but wasn’t overwhelming, since it was paired with a sweeter soy flavor that the chef prepared the tofu in. Additionally, their miso soup was simply incredible. The broth was absolutely amazing, and somehow the included tofu and seaweed took on all of the flavors of the broth while also bringing their own unique tastes to the palette. Finally, coming from someone who had tofu in both of their TW Kitchen dishes, I can say with confidence--order something that has their tofu!!
TW kitchen has a great blend of traditional Taiwanese food and more Americanized dishes. I’m not terribly adventurous, so I stuck to the fried wontons, and they were amazing! They were crispy, but not too greasy, and they came with a delicious sauce that was sweet and tangy. The portion size was big enough to be an entree, making it a great value for the money. I may get more adventurous and try a more authentic dish next time, but what I got was so good I may just get it again! With a variety of daily specials made from fresh, local ingredients there’s plenty to try. The owner, Chow has also expressed that he’s happy to make other traditional dishes upon request if you’re craving a particular flavor from home.
We highly recommend grabbing a bite at TW Kitchen here in Oakland! On their Facebook page, you can easily access their menu and order online for pickup. With delectable flavors, TW Kitchen offers those who are new to Taiwanese food with a memorable first experience and those who are more familiar with Taiwanese flavors, more authentic cuisine. Regardless, you’ll be wanting more! If you are looking for a wide variety of delicious, traditional Taiwanese dishes, then TW Kitchen is the place for you!