PGH Dining: Taiwan Cafe

I had a lunch meeting recently in Oakland at Taiwan Cafe, an 'underground' restaurant that serves so many delicious dishes.  By 'underground' I mean that you literally take a flight of stairs down off the main street. 

We sat down in one of the many open seating options {booths, tables, bar} after ordering our lot.  My colleague ordered the eggplant with basil, a steaming dish with a thick, gooey sauce. 

I dove into the plate, and was thrilled at how much there was. Great portion!

 We both grabbed one of the many cooled drinks, in cases opposite the ordering station. I'd say there were more than 50 options for drinks, not including the smoothies they make in-house.

 It was a touch hot outside, so I ordered a plate to sushi. Yellowtail and a spicy to be exact. 

 The fish was fresh, but the rolls were a little over-filled. I know, I know. Who would say that about sushi? Me.  Also, there was no shame about serving the sushi on a paper plate. No shame.

 Look at that cucumber content!

Taiwan Cafe was a great pick for a lunch meeting.  There were plenty of places to sit, and the food was out quickly.  I could see if you came at the wrong time, there might be a rush on the kitchen; however, we went right at 11:45 and stayed until after 12:30pm, all the while the kitchen was afloat. It being somewhat 'underground,' it's a solid choice for a quick lunch in the Oakland area.

Neighborhood: Oakland
Good For: Quiet lunch, lunch meeting
Gems: Eggplant dishes
Drawbacks: Lunch Rush