Photo by David Carson (Post-Dispatch)
Tai Ke
Not so long ago, finding a restaurant like Tai Ke would have required dedication or dumb luck. Its strip-mall storefront is set back from Olive Boulevard and hidden behind a much larger strip mall. Taiwanese cuisine, its specialty, isn’t well known or broadly available in St. Louis. Today, thanks to Google and GPS, the ubiquity of food media and diners’ increasing curiosity about traditional cuisines, locating Tai Ke’s obscure address and enjoying its cuisine is no problem. First-time visitors might dip their toes into the selection of street snacks — gua bao, steamed buns with pork belly, are a standout — or dive right into such signature dishes as braised-beef noodle soup and the sizzling three-cup chicken.
Hours: Lunch and dinner Tueday-Sunday (closed Monday)
Opened: 2015
Must order: Signature three-cup chicken ($9.95)