Old Tree Daiwan Bee

5 Reviews on “Old Tree Daiwan Bee”

• Ivy Eats Again.

  Being one half of Taiwanese, I do find there is a lack of Chinese restaurant that is specialised in Taiwanese dishes. One of the most famous Taiwan export is probably bubble tea (also known as pearl milk tea or boba milk tea), with outlets opening crazily over London. To be frank, only Chatime that does it decently and the rest are quite horrid. I would not really want to drink bubble tea in Europe. So when my friend Calvin said there is a Taiwanese restaurant, my eyes sparkled. Located on Rupert Street, off the main chaotic Gerrard Street is a small restaurant serving Taiwanese dishes. Based on Taiwanese street food, the menu is full of street food classics that is hard to decide. I literally wanted to order everything off the menu, even so I will never be fully satisfied.Even before coming, I already had my eye on the braised pork rice. Along with the rice, I also had a spring onion pancake and a spare ribs soup. Calvin settled for Taiwanese beef noodles and a minced pork pancake (not in the photos). Can’t really compared to what I had in Taiwan, but it was satisfying to have the street food that I missed and the food didn’t feel oily. The pork on the rice just had the right amount of fat. The pancake was crispy but couldn’t really taste the spring onion and the soup was alright. I can’t comment on what Calvin had as I did not get to taste it but it looked tasty. I was kind of hoping they would have stinky tofu, well only ever in my dream I will find stinky tofu in London.Old Tree Daiwan Bee serves good simple Taiwanese street food with a price that you can’t complain at all. The bowl of rice with braised pork topping was 3.50, with that price I think in most places you can only get boiled rice. The front of house also act as a mini bakery and sells Taiwanese pastries which I was tempted to buy (next time I will). It is good to know when I have a craving of Taiwanese street food I know where to go now. ivyeatsagain.com

  April 15, 2015, 7:09 pm

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• KS_Ate_Here

  London Chinatown is always a bit of a tease – it promises so much yet delivers so little. See, before coming to London all those years ago, I paid my other city crush New York a visit, and the Chinatown there feels almost like a China-city. So when I came to London and was greeted by nothing more than a China-block, you can understand I was more than a little disappointed. But even when you’re there, it’s all a bit of a mirage. It certainly has the look and the feel of a Chinatown with all the hustle and bustle; hell it even smells like a Chinatown; but the taste is far from what a Chinatown should be at prices which are just poor for the quantity you get. However, in amongst all the pretenders, there are a few gems which redeem the area and today, I want to write about one of them; Daiwan Bee. Located just off the main Gerrard Street strip on Rupert Street, Daiwan Bee is technically Taiwanese but in truth, serves the chinese classics that we’ve all come to expect and you certainly won’t come disappointed. On this visit, and dining in a table of three, we were able to try a few items on the menu settling on the salt and pepper squid and deep fried chicken to start followed by mains of pork dumplings, Taiwanese style pork mince dry noodles and the most affordable bowl of Dan Dan mein I’ve seen in the UK with an authentic taste. Starters were incredible and actually made me wish I’d just ordered another portion for mains with both fried just right with a batter which was light and crunchy. The seasoning though was the real kicker as, in addition to salt and spice, there appeared to be a hint of sugar which might seem strangely but only strangely good! Really recommend these. But the highlight of the night though came in a bowl of Dan Dan mein. Turning to Wikipedia, Dan Dan mein is a noodle dish originating from Chinese Sichuan cuisine consisting of a spicy sauce containing preserved vegetables, mustard stems, chilli oil, Sichuan pepper, minced pork, and scallions served over noodles. Sounds straightforward enough but believe me when I say it’s not that easy to find a good one and when you do, it’s not cheap. Here at Daiwan Bee, that all changes because for 5, you’ll leave a satisfied diner. It was a beautiful bowl of comfort which I’m now hooked on. If you’re in Chinatown and in need of a casual and quick cheap eat, look no further than Daiwan Bee. You’re welcome. Also follow me on Twitter @annixontong and @wetrykai and on Instagram @annixontong. wetrykai.wordpress.com

  March 26, 2015, 9:15 pm

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• Felicia Tan

  It has been over a year since I last visited this place, and it was good to be back in this cosy little Taiwanese restaurant tucked away on the less chaotic Rupert Street. The place is quite small, and we were lucky enough to get a table on a late Thursday evening when practically everywhere else was packed with a queue outside…We ordered a few dishes to share between the three of us. I’ve had my eye on that deep fried chicken, and was delighted to finally get to taste it. The salt deep fried chicken is a must-order, and the salt and pepper squid was also really tasty. The dan dan noodles had a nice hint of spiciness to it, and the Taiwanese mince pork with dry noodles was just what I needed to satisfy my noodle cravings. The dumpling soup was okay for me. They had run out of tapioca pearls that evening, so I had grass jelly in my tea instead.The menu is decently priced, and the portions are just about right for me. I mean, FIVE pounds for a bowl of noodles? How could you go wrong…(bargain mmm…) I also do love their rice dishes – simple and satisfying.The also have an array of baked goods and bread on display at the front counter if you’re looking for a little snack.The kind of food that they serve here is good, simple comfort food – the kind of place that I would go to for a fuss-free meal. Cheap and cheerful as they say. dancing-in-high-heels.blogspot.com

  March 13, 2015, 4:41 am

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• Jade Bell

  My Taiwanese friend and I randomly passed here while we waited for a seat next door at The Palomar: the spicy beef noodle soup and homemade sausage (made in house) both very authentic. We enjoyed it so much we ditched our plans to eat next door and kept ordering. Seats are not so comfortable but it’s quick and easy and the food is worth it. A nice hidden spot. Recommend it.

  December 24, 2014, 2:29 am

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• Vi Vian Woo

  Old Bee Daiwan Tree, Rupert Street in recent years the famous taiwanese drink, bubble tea, seems to be everywhere. A flavoured milk tea with black pearl bubbles served cold, was how I explained it to people who had never heard of this beverage. It was my favourite drink 13 years ago in Malaysia. Seeing the popularity of the taiwanese pearl bubble tea in London has not made me want it again.Old Bee Daiwan Tree serves Taiwanese dishes. The menu is based on Taiwanese street food, done in a simple and classic style. Smaller dishes priced from GBP 3.50 GBP 12.00. A main dish of noodle or rice GBP 6.50. To name a few dishes: taiwanese sausages, three cup chicken, stewed eggs, sesame oil noodles, offal soup, fishball soup, rice and pork chop, spring onion pancake, oyster omelette, taiwanese bubble tea, soy bean drink (proper and not floury taste) and a tempting visual display of the desserts. The desserts are slightly pricey in proportion to the helping but the attention to detail in some of the cakes is so precise. You really have to admire the work of the chef. Pastries and biscuits are packaged in nicely for sale.Inside, it is not a large seating area. The furniture is of the typical asian style street benches and tables. Not comfortable and can be crowded if the place is full. Hence, ok for a quick, simple meal but not to linger around longer than necessary. Most of the customers are of the younger chinese generations. Service? Don’t expect it. They were not rude, slightly abrupt perhaps but towards the end of the meal, they turned out to be quite friendly. I have been back since to get more of their fried chicken (takeaway) but will definitely sit in sometime soon to try their noodles and rice based dishes. I did hear that their pork chop is one of their best sellers.In Old Bee Taiwan Tree I felt that I was served authentic Taiwanese dishes, but do wonder if the celebrity chef, Ching He Huang, would think that this is true authentic Taiwanese food.The food:1. salt deep fried chicken GBP 6.00 soooo good! This is a definite must! Crunchy crust with moist chicken meat. You would think where is the accompaniment sauce for this fried dish. Not needed. It is just good on its own. Just be a little careful. It is hot and can burn your tongue.2. herbal egg GBP 1.50 each average but I prefer mine with a stronger herbal taste. 3. pork belly bun GBP 4.50 the slice of meat that we had was a little on the fatty side. Looks largish when served but not at all enough even for the one! Warm, tasty and full of coriander. What’s not to like?4. fishball soup GBP 4.50 bouncy fishballs, asian style, in a light hot broth. vi-vian.com

  December 15, 2014, 2:41 pm

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