Package that shows what's inside...
Most of them deliver FREE (minimum order: 2 boxes) and cost ~NT70 (~USD 2.30 based on 9,May 2008 conversion rate) per person per set. Cheap ?
In Taiwan, Chinese take-outs or more commonly known as 便當** (pronounced Bian Dang), literally meaning convenience-meal, are quite similar to the Chinese take-out rice-plate in the United States. It is hard to find Cantonese Chow Mien/Fried Noodles or Fried Rice here where I am staying. Even if there is...99% chance of finding something not authentic. DOH! So I rather choose what they do better - 便當饭盒 . The "contents" of the meal is somewhat similar to the economic rice/economy rice in Singapore...that is rice with meat+ vegetables.
A very typical Taiwanese rice-set. Mostly preserved/braised/stewed food in a wooden box
台中车头便当
台中市西區中港路一段172號(中港路與大仁街口近英才路)
Taichung Kang Road, Section 1,, # 172
Taichung City, Taiwan
They do it differently here when you asked for delivery. Over the phone, you usually order one main dish (typically meat/fish) - can be braised pork ribs, grilled chicken chop, kung pao chicken etc., and they will pair it (for you) with 2-3 different sides of (really small portions of) vegetables (eg. green leafy, long beans, cabbage, corn kernels, bamboo shoots, onions, preserved vegetables etc). In other words, you get a choice of meat but not the vegetables.
~Less than USD3 per person (lunch and/or dinner)
~FREE delivery to your door step
Why not?
Really a savior on lazy days when I don't even feel like stepping into the kitchen except to open the fridge and get a drink or a ready-snack. Oh, the evil of convenience...I'm falling prey to. But Jeff Bezos, Founder, CEO of Amazon.com did say...most, if not all consumers, enjoy convenience, selection, and low prices. Then, what will stop me in this vicious cycle of Chinese take-out diet? Selection, I guess. I don't know how healthy or unhealthy it can get if I do this continuously.
Time to get back to cooking soon.
** I checked Google translation:
Bento (english) --> 盒饭
便當 --> Lunch
ekiben (english) --> 铁路便当
Why is it that I always get the impression that Bento is 便當 ??
Anyway, happy weekend!
Tag: taiwan eating
Looks like a hearty meal to me! I used to dislike taiwanese food when I was in australia (maybe they just didnt do taiwanese food right?)...now i grew to love it here in hong kong hehehe...and i had fun in taiwan too
ReplyDeletecool take-out box, thanks for joining my partee!
I guess everything's in the presentation... we have Economy Rice in Malaysia but obviously not the nifty wooden bento box! Maybe I should get one for myself and be the envy of all my colleagues? ;)
ReplyDeleteThat's a nice wooden bento box. I love braised food. I don't need anything else, just some rice to go with them.
ReplyDeleteThe take-out in Taiwan is really cheap. With that kind of price I will be ordering it too :) Much cheaper than cooking it ourselves :)
ReplyDeleteI hope Rita forgives me... I totally forgot about the party.
ReplyDeleteLess than USD3 for FREE DELIVERY is good! cheaper than our McDelivery! :D If there is such an option in Singapore I'd probably keep calling because I'm such a lazy bum
ReplyDeleteThose Taiwanese bentos look good wor , I hope the braised egg isn't the tie-dan though! :P
ReplyDeleteI fell in love with the Taiwanese bian dang when I was there. I even took the train to check out their best bian dang in certain stations. I brought my son and students along too. hehe.... yum yum....
ReplyDelete*missing Taiwanese food*
yum yum,I like braised meat and especially the Bento box presentation!!very cute:)
ReplyDeleteI agree that Bian Dang are extremely convenient and all over the place here in Taiwan. One thing not mentioned is that they are also loaded with MSG. Home cooked food prepared with real ingredients tastes far better though.
ReplyDeleteBTW: Most of the bian dang I have seen are cardboard or styrofoam. Where do you get wooden lunchboxes? In over 10 years, I do not recall ever having had a lunch box made of wood.
Cheap!
ReplyDeleteI wish there are the equivalent in Singapore for those lovely takeaways. Now I am stuck with McDonalds and Puzzle Hut. How boring is that?!
takeaway is quite bad for you so everyone says but honestly, that takeaway looks so cool!! i sound like an idiot i know, but i can't help it. takeaway here is pretty boring. in silly little styrofoam packages and kind of like messily put together. sigh.
ReplyDeleteAwesome..!! so cheap..!! i want..!!
ReplyDeleteHow cool!
ReplyDeletethose look yummy. i actually don't like too much of any chinese take-out here because they're americanized. too bad i live far away from a chinese community, otherwise every weekend nights are take-out nights!
ReplyDeletewhat a nice packaging from the first world ! unlike here still using plastic sheets and old newspapers !
ReplyDeleteYUUUMMM...It's nicely put together in lovely wooden box, and it's so cheaply yum...I'm so envy
ReplyDeleteWow! That is a really good value meal. I wish I can have some in the UK...
ReplyDeleteI've also always thought that bento is 便當! Interesting that 便當 is specifically lunch.
ReplyDeleteThat's a really good deal for a lunch set menu even if the portion size is a wee bit small.
ReplyDeleteWe can't get anything for less than $7 in NYC.
I would be spoiled rotten too if I lived in Taiwan. :-)
The takeout boxes look so neat and compact. We never have those in Aus. It certainly looks like a reasonable healthy meal!
ReplyDeleteDo you live in Taiwan? I really miss and love those bian dangs in Taiwan. They are loaded with so much yummy stuff. I used to visit there years ago, had a friend studying there and always looked forward to bian dangs for lunch. Thanks for the memories.
ReplyDeletecool + informative post on 'take-out' on the other side of the globe....
ReplyDeletegreat to see you at mc rita's take-out party too!