A popular city on the West coast and known amongst people in the know as a Foodie Haven, the vibrant city of Taichung does really well to blend traditional Taiwanese flavours with modern innovation. Whether it’s sizzling delicacies at the bustling Fengjia night market, modern innovative curry, BBQ spots all over the city, or local specialties such as the sweet, flaky delight of sun cakes, there’s plenty to choose from all over the city. Taichung has something for everyone, and the Japanese restaurant – Tomo Half – has a sandwich you should be considering on your next trip there.
Here are some useful links for you if you are going to Taichung:
- Transportation
- Staying
- Klook | Booking.com | KKday | Agoda
It’s no secret that Japanese food is one of my favourite cuisines. I eat it regularly in one form or another, whether that’s ramen, sushi, Japanese curry, BBQ, or any form or Katsu I can get my hands on. But what I don’t often have is a Japanese restaurant that dedicates itself to bread-based goodness. Enter – Tomo Half.
It opens at 9am and closes at 3pm, so don’t come here expecting a late afternoon or evening meal. Come here for your breakfast, brunch, or lunch needs. Settle down in this cute little Japanese-style house-come-restaurant and enjoy the simplistic nature of a solid sandwich.
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When I said previous that it was a house-come-restaurant, I wasn’t exaggerating. It is exactly that – a house, that has been turned into a restaurant. It’s in Taichung’s West District, down a small side alley, and if it weren’t for the people lining up outside then you’d probably hardly even notice that it is there at all.
Reservations aren’t possible here, so when you arrive you’ll have to go inside and the server will write your name down on a piece of paper and give you an estimated time you will have to wait.
This place is all about being transparent with where they get their produce from. The bread is all sourced in Japan, using natural yeast and artisanal flour. All seasoning and spicing is home made, but all sauces are directly imported from Japan. The beef is Australian, but pork, vegetables, and eggs are all responsibly sourced from Taiwan. The milk? That’s from New Zealand.
If you aren’t sure how to order or what to do when you arrive at Tomo Half, then this is the post for you. See below for How to Order in Taipei Restaurants like a definitive pro!
3 Fast Tips on How to Order in Taipei Restaurants like a definitive pro!
The Menu at Tomo Half
The menu may look complex, but it's not too bad. It's split into 5 main sections, and some of the main things you'll find in these sections are:
- Japanese-style sandwiches - 日式三明治
- Peanut butter and cheese with egg 花醬起司玉子燒
- Layered pork chop with egg 千層豬排玉子燒
- Special Mentaiko with cheese and egg 博多明太子起司玉子燒
- Japanese-style burgers - 日式漢堡
- Fatty beef with scallions and egg 牛五花葱鹽玉子堡
- Mentaiko with deep-fried shrimp and egg 明太子炸蝦玉子堡
- Thick cut Danish-srtyle bread 厚切丹麥
- Seafood and garlic Danish-style bread 大海鮮蝦香蒜起司厚切丹麥
- Drinks - 飲品
- Cafe au Lait 咖啡歐蕾
- Kyoto roasted tea milk 京都焙茶牛乳
- Specialty black tea 紅玉紅茶
- Seasonal fruit sparkling water 雪節水果氣泡飲
- Desserts - 手作甜點
- Specialty caramelized crème brule 招牌焦糖烤布蕾
Layered pork chop with egg 千層豬排玉子燒
When the menu mentions 'egg,' it's referring to Tamagoyaki - the incredible Japanese egg pancake known for its delicately fluffy layers and slight sweetness. What's more, this egg delight is sandwiched in the middle of a flattened and rolled pork steak, then deep-fried. Prepare for a taste tingling experience with textures galore.
What impressed me about this, is the crispness with which they managed to get the outside of the breadcrumbed pork chop, whilst retaining both succulent pork and egg on the inside. It surprised me a lot.
In terms of flavours, it hits the brief with great aplomb (this should be your word of the day, if you don't yet have one). Well seasoned pork sits within perfectly crunchy breadcrumbs, all sitting around a delightfully encased tamagoyaki egg that comes with a tiny element of sweetness, but not to make it weird for those who don't like when savoury meets sweetness.
This was a triumph. I'd certainly get it again.
Mentaiko with deep-fried shrimp and egg 明太子炸蝦玉子堡
I couldn't leave without a burger. I originally planned on a sandwich, but upon walking inside I saw a burger being carried from the kitchen to a customer and immediately changed my mind. And of course it had to be the Mentaiko sauce with the deep fried shrimp, obviously!
The thickness of that tamagoyaki is stunning, and the construction of the burger itself is bang on the money. From bottom to top:
- Bun - fluffy
- Lettuce - crunchy
- Tamagoyaki - fluffy and succulent
- Deep-fried shrimp (2 of them) - crunchy and shrimpy
- Mentaiko sauce - Salty, fishy, and creamy.
- Tiny slivers of dried seaweed - salty, fresh, and bringing that umami flavour.
- Bread - fluffy.
If that's not the make-up of a good burger, then I don't know what is.
Really, though, it was a great burger and I'd most certainly come here just for this. The Mentaiko sauce brings this layer of seafood elegance to the dish, but the crunchy deep-fried shrimp are the star of the show here. Whoever thought to throw them inside a burger should get a medal.
Specialty caramelized crème brule 招牌焦糖烤布蕾
We couldn't leave Tomo Half without getting stuck in to one of their caramelized crème brulé - it felt too rude.
However, on closer inspection, it's actually OK to leave without trying it. It was fine, if anything we could possibly stretch to 'good', but it's not about to win awards. It was creamy, but the sugar on top hadn't really formed any crunchy texture even though it had clearly been blow torched pretty far.
The Bottom Line
Is it worth it? Tomo Half is a solid shout for your breakfast in Taichung. Get their sandwich or burger and you'll be happy.
What is the best dish? The deep fried pork that encases the tamagoyaki is just too cool to not get. You're unlikely to find this anywhere else in Taiwan, so get it while you can! It helps when it tastes that good, too!
Are there other places like this? I don't know Taichung very well, so I will defer to the comments section below. If you have great recommendations then please do throw them in here.