The Braised Shop softly opens this weekend on 10th Street

The Braised Shop, which will offer a variety of Taiwanese street food, will be in soft-open mode starting tomorrow here at 241 E. 10th St. at First Avenue.

We originally thought this was going to be the second outpost of the Taiwan Bear House, the popular bento-box shop down on Pell Street. Turns out that one of the Braised Shop owners is the co-founder of Taiwan Bear House.

Updated 8/13

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Like Taiwan Bear House, the Braised Shop offers a simple menu. But here, the focus is on luwei, a method where various ingredients get braised in a broth. Options include pork belly, beef, fish fillet, broccoli, corn, and other proteins and vegetables. Each one starts at $2.50, and diners can choose as many as they want. All of it goes on top of noodles, the way it’s eaten in Taiwan.

Meanwhile, here's a look at their made-to-order offerings...

A post shared by The Braised Shop (@thebraisedshop) on Jul 31, 2018 at 10:26am PDT

Pick whatever seems appetizing (ALL!) and we’ll chop it all, braise in broth and boom! 🤤 想吃什麼自己挑！ #TheBraisedShop #滷味店 #Taiwanesefood

A post shared by The Braised Shop (@thebraisedshop) on Jul 31, 2018 at 10:27am PDT

Taiwan Bear House bringing bento boxes and bubble tea to 10th Street

Taiwan Bear House will be opening an outpost on 10th Street at First Avenue (between Snowdays and United Copy & Print in the same building that houses Tarallucci E Vino).

The cafe sells a variety of bubble tea, bento boxes and fried chicken.

The restaurant opened its first outpost on Pell Street in 2015, and earned a "Critic's Pick" at the Times.

Per the Times:

The fried chicken is inspired by the “popcorn” style of chicken sold at night markets in Taiwan, boneless hunks of meat perfumed with Chinese five-spice and slightly feverish, with a chewiness just under the surface. The pork chop is dredged not in the usual sweet potato starch but in panko. Purists may object, but the sheath of crumbs comes out well bronzed, somehow crispy and wispy at once.

Still, if I had to choose, I would forgo pork chop or chicken for a larger heap of that minced pork, the cheapest bento option, and the best.

You can find their menu here.

Thanks to Steven for the photo and tip!