This Chennai restaurant brings Taiwan's history to your table

The red walls in Moutan by Taiwan Maami glow with murals of Chinese palaces under soft light. “Moutan means peony in Chinese,” says founder Theresa Hu, smiling. “This place is all about bringing authentic Taiwanese joy to Chennai,” she adds.

What we loved at Moutan by Taiwan Maami

Taiwanese kitchens are a meeting point of Chinese roots, Japanese refinement, indigenous earthiness, and Western modernity. The dishes on this menu aren’t just recipes—they’re the sum of dynasties, colonisations, street food, and café culture from an island across the sea. And like any good history book, we begin at the very beginning.

The Cong you bing, a flaky scallion crepe similar to our paratha, came to Taiwan from mainland China centuries ago. Today, it’s a staple, often eaten fresh off a sizzling market stall. Here, it arrives layered, crispy on the edges, and fragrant with oil. We also tried the stir-fried version, where strips of the same pancake meet wok-tossed vegetables and sauces.

Then came the Biang biang noodles—thick, ribbon-like noodles with just the right chew, dressed in chilli oil and a hint of garlic. Originally from Xi’an, these hand-pulled noodles reached Taiwan with post-war migration. In Taiwanese noodle shops today, they’re often served with bok choy, just like the bowl we had here. The spice built slowly, warming rather than overwhelming, and we loved how it lingered.

Omurice followed, a page straight from Theresa’s childhood. “This was in my lunch box meal growing up,” she tells us. “We still make it the old-school way.” The folded omelette hides a mound of steaming fried rice underneath, comforting and impossible to stop digging into.

Next, we tried the Yaki onigiri, eating it exactly the way anime taught us, slightly hunched, as though returning from an adventure. Brushed with soy and grilled to crisp perfection, the onigiri holds together beautifully.

For drinks, we tried the Crème brûlée taro latte, the Black forest tea latte, and their best-selling Strawberry jelly green tea, and it’s easy to see why the latter is a favourite. Refreshing, sweet, and bursting with strawberry flavour, it pairs well with the light green tea. The taro latte was smooth and rich, topped with caramelised custard.

And just when we thought it couldn’t get better, dessert arrived. The Strawberry mochi was absolute heaven. A soft, chewy rice mochi layer concealed fresh strawberry and whipped cream inside. It was sweet, delicate, and gone in two seconds. “This is the one thing you must come for,” someone at the table said and we agree, without hesitation.

Meal for two: INR 1,000.

From 12 pm to 12 am At Moutan by Taiwan Maami, T Nagar.

Email: shivani@newindianexpress.com
X: @ShivaniIllakiya

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