More than a Taipei food institution, Tibet Kitchen is a gathering place for Taiwan’s Tibetan community.
The News Lens
Date: 2018/09/30
By: Liu Hao-chi (劉皓齊)
Credit: Tibet Kitchen Facebook
“Please give me the authentic taste,” I overhear. “Where do you come from?” A dialogue strikes up. In the background, Tibetan folk ballads are mixed into a mélange of mostly Indian songs.
For elder Tibetans who have left their hometowns, it is a blessing to have a bite of tsampa in Taiwan, thousands of kilometers from the Himalayas. Young Tibetans, however, are likely missing Tandoori roast chicken with its slightly burnt skin covered with a rich layer of spices and dipped in yogurt. It is an Indian dish, but for Tibetans, it brings back memories.
On Heping East Road, heavy with traffic, there is a small storefront seemingly playing hide-and-seek with other high-rise buildings. It is not particularly conspicuous, so not easily noticed. Only when one goes near can they see the sign bearing the Potala Palace and, in large lettering, “Tibet Kitchen.”
Though the restaurant is named after Tibet, its menu features several Indian dishes. According to Tashi and Donka, the Tibetan couple who own the restaurant, India is a second home for Tibetans. Most Tibetans in exile are very familiar with Indian dishes, especially second or third generation Tibetans who grew up in India. [FULL STORY]
