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Facing East
Category: Restaurants Taiwanese Taiwanese [Edit]
1075 Bellevue Way NESte B-2
(between 12th St & 11th St)
Bellevue, WA 98004
(425) 688-2986
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 11:30 am - 3 pm
Mon-Thu, Sun 5 pm - 9 pm
Fri-Sat 5 pm - 10 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
531 reviews for Facing East
Review Highlights
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"I highly recommended pork stew over rice ($3.99." In 60 reviews -
"Don't forget to save room for the shaved ice." In 108 reviews -
"kumquat and citrus tea- nice sweet and refreshing." In 30 reviews
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531 reviews in English
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Review from Yen E.
5/20/2012 1 Check-in Here
I have been craving Chinese food that is not from panda express or a buffet and was so excited when a friend recommended Facing East. We came on Friday night and was sad to find out dinner hour didn't start til 5pm and we got there a little before 4pm! It was definitely worth the wait though.
We ordered the pork burger, oh-a-jian, beef noodle soup with thick noodles, this spicy beef dish my husband ordered and I got a milk tea with boba.
Pork burger was DELICIOUS! The oh-a-jian was really good too! Definitely brought me back to when I would visit my cousins in Taiwan. Beef noodle soup was... a little disappointing. I definitely have had better in SoCal! I didn't really eat the dish my husband ordered and it wasn't even that good. My milk tea with boba was good, but not cold enough. At least the boba was cooked correctly.
Overall, it was still a great meal and I wish it wasn't so far, but it's definitely worth the drive! I also saw on their specials menu that they had Yóu fàn which I want to try if it's still available! -
Review from Sandhya G.
Seattle, WA
5/22/2012 1 Check-in Here
My finance and I found this place while searching through yelp. Expect a long wait. They don't take reservations for parties less than 6. We got there around 8pm hoping to miss the dinner rush. No such luck, it took about 45 minutes for a table of 2. It was worth the wait.
The ambiance is very lively and bustling. The center of the room is lined with large round tables, perfect for a group of friends or a night out with the family. The surrounding tables are meant for 2-4 people and are pretty cozy with your neighbors. If you are expecting a romantic evening, you might want to look some where else.
We ordered the Taiwanese Pork Burgers as a starter. They are full of flavor, probably because your eating fatty pork fat. Let me restate that as delicious fatty pork fat in between a light steamed bun.
We also ordered the Spiced Pork Stew over Rice, also a hit. The small portion is good for one person. I would recommend the larger portion for 2 people.
We also ordered a noodle dish but I can't remember which one. It wasn't very memorable, probably why I can remember.
Will be back for some new dishes! -
Review from Amy C.
5/12/2012
Oh goodness gracious I love this place. A non-Chinese person first told me about it, and shame on me, I kind of discounted his opinion and took forever to try it. I very much regret that now.
I tried the classic comfort foods first. Ground and braised porks over rice, the braised egg, and gua bao sandwich first thing. Then, after tasting them, I just keep ordering them and haven't tried anything else. I keep telling myself I should branch out like I usually do and try other things on their menu, but then I see someone else's bowl of deliciously fatty braised pork with sour veggies and dripping sauce into that white rice topped with that brown egg and I find myself ordering the exact same thing again.
When I finally develop the backbone to try something else, I'll edit this. -
Review from Andrew D.
Orlando, FL
5/25/2012
Facing East takes a whole new experience to traditional Taiwanese dishes. If you go you must try their pork burgers made with steamed Chinese buns fresh cilantro and peanuts. All the ingredients were very fresh and the modern decor inside help extenuate what type of restaurant this is. They care about good food and friendly service. Tip, a small sized dessert can fill 3-4 people easy!
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Review from Jayme T.
5/10/2012
It is nice to see that the Northwest has good, comforting Taiwanese food. I am from the Los Angeles area and was glad to find a good Taiwanese restaurant. There are so many great asian restaurants in San Gabriel, California and I'm use to great asian food being easily accessible. Facing East definitely made me miss LA less.
We ordered the pork burger, which is essential a pork bun. The pork had a great ratio of meat and fat. The sauce complimented it well without overpowering the bun.
We had the spare ribs. They were basically a larger version of the spare rings you would get at dim sum. It was tender and delicious.
We had some sort of beef stew (more of ground meat on top of rice, the name is deceiving). It was delicious and tasty.
We also got fried pepper pork. It was another great dish to say the least.
Lastly, I ordered a milk tea and I loved it. Next time, I need to try it with boba.
This is a great place for Taiwanese comfort food. It doesn't try to get too creative, just the classics. You won't be disappointed. -
Review from Joanne W.
4/25/2012
EVERYTHING IS GOOD HERE. I SWEAR.
My friend had been complaining that there was no good Chinese restaurant in Seattle, and somehow I found this. My friend and I had ordered the pork burger to share -- I swear, you can't find this stuff in Toronto (if you do, please let me know). Even my Taiwanese friend said that the food looked legit (via images).
We had also ordered the Taiwanese stuffed dumpling, which was absolutely delicious. I think my friend was expecting another type of dumpling, but this was great.
I ordered myself a beef noodle soup, which was quite hefty. The beef was braised quite right. Noodles were thick and I think homemade (but I can totally be wrong). I also had the milk tea -- THIS was the amazing part of the whole meal. It was frothy and soooo smooth. I rarely can find milk tea *this* good.
RECOMMENDED. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED IF YOU EVER COME TO SEATTLE. It's worth the drive to Bellevue.Listed in: OMNOMNOMs in Seattle!
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Review from Erin C.
ahhhh why can't we have one in OR too?!
I was there for a Saturday lunch. Even though there seemed to have a lot of people waiting; we got seated right away since it was just table for 2. (they have quite a few tables for 2 although tightly spaced)
Service was prompt. Foods got served really fast too for a full house.
Every dish was good. All tasted authentic Taiwanese. It gave me a good reminder of hometown Taipei. LOVE LOVE LOVE. It's a must eat place when i'm in Belllevue. -
Review from Josh P.
Los Angeles, CA
Just came back from LA and ate here first. Still delicious and great to see they have expanded room to alleviate the long wait times. Tried a few new things; the pork cheek is AWESOME as well as the tried and true pork hamburger.
Hmm I had the oyster pancake which was weird...but was interesting to try. Get the pork cheek, pork hamburger, lamb with green vegetable thing (my friends order...I have no idea what its called) and enjoy.Listed in: Tried and True
2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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1/24/2010
Came here again. This time came with 4 people and ordered a ridiculous amount of food. Pork… Read more »
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Review from Michelle W.
Union City, CA
Pork belly burgers, all hot and steamy
These little suckers are oh so dreamy
Who can forget the fried chicken wings
These are a few of my favorite things
Big bowls of noodles that taste very beefy
Not with the weird foods that look super freaky
Good to the point where my belly sings
These are a few of my favorite things
When I gain weight
When the scale stings
When I'm feeling sad
I simply remember my favorite things
And then I don't feel so bad
The comfort food at Facing East made my day. Oodles of noodles in their beef soup are made for sharing. I also love that they give you the option between thin or thick rice noodles. Other things to get: pork belly burgers (essentially steamed buns), spicy fried chicken, and garlic string beans. The prices aren't exactly cheap, but it's good quality food at a reasonable fee. -
Review from Abby L.
5/1/2012
My bar for Chinese food is incredibly high coming from California, so I came in here with low expectations. I was pleasantly surprised with the food here - it was well executed, not too greasy, and had some interesting options. The five spiced beef wrap was nice and crispy on the outside with warm beef slices on the inside. The five spiced chicken was lightly fried with flour on the outside that gave it a unique salty and slightly anise taste. We didn't order it, but the pork burger looked amazing. The broiled beef shortribs and deep fried spare ribs were absolutely delicious, and the clams with black bean sauce were a taste from home. People at the table also ordered their different tea drinks which they said they liked.
The ones that were just ok - shrimp in batter with mayo, which I don't really care for. Fried rice was pretty plain as well as the fried chicken with rice. The reason this is getting a 4 instead of a 5 is that there wasn't anything totally craveworthy that I have to come back for, but if people want to go out to a nicer Chinese option, I will bring them here for sure. -
Review from Jeff W.
Renton, WA
5/1/2012
Tasted great I would recommend to a friend.
Good prices and friendly staff. I only give 4 stars because it was a little overly oily... -
Review from Grace L.
4/23/2012 1 Check-in Here
I'm amazed at the service here. Everyone I met was very patient, nice and attentive. I thought I was going to stick out like a sore thumb eating alone or that they would give me funny looks when I said "table for 1", but nope, everyone was nice.
I ordered the:
- Taiwanese pork burger. Pretty darn good. I'm excited that they put various spices and items like pickled vegetables into the burger. It also had crumbled peanuts, which I was going to reject, but it actually tasted pretty good with the burger.
- Stewed/spiced pork rice. This is a Taiwanese snack/food staple item and it's pretty hard to screw up.
- Season vegetable: water spinach - Good, but a little too oily for my taste.
- Lemon black tea - just right amount of tea, lemon and sugar
When I was ordering the vegetable dish, the waitress asked if I wanted to order a side order instead of a full order. I didn't know this was possible so it was really nice of her to think of me :) In the end, I left filled and happy with my little token of Taiwanese food for the day which reminds me of home. -
Review from Eli W.
4/8/2012 4 Check-ins Here
Facing East (FEast) is hands down the best Taiwanese Restaurant in the Greater Seattle area. It is a great, high-quality example of authentic Taiwanese cuisine. I live in Seattle and I drive over to the dreaded East-side just to eat at this restaurant.
I have tried Henry's Taiwan restaurants, Din Tai Fung, and other less mention-able restaurants that can't touch the food at Facing East. I'd like to think I have a good gauge as to what good Taiwanese food should be like, considering I am half Taiwanese and visit often enough.
FEast is not Chinatown cheap, however it isn't unreasonably expensive; and when you are talking about the best of anything price becomes less of a factor.
In fact, along with the un-Chinatown-like prices, FEast has un-Chinatown-like service. The service at FEast is excellent. The servers are gracious, attentive, respectful, and they don't seem to have a bias in favor of native Taiwanese people. However, be warned this place gets really busy at times and there may be a long wait.
A Tip: If you have six or more in your party you can call ahead and reserve a spot. This cuts down the waiting significantly.
However, Facing East would still receive excellent ratings based on the food alone. FEast is awesome not only because their food is delicious, but that they have a whole range of Taiwanese dishes that in Taiwan aren't all found at the same places. They have dishes that are more street food-like, dishes that are found at cheap-eat street side joints, and dishes that are fond in the usual sit down restaurants. Basically what I am trying to say is that FEast is a great place to try out a lot of different Taiwanese dishes.
Here are my favorite items on the menu:
-Prok burger (must have this when you go)
-Pork stew over rice
-Oyster pancake
-Three cup chicken
-Hot Citrus Tea
-Taro Smoothie (They use real taro and there are chucks of taro in the smoothie, so good)
-The miso cod (really good, but kind of pricey for the portion)
Facing East is one of those restaurants that you wish was down the street from you, however the fact that it is far away doesn't stop you from visiting often as if it was really just down the street. -
Review from Ken S.
Kent, WA
4/24/2012
Love the pork stew rice, sesame noodles and dong po pork!
The braised tofu is heavenly!!
However, the wait is often too long. -
Review from Scott N.
San Francisco, CA
4/19/2012
Some of us have seen the Food Network show "Best Thing I Ever Ate" and I have to add the Pork Burger on to my list of "If I go tomorrow, this must be on my menu today". It really is worth the accolades I have seen on Yelp. From the perfectly sized bun to the fantastic braised pork that has just the right fat to meat ratio, mixed with sweet pickles, along with the cheap price, I gotta say this is a winner. It's not a meal by itself, but I don't think there is any shame in ordering 1-2 to go as well (for late night munchies).
I have to the say the recommended shaved ice was a bit much. Mine had beans and could have fed 3-4 people. After about 3 bites, I was done.
This place is totally unassuming located in a regular strip mall, but once inside, the interior is really a nice find. Props to the service as they were really helpful with all my questions.
One note: the fried oysters are friggin HOT!! Temperature hot that is. When you bite in, ensure your tongue has had ample warning. -
Review from Millie F.
Bellevue, WA
4/3/2012
I've heard many good things about this place, and it did indeed live up to high hopes!! It was what I expected of Taiwanese food, with lots of marinated meat. We ordered braised pork over rice, seafood pancake, and of course their ever-so-famous pork bun.
Pork over rice: The pork was marinated well, so it was flavorful, as opposed to just being salty. Of course, it helped that it was pretty fatty pork. I love mixing in the pork bits with the rice, so I was happy they did a pretty good job with the pork to rice ratio.
Seafood pancake: Yum! They gave us some huge oysters in there
Pork bun: It really does live up to the hype! Marinated fatty pork with crushed peanuts and cilantro in a soft bun made for a delicious combination! The pork was juicy and tender, while the peanuts added a slight crunch. Then there was the cilantro that added that little kick to the dish. There was a plethora of sensations when I was eating the pork bun, and that was pretty fun. -
Review from Kelly M.
Shaved ice with everything for dessert?!?! YES PLEASE!
I have been by this place so many times due to dropping by the vet clinic nearby and yet I never even knew of the deliciousness they had to offer. Finally dropped by one with my one of my friends because we had a hankering for something sweet. I grew up having this exact dessert every single weekend with my dad. It was the best thing ever and for years I have been searching for a place that made it right. You're probably thinking, how do you screw up such an easy dessert right? No idea, but it sure is possible I can tell you that much.
Be aware, when you do order the shaved ice, a small can feed up to 4 people. Unless you're like my friend and I that seem to have only been coming here just for dessert hehe. There are lots of options of toppings you can choose from but I like the traditional "everything" which may not be traditional but I like to think of it that way. The "everything" includes varieties of sweet beans, paste and jellies. Super yummy! Ahh.. I think I might need to stop by this weekend again just from writing this review...
Service, service.. it was as good as it can get in my opinion. The place is pretty small and cozy and they seem to ALWAYS be crazy busy. Good luck trying to get a big group in here during peak weekend hours. I promise you though, it is so worth it.
Last time I was here, I ordered some food to go. Just the five spiced chicken poppers and stuffed fish ball soup. The chicken was really flavorful and had a nice kick. The soup had a very subtle taste which I liked very much because it was a pleasant contrast to the chicken.
I have to go back and try other dishes. And more shaved ice with everything, of course. You should too. Like, go now! -
Review from Jess C.
4/5/2012 1 Check-in Here
Facing East - SURPRISINGLY good service (I know, Asian establishment?? Good service??!!) . They were quick, friendly, and helpful - the guy on the phone tells me they don't accept reservations for parties less than 6, but if I just call to let him know that I might be coming in a little past closing, he would gladly stay open. Wow.
The food reminds me of Joy Yee's in Chicago, kind of ethnically all over the place - they have Japanese style miso cod served with Japanese sliced ginger and Chinese pickled cucumbers, Adobo style chicken... While I can't say anything was amazing, they have all the comfort foods I look for - boba, shaved ice, beef noodle soup, rice and noodle dishes.... (Hm.. I sound like a FOB). Some things were better (pork belly sliders) than others (seasonal veggies were overcooked and kinda flavorless).
I give them 3 stars for taste, but this is the type of place I could see myself being a regular at. I would recommend you check out Facing East at least once for yourself! -
Review from Erik K.
4/1/2012 1 Check-in Here
Best Asian food I've had in Seattle area. Period.
Great menu selection, popular spot tells me that others also agree! Check it out - you won't be disappointed! -
Review from Kenny P.
5/4/2012
I would give this restaurant 6 stars if there is any.. It's wonderful !!!! I am a big fan of Taiwanese Cuisine. When I saw in yelp about this restaurant (after recommendation from friends), I decided that I have to come here to taste. There the reviews go:
The Service
first of all, do not expect to get an express service as it is a really really really (look how many reallys i have) busy restaurant. Unless you have a big party that allow you to call ahead and make reservation, you just need to wait. But.. The servers were surprisingly nice. The guy (looks like student who is working part time there) were assisting me nicely and ask me to not be too far. When I regularly checked our status, he did not even show any attitude. He was helping all the way and checked all the guests regularly. Ditto to that. But, you really have to be patient to wait here. It took us around 1 hour before we can get it.
The Food
Here come the food. Because I just cannot decide on one food, My friend and I decided to ordered several foods and just share the foods.
- Five spices fried chicken: this one is good but not exceptional. It was crispy. I would love it better if they put more spices and make it more tasteful. But it was already great as it was.
- Pork Burger - This is one of the champions. The skin of the bun were so soft. It's like chewing on snow. The pork was so juicy and tender. It was really a guilty pleasure. The blend of everything inside the bun was just perfect
- Spicy Braised Pork Over Rice - I love this to death. I have always love this dish. I ate it almost everyday when I went to Taiwan and they have a comparable deliciousness here. The sauce, the rice and the pork were great complement to each other
- Taiwanese Beef Noodle - I have tried better in Taiwan but this one is not bad at all. The soup was flavorful, the meat was cooked in perfect level, the noodle was chewy and soft at the same time. I like it very much
- Sweet potato flour with egg, fresh oyster and veggie - I have tried better in Taiwan as well but this one definitely come close. The only complaint was there was not enough oyster in the dish. :)
- Shaved iced with Everything Topping - This is like candyland in your mouth. The mix of every beans were so perfect. The sauce, the ice, etc were keep calling you to spoon in the bowl and just eat it and eat it
- Hot Grass Jelly with Beans and Mochi - Just saying it make my mouth watery. I am just sooooooo want it more and more. Trust me, no explanation needed, and just order it
The Atmosphere
It was set up in a nice casual dinner. The noise level might be high but this is the place to just let loose and hang with your friends. Just be yourself and you do not have to worry about behave like a business man in 5 stars boring restaurant. Just let loose and enjoy it
The Location
Strategically located in a pretty good plaza and they have own parking spots. having said that, it would still be difficult to find parking spot during busy time. So, just be more flexible to find parking around that area
Will I come back ? Yes, and I would be more than happy to drive 3 hours there just to eat and then come back to Portland ~
Ditto ! -
Review from Molly F.
Bellevue, WA
5/18/2012 1 Check-in Here
One of my favorite restaurants in Bellevue. But beware, it's popular and even after the expansion there's usually a pretty decent wait for dinner. People aren't joking about the pork burger -- it's one-of-a-kind. Same with the five spice pork. I'm a fan of bamboo shoots, so I usually order that appetizer as well along with the cold eggplant which I think they might have taken off the menu. The sweet potato flour dumpling is not your average dumpling, so don't be expecting that, but nevertheless it is one of my favorite dishes -- chewy and delicious. The fruit tea is always nice with the meal too. Only taking a star off because if you get take-out they tend to skimp a bit on portions. She's usually running around without time to talk now because it's so busy, but the owner is extremely nice if you catch this place when it's a bit slower.
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Review from Lil E.
Snoqualmie, WA
4/27/2012
**Diamond in the rough**
Yelp directed my fiancé and I over to Facing East. It was 8pm on a Thursday and the parking lot was packed; people were huddled inside as well as outside. As luck would have it, there was a little table for 2 available and we didn't have to wait.
It didn't take long for our server "Joe" to come over and ask about drinks and starters. Immediately we questioning him on menu items. He asked us " you haven't been here before, have you?" We said we hadn't and he thanked us for giving them a chance. Very cool of him! Next we told him we wanted pork and chicken and maybe a rice or noodle dish. He asked if we had any nut allergies and when we said "no" he suggested we get the pork burger, soy chicken, pork stew over rice, and sesame noodles. Sold! We added on a couple teas and began our meal.
The pork burger was incredible. The pickled veggies were a tangy treat that paired so well with the crumbled peanuts and spiced pork belly.
Next was the pork stew over rice. Tiny bits of tender pork heaven over pillowy rice. Pretty darn good.
Next came the chicken in an impressive pot. The chicken was randomly chopped and thrown together with whole cloves of garlic, basil, and soy. It was crazy good bite sized pieces of savory sweet chicken.
While we were chomping on chicken, the noodles arrived. They sat for a couple minutes untouched while we devoured more chicken. Joe saw the lonely noodles and came over to mix them up so they could get re-coated in the sesame sauce that had sunk to the bottom. Joe then plated the noodles for us. Kudos to him for that! I think the noodles were the biggest surprise for us... It seemed so simple yet the layers of favors suggested otherwise. It was some of the best tasting noodles we've ever had.
We loved the food and we loved the service. And, to top it all off, it's affordable. What more could you ask for in the perfect dining experience? -
Review from Jenny H.
Seattle, WA
4/2/2012
The ambient of this place felt welcoming and I love how the two tables in the front by the door are like the tables from the old Chinese movies. The wooden table with the wooden 2 legged bench chairs haha.
Anywho on to my review! My friends and I came out for my friends birthday and decided to try this place since the boiling point was packed and boy were we glad we came here!! We got seated pretty fast and was lost at what to get after looking through the menu. So we had asked our server, Quan, I think that's how you spell his name what his favorite dishes were. After some time of joking around about his hair, talking about the food and the awesome tea, we finally ordered.
We had ordered the 5 spice chicken, Taiwanese chow mein, Deep fried spare ribs, stir fried lamb with water chestnut plants or whatever it's called and this dish with these yummy round deep friend tofu stirred fried with pork, mushrooms, snow peas, and more veggies. EVERYTHING was sooo good!!! We thought that the portions were going to suck but they didn't! We were so full from our teas and the food but because it was my friend's birthday, Quan had recommended the shaved ice with mangoes and strawberries. It was so delicious! We had Quan and along with some other servers sing with us as they brought out the dessert with a cute litte candle. Quan is by far one of the friendliest and most patient server the 5 of us came across whenever we go out. I told him that I would write a great review on yelp if he treats us like queens and guess what, he did and it was a great experience.
I would recommend this place to anyone who wants to try something good in flavor and awesome than the normal greasy Chinese food. It's also good for families too. The table next to us ordered the smoothies which looked awesome! I shall try that the next time I visit. =) -
Review from Robert L.
Bellevue, WA
4/5/2012
Excellent place to eat, one of my favorite restaurants. My daughter's favorite is the pork stew over rice. She can eat the whole thing by herself! Other favs include the Tawainese pork burger, 5 spiced chicken, and red bean/ice dessert.
Super clean, excellent and fast service.
Authentic and clean Taiwanese food. Can get busy at times during lunch, but since they expanded their restaurant, they have been pretty accommodating. Highly recommended. -
Review from Songphon M.
Portland, OR
4/24/2012
We came to this place by recommendation from friends and I have to thank them for that. The foods here are all amazingly delicious. We came late in the evening and have to wait for an hour. Well, I will not wait that long for other restaurants but this place is an exception. It is worth the wait. I tried Pork Burger as an appetizer and I totally loved it. The bun is soft and the pork is savory and well-cooked. I also tried Pork Stew over Rice and I also loved it. The combination of pork and rice is so perfect. I also shared a big bowl of beef noodle with my friend and the soup tasted great. We ended the meal with a dessert - Shaved Ice with Everything which included all sorts of nuts on top of sweet syrup and shaved ice. I can not emphasize enough that I really enjoyed the foods here. The service was also good as everyone is attentive and helpful in explaining all the menu items to us.
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Review from C E.
3/6/2012
Let me say this, the service matched the food, fantastic!!!!
This place is definitely on my list of Seattle/Bellevue must-eats
1) Food was at our table in minutes.
2) The service surpassed our expectations. We have been to a lot of other Taiwanese restaurants and this place had the best service from entering the front to door to leaving. The server(s) were helpful and efficient.
3) Nothing we ordered disappointed us. Everything was great.
-Taiwanese style chow mein - was surprisingly good. After we ordered it, we kinda wished we didn't. Once we ate it, we knew we made the right choice. It had a great balance of veggies and meat. The noodles were done to perfection.
-Spiced pork stew over rice - perfectly seasoned.
-Fried Chicken - Great. Not too salty and it was perfectly cooked. Protip: Wait a few minutes to eat it. It was very hot.
-Beef Noodle Soup - Again, not overly salty. The broth was mild and tasty. The noodles were perfectly cooked.
-Taiwanese Burger-Great mixture of sweet and savory. The steamed buns were soft and squishy, yet firm enough not to break, the pork was tender and the pickled veggies rounded out this home-run dish.
I can't wait to go back! -
Review from Angela C.
2/18/2012 2 Check-ins Here
I went here with a bunch of friends, and I'll admit that I was grumpy about having to drive from Seattle to the East side during rush hour. I am so happy that I did. If I could sing, I would sing a song about how much I love this place. It is that good.
We ordered a bunch of stuff, compromising between wanting to order the ENTIRE menu and just narrowing it down to a few things. This is what we ordered:
- Taiwanese Pork Bun (good)
- Beef Noodle Soup with thick noodles (not bad but I've had better)
- Spiced Pork Stew over Noodle (good)
- Sauteed slice lamb with Taiwanese BBQ sauce (AMAZING I want to eat this everyday)
- stir-fried green beans (yummy)
- bitter melon with salty egg (good, but only if you already like bitter melon)
- shaved ice with everything on it (very tasty)
Let me just say that growing up, I spent my summers in Taiwan, and I definitely have had plenty of exposure to good Taiwanese food. This place is pretty authentic. I can't remember the last time that I have so thoroughly enjoyed my meal at ANY restaurant. I think it was the combination of not knowing what to expect and my hesitation at eating at a Taiwanese restaurant when I know Taiwanese food that made my experience there just so much better.
I couldn't stop thinking about this place or raving about it after I left. This place was so delicious, and it really made me nostalgic for food in Taiwan. I cannot wait to go back there again - I'll even drive! -
Review from Heather H.
Seattle, WA
2/17/2012 1 Check-in Here
Very interesting variety of dishes served here - I had never had authentic Taiwanese before. They had a great mix of desserts and boba drinks.
Now from a vegetarian/pescatarian standpoint - your in slim pickings here. I wanted something fairly healthy without the dosage of pork being in it and it lead me to choosing the steamed shrimp in wine broth. A very delicious and messy choice. The broth had all kinds of different spices sweltering together beneath the softened steamed shrimp.
The portion sizes here are pretty good as well for what you get. The desserts are what I would certainly come back for: Mochi, Shaved ice and plenty of boba! -
Review from Richard T.
Bellevue, WA
2/12/2012 1 Check-in Here
This is my second time here and both times I enjoyed them. You have to try the pork sandwich that everyone raves about. It is just stuffed with all kinds of seasonings which makes it tasty, but the fatty side pork is what makes the difference.
We had a big bowl of beef noodle soup which was very huge for just one person so I would definitely share it if you can. Plus we had a chop suey dish which was great with some rice.
Overall I would make another trip here just to try some other menu items, but you do have to worry about crowds because it can get busy quickly because of the small size of the restaurant and small parking area. -
Review from Sarah M.
1/29/2012
I think that this place is WAY too authentic for me because unfortunately I left here completely disappointed.
We came on a Saturday at lunch time and I have never seen a place so packed. We could barely find a parking spot and I think that this restaurant was filled with 99% Asians - which I took to be a good sign.
We were seated WAY in the back and could see the kitchen which was fine but a very high-traffic walkway. The table that we sat at had benches which were oh so uncomfortable.
We started with a 5 spice beef wrap and the sweet potato dumplings. I really liked the wrap although I expected larger pieces of beef and they were super thin and had pieces of cucumber in them. Definitely my favorite thing that we ordered but it still wasn't amazing. The sweet potato dumplings had a really strange flavor to them. I can't pinpoint it but almost molasses-y? Didn't really like them.
My brother had a spicy beef plate which I didn't like but he seemed to. My husband had one of the hot pots with shrimp that came with the shell and he complained about the work that he had into put de-shelling the shrimp. There were a surprising number of shrimp but just a lot of work involved.
I ordered the braised pork stew over rice and was really disappointed. The pork itself was decent but had SO much fat on it - maybe this is expected but I don't like the fat and there's not much meat otherwise. Plus, I was completely expecting something else when they said "stew" - thought I'd get something soupy but it was just pork over rice with bok choy. I loved the garlic baby bok choy but otherwise, the dish was pretty boring.
Overall, about $40 for our lunch. I'm going to have to respectfully disagree with the other 450 reviews that loved it...but to each her own, right? -
Review from Daniel T.
Bellevue, WA
4/28/2012
One of Bellevues few pearls. Great food and service. I highly recommend! No alcohol served, but doesnt matter since food is so good and affordable.
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Review from Rudy W.
Oakland, CA
4/19/2012 2 Check-ins Here
not bad for taiwanese restaurant.
service was great too.
still hunting where to get stinky tofu. the noodle were good.
fried chicken was nice but the cut was too big, to get the flavor in.
the pork bun was quite nice.
overall, not a bad place to get taiwanese food in Bellevue. -
Review from Joe B.
Bellevue, WA
1/28/2012
I had an amazing experience here today at lunch time - I FOUND A PARKING SPOT!
Got there at 11:25, parked, and got to the front door just as they unlocked it - so I did not even have to wait. Now to the food.
The Darn Good:
Pork Belly Burger - supper yummy. The pork Belly was tender, juicy and full of meat. It really pays to get here early, as I have had it before later in the day, and tit is clear that the pork belly gets dried out as it sits in the kitchen during the day. I also noticed that the pickled mustard greens inside were much more crisp and tasty than before; wonder if they switched brands
The Yam flour, greens and oyster "pancake" Very delish! But you have to know what you will be eating, as the texture would freak-out the average Gui-low. Growing up in LA, my Taiwanese friends exposed me to these long ago. Texture-wise, it's a big gloopy-gloppy clear savory "pancake" with the meat and vegy ingredients mixed in, and some good sauce on top.
The so-so:
We did not feel like soup noodles, so we made the mistake of asking the waiter "what is your most interesting, non-soup noodle dish?" "Taiwanese special noodle with mixed meats" he said. Unfort. what we got was average chow mien stir fry. Oh well, better to trust our own ordering skills. -
Review from Sarah M.
4/13/2012
The pork buns and braised pork over rice were my def favorites. I am not sure what all we ordered but there was a fried pork dish that was a bit too heavy for our table. The string beans were nice and garlicky but just a tad on the salty side for me. Their fried rice is really good though and the servers are prompt and quick to meet your needs. Highly recommend making advance reservations. Oh and try to save some room for the mango shaved ice!
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Review from Linda H.
1/10/2012
Facing East is really facing towards the east. So no lies about this place it is a good find for great food. If you are here for service, this is not the place to go, but for the food definitely come here!
Taiwanese Pork Burger (Asian style sliders) - OMG! sooo good! I am craving for some right now as I am writing this review. The balance between the marinated braised pork in sweet chili oil, cilantro and chopped nuts, sesame, and salted vegetables...couldn't resist devouring them.
Braised Pork Stew Over Rice - This was very filling. Great for sharing.
Taiwanese Style Chow Mein - Don't recommend this dish. If you are coming here for chow mein you've come to the wrong place.
Spicy Silky Tofu - Must get as well. The flavors in the sauce is perfectly paired with the silky delicate flavors of the Tofu. I don't know how they do it, but the Tofu was not broken into pieces at all. These cooks has a soft touch to them. -
Review from Kanchana S.
Manhattan, NY
1/9/2012
I can't think of anything bad about this place except for the tiny parking spots they have right in front of the restaurant.
I haven't had a lot of Taiwanese food but everything I had tasted amazing. My fiance and I ordered four dishes and the check came out less the $30.
We had: The Taiwanese pork burgers, Five-Spice Chicken, Taiwanese Chow Mein and the stewed pork over rice. Everything was so good but my favorite was the stewed pork over rice - simple, hearty and flavorful. Everything we had tasted distinctly different and all the flavors balanced so nice (not too much or too little of anything). I am a spice freak so I asked for a side of sliced red peppers -- I'm pretty sure that may have looked like blasphemy to some people.
Besides the food, we really appreciated the service. I was particularly thirsty that evening and each time my glass of water was low, there was someone filling it. This could be nice because if you did need something just make sure to drink your water and someone will be at your table promptly to take care of your concern. I also liked how they didn't use ice in the water.
It's not a bunch of hype. It's cheap, the food is good, and there are a lot of people waiting to get a table. Try to avoid the rush hours of around 7 pm if you can. I'd love to come back with a bigger group to try more of their tasty dishes. -
Review from Crystal W.
Bellevue, WA
3/12/2012
I have long heard of the nice food of Facing East so my friend and I decided to check it out last Saturday. The restaurant was very busy as what I heard, luckily we have made a reservation. I like their oriental interior design and good customer services. Their food is OK but I think the portion is a bit small and their foods are overpriced. I can't believe they charged $1.35 for a small bowl of steam price, they said it's premium rice but I don't think it worth the price. It would be a good place to go if you don't mind paying high price to try Taiwanese dishes. I would recommend Pork Burger, Spiced Beef Wrap, and Pork Stew Over Rice.
One more advice: Be sure to get there early for parking. It's not easy to look for a parking space there. -
Review from Alexander A.
Bellevue, WA
4/22/2012
Food is excellent. I have to order pork burger every time I came over there.
Wait can be very long so my advice is to come before rush dinner time (6pm). -
Review from Dianne C.
2/14/2012 2 Check-ins Here
I was pleasantly surprised to find out that they take reservations. I was a little worried since I wasn't sure how big the place was (and, rightfully so, seeing that the place really wasn't that big after getting there), and we needed to fit in a group of 12... and a baby.
We were seated all on a long table with benches and received quite a lot of attention.
My husband (who is Taiwanese) and I tried the popcorn chicken appetizer, the pork burgers, beef over rice, the tofu dish, and the shaved ice with everything. (1) The pork burgers (which aren't really burgers... please see the pictures people have uploaded to yelp for reference) are amazing! (2) The shaved ice was entirely too much for one person, and, I think it was really meant to be shared by 4-6 people... it was pretty good, however. (3) All the other dishes were so-so. I wish I could remember the prices, but I do remember everything being pretty decently priced.
I think we'll be back - but most likely just for the pork burgers and perhaps the shaved ice... but only if we're in the vicinity and we actually find a parking spot. -
Review from Gehan K.
Chandler, AZ
4/15/2012
Flavorful asian food. The burger was great but too much peanut in it. The short ribs was fantastic and the pork rice was yummy too. I liked that they have choices for bubble tea and shaved ice. The service was excellent. Make sure you get there a little earlier around 6 pm for dinner or it will be very busy closer to 7 pm.
