Taiwanese cuisine in Paris: the MAISON LE TE table

Taiwanese cuisine in Paris: why it stays rare

When you mention Asian cuisine in Paris, people often think Vietnamese, Cantonese Chinese, Japanese, Thai, sometimes Korean. Taiwan is rarely cited. Yet this crossover cuisine (Fujian Chinese, Japanese, Malay influences) deserves a place of its own. MAISON LE TE at 136 rue Saint-Maur in the 11th arrondissement is one of the rare Paris addresses defending Taiwanese identity without confusing it with generic Chinese. The founder, Hsuan-Hsuan Chang, was born in Taiwan, studied at ESCP, and signs the menu with recipes passed down by her grandmother and mother in Taipei.

Signature dishes of Taiwanese cuisine

Taiwanese cuisine is organized around a few recurring techniques and ingredients. Slow-braised pork (lu rou) in a soy-sugar-star anise-cinnamon sauce is served over white rice or in a steamed bun (gua bao). Marbled tea eggs (cha ye dan) steep for several hours in a mix of black tea, soy sauce, and spices, giving a cracked shell and an aromatic white. Glutinous rice with crushed peanuts and dried radish (you fan) is a typical breakfast dish. Taiwanese onigiri (fan tuan) are large rice rolls stuffed with you tiao (savory fritters), preserved radish, pork floss, and sometimes egg. Peanut noodles (Taiwanese dan dan mian) come with a deeply aromatic sesame-peanut sauce. All these dishes appear regularly on MAISON LE TE's rotating menu.

Tea as a cuisine partner

In Taiwan, tea is not just served between meals as in France or northern China. It accompanies the cuisine, sometimes even during the meal. High-mountain oolong is the ideal partner of sweet-savory dishes like braised pork: its floral and buttery notes cleanse the palate between bites. Sun Moon Lake black tea, rounder and fruitier, pairs better with noodles or smoked duck. Taiwanese matcha, whisked with bamboo to order, accompanies salty-sweet desserts (black sesame, taro). This pairing logic is unique to Taiwan and is one of the things MAISON LE TE wants to transmit.

Vegan and gluten-free dishes: Taiwanese cuisine adapts well

Taiwanese cuisine is rich in vegetarian and vegan dishes: Taiwan has a long Buddhist vegetarian tradition. MAISON LE TE offers several options. The smoked tofu gua bao with shiitake mushrooms and cucumber is one of the signature vegan dishes. The congee with black mushrooms and dried radish is another. Glutinous rice with peanuts can be served without pork on request. For gluten-free, most rice-based dishes are naturally adapted. Soy sauce can be replaced by tamari. The kitchen adapts dishes on request, just notify when booking via the contact page.

Lesser-known Taiwanese specialties on the menu

Beyond the signature dishes, MAISON LE TE regularly serves Taiwanese dishes less known in Paris. San bei ji (three-cup chicken: soy sauce, rice wine, sesame oil) is a fermented and fragrant Hakka dish. Niu rou mian (braised beef noodles) is Taiwan's national comfort food. Shaved ice (xue hua bing) as a summer dessert is served with fresh fruit, tapioca pearls, and condensed milk. To discover the full current menu, see the MAISON LE TE menu page or our dedicated Taiwanese specialties in Paris page.

Who this cuisine is for

MAISON LE TE's Taiwanese cuisine appeals to three audiences. Taiwanese expats in Paris seeking a familiar taste (the house regularly sees Taiwanese families spending a Sunday). Asian cuisine enthusiasts already converted (Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese) wanting to discover a neighbor but distinct cuisine. The curious without Asian reference points wanting to taste Taiwan without flying there. For all three audiences, the team can advise a discovery path: start with a gua bao, add a tea egg, end with a black sesame dessert. For more experienced lovers, the house regularly proposes off-menu dishes on request, depending on sourcing.

Neighbor pages to explore further

Several pages extend this discovery. Taiwanese restaurant Paris for the full restaurant format. Taiwanese brunch for the brunch format. House-made onigiri Paris for zoom on onigiri. Taiwanese pastries for the sweet side. Taiwanese street food for quick format. And Le Te at Palais-Royal to discover the other address with a tea house focus.