It was 11 and without a proper brekkie, we were starving for some lunch. In front of us was the place where Tan Po Po used to be but no one was in it. Calling the shop various times, we were told that they were open. So Yobí suggested, maybe there was another entrance. But obviously finding another entrance does not work when the shop has relocated to the other side of Beaufort street! Oh and Yobi is back in town for the week. With the little darling’s birthday soon, some good foodie action is sure to happen :)!
Going back to Tan Po Po, I remember that the old shop used to be inside IGA:
But it has moved and a lady told us that it was just across the street now.
Starving and with little on his mind, I suggested that Yobi tried the much hyped double chicken Teriyaki which I thought was decent for its price of $7 dollars or so.
The Teriyaki Chicken looked superb with two rows of chicken covered with Teriyaki sauce over steaming rice. But I must suggest that the word double is a bit tricky considering the chicken is not really all that much. Chicken was not juicy because it was thin, but taste as far as I can recall is pretty good as its sauce is well-balanced. For Yobi, he would have liked something not chicken ahah. He did not quite like chicken but had no complains for the price he paid.
For me, whose stomach is still not at it’s best yet, I opted for something pretty light. I went for the Agedashi Donburi.
The bean curd was OK. It lacked that special batter consistency often seen in most places. Its sauce was thicker than most but was welcoming with the bowl of soy rice! The soy rice was a mixture of rice, mushrooms and carrot which was to me, all very healthy! I would not complain too because like Yobi I too knew that $5 bucks cannot get me far in Perth. Perhaps Meccas at best(although I would have liked that a lot). Overall, it was OK.
But my vegetarian meal did not end here. I also ordered potato croquettes as a side! You get two well sized croquettes for 3 bucks.
For me, this was my highlight of my trip to Tan Po Po! The croquettes were empty with no fillings but its light panko crust and tasty mash was all rage. I reckon I could do with 10 of these for lunch next time!
Overall, Tan Po Po’s price must come with suitable expectations. If you seek a large serve of thick juicy Teriyaki chicken, prepare to travel 10kms more and pay 50% more. Tan Po Po has its merits, which I believe is well accepted among its customers. It feels authentic as it can be making this a favourite among the Mt Lawley residents. This is good because I find that most Japanese restaurants here have that authenticity which has helped this particular Asian food beat its peers over in the Eastern States. Verdict? I would come here again! Maybe next time I would get the Tempura bento or something else :)!
WenY
