MonGa Cafe

One star only for the food. Zero of customer obsession. Me and my husband really like the authentic food. And our habit to eating outside is to order more food than one meal so we can extend our joy to next day as well. We ordered two chicken boxes and two snacks, one greens. However, the waitress warned us that we ordered too much. I told her that we can take out the leftovers. She said that is not environment friendly behavior. She educated us that we should bring our own utensils next time to the restaurant in case we want to take out. We were stuck at that time and no idea to react to her "education". She made us feel bad about ourselves. And this requirement from her is not proper at all as the server. We have never met such service in any other restaurant before. We feel extremely disappointed and confused during the whole dining experience there.We speak Mandarin and she sensed us from Mainland China. I feel her attitude to other tables was really good when the customers are from Taiwan or Native American people. However, we are afraid to talk to her to even add a small soup. So we spoke English after her service. We talked to another waitress who can speak English and didn't give us any burden when we added new things or ask for one takeout box. This is our third time to be treated like this in this restaurant by criticized over ordering for one meal. We will hardly come back to this place for another time by the bad service and suspicious discrimination on mainland Chinese people.

MonGa and Facing East are the only legit Taiwanese beef noodle soup restaurants on the Eastside. Broth is brownish red and contains all the flavors one expects like anise and garlic. Noodles are thick and perfectly cooked, and the plentiful meat is tender after hours of braising.You can customize the spiciness from 1 to 5 and choose from beef and/or tendons. I got the combo with Taiwanese paochai kimchi and the pickled greens. The greens are sweeter than the usual sour greens, and the waiter asks you which version you prefer. Their popcorn chicken is legit and crunchy. No hot tea though, and take out cups are styrofoam.Ambiance is modern and noise levels are normal. The restaurant has odors from the fermented stinky tofu so don't wear anything that you don't want to put in laundry afterwards.We love that it was a family owned and operated restaurant. Weekend parking is tough in the very crowded lot- try towards the grocery store if you are unable to find anything near restaurants.

I brought a SomiSomi ice cream into the restaurant, but even though the waiter had already seated us, the owner asked me to leave. Terrible experience--small portions and expensive.

Great quick stop for large portions of yummy Taiwanese food like fried chicken and rice. Located in the same plaza as other restaurants and Asian Family Market, it's the ideal place for a snack or a meal while out running errands.

MonGa Cafe is a great place for Taiwanese food. They have an extensive menu of food and drinks.The interior is clean and modern, with enough seating in the dining area that there was no wait.Service was good and food came out quickly.Ordered the Lu-Rou Fan, the popcorn chicken, and Pork chop rice, and everything was delicious. The rice for the pork chop had a small amount of pork topping it, similar to the Lu-Rou. Pork chop was crispy and came with half an egg and some veggies.

MonGa Cafe is a Taiwanese restaurant located in a medium-sized shopping strip with ample free parking.We went in at 5:30pm on a Saturday while the restaurant was still only 30% full (they open at 5pm) but the place was completely packed by about 6:30pm. A lot of reviews mention the service was a lacking quality and I agree in the sense that they're understaffed. The server was very nice and attentive, but clearly stretched due to the amount of tables they had to serve. We were fortunate since we were so early, but figure it's fair to expect some delays in service (e.g., didn't get a water refill for a while) The food itself was delicious. It's not straight out of Taiwan, but pretty darn close for something in the states. The beef noodle soup reminded me of childhood in Taiwan and the Lo-Rou Fan (braised pork over rice) reminded me of my grandmother's cooking. Everything was well-balanced, maybe a hair underflavored / underseasoned relative to Taiwanese standards but it did not detract from the overall enjoyment of the meal.

I recently had the pleasure of dining at Monga, a charming restaurant that specializes in delectable Taiwanese cuisine. From the moment I stepped inside, I was greeted with warm hospitality and a cozy atmosphere that set the stage for an unforgettable culinary journey.One of the standout dishes at Monga was their Port Burger, a true masterpiece. Bursting with flavors, the tender and succulent braised pork was sandwiched between a soft, freshly baked bun. The combination of the savory pork and the accompanying sauces created a harmonious blend that left my taste buds in awe. Each bite was a delightful explosion of flavors, making the Port Burger an absolute must-try.Another highlight of my dining experience was the Popcorn Chicken. The bite-sized pieces of chicken were expertly seasoned and fried to perfection, resulting in a delightful crunch that revealed tender, juicy meat inside. The Popcorn Chicken was so addictive that I couldn't resist ordering a second serving to savor the irresistible flavor.While Monga impressed with its array of delectable dishes, I must mention the Braised Pork Feet. Although the texture was incredibly soft and tender, I felt that the flavor didn't quite reach the pinnacle of the other dishes. While enjoyable, it didn't leave as much of an impression as the Port Burger and Popcorn Chicken.To balance out the savory delights, I indulged in the Sauteed Green Cabbage. The crispness of the cabbage paired perfectly with the aromatic seasoning, creating a side dish that was not only visually appealing but also bursting with flavor. The sauteed green cabbage added a refreshing element to the meal and served as a delightful complement to the other dishes.

The review is for shaved ice only. Ordered small combo with flan, red beans and taro paste and shared between the two of us.We had dinner at the restaurant next to MonGa cafe and wanted something light for dessert. As we went in, we realized this is actually like restaurant setting and wondered if it's ok to just have a small dessert. We were seated anyways, then we decided to order takeouts too.I have had taiwanese shaved ice at din tai phong and facing east and expected the quality. Unfortunately I didn't like the toppings very much. The flan was bland, red beans were too sweet and pasty, taro paste didn't taste much taro.. the ice tasted good. I know Taiwanese dessert is mild in taste compare to other Asian desserts. So maybe it's authentic.

Friendly staff, but pretty small portions for the price. I've been here twice now and gotten the C1 combo as well as the chicken steak with rice. Wasn't really impressed with either. The taste is okay, but they really don't give you that much food. For the C1 combo I found myself still hungry at home even after eating. Space is large and the service is pretty good, they occasionally come around and ask how everything is. Also lots of parking since it's located in the Asian Family Market plaza. I'd maybe go here if I was already in the plaza, but otherwise I'd go somewhere else for Taiwanese food.

MonGa has been around for several years, located in the busy shopping plaza that also houses Asian Family Market. Parking is challenging in this plaza. I park as soon as I enter to secure a spot and walk the rest of the way. They completed an expansion recently. The interior is pleasantly spacious and simply decorated. They are understaffed for this expanded space. Three people take orders, while two people deliver food and clear tables. Getting the attention of any one of them is difficult. They are running around being very busy, so I don't fault the staff for the service. The food overall is quite good, which is confirmed by the groups waiting by the door and outside when we left. Thank goodness we came early. A tip: I noticed the online ordering has options that are not verbalized to us while we ordered nor is it included on the paper menu. I recommend cross-checking the online ordering to see if there are tweaks you want. For example, the pork burger can be fatty meat or lean meat. The Food:S1 - Pork Burger, 美味刈包, $6.49 - 4 StarsHubby's eyeballs went very big looking at the thick slab of fatty pork belly. It has to be the thickest I have seen in a while, even though it is all fatty (see photo). Meanwhile, I feel my arteries tightening just looking at it. Well, he said it was delicious. B3 - Beef shank and tendon noodle soup, 半筋半肉麵, $14.49 - 4.5 StarsFlavorful beef broth, even if visually a bit thinner than other places. Hubby said it was good and the meat and tendon are tender. D2 - Noodles Topped with Vegetarian Meat Sauce, 香菇素肉麵, $11.49 - 4.5 Stars The English name doesn't say it, but the Chinese name says this dish is Chinese mushrooms and house-made vegetarian meat noodles. This dish is surprisingly tasty. The photo is pre-stir. The sauces are at the bottom and are plentiful to coat the entire dish.S3 - Popcorn chicken, 酥炸鹽酥雞, $9.99 - 4 Stars This is a perennial Taiwanese favorite dish. Their coating is lighter/thinner than most places. The simple salted flavor comes through well. They use dark meat, which is the traditional style.Triangle Fried Tofu, 三角油豆腐, $6.49 - 2 StarsWhy is this wet? See photo. It makes no sense. They run off as soon as they put the dish down, so I just kept it since it's not expensive. It tastes ok, just not what I expected or wanted - which is crispy fried tofu. This was my backup after they said the stinky tofu is sold out. Bummer. Tieguanying Tea Latte, 鐵觀音拿鐵, $5.99 - 4 StarsWith a surprisingly mild tea flavor and the Chinese style of not-too-sweet, this warm latte is quite milky and yummy.