Another awesome fresh Taiwanese beef noodle soup, and this one also has a great mala version. The pork bento did not have bones, so almost too clean, and i feel needs the sweet chili oil they provide to make it taste more than just salt and pepper, but i would order it again for the kids. You order via qr code, or if you are old school, i think i saw a tablet the can bring to you. They have about 3 tables for 4 and 5 tables for 2, so expect lines when busy. Plenty of parking, just expect the intersection to be very busy, being so close to hmart and so many good food choices. Clean single bathroom, nice view into the kitchen, and okay decor. The two ladies serving were fine, but one is new and messed up putting someone else's food on our table, and gave us attitude about how noodles soups are the same, and are not suppose to be different, when we had ordered one mala with thin noodles and one regular with thick noodles. The other waitress had to stop her rant and inform her she went to the wrong table. We did eventually get our full order, but be ready to correct them on a rush. Yes, will repeat this place, especially with a iTaiwan shop next door. I like this better than Duan's Noodle House in fremont, barely. read more

Flaming Ox - $15 Pork bento, one soy egg, pickled carrots and cabbage, rice. $20 mala beef and tendon with lots of yummy thin noodle. - Taiwanese Near Me - San Jose, California

Been monitoring this joint for a while now. Waited patiently for it to open and see what it had to offer. Locale: It's a small joint without being small. The owners really maximized the space with the seating. They're able to fit a good amount of people in there. Felt close enough but far enough from the other folks around me. Food: Got the pork chops with the pork belly sauce on the rice. I was really excited to try this plate (the main reason I chose to visit). It was good. Not great, but good. Food came out on the colder side for my liking so maybe lukewarm? The flavors were good. So much potential to be great. Service: It was fine. Hostess and waitress did their best. Smiling and calm despite the rush. Feedback to management: Look, you've got the start of something here. Everything is there, except the last 5-7%. Food is good, not great but it's all cosmetic (not lukewarm, not too dry, etc. The easy stuff). Had some issues with the waitlist (the app is "based on all party size") so if it says I was first in line, shouldn't have had 3+ parties go ahead of me. As silly as it sounds, left a real sour taste in my mouth throughout the experience. Anyways, I'm no expert but overall, feels logistical. Although a 4 doesn't quite feel fair, a 5 wasn't be my first choice either. I wish you the best. We need more good spot around that area that are friendly. I hope to want to try this spot again soon. read more

Flaming Ox - Fried pork chops with white rice covered with pork belly sauce. Comes with boiled egg, and pickled vegetables. - Taiwanese Near Me - San Jose, California

They recently opened up again I went with a friend on Thursday. I been looking for a good beef noodle soup and this place has a strong flavor broth. The inside is a bit small but the service is quite quick. I believe this place is card only and you pay with card when you finish eating. The popcorn chicken is really good. It is crispy and the flavor is good we got mild. It's not too spicy. My only complaint is the basil felt left out. The beef noodle soup broth is so flavorful. The first spoonful definitely hits the spot on a cold day. I got thin noodles personally and tried my friend's thick noodle. I think their thin noodle is better it was softer and easier to eat. The meat pieces were large as well giving three to four pieces. However the dish was on the pricier side around 17 dollars per bowl while other places is around 15. The broth and large meat pieces in my opinion are well worth it. Definitely a new place to try out in San Jose if you're looking for beef noodle soup in the Bay Area! read more

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Fresh, healthy take on Taiwanese classics like beef stew noodles, pork chop rice, and popcorn chicken. I don't typically like thin noodles but theirs are good! As are the pork chop! They even have vegetarian options which is really nice when dining as a group with dietary requirements. Beyond the food, the owners are SO nice and truly value feedback. The food gets better every time I go, and I've already been a handful of times since they opened in Feb. So glad to have a local, homey spot! read more

Flaming Ox - Pork chop minced pork rice and boiled veggies - Taiwanese Near Me - San Jose, California

beef noodles were actually pretty good! QQ noodles plus nice flavored broths that were not too heavy! we ordered the original and the mala and both were good and def would order again! not to mention that the tendon and meat were tendor as well! of course you can't go wrong with thousand year old eggs and tofu! my only complaint was the fried pork chop - tasted quite terrible tbh, the texture was not right at all and seemed like they put too much tenderizer or something i've no idea. meat tasted fake. service was quick but it's like those fast casual places so just the min. read more

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3.5 stars Not sure why this place has such high ratings but besides the two outstanding servers who were knowledgeable and prompt with service, the basic Taiwanese starters were meh. 4 Appetizers--Tofu with Century Egg was way too salty even when I ordered "less sauce." Chilled cucumber was not "smashed" well and presented as coins so the marinade didn't take. Chilled eggplant didn't have any flavor. Tasted like eggplant cut in slices that came out of the fridge. The pickled cabbage was the only decent app. Beef Noodle Soup had 4 juicy and tender pieces of meat but the broth was lacking depth. Fried Pork Chop over Rice was a soggy pork chop with some light batter, not crispy Popcorn Chicken with basil did not taste like Taiwanese popcorn chicken with the white pepper kick. Crispy and salty but could have been from any store. Blanched greens (spinach) with shallots was overly seasoned with oyster sauce. Braised Pork Belly over Rice was not tender enough. read more

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I'm a big fan of Flaming Ox. It's conveniently located off I-880, which is an easy access for whenever I crave good Taiwanese food in a casual ambiance. My go-to's are the braised beef noodle soup with thin noodles, and the side dishes are are great addition to the noodle soup. The chunks of beef are so tender that they melt in your mouth with just a few gentle chews. The broth is flavorful, yet tastes very natural without any artificial taste. An absolute favorite in both cold and warm weathers here. On days when I crave a rice dish instead, I get the fried pork chop rice plate. The pork chop is crispy yet not overly oily. In my opinion, a perfect combination of what a good Taiwanese fried pork chop should be like. You can substitute veggies for rice for only $1. The green onion pancakes here are also excellent. As for the service, I really appreciate that the staff is always helpful and friendly. It shows that they care about training and customer service. Thank you for all the great experiences here! read more

I'm excited we finally got to try this place! We had the beef noodle soup with thin and thick noodles - I got the tendon beef my husband got the beef only. Both beef and the tendon were very tender. The soup base is not overly heavy or greasy like you get at other places that have braised beef noodle soup- and having the chili oil to add into the broth gave it just the right level of complexity and depth. We also had the pork chop rice and the popcorn chicken. I was a big fan of the popcorn chicken (tasted quite authentic). The waitstaff were also very nice and super accommodating- my 6 month old flipped over my husbands soup bowl toward the end of our meal and we had to do some heavy duty cleaning - the staff was so nice about it. Luckily I was also right next to the bathroom and was able to change the baby and get him cleaned up before the car ride home. I highly recommend this place ! read more

Came in on a Saturday morning at opening and was seated quickly. We ordered the traditional beef noodle soup, minced pork belly rice bowl, and popcorn chicken with basil through the QR code on the table. The food came out fast and it was all delicious! The restaurant is clean, including the bathroom, and there is seating both indoors and outdoors. The staff was promptly and friendly. Would be happy to eat here again if I'm in the area. Recommend giving it a try! read more

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Really wonderful Taiwanese place with authentic dishes! We got the mala beef noodle soup, and the flavours were really rich, and the noodles really soaked up the flavours of the broth. The beef was very tender, and be sure to get the half tendon half meat option - that way you get to enjoy the best of both worlds! We also got the fried pork chop rice, and the fried layer was a very light and crunchy layer, different from the other places were it's typically thicker and mor easily gets soggy. The egg was definitely a highlight - it was extremely flavourful! Make sure to have one. The portion sizes aren't as large as those from O2 valley, but the quality is far far above it! read more

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Hands down my favorite place for Taiwanese beef noodle soup! Tender beef. Slightly chewy noodles. And a broth that has a lot of depth. It just hits the mark on all criteria. The best part, it's been really consistent each time I've gone. The popcorn chicken is also great! One of the few places that still deep fries the basil for popcorn chicken, which is a huge plus for me. Definitely a go to spot for noodle soup! read more

This a delicious spot to try. Got the spicy ox soup with thin noodles. Nice and spicy and the meat was tender and sliced thick. The veggies were crunchy! The broth was tasted flavorful and rich. My only regret was not trying more food. Will be going back. I don't do Ramen anymore because I stopped eating pork so I thought I had to give up a comfort soup but now I'm back in on the bandwagon. read more

Flaming Ox - Spicy ox soup to go. Adding the ingredients to the hot soup. - Taiwanese Near Me - San Jose, California

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Sooo i got my spicy beef noodle soup, non spicy version, as well as the green onion pancake. Shared the spicy bowl with my husband and we were amazed by how incredibly flavorful the broth was and the thin noodles had great bite and bounce. Super happy we found an authentic Taiwanese noodle spot. I didn't even know they opened and it's been several months. The green onion pancake though was a miss. It wasn't as flavorful and overall too greasy and not enough green onion or flavor. The kids will have the non spicy version and I'm sure they'll love it. Will def be back and will try eating inside versus doing take out. read more

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If you cannot make up your mind which one dish to have here, choose the Minced Pork Belly. Then come back for the Fried Pork chop, the Traditional Beef Noodle Soup and Popcorn chicken. The Minced Pork Belly is my must have and the dish I enjoyed the most. The pork pieces were minced small enough that you're not unpleasantly biting into chunks of fat but still taste the yummy pork flavor. The gravy didn't have the overwhelming flavor of five spice. You can keep eating this without getting sick of the taste. Perfect blend of ingredients that you cannot tell the ingredients apart but together made a really good flavor. Slight sweetness and mildly salty. The sprinkle of cilantro and green onions gave it another layer of flavor. I will get the full dish next time instead of as just a rice topping. The Fried Pork Chop was also not overly seasoned. It does not look like it was breaded at all but instead it had a coating of dry rub seasonings and then fried. The pork chop was already cut into pieces. The meat was not tough nor dry despite being thin and fried. The Traditional Beef Noodle Soup came with three thick slices of tender beef. The broth is thinner than other beef noodle soup I've had but still has full beef flavor. Again not heavily seasoned with 5 spice or thickened with constarch that you can enjoy the broth without getting tired of the flavor or the texture. Noodles were al dente. The Popcorn chicken reminded me of Japanese Karaage. I appreciate that the chicken pieces were not heavily breaded. This version is definitely a sit down restaurant version vs fast food version. I wished I asked for medium spicy instead of mild. Not greasy. One of the better popcorn chicken I've had. Also no chicken grizzle or tendon. Quality ingredient. The pickled mustard greens and the whole egg were a nice addition to the dishes. They're not skimping on details, taste, value and quality The 5 stars rating is not just for the quality and taste of food but also for the nice staff, fast service and pleasant dining environment. Only down side is the tables are a bit too close to each other because of the small dining space. Would definitely return and recommend this restaurant to others. Plenty of free parking. read more

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As someone from Taiwan who knows how a good beef noodle soup should taste, I can confidently say this restaurant serves the best version in the Bay Area. Having tasted many of the champions from Taiwan's annual beef noodle soup competition, I find this place's offering comparable to those award-winning bowls. The flavors are rich and authentic, and the beef pieces are incredibly tender, cooked to perfection so that they practically melt in your mouth with each bite. I've personally recommended this spot to many friends and family, all of whom were impressed. The restaurant is clean, the service is warm and attentive, and the staff makes you feel welcome. Be prepared for a bit of a crowd during lunchtime--it's a popular spot for a reason--but the wait is worth it. If you're seeking genuine Taiwanese beef noodle soup, this is the place to go. Highly recommended! read more

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Beef Noodle Soup (mala with tendon) was solid - noodles had good chew, soup was flavorful, you get enough "sauerkraut" (酸菜). I think the soup could have even more depth of flavor but I also feel like that might be being a little nitpicky considering I can't think of a better recent spot. The minced pork rice though was average. Still, I'd return if I was in the area. The staff were friendly, restaurant felt new and clean. I like the cute logo. read more

I met up with an ex-coworker for lunch here. Ordering is through your own cell phone by scanning the QR code that's located on each table. I ended up ordering the fried pork chop with rice (added extra for pork belly). As part of the dish, there was pickled vegetables, boiled cabbage & carrots, and a soy sauce egg. I thought the fried pork chop was slightly dry but the pork belly was delicious. I'm not sure what the purpose of the boiled cabbage and carrot was for. It was bland and did not complement the dish. As for the soy sauce egg, I was so full that I ended up packing it to-go and gave it to my daughter for dinner. When we were ready to pay, the place was busy. I had to flag a waitress to give us our bill and then flag her down again to process my credit card for payment. The restaurant is quite small and parking is hard to find during lunch time. read more

Flaming Ox - Fried pork chop with rice (add pork belly) - Taiwanese Near Me - San Jose, California

Two spicy food and not even mentioned in the menu how spicy it can be. I can handle Spice up to even medium, which is more than mild, but I could not handle this dish and they simply charge me in full when I ate only a few bit and just was able to eat the meat with a small bowl of broth that to ask and the only said is not a server fault I'm sure Also, the brought wasn't too appealing, even like some other places that I have It seems like no like American style is offered in this not even a small discount if not offer to make something else or come for anything like that at least they could Offer a discount other places go even beyond to make that right but not this place I think it's all come from ownership read more

The food is fantastic, served hot, and in great portions! I drive down from San Francisco at least twice a month just to eat here! The owners are typical Taiwanese friendly, helpful, and always so welcoming--" True Taiwanese Hospitality." (I'm in love with the Taiwanese!) The seating is roomy, and the owners have done a great job with the space they have. Make sure it's available to buy a jar of the hot sauce to take home! PS: In my bio, there is a picture of Jiufen. (That's how much I love Taiwan!) read more

Found this place while walking around the plaza. Small restaurant with solid beef noodle soup. The noodles were nice and bouncy. The soup was good. The baked pork chop was ok but loved the popcorn chicken. I haven't had popcorn chicken with chili oil but they have a good chili oil with good crisp and spice. The popcorn chicken were spiced well and has decent crisp. We were seated quickly and you send your order via the QR code. Will be back to try their other stuff! read more

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Homely and hearty! Fried pork chop is crispy, minced pork add-on worth it. Great portion too! read more

Flaming Ox - Fried Pork Chop Rice Plate w/ extra minced pork (+$1.5) - Taiwanese Near Me - San Jose, California

I think I finally found my go-to spot for Taiwanese beef noodle soup. We came in a little bit before dinner, so we got seated pretty quickly. I got the Mala Beef Noodle Soup with thick noodles. It wasn't spicy and the soup was pretty mild. If you want, you have the option to add any extra meat as well! read more

Flaming Ox - C2. Mala Beef Noodle Soup Spicy - Taiwanese Near Me - San Jose, California

Was it excited to try this place since Taiwanese beef noodle is my fav, but was disappointed. The broth was average - not as hearty as it should be and lacking depth of flavor. Liangs kitchen is so much better. The one saving grace was the actual pieces of beef were super tender and delicious, and my husband enjoyed the pork belly rice (I found the star anise flavor way too strong though and not the right authentic Taiwanese flavor). Either way, will be a one time visit for me. read more

I really liked the traditional beef noodle soup from flaming ox. The broth was very flavorful & not too salty. I did not taste MSG additives in the broth. The beef was also very tender and the portion size was quite generous. read more

I had the pleasure to try a bowl and their popcorn chicken. My wife and I really enjoyed it. I'll be coming back. Beef noodle Soup 5/5 - noodles were a perfect bite, soup had the right amount of spice and it was so savory. The beef shank was sooo tender and wasn't chewy like leather. I'm not the biggest spicy eater but this was perfect for me. Popcorn Chicken 4/5 - chicken was flavorful and juicy. The batter was perfect. I think it could've been spicier and use a hint/more white pepper to give it that fragrant taste. read more

We had the popcorn chicken and tofu preserved egg. The dishes were tasty, but the portion sizes were too small for the price. Not worth the cost in my opinion. read more

Flaming Ox - B1. Popcorn Chicken w/ Basil - Taiwanese Near Me - San Jose, California

The service was prompt and friendly. The beef noodle soup tasted healthy. The meat was tasty. Overall a positive experience.

The foodl is so great the meat is thick that other restaurants give you those thin slices. You have a choice of those thin or thick noodles I chose to thick news and was very flavory read more

Flaming Ox - This was the bone broth beef soup I ate it so fast I can only take the picture at the end. - Taiwanese Near Me - San Jose, California

My rating hasn't changed but I went back to try it again because I just wanted to know what the bone broth was like. And the answer is star anise. I wasn't expecting it for some reason but it that's what it was. The thin noodles also had the alkali taste similar to egg noodles which I was not a fan of. My friend got the vegan zhajiang mian which was actually quite tasty. There were not enough toppings in the sauce though in our opinions. The thick noodles are definitely the way to go. read more

Finally a Taiwanese beef noodle soup place. Ive been in search of one for a long time and can never find a good one but this place hit the spot. I got the popcorn chicken, tradition beef noodle soup and bone broth. The popcorn chicken was fried to perfection and was very meaty! The portion for the popcorn chicken was very good. The traditional beef noodle soup was very good. I loved the flavor and I also love the amount of noodles I got. Tons of noodles! The meat was also very tender! The bone broth was good too! The staff was also very nice and friendly! I also love how fast the food came out! Overall everything was very good and will come back again! read more

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Pretty good Taiwanese restaurant serving solid taiwanese beef noodle soup, solid portion size with efficient and quick service.

Cozy place packed full of excited friends and family eating and enjoying themselves! Despite how insanely busy the place was, staff were present, attentive, and had lots of warmth welcoming people inside with speedy service! FOOD IS AMAZING! Fresh, flavorful, my coworkers and I LOVE IT! We're right across the street and already excited to visit again! read more

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Stopped by around 7pm and there were a few tables open. I got the Minced Pork Belly over rice. The pickled cabbage and pickled mustard greens helped cut through the richness. The meat itself was tender and seasoned well. The side of chili crisp was more for taste rather than actual spice. I'd recommend trying it! I tried some of the Chilled Summer Noodles but I wasn't a fan. Overall, I thought the food was average but the service was good! read more

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Went here once when they have soft opening and came back again a month ago. Beef Noodle still good, but it is just too far where I live. read more

Flaming Ox - Tofu salad, popcorn chicken and beef noodle soup - Taiwanese Near Me - San Jose, California

I came on a Sunday afternoon around 12pm & there was no wait. However, I did notice many more people arriving around 1pm & the tables started filling up. The restaurant is on the smaller side, with maybe only 10 or so tables. They do have a yelp waitlist device if it becomes necessary. Interior is modern & has cute art on the walls. They will seat you & explain to order through scanning the QR code on the tables, or you can ask for a physical menu. Servers were nice, attentive, & checked up on us frequently to ask how we were doing. Green Onion Pancake - Soooo crispy & came with a nice savory tangy sauce. I could have ate so many pieces of these. Mala Beef Noodle Soup - Yummy Mala flavor, but definitely not as numbing/spicy as we thought it would be. I would say 5/10 on the spicy scale. My boyfriend & I both agreed that we would get this one over the traditional one. Traditional Beef Noodle Soup - Flavor of the broth was clean & yummy. I opted for the free add on of the Chili Garlic Crisp Oil & it definitely added a slight kick. Both bowls had a surprisingly generous portion of brisket! I was so full that I had a little bit of help from the bf to finish the meat. There are also some veggies that added a nice refreshing bite to the soups. We will definitely be back since everything was delicious!! I really want to try their other appetizers, like the popcorn chicken. read more

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Flaming Ox joins the Bay Area bringing modern Taiwanese cuisine located right next to a Taiwanese grocery store. The interior is so clean and nicely decorated. You can scan the QR code to order or you can ask for a physical menu and order with the waiter. Service was friendly but could definitely improve on efficiency. They opened pretty recently so I'm sure the service will improve after more time and training. We were seated promptly but the checking out process took longer than expected since you have to wait for a waiter to process your payment on their hand held device which they leave with the customer to close out. So if another customer has the device, you'll have to wait for them to get it back. Perhaps paying through the app as an option would be much more efficient and waste less paper. Popcorn chicken - 3 stars and the most underwhelming dish. The chicken pieces were small but really dry. You can just see it visually lacking the oil sheen. Instead the batter looks quite matte and dry. The flavor was ok, super mild. The taiwanese spice powder was not strong. I ordered medium spice and it was quite bland and flavorless. Traditional beef noodle soup- 4 stars! The soup is beefy, hearty and aromatic. The thick noodles are chewy, bouncy and hold onto the flavor of the soup well. The beef didn't look good to me but it was surprisingly tender and soft. The beef just melts effortless in your mouth. I do like the bits of bok choi but I wish it was served in whole pieces rather than chopped. Braised pork belly rice bowl- 5 stars. I love the soft rice soaked in that soy based sauce. The pork belly is minced but it's so melty and soft, it just blends seamlessly into the rice. The pickled vegetables cuts beautifully into rich and heavy pork belly. The chili oil on top is the icing on the cake to add that extra kick. Eggplant appetizer - 4 stars. This dish was quite refreshing being served cold. The soy glaze complements the plain eggplant well. I do think this dish could use more depth in flavor though. Overall, the food was pretty good. We spent about $53 on 4 dishes and took home leftovers. I do hope they expand their menu so there are more options. read more

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We tried this place during their soft opening, and as a Taiwanese person, I have to say this is pretty good beef noodle soup. However, as a Taiwanese person I also have to say I haven't had a lot of beef noodle soup, but I usually had an aversion to it due to beef being too dry or noodles having bad texture. At the very least, the beef here was very tender and the thin noodles were perfectly chewy (as good noodles should be). I think the thick noodles would be better, as they definitely looked more delicious. The spicy chili garlic oil is super fragrant! It adds so much garlic flavor to the soup. It's definitely an underestimated flavor inducer here. As for the pork chop appetizer, I felt it was okay. The pork was not bad by any means, but it wasn't super juicy or flavorful either. Service was very nice and welcoming, and the shop interior was decently clean, modern, and sleek. read more

Flaming Ox - Traditional Beef Noodle Soup - Taiwanese Near Me - San Jose, California

Came in on Saturday to try their noodles after working out and the place was busy and packed with people seated and people waiting in line so I opted to order to go. The waitress was nice enough to take my order and I got the food after about 10-15 minutes. Food came in one container with the noodle on top and broth on the bottom. Traditional noodle soup with wide noodle was fairly good: 4 stars. The beef was so tender and soft, kinda just melt in your mouth. The broth was flavorful. There were pickled veggies which I enjoy and in fact I added more pickled veggies I had at home to it. Just a tiny side of bok choy. However, the noodle was ok, not sure if it was the wide noodles only but it didn't have the chewiness I was looking for and tasted a little over cooked. But I did note some of the broth splashed up to the tray with the noodle soup not sure if it's because of that. Maybe next I'll eat there. However what was the best part about the dish is the accompaniment of the chili oil. It was so fragrant and flavorful that I ended up dumping the whole thing in my noodle. Over all a yummy meal. read more

Flaming Ox - Noodles with yummy chili oil - Taiwanese Near Me - San Jose, California

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I was so excited to be coming here for a Yelp Elite event and it did not disappoint. We checked in a got seated in about 20 minutes. The restaurant was clean and tidy and the waitress was friendly, gave us our Yelp chopsticks and explained how to order using the QR code on the table. We order the cumbers and green onion pancakes. My son ordered the beef noodle soup and the broth was very flavorful and the beef so tender. It came with a side of hot chili oil which was so tasty. I ordered the minced pork belly rice bowl which came with pickled veggies, a hard boiled egg and hot chili on the side. Everything was so tasty, I'll definitely be back next time I'm in the area! read more

Flaming Ox - Taiwanese Near Me - San Jose, California

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Everything was fantastic! Great food and great service. Noddles were tasty and the beef was so tender! Also got popcorn chicken and the pancakes, both of which were excellent. The pancakes were deep fried, but they were so unique in flavor and consistency! read more