Latest news with #Taiwan-born
Eater
7 days ago
- General
- Eater
A New Taiwanese Restaurant Spotlights Pig-Ear Chips and Tomato Granita. It's a Must-Try.
New York's destination dining scene now has Taiwanese flair: JaBä at 230 East 58th Street, between Second and Third avenues in Midtown East. It comes from Tony Inn, a Taiwan-born Queens kid with a 25-year career, mostly in high-end Japanese restaurants like Morimoto and Masa. Had it not been for the pandemic, he'd be helping run Suzuki, the namesake restaurant of New York sushi legend — and his mentor — Toshio Suzuki. (The restaurant closed during the pandemic.) Instead, he's fired up his own spot, which marries refined techniques with the Taiwanese dishes he grew up eating at home — cooked for him through generations by his great-grandma down to his mom. 'I want to bring Taiwanese food to a higher standard of what I think it should be from a chef perspective,' said Inn. It plays out in the food, with techniques like a Chinese medicinal version of sachet d'épices and high-quality ingredients, such as heritage pork for the sausage he makes in the restaurant. As for decor, the 55-seat dining room is outfitted with leather chairs, ceramic plateware, and linen napkins. 'I put in half a mil in here just for decoration,' he said. The food menu features a mix of 21 small and large shareable plates. Many dishes are excellent, so here's how to order them by occasion. Dining solo The iconic Taiwanese beef noodle soup ($25) is a full meal: vegetables, beef, carbs, and broth. That broth — from roasted bones and herbs — contains so much collagen, any leftovers gel in the fridge so you can definitely skip your collagen powder for the day. Big chunks of tender, marbled beef are nestled inside the tangle of chewy noodles. Anyone who's usually left wanting more tendon after finishing a beef noodle soup won't here. Plus, the tendon pieces are very soft. Vegetables like bok choy, pickled mustard greens, and carrots balance things out. JaBä is still waiting on its liquor license, but it offers refreshing beverages like sarsaparilla soda (it's like a clean, herbal Dr. Pepper) and wintermelon spritz. Dinner for two Rich and stewy with minced fatty pork, the lo ba beng ($18) — braised pork over rice — balances well with the garlic cucumbers ($14) so this pairing is a must. Spice-infused lard slicks up the rice and adds notes of licorice and cinnamon. The fried tofu and jammy egg add savoriness while the pickled red cucumbers and yellow daikon add some fresh crunch and tanginess — along with that cold cucumber salad. Imagine pig-ear potato chips. While the draw to pig ears is often their chewiness, Inn has dialed up the crispiness of the pig ears ($17) so much they crack into little pieces — they're so thinly sliced. The shiso-flavored cucumber provides a nice counterpoint. For dessert, order the sweet and savory tomato granita ($14). 'Yes, tomato is a dessert,' Inn states in his menu. (Koreans look at it this way, too; I grew up on sugar-dusted tomatoes plucked from my family garden.) The taste evolves in your mouth: shreds of ginger; sweet, tangy pops of plum; light, savory soy sauce-laced broth. Three- four- or more-tops The sausage ($15) Inn makes at the restaurant is densely meaty, sweetly lacquered, and nicely charred. The raw garlic slices give a nice, sharp kick. If you're a fan of mochi textures and bamboo flavors, get the bawan ($12). Known as a crystal meatball, it's served as flat slivers of jiggly, translucent starch studded with mushrooms, pork, pickled bamboo, and a sweet orange-hued chile sauce in a bowl. Move on to the seafood portion of the menu. The cured whole mackerel ($44) is delightfully soft yet meaty, salty but not briny; he employs Japanese techniques to minimize fishy flavors. Pockets of miso mayo are subtly threaded into the mackerel. The grilled lemon is a nice touch, complementing it with a smoky tanginess. Big, meaty, and firm with clean flavor, razor clams stand in for the clams with basil dish ($36). The cooks then do almost all of the work of separating the meat from the shell so you don't have to wrestle with it. Slices of red chiles punctuate the dish with spicy notes that build as you go through the dish. For dessert, the Taiwanese shaved ice ($16) is very sweet and decadent, owing to the condensed milk, a quenelle of mascarpone cream, and what looks like oozing strings of dulce de leche. Grapes add pops of freshness. Sign up for our newsletter.
The Star
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Star
Actress Eleanor Lee's former assistant admits to doctoring audio recording
Eleanor Lee in a video posted on her social media accounts on May 21. Photos: Eleanor Lee/Instagram A netizen claiming to be China-based Eleanor Lee's former assistant has admitted to editing the audio recording which got the Singaporean actress into trouble. Lee, 25, was in the news recently for allegedly making derogatory comments about the people of China. The daughter of local Taiwan-born TV host Quan Yifeng has denied making such remarks. But the incident has dealt a major blow to her burgeoning career in China, with her name removed from the cast list of an upcoming Chinese period drama, The Journey Of Legend . At 10am on May 21, a netizen posted an apology on Chinese social media platform Weibo, claiming to be Lee's former assistant Xiaopang. 'After being criticised and educated by the public security authorities, I realise that the malicious editing and fabrication of Ms Eleanor Lee's recording and other acts of spreading false information are suspected to be illegal and have caused serious reputational damage to her,' the netizen wrote. 'I am now making a clarification and solemnly apologising to Ms Lee. I have realised my mistakes and solemnly promise that I will never make them again.' The former assistant said he or she had served as Lee's assistant from 2017 to 2019, and was mainly responsible for work relating to her film and TV commitments. 'I felt I was not treated fairly when the job was terminated due to conflicts and disputes with the former company, so I privately recorded Lee before leaving the company,' the person wrote. There was said to be a failure to reach an agreement with the company on compensation from 2019 to 2024, and the former assistant claimed to have been blocked by the company's contact person. 'Therefore, in July 2024, I posted the edited recording in the contact groups of the company and fans, and also made up a lot of content under impulse.' The post was shared by Lee's agency on Weibo seven minutes later. It added that the incident was caused by a malicious rumour spread by a former assistant due to a personal dispute. The agency disclosed in another post that it had filed a police report at 11pm on May 12, and that Lee cooperated with the police investigation from that time until 5am on May 13. 'The person involved in the case was summoned by the police for questioning early morning on May 13 until 3pm,' the agency wrote. 'The person involved admitted that the audio circulated on the Internet was doctored.' The agency also posted a receipt for the case and wrote that Lee's team met staff at the Singapore embassy on May 15 on matters related to the case. Lee then appeared looking tired in a video clip posted to her social media accounts at 11am on May 21. She said she was 'born in Taiwan, China', and had returned at the age of 16 to study and live in China. 'My feelings and position on China have never wavered,' she said. 'I have always adhered to the one-China principle and it is absolutely impossible for me to say anything insulting China and the people of China.' – The Straits Times/Asia News Network
Straits Times
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
Eleanor Lee saga: Former assistant admits to doctoring audio recording
Eleanor Lee in a video posted on her social media accounts on May 21. PHOTOS: ELEANORLEEX/INSTAGRAM SINGAPORE – A netizen claiming to be China-based Eleanor Lee's former assistant has admitted to editing the audio recording which got the Singaporean actress into trouble. Lee, 25, was in the news recently for allegedly making derogatory comments about the people of China. The daughter of local Taiwan-born TV host Quan Yifeng has denied making such remarks. But the incident has dealt a major blow to her burgeoning career in China, with her name removed from the cast list of an upcoming Chinese period drama, The Journey Of Legend. At 10am on May 21, a netizen posted an apology on Chinese social media platform Weibo, claiming to be Lee's former assistant Xiaopang. 'After being criticised and educated by the public security authorities, I realise that the malicious editing and fabrication of Ms Eleanor Lee's recording and other acts of spreading false information are suspected to be illegal and have caused serious reputational damage to her,' the netizen wrote. 'I am now making a clarification and solemnly apologising to Ms Lee. I have realised my mistakes and solemnly promise that I will never make them again.' The former assistant said he or she had served as Lee's assistant from 2017 to 2019, and was mainly responsible for work relating to her film and TV commitments. 'I felt I was not treated fairly when the job was terminated due to conflicts and disputes with the former company, so I privately recorded Lee before leaving the company,' the person wrote. There was said to be a failure to reach an agreement with the company on compensation from 2019 to 2024, and the former assistant claimed to have been blocked by the company's contact person. 'Therefore, in July 2024, I posted the edited recording in the contact groups of the company and fans, and also made up a lot of content under impulse.' The post was shared by Lee's agency on Weibo seven minutes later. It added that the incident was caused by a malicious rumour spread by a former assistant due to a personal dispute. The agency disclosed in another post that it had filed a police report at 11pm on May 12, and that Lee cooperated with the police investigation from that time until 5am on May 13. 'The person involved in the case was summoned by the police for questioning early morning on May 13 until 3pm,' the agency wrote. 'The person involved admitted that the audio circulated on the internet was doctored.' The agency also posted a receipt for the case and wrote that Lee's team met staff at the Singapore embassy on May 15 on matters related to the case. Lee then appeared looking tired in a video clip posted to her social media accounts at 11am on May 21. She said she was 'born in Taiwan, China', and had returned at the age of 16 to study and live in China. 'My feelings and position on China have never wavered,' she said. 'I have always adhered to the one-China principle and it is absolutely impossible for me to say anything insulting China and the people of China.' Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
Nahar Net
20-05-2025
- Business
- Nahar Net
Taiwan president downplays tariff tensions with US as 'frictions between friends'
by Naharnet Newsdesk 20 May 2025, 16:48 The Taiwanese president said Tuesday that trade tensions between the United States and Taiwan are just "frictions between friends" in a show of optimism as tariff negotiations are underway with Washington. U.S. President Donald Trump imposed 32% tariffs on all imports from Taiwan as part of sweeping duties levied against all U.S. trading partners last month. The tariffs on Taiwanese goods were subsequently lowered to 10% for 90 days to allow for trade negotiations. Officials from both sides held a first round of talks last month, to be followed by another one in the coming weeks. In a speech marking his first year as president and focusing on Taiwan's strategies to defuse the effects of U.S. tariffs and military threats from China, Lai Ching-te struck an accommodating tone despite the tariff pressure. The U.S. and Taiwan have long "cooperated and have also encouraged each other to grow," he said. "There are bound to be frictions between friends, but they can eventually be reconciled." "Even if there are differences of opinion, as long as there is a foundation of trust and sincere dialogue, they can understand each other better and deepen their friendship," he added. The U.S. has traditionally been Taiwan's strongest unofficial ally in the face of military threats by China, which considers the self-ruled island its own territory, to be retaken by force if necessary. Washington is bound by its own laws to provide Taipei with the means to defend itself. Lai said Taiwan would continue to strengthen its national defense capabilities, both through foreign military procurement and domestic arms development, and stand "shoulder to shoulder" with its allies "to exert deterrent power." "We will prepare adequately to avoid war and achieve the goal of peace," he said. He kept open the possibility of talks with Beijing, saying that "Taiwan is very willing to engage in exchanges and cooperation with China" as long as there is mutual respect and dignity. Taiwan's economy is supported by massive semiconductor firms that supply microchips globally as well as other electronics, advanced manufacturing and green tech makers. Lai said he would continue to encourage foreign investment in Taiwan, citing Monday's announcement by American technology company Nvidia about opening a new office in northern Taipei. Nvidia's Taiwan-born CEO Jensen Huang also announced his company would build an artificial intelligence supercomputer on the island in partnership with chipmaker TSMC, tech firm Foxconn and the Taiwanese government. He also backed increased investments by Taiwanese firms in the U.S. In March, TSMC responded to Trump's tariff threats by pledging a new $100 billion investment in the U.S., in addition to earlier commitments to invest more than $65 billion in three factories in Arizona, one of which began production late last year. However, Lai's controversial proposal to completely remove tariffs on U.S. goods "on the basis of reciprocity," in addition to bumping up procurement of U.S. products, triggered protests last week by Taiwanese farmers. Lai opened his speech by offering his "deepest condolences" to the families of three people, including two 12-year-old girls, who were killed when a driver plowed through pedestrians in New Taipei City on Monday. He promised a speedy investigation into the tragedy that has shaken many on this self-governing island of 23 million people.
France 24
20-05-2025
- Business
- France 24
Taiwan president calls for 'peace' with China but says island must prepare for war
Taiwan wants peace and dialogue with China but the government must continue to strengthen the island's defences, President Lai Ching-te said on Tuesday as he completed one year in office. China has rebuffed Lai's multiple offers for talks. Lai rejects China's sovereignty claims over the democratic and separately governed island, saying only Taiwan's people can decide their future. The government has warned that Beijing could mark the anniversary with military drills but speaking to reporters at the presidential office in central Taipei, Lai offered a message of peace. "I, too, am committed to peace. Because peace is priceless and war has no winners. But when it comes to seeking peace, we cannot have dreams nor illusions," he said. Taiwan will continue to strengthen its defences as preparing for war is the best way to avoid it, Lai added. "I also reiterate here - Taiwan is happy to have exchanges and cooperation with China as long as there is reciprocal dignity. Using exchanges to replace hemming in, dialogue to replace confrontation." Binhua Chen, a spokesperson for Beijing's Taiwan Affairs Office responded by slamming Lai's "separatist position" promoting independence, calling it "doomed to fail", state broadcaster CCTV said. China was willing to "engage in dialogue" with Lai, but only on issues "relevant to promoting the reunification of the motherland", Binhua added. China's defence ministry last week said Lai was a "Taiwan Strait crisis maker" who had increased antagonism and confrontation and undermined peace and stability. Lai also faces a challenge from possible US tariffs, currently on pause, and said talks with Washington were continuing "smoothly". The government also plans to establish a sovereign wealth fund to boost the tech-focused economy, he added. "The government will set up a sovereign fund to create a national investment platform, making full use of Taiwan's industrial strengths, led by the government, in collaboration with the strengths of private enterprises," Lai said, without giving details. After finishing his media event, Lai attended the opening ceremony for the ongoing Computex trade show, where Taiwan-born Jensen Huang, the CEO of AI darling Nvidia, is the star attraction. Lai visited the booths of Nvidia suppliers and partners, including Foxconn and Mediatek, chatting with senior executives there. Last month, China held war games code-named "Strait Thunder-2025A" around Taiwan, the "A" at its end suggesting there could be more to come. China called its May 2024 drills just after Lai took office "Joint Sword-2024A", and in October of that year staged "Joint Sword-2024B". In a daily report detailing Chinese military activities, Taiwan's defence ministry said in the past 24 hours it had detected six Chinese planes and 11 vessels near the island.
