For those who are unaware, one of the places which didn't make it through the covid lockdowns was David's Sizzling, probably the only place that did authentic Taiwanese steak in Brisbane. I was really sad to see them close, and now we have no alternative for our hot plate protein fix. It took a couple of months, but eventually JoHoJa, which had initially been sharing space with Fish Cafe in New Farm took up lodgings in the spot. At least it was another authentic Taiwanese restaurant, and they're now far more accessible for me.
The shopfront is small, but turnover is relatively fast. I'm not sure they take reservations, but we were able to get a table for a weeknight dinner without too much hassle.
Despite the tangible menus, ordering was done via QR code, although paying came after the meal. Prices weren't too expensive but they weren't cheap either. Having done my research beforehand and heard the complaints about portion size, I ordered accordingly.
First to arrive was the traditional Taiwanese braised pork mince with rice. The taste was fairly spot on with a deep soy flavour to the pork which was adequately but not overly fatty. I do think that the mince to rice ratio could have been better, but we had other food to go with the rice. The rice itself was quite delicious with a smooth texture that I really like of Taiwanese rice.
Next up was a dish of cold braised beef shank. It was not particularly big for the price but large enough for a snack size. This was done really well and very tender, to a point where the meat was almost falling apart. With the added dipping sauce, it went well with our extra rice from the first dish.
Next up was Dr L's all time favourite oyster omelette. The omelette was fairly big and there was a generous amount of oysters in it. The sauce was tangy, with sweet and sour elements to it. I almost had to fight Dr L to get a decent portion of it, otherwise he would have eaten it all. He said it tasted like home, which is quite compelling.
My favourite of course was the braised beef and tendon noodle. The portion was generous, and there was a lot of very tender meat and tendon on top of the standard wheat noodle. The broth was flavoursome, infused with soy, tomato and carrots. The noodles tended towards the softer side, pleasing me but upsetting Dr L. Although the price wasn't cheap, it was fairly large, making it not too bad value. Overall we had a fairly good time at JoHoJa. No doubt we will be back to try more dishes, given how close and convenient it is.
Price Range: $20 - $30pp
Taste: 8.5/10
Value: 7/10
Service: 8/10
Environment: 6/10
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