Biff's Pita in the Shi-Da Nightmarket (closed)

Cuisine Greater Taipei Restaurants
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Is this the right place for a shameless plug?

There’s a new food stall on Shida Road: Biff’s Pita. Delicious pita sandwiches in 4 spicy flavors, stuffed to the brim with chicken and fresh veggies.

Just so you know, I know the guy who runs the stall. He’s spent a long time perfecting his recipe. I’ve tried all 4 flavors so far, and they’re damn good. And soon he’s going to start selling sides like fries.

Turns out some local blogger - a complete stranger to the owner - has been singing its praises (in Chinese):

http://www.calldoor.com.tw/myblog/feapple00/articles/11961

If you’re in the Shida area (or even if you’re not), I urge you to try. It’s easy to get to by MRT: Taipower Station Exit 3, then walk about a minute up Shida Road. Just next to Watsons (the one near Roosevelt, not the one near Heping) there’s an alley, and at the opening of the alley is the food stall. That’s Biff’s.

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It’s not shameless if it’s not your joint. Smoking other people’s joints without reciprocating is what’s shameless.

But back to the topic – Damn you people! Shi-Da already has a couple nearby pita sandwich joints. Why not spread the love around a little? Where’s the downtown pita joint? And how about Neihu, Tianmu, Sanchong and Nangang? Why would you open a pita sandwich joint right where you already have competition? :loco: I just don’t get it. There’s a lot of things I don’t get, although now that I’m newly married the list has shrunk. :stuck_out_tongue:

But seriously, good luck to these new pita people, and please promulgate the provision of proper pita to people in pita-poor precincts!!!

3

This looks pretty good. Any idea what times/days he’ll be open? I might have a drive by tomorrow night.

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He’s still experimenting with hours, but between 5pm and 9pm he’s sure to be open. He’s also open around lunchtime.

And it’s every day.

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Not sure about when he’s open, but it IS good.
I was there on Saturday night.

Here’s the menu:

A shot of his extremely small setup:

And a shot of one of the finished products:

The pitas are 55 each or 2/100.
He sells nothing else, no sides, no drinks and there’s nowhere sit, but the pitas are sure tasty.

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If he can do something veggie, I’ll pop by next time I’m in the area.

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I’ll ask him about veggie options. I’ll also tell him about other issue mentioned here, such as drinks. I know he plans to get a fryer soon to make fries on the side.

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It would be good if he could do flavored fries as good as those at the Terminal in Neihu. Fries don’t need to be fried in unhealthy fats to be tasty. They just need to be coated with flavorful seasonings.

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Uh, Chris, I thought you were taking me there on opening night?

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He opened a couple days earlier than previously planned! :slight_smile:

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I talked to him today: a veggie option is in the short-term plans. If you have suggestions, they’re welcome.

As for drinks, he doesn’t think it’s feasible at present simply because of lack of space in his fridge. But he’s always brainstorming, so perhaps drinks will be featured at some point.

The fryer should be ready within the next couple of days.

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First of all, thanks for the recommendation Chris. Much appreciated.

I didn’t reply to comments earlier because we were still getting our act together and our menu wasn’t stable. This is a first-time biz for the three of us, so we went in pretty blind which resulted in many, no doubt predictable, snafus. Anyway, we’re quick studies and things have come together since.

As to fries, after toying (or should I say bombing) with skinnies, we’ve decided to go with potato wedges. They’re fried in vegetable oil and come in three flavors: regular (w/salt & pepper and light spice), basil sauce, and salsa & sour cream. Prices are NT$35, NT$45, and NT$55 respectively.

We’ve expanded our pita menu (NT$55, two for NT$100) from Madras Curry, Xinjiang Cumin, Fennel Seed, and Szechuan Mala to include the new flavors Thai Tom Yam and Salsa & Jalapeno.

Sorry there’s no vegetarian selection at the moment. We’re renting one ping of space (about the size of a mattress) and there’s only so many goodies we can stuff on to the premises. I’d love to do noodles, fried rice, you name it. But a mattress ain’t space for more than one or two loves.

Speaking of which, we’re offering a second sandwich bread (in addition to the whole wheat pita): subs from a baker who ships to upscale restaurants, which means the bread isn’t sweet. Pricewise subs are the same as the pitas.

Anyway, for photos of the goodies etc., go here: biffspita.blogspot.com/

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Chris, I can’t believe you failed to mention a key selling point of eating something made by Biff, aside from his cooking chops–the conversation. That is, if you want to meet one of the most well-read, intellectually inquisitive, and affable characters in Taiwan, you should meet Biff. I’ve often wished that Biff would join the conversation here at Forumosa. It would add a very articulate voice to the discussion.

I’ve also eaten his culinary creations (not the pitas yet, but curries and so forth) on several occasions. This guy knows food, and what he cooks is sure to please.

Best of luck, Biff and company.

TB

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Haven’t done a curry thing at the house for a while. Memories… Out on the balcony with food and ferns under blue skies and floccus, shouting to be heard above the squalling traffic, high-powered curry aromas busting through auto fumes, ears perking to the sweet sounds of the daily vehicle impact at the hospital entrance or the latest brawl inside the hospital parking lot over who’s man enough to park where. Sweet…

Thanks for the plug and the kind words. Affable is a goal. Skittish and eager to please will have to do for the time being… ha…

Have a good one…

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I like the sound of the cut of your jib, Biff. I’ll be visiting soon.

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Review in today’s TT.
taipeitimes.com/News/feat/ar … 2003392565

I ate there last night. Had the madras curry chicken. Very fresh and tasty. My only suggestion would be to marinate the veggies. It would help to prevent them falling out of the pita and also blend in better with the spicy chicken. I found the bite, tang and texture of the onions and the tomatos competed too much with the curry flavor.

Oh, and please keep the veggie containers closed when they are not being used. Since the stand is just off a busy street there is lots of dust and crap floating in the air.

Otherwise, great job.

17

Wow, a Taipei Times review!

Marinating the veggies is an interesting idea, but as for me, I like the crisp freshness of the veggies, which they freshly chop on site.

There is quite a high turnover rate, so the veggies don’t stay exposed to the air long before they’re used up and more have to be chopped. Same with the chicken (which is marinated). Still, covering them may not hurt.

By the way, they deliver.

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[quote=“Chris”]Wow, a Taipei Times review!

Marinating the veggies is an interesting idea, but as for me, I like the crisp freshness of the veggies, which they freshly chop on site.

There is quite a high turnover rate, so the veggies don’t stay exposed to the air long before they’re used up and more have to be chopped. Same with the chicken (which is marinated). Still, covering them may not hurt.

By the way, they deliver.[/quote]

Yeah, I thought the veggie marination thing might be an individual preference.

Deliver where? What radius? Cost? Oh, and are you going on the hike tomorrow? (PM me)

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[quote=“Muzha Man”][quote=“Chris”]Wow, a Taipei Times review!

Marinating the veggies is an interesting idea, but as for me, I like the crisp freshness of the veggies, which they freshly chop on site.

There is quite a high turnover rate, so the veggies don’t stay exposed to the air long before they’re used up and more have to be chopped. Same with the chicken (which is marinated). Still, covering them may not hurt.

By the way, they deliver.[/quote]

Yeah, I thought the veggie marination thing might be an individual preference.

Deliver where? What radius? Cost?[/quote]

If I’m not mistaken, the order has to be five sandwiches minimum for delivery. I don’t know the maximum distance, but I understand he’ll deliver to the train station area. He hops on his motorcycle and delivers fast - he’s very familiar with the city streets.

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I am very interested in knowing whether the delivery radius would include Taipei 101 and Donghu (in Neihu).