中國茶房8 (Chinese Cafe 8) offers the Chinese diaspora (or any food lovers for that matter) a nostalgic taste of China in Tokyo. The cozy eatery is famous for its authentic Chinese cuisine and home-style casual dining, which can instantly transport you to China without a lengthy plane journey.

As you push the creaking door open, countless radiant decorations come into view. Red lanterns hanging from the ceiling, upbeat music jumping around your ears, waiters yelling in words that I used to hear thousands of miles away. As a Chinese person, the sense of belonging gently washes through me like a warm afternoon breeze. We sit at a table that has a perfect view of the chefs working enthusiastically in the open kitchen: slicing roasted duck, sauteing garlic shrimp with a huge flame, and sprinkling numerous seasonings.

The cold tofu with seasonal dressing is exquisite. The tiny snow white gently lays in the middle of the garden with green onions placed neatly around, like a fence. Sprinkled on top casually, the goji are like butterflies flying into the garden.

Immediately after it enters your mouth, the five senses of the stir-fried chicken start a brutal battle. Aroma enters the boxing ring as our first contestant. The rich waft of garlic sauce fills every corner of the restaurant. A luscious sauce with a punchy combination of garlic and pepper covers the fresh steamed chicken underneath. The refreshing chicken and the searing spicy sauce do battle in the taste buds in one bite. The softness of the chicken gives you the most unexpected punch. The mildness pulls you out of the boxing ring, almost making you forget that the gripping battle is still going on. Not giving you a moment to relax, the sauce pushes you right back to the center of the boxing ring, unleashing the mightiest uppercut possible. The taste is undefeatable. 

Wherever I am, I always tend to search for places that give me a familiar taste. Here, the gorgeous scenery, the gigantic Chinese round wooden tables, and definitely the fabulous taste, all brought me back to the place where I was raised. 

Nothing can be more exciting than to feel at home–Chinese Cafe 8 is exactly what I have been looking for in Japan.