The tranquility is only broken by the sound of a machine shaking drinks or an employee calling out a ready order in Mandarin and English.Īt Hello Jasmine, drinks are handmade with tea steeped each morning from imported Taiwanese tea leaves - no powdered mixes here. The dining room is a clean, minimalist refuge that plays Taiwanese pop music quietly in the background. Whether it’s the sleeping student in the corner, the chess strategy books neatly arranged on the shelves or the groups of young Asian Americans gossiping over skewered foods, Hello Jasmine feels like the many boba shops I spent my time in as a college student in California. Halsted St., 31, - Nick Kindelsperger Hello JasmineĪt Hello Jasmine, the popcorn chicken is made in the traditional Taiwanese way, with pieces of chicken marinated in five spice powder before being battered and plopped in the fryer with basil leaves. It’s topped with creamy coleslaw and sliced jalapenos, just in case it wasn’t already spicy enough for you.Ģ520 S. The gargantuan creation features a piece of fried chicken so over-sized, it hangs a good 2 inches off the side.
You can order the chicken by the piece, but I’d spring for the Big Boss sandwich ($8). Plus, there’s a fascinating depth and sweetness that undercuts some of the spice, which makes this more than just a spicy dare. It’s also well made fried chicken, with an extra-crunchy crust and absurdly juicy meat. So instead of a sharp shot of pain, you get a wave of chile heat that blankets your whole mouth. But I’ll also note that each bite is also wild and complex, thanks to a mix of seven chile varieties. That level is named “Hot: burning hot,” which is a pretty accurate description of the wickedly spicy sauce. Lee offers five spice levels, but if you think that going with level three is a reasonable choice, consider yourself warned.
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