Review #01: My Lost Piece 古早味 — Cheap Taiwanese Fare in Melbourne?
Nestled in an unassuming corner of Melbourne's Southern Cross is a Taiwanese restaurant with humble prices, My Lost Piece 古早味. But is it worth a visit?
For as long as I can remember, street food has been the ultimate priority for anyone visiting Taiwan — and for good reason.
Deeply rooted in the island’s history, street vendors first built their prominence at temple festivals, offering snacks to bustling crowds.
Over time, this evolved into iconic night markets that can be argued as synonymous with the country’s food scene — a melting pot of sizzling grills, fragrant steam, and well-used woks.
My last visit to Taiwan nearly a decade ago left me yearning for the unforgettable taste of sweet potato balls and oyster mee sua — two staples of Taiwanese street food.
Fortunately, Melbourne has begun embracing Taiwanese cuisine, with restaurants like My Lost Piece 古早味 offering locals the opportunity to relive the magic of Taiwan’s street food without the dreary nine-hour flight (and several-hundred-dollar price tag).
Review of My Lost Piece 古早味
For starters, the main menu offers two sizing options: Regular and Upsize. This is particularly advantageous to two types of diners — those with small appetites, and those eager to sample a variety of dishes. This flexibility allows patrons to tailor their dining experience, whether they’re looking for a light meal or an opportunity to explore multiple flavours.
On my first-time visit to any restaurant, I make it a point to try a mix of signature dishes and unique offerings to get a well-rounded sense of the menu for future reference.
On this occasion, I dined with my partner, and we ordered a small array, comprising Oyster Noodles ($11.80), Combo Shredded Chicken & Braised Pork Rice (Upsized, $15.80), Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken with Salt & Pepper Seasoning ($8.80), Sweet Potato Sticks with Plum Seasoning ($5.80).
During our visit, the restaurant was about 40% full, yet we enjoyed remarkably quick service, with the first dish arriving just five minutes after payment.
I was looking forward to trying their Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken ($8.80), which has been highly raved by Google reviewers and food bloggers alike for its intensity of flavour. But, in full honesty, I wasn’t too impressed.
Rather, I found it mediocre at best, teetering on the line between dry and juicy, and just shy of adequate seasoning. That said, the latter issue can easily be remedied by venturing to the self-serve condiments bar for a saucer’s worth of five-spice.
Meanwhile, we ordered the Sweet Potato Sticks with Plum Seasoning ($5.80) based on a mistake; we had misinterpreted ‘sweet potato sticks’ as ‘sweet potato balls on sticks’, which are a common street snack in Taiwan.
Regardless, we thoroughly enjoyed the chips, which were coated in a layer of batter and well-seasoned, offering a decent crunch and saltiness — a notable achievement, as many sweet potato chips struggle in these departments. As a discerning chip enthusiast, I would rate it a 5.5/10 for crispiness and 7.5/10 for flavour.
As for larger dishes, the Combo Shredded Chicken & Braised Pork Rice (Upsized, $15.80) [not pictured] was a standout, incredibly flavourful and luxurious. My partner — who prefers leaner options of meat, but is still picky about the ‘succulent’ factor — enjoyed the shredded chicken immediately.
As someone typically sceptical of lean meats, I was pleasantly surprised by the shredded chicken’s intensity of flavour and graceful moisture.
The dish was accompanied by a perfectly cooked hard-boiled egg, with yolk oozing out from the centre — a decadent touch that added to the experience.
Lastly, the Oyster Noodles ($11.80), listed under the ‘snacks’ menu, were surprisingly generous in portion size, featuring a substantial serving of noodles. My only criticism of this is that the oysters would be consumed long before the noodles are finished, leaving a somewhat unbalanced dining experience.
In terms of quality, the oysters were decently fresh, while the broth was notably silky and thick. Flavour-wise, I found it somewhat lacking, leading me to rely on the self-serve condiments bar once again.
On the positive side, this allows diners to ‘customise’ their dish to their liking, providing a degree of personalisation that can be appealing — I just happen to prefer robust, intense flavours.
Additionally, as I mentioned previously, it has been some time since I last enjoyed authentic Taiwanese street food, so I’m limited in my ability to comment extensively on the authenticity of this dish.
Overall, while we found that most dishes had room for improvement, we appreciated the restaurant’s approachable pricing, which allowed us to explore a range of menu items. This affordability, combined with our interest in trying more of their offerings, ensures our return for a second visit at some point.
Review Summary
Pros of My Lost Piece 古早味
Quick service on a Saturday afternoon
Affordable, value-for-money snacks & meals
Condiments bar comprising five-spice seasoning, soy sauce, black vinegar, and chilli
Main menu sizing options for varying appetites
Alternative options for those who can’t eat pork
Cons of My Lost Piece 古早味
Physical menu is not the most intuitive
Lacks ventilation and can get stuffy
Review Information
Visited: Saturday, 1pm
Food Ordered: Oyster Noodles ($11.80), Combo Shredded Chicken & Braised Pork Rice (Upsized, $15.80), Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken with Salt & Pepper Seasoning ($8.80), Sweet Potato Sticks with Plum Seasoning ($5.80)
What We’d Recommend From This Visit: Combo Shredded Chicken & Braised Pork Rice (Upsized, $15.80)
What We’d Order Next: Taiwanese Braised Pork Rice ($12.80), Oyster Pancake ($13.80)
Visit My Lost Piece 古早味
Address: 15 Watertank Way, Melbourne VIC 3000
Opening Hours: Daily, 12pm—10 pm