Taiwanese restaurants are as common in Chicago as backyard sightings of the Aurora Borealis. So when a new one appears, it’s an event. And with its excellent housemade noodles and tasty small plates, Minyoli in Andersonville is a great addition to the city’s small but mighty family of Taiwanese spots. Save for a few cat curtains (a nod to the strays commonly found in the chef’s hometown in Taiwan), Minyoli’s bright space is minimally decorated. But there’s a convivial energy, as friends dig into saucy bowls of braised beef, couples exchange slurps of spicy beef soup with chewy noodles, and parents order another round of crispy fried chicken after their kid laid claim to the no-longer-shared appetizer. Minyoli’s housemade noodles are fantastic, but like how some Oscar-winning actors also have their fair share of box office bombs, not every dish featuring them is a hit. The clear beef consommé and zhajiangmian are both a bit bland, and though the sesame noodles are fine, it’s a vegetarian option not worth looking forward to. But these shortcomings don’t overshadow the highlights. Minyoli is still an excellent spot for a Taiwanese dinner, or when you just want to snack on popcorn chicken and sip bubble tea at the bar in the company of their cartoony cat mascot.