Night market games and food at Chicago’s 2D Restaurant: A Taiwanese cultural celebration

CHICAGO (WGN) — A North Side restaurant known for fusing Taiwanese and Vietnamese cuisines is hosting a celebration today in honor of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month.

Night markets in Taiwan are vibrant, full of life and happen daily, depending on what part of the country you’re in. The owners at the 2D Restaurant want Chicagoans to experience that excitement firsthand through good food and traditional games.

“We want to take everyone into a journey using our 2D portal, where you can forget about the chaos in life and enjoy a little bit of a childhood memory,” said Kevin Yu, co-owner and chef at the 2D Restaurant.

Kevin and Vanessa Yu are the husband and wife combo who came up with the idea behind the 2D Restaurant. Vanessa is the mastermind and artist behind the illustrations covering the dining room, and while black and white are the everyday vibes inside of 2D, the couple is transporting the colorful and high energy from the Taiwanese night markets into their business on Sundays.

“We often joke in Taiwan that life starts after 10 p.m.,” Kevin Yu said. “The night market is the most vibrant part of Taiwan.”

Where they’re offering sample sizes of popular market food like Taiwanese fried chicken, different types of tofu, boba teas and mochi donuts, there are also various market games, like a handmade pinball machine that ignites nostalgia for those who play.

“As we were making it, every time we showed our fellow Taiwanese, everyone remembered exactly what it feels like walking by the street of Taiwan in the night market.”

Vanessa Yu was born in Vietnam and said she got hooked on the Taiwanese night markets when she met Kevin.

“The explosion of sensation, from the food, to the games, to the smell of it all,” Vanessa Yu said. “What intrigued me is that the variety of food and the games that you can play, so you’re not just there toe at, but to hang out with people and friends and family.”

Kevin and Vanessa Yu said they are grateful for the warm welcome they’ve received in Chicago and hope they can give back by continuing to share and celebrate the richness of their cultures.

“I grew up in Taiwan and moved to the states when I was 16,” Kevin Yu said. “We want to be able to share everything we love about Taiwan.”

Sunday’s night market is sold out, but the Yus said they plan on holding another one at the end of July.

For more info, you can visit their website online by clicking here.