a hungry girl's guide to taipei

SUNFLOWER KAISEKI (SHAN HUA) 三花日式料理

No.9-2, Jianguo N. Rd., Sec. 2,

台北市中山區建國北路二段9-2號

(02) 8978-5000

MRT: Nanjing East Road

website: Shan Hua's FB page

hours: 11:30AM- 2:30PM; dinner 5:30PM-9:30PM

kid friendliness:

The moment you step into Sunflower Kaiseki, there is a warm, golden glow. in the large dining space which uses mostly natural wood and golden accents in its interior. The restaurant used to be home to the shuttered Canoviano and has impressively high ceilings in the main dining area and open kitchen, with some private rooms on the second floor. Don't confuse this Shan Hua (opened in fall of 2013) with another Shan Hua Japanese restaurant in town, the other a sushi bar.

Diners can sit at the sushi bar to observe the action or sit in one of the partitioned sections.

Kaiseki style dining is almost like a ritual- with elaborate multi course meal that traditionally includes components of appetizer, sashimi, a simmered dish, a grilled dish and a steamed dish. It's a popular style of dining in Taipei as customers feel getting the "set course" is the best value. Sunflower Kaiseki is definitely on the pricier side- sets start from NT$1200 and go up to NT$3500- and portions are on the refined side. Unfortunately the menu was only in Chinese, so my hosts did the ordering, but the seven course menu changes seasonally to use the freshest ingredients.

Complimentary pickled cucumbers and radish

The first course was like a garden of delicate amuse bouches, almost too pretty to eat.

Loved the sweet fresh crab meat with jellyfish underneath

This was sea cucumber, which I was reluctant to try since I don't usually like the soft jelly-like texture, but these surprised me with a crunchy snap that I enjoyed.

Sashimi course

Fried burdock gobo root chips

Fish bone crackers- I actually ate quite a few of these hone senbei waiting for our next course. Supposedly very good for you as they are high in calcium, and very crunchy and salty and addictive.

Tableside shabu shabu

You know me, I wanted more than a few slices! But the slices I got were ultra tender, served a bit pink in the middle.

Sesame ice cream so nutty it almost tasted like peanut butter. Yum.

This kind of restaurant is great for people who are not creatures of habit. The menu and courses are varied and changing- even when you look at the various Chinese food blogs that have posted about Sunflower Kaiseki already, no two meals look exactly the same. You could experience and taste something new each visit.

FU WU YU SANUKI UDON

富玉屋讚歧烏龍麵

No. 14, Lane 83, DaAn Rd, Sec. 1

大安區大安路一段83巷14號

(02)2778-5255

MRT: ZhongXiao/DunHua

$$ Cash only (about NT$300+ per person)

Snapshot review: 4/3/2014

Previous review: 10/2012

After my first few visits to Fu Wu Yu Sanuki Udon, I ended up falling in love with a cold tomato udon that was their specialty there. It was a unique and refreshing bowl. Unfortunately it's gone missing from their menu for the past year or so, on my past few visits (maybe the original chef is gone, or maybe it's only available during the summer?).

So instead I've ended up getting another cold udon on their menu, the Tempura cold udon (NT$340) which comes with julienned cucumber, seaweed, bonito flakes, a soft boiled egg, crunchy tempura bits, dashi broth and two tempura fried shrimp and fishcake. The hot shrimps and fishcake make it more filling than the usual salad cold noodles,

And though this is no longer part of a set (no appetizer, no dessert), you can add refills of the QQ udon noodles for free!

As I was munching on my carnitas nachos and fish tacos last night from Macho Tacos (Yay, Cinco de Mayo), I was thinking about how this meal would have not been possible ten years ago in Taipei.

Those of us who have been here long enough, know that we've had our ups and downs with Mexican food in Taipei, and can appreciate the options and type of stuff that's offered now compared to 5-10 years ago. Before, I would just shake my head and sigh at things like gross guacamole made with Taiwan avocados and count the days until a trip back to LA. Nowadays, I'm pretty happy with the carnitas and chimichanga options around town. I can even find some supplies at the fancy supermarkets and corn tortillas (at Florida Bakery) to make enchiladas at home!

Just for fun, here's a rough list of the evolution of Mexican food and restaurants in Taipei (not a strict timeline but in the order that I discovered it). Not all of these are Mexican restaurants, but some are restaurants that featured dishes that I tried during the dearth of Mexican food in Taipei. There are a few more I have to try, like Libre and King Burrito, but I've linked to those that I've reviewed for info and addresses. As you can see from the number of places that opened and then closed, it's not easy to educate, market to and serve consistently good, affordable Mexican food to locals and picky expats in Asia.

Amigos (Taiwanese Mex)
Tequila Sunrise (Taiwanese Mex)
Chili's (American chain Tex Mex dishes)
TGIF (American chain Tex Mex dishes)
La Casita (Closed! Had good enchiladas)
Good Day
Jake's Country Kitchen
Bongos (Moved)
Eddy's Cantina- Danshui (Closed! Moved to Tianmu)
Mexico Sabroso (Is this place in Taoyuan still open?)
Yuma Southwestern Grill (Tex Mex/ Closed!)
El Gallo (Closed!)
Oola Mexican (Closed! First to introduce Chipotlesque fast casual burritos to Taipei)
Macho Tacos - DaAn (Fresh mex. First to have baja style fish tacos, California fries and California burrito)
Taco Bar - Shida (Closed!)
Taco2Go
Macho Tacos- Shida (Fresh mex)
Mayan Grill (Moved to Xinyi)
Cactus Mexican Restaurant (Closed!)
Eddy's Cantina Tianmu (possibly the only one to have Mexican owner/chef at helm)
Juanita (Fresh mex. Most blatantly inspired by Chipotle)
Barrito (Closed!)
Dos Chinos (Closed! Ultra popular made to order tacos until it closed)
Pig and Pepper (serves Cinco de Mayo specials annually in late April/early May)
Libre Burrito (a branch of a Japanese chain of California Mexican?)
King Burrito (Organic Mexican)
Churro K (serving lots of, yup, you guessed it, churros)

Seriously, I would have never believed you if you had told me when I first started this blog there would be so many places to get burrito bowls, soft tacos and a whole restaurant serving churros! Lol.

CAFE DE RIZ
No. 34 Lane 78, AnHe Road, Sec. 1
台北市大安區安和路一段78巷34號
(02) 2755-6587

MRT: Xinyi/Anhe

website: Cafe De Riz's FB

hours: 11:30AM- 10PM

$$$ (about NT$800-NT$1200/person)

Kid friendliness: mostly raw sashimi available, though spotted one grilled salmon consommé rice option. no high chairs spotted

Visit reviewed: 3/5/2014

I never had a chance to try Nomura, a Taipei sushi bar that garnered fame while it was open. When it closed in March 2013 due to Chef Nomura leaving, the partners reinvented the space into Cafe de Riz. Instead of a typical sushi bar, the specialty was seafood donburis and consommés. Donburi is Japanese for rice bowl and Riz is Spanish for rice, so Cafe de Riz is a restaurant for serious sashimi donburi lovers as the limited menu presents only a few options.

You can opt to sit at the counter for a prime spot to watch the sushi chefs, or if you have a bigger group at one of the tables.

A glance at the menu shows three options for those wanting something hot and four for those wanting sashimi donburis. Prices are on the higher side, especially for lunch, compared to other chirashi spots in Taipei, but then again you are getting whole pieces of nigiri sized sashimi rather than chopped up bits in a bowl.

Cabbage served with a speck of yuzu pepper paste, to share with six people. It's pretty potent, but for six people, might need more than that.

We quizzed the waiter on the differences between the various menu options and had no idea about the sizes. I had previously spied uni on instagram at Cafe de Riz, so of course I asked which don would have it. The server said that the Fabulous Seafood Don would have uni while the Seafood Don did not. I thought if I was gonna splurge, I might as well go for it for an extra NT$300.

At NT$1200, the Fabulous Seafood Don rivals the price of an omakase lunch at a number of sushi bars. But instead of waiting for the chef to delicately present each piece of nigiri, you get to choose your own pace as you dig into the huge wooden bucket for sashimi treasures.

I think those of us who ordered the Fabulous Seafood Don yelped in excitement when we saw the huge wooden bucket and how much stuff was inside.

It's a pretty massive bowl, and honestly, you could probably split this with another person. There's 2-3 pieces of most of the fish and a layer of rice underneath.

I loved the delicate soy sauce "teapot" and the presentation of everything.

Let's go fishing...

beautiful piece of tuna

salmon

ebi shrimp

Seafood Don (NT$900) - my friend who ordered this was happy with it. I should have taken a photo of the seafood don and fabulous seafood don side by side to show the size difference, but hers came a lot later and I already started mine.

Salmon and Roe Don (NT$800)

Bubbles of salty fishy goodness

Salmon and Roe Consomme (NT$600) is interesting- you get a pot of hot broth to pour into your bowl to essentially make your own soupy rice. Even though the consommé sets got extra side dishes (one cold one and one hot), I didn't feel like it was as good a value as the sashimi dons. Especially if you compare the salmon ikura bowls.

Genmatcha tea comes with the set and at the end of the meal. If you want to upgrade to a different drink, then you can add the price difference.

Maru Waffle (NT$220) looked different than I expected (not waffle shaped at all), but was tasty with red bean mochi and banana flavors.

All in all, Cafe de Riz is a lovely addition to the amazing Japanese eats in Taipei. It brings fresh sashimi to a relaxed cafe environment, great for a family meal or business lunch. Second location just opened featuring more desserts.

KANPAI KUROGEYA 乾杯黒毛屋
(HEI MAO WU or BLACK HAIR HOUSE)
at Shin Kong Mitsukoshi A4
No. 19 Song Gao Rd, 6F
台北市信義區松高路19號6F (新光三越A4)
(02) 2723-7722

MRT: Taipei City Hall

website: kurogeya.com.tw

hours: 11:30AM - 2:30PM; 5PM - 12AM

$$-$$$ (about NT$800-1000/person)

Kid friendliness: plenty of options for shabu loving kids; no high chairs spotted

Visit reviewed: 4/30/2014, 4/4/2014 & 1/3/2014

Last fall, Xinyi Mitsukoshi's A4 revamped their sixth floor into a row of enticing restaurants- Sukhothai, Kanpai Kuroegeya, Hachi Bei and a teppanyaki restaurant. I had been hearing my friend raving about this place, calling it Black Haired Pig, for the longest time as she was in a shabu phase. But finally when I did the write up, I realized it's Black Hair House (Wu) not Pig (Zhu). Lol.

Anyways, Kanpai Kurogeya (which is its official Japanese/English name) is an upscale, modern shabu shabu place offering unique options such as soymilk broth hotpot and adding touches like freshly grated radish, melted mozzarella cheese and at the end of the meal, an option of having parmesan cheese risotto.

First time having hotpot with boiled cheese!

The first time I tried it, I thought it was good, but not particularly special. But after trying the soy milk broth hotpot, I'm a fan. Instead of using water, or in this case water with kombu kelp, you can opt to have a soy milk broth made from soy milk, dashi and white miso, which lends a richer flavor to everything you cook in it. I ended up even drinking a bit of the broth and not needing to dip much of my veggies or meat in soy sauce.

The menu is in Chinese only, but basically most of the choices are sets with the choice of meat (beef, pork) and hotpot broth, prices for sets run about NT$700 and up. Options for broth are either a clear kombu broth, a soy milk broth or a sukiyaki style hotpot.

Sets come with vegetables, assorted fishcake, and one plate of meat to cook in your hotpot as well as a choice of rice, noodles or xi fan which is made with the broth of your hotpot at the end of the meal. The servers does some of the cooking for you to start off the meal, but if you are impatient, you can start shabu-ing away.

Assorted mushrooms and fishcake - the first time I came, they set out a little glass timer and told us that when the timer was done, the fishcake would be ready. My server didn't give me a timer on my second visit, as well as forgot to give me freshly grated radish. Boo. So if you don't get it on your first visit, be sure to ask for it.

The soymilk broth looks like it will bubble over, but the server checks the temperature and lets us know when it's ready.

It's ready!

This is a yuzu pepper condiment I've seen seeing all over town. It's very potent so use sparingly.

One of the first things the server will cook and plate up for you is the tofu.

Two styles of pork come with the soy milk broth hotpot and pork is the only option. If you want beef, then opt for the kombu broth or the sukiyaki. Each person gets their own pot and own plate of meat, which is pretty satisfying and filling.

Extra plates can be ordered ala carte.

The servers will start off some of the cooking for you and depending on how many other people they have, you can toss the rest of the stuff in there at your own pace.

Just start throwing everything in there to cook...

Before and after of the fatty pork belly slices...

After you are done eating your meat and veggies, the servers will come and give you your starch- for kombu you can opt for a bowl of rice or noodles, for the sukiyaki they cook udon in the soy sauce and for the soy milk broth, they make a cheese risotto, which I loved. The empty out the pot by spooning the broth into another container then putting back a little broth for the rice to soak up. The cheese risotto only comes with the soy milk hotpot- the other hotpots come with regular porridge or noodles.

And the dessert is quite yummy too- a few bites of brown sugar mochi, fresh fruit and a scoop of sesame ice cream.

A nicer option for hotpot in town, suitable for date night or even dining alone with the individual hotspots and counter seating.

OTHER LOCATION

No. 165, Dunhua S. Rd, Sec. 1, 2F

台北市大安區敦化南路一段165號2樓

(02)2751-5577

BLT BURGER

at Vieshow Cinemas

No. 18, Song Shou Rd.

台北市信義區松壽路18號
(02) 8786-5668

MRT: Taipei City Hall or Taipei 101

Hours: 11 AM - 11:30PM

website: BLT Burger's FB page

visit reviewed: 12/4/2013

BLT Burger has made its way to Taipei with a trendy outlet at Xinyi Vieshow Cinemas, right next to the also newly opened Krispy Kreme and Mazendo. BLT Burger is part of the BLT food empire, with branches in Hong Kong, New York, Las Vegas I had a chance to check it out last November during its soft opening.

The inside is spacious, perfect for group lunches or booths for couples, or a private room in the back for parties. While there are quite a few places nearby to grab a burger- the Diner, Gordon Biersch, Chili's- there hasn't been a dedicated burger spot in this area until now (unless you count Burger King or McDonalds. Lol). Does anyone else vaguely remember when there was another burger place in this same area back when it was Warner Village? Ruby Tuesdays? Haha, haven't thought about that place in ages, until this moment.

The menu features lots of different types of burgers, including Wagyu, Tex-Mex, Buffalo Chicken or even a Salmon burger. BLT Taipei's menu is missing a few things from what's offered at the Vegas branch (Lamb Tandoori, Wagyu truffle, Pimento cheese), instead it's more similar to the Hong Kong BLT.

Sides include onion rings or fries (which were incredibly small portions the day we went) or starters include bbq nachos, wings, mozzarella sticks, chili bowl or savory waffle fries bites. I eyed the milkshakes, and there are also spiked milkshakes and cocktails/beer. I really wanted to try a milkshake, but I wasn't about to pay NT$238-300 (US$7-9) for one!

Burgers don't automatically come with fries, unless you order the lunch set. Everyone in our party missed the small type for the lunch set underneath the burgers except for one person who order the classic burger set (NT$398), so be sure to look for that and order it since the fries come on the plate and looked like more than what was given ala carte (and you can switch out the regular fries for waffle fries etc). So that being said the burgers are pretty expensive, paying about NT$400 for just a burger especially if you want to order one of the more creative ones.

My favorite burger, taste wise, was the signature BLT Burger (NT$368) though I wished the bacon was crispy and there was less sauce. It was kind of a mess to eat, but we cut it into fourths to share. Came with a tiny coleslaw that no one ate.

My next favorite was the St. Agur Blue burger (NT$428) although the balsamic grilled onions dominated the flavor and the melted cheese did not taste like blue cheese at all.

One friend was adventurous by trying the Shumai Burger (NT$388) which had ground shrimp and pork patty, but actually tasted Vietnamese (banh mi) -inspired with the finely julienned pickled carrots, radish, cilantro and cucumbers.

I also wasn't crazy about the Pulled Pork (NT$368)- it was slightly greasy and the strips of pork were too long to eat in neat bites. It didn't taste like the usual bbq pulled pork- you could find better versions at Gordon Biersch, Burger and Co. or Ed's Diner. I regretted ordering this and was glad my friends shared their burgers with me.

Again, let me say how disappointing the size of the ala carte sides were- sweet potato fries (NT$90) and onion rings (NT$120).

Also probably wouldn't order the salad or nachos again. Wasn't enough cheese on the nachos (NT$268) and chips were surprisingly a bit stale. More cheese please!!

So while BLT Burger seemed so enticing when I first spied the menu, I haven't been back since my first visit as there are so many burger options in town that are just as good (if not better) for more affordable prices.

Sometimes I meet new people who reveal that they are fans of Hungry In Taipei after I say "well, I have a food blog..." when I'm taking pictures of our meal. And their excitement in meeting me and enthusiasm about the blog ("What?? Are you Hungry Girl?!") makes me excited again. It reminds me of why I started the blog, why I keep it going- not only as a journal for myself, but also for people who have a mutual love of good food and sharing a good find. It's always flattering to have your time and efforts be acknowledged and helps a lot since it can be hard to stay motivated to write posts with real information and translations when it's easier and faster to just post pics and hashtags when you have so many other things in real life to do and some people say mean things about you on the internets. THANK YOU to those of you who have been following my adventures for the past nine years.

These days, everyone is a food blogger, or at least takes pictures of their food like they are, since it's easier and faster to share with Instagram, Foursquare, Facebook, Twitter, Chowhound, Yelp, What's App/WeChat/Line and actual blogs. It's hard to believe when I first started my little Taipei food blog nine years ago, there was none of that, and no iPhones or Google translate or google maps to help us out. So it's great to see a number of new Taipei food blogs in English and a million blogs in Chinese the past few years.

Since I don't get to update here as often as I like, for the newest eats, follow me on Instagram (@hungryintaipei)- I share (almost daily) real time sneak peeks at the latest sushi bars, lobster rolls, gastropubs, teppanyaki, desserts, night markets, french dips, cronuts, fusion and shaved ice in Taipei before I have time to write it up here (and go before the places get too crowded).

So HAPPY 9 years to Hungry In Taipei! N-I-N-E years and 700 posts and counting!! Never thought I would move back to Taipei and live here this long, but it's become my home. To many more years of deliciousness, to discovering new and old restaurants, and to memorable meals shared with those you love. Thanks so much for reading, following, sharing, commenting, appreciating what I do and being hungry with me in Taipei.

BEER AND CHEESE SOCIAL HOUSE
No. 169, Jianguo S. Rd, Sec. 2
+886 916 549 373

MRT: DaAn Park Station or Technology Building Station

website: Beer and Cheese's FB

hours: 6PM - 1AM

$$-$$$ (about NT$500-700 per person)

Kid friendliness: it wouldn't surprise me as I've seen people with their kids at hotpot at midnight, but I'd say no kids at the bar please.

Visit reviewed: 4/9/2014

Does anyone else crave melty grilled cheese sandwiches late at night? Apparently it's not just me, as the genius founders of Beer and Cheese offer just that, along with a huge selection of craft beers from around the world. Just a few blocks away from the Taipei Main Library sits this small bar that's already become a buzzed about place to chill with friends, especially for those of us who don't "lounge bar" anymore.

Sitting inside Beer and Cheese, my friends from LA and I all agreed that we were transported away from Taipei to Silverlake (or fill in the blank of the hipster area in your city from the States). All the neighboring conversations were in English, the bartenders/servers spoke English and the decor was very cool. I was surprised to find it fairly crowded on a weeknight, but luckily there were a few open tables in the back to grab. I think there's a second floor as well, but it wasn't opened up that night.

Inside, the menu is scribbled on black chalkboards along the walls and seats can be found along the bar or corner tables. Beer and Cheese sticks to its focus for munchies- a handful of grilled cheese sandwiches, nachos or I strongly recommend the spicy beer pretzel.

And I'd heard of wine and cheese pairings but never before with beer. But it's worth a try, especially if you want to get a hand picked sampler with the Flight or the Mill St. Flight. I don't even really like beer and I enjoyed it. I went with a couple of guys and we all shared two flights and ended up ordering a third. I probably ate most of the cheese.

Mill St. Flight (NT$390) had Lemon Tea Beer with pepper jack, Tankhouse Ale with Danish Blue and Coffee Porter with Gouda. All the beers had distinctive flavors and it was fun to take a sip and eat the cheese to see if the matches enhanced each others flavors.

Flight (NT$290) had Estrella paired with pepper jack cheese, Red Point with english sharp and Asam Bock with Gouda.

I loved the spicy beer pretzel (NT$180). Thinking about this pretzel while I'm typing up this post at 1AM. With a spicy jalapeño cheese dip, the beer pretzel was soft, hot and I could have eaten the whole thing by myself.

Skillet nachos (NT$220) were generous with lots of salsa and cheese.

Running out of room for all our food and beer.

I liked the Dutch Blue grilled cheese (NT$270), but the blue cheese taste was very faint, if at all. The bread was a tad on the dry side for me especially on the surfaces, compared to buttery grilled cheese sandwiches I've had in the past. The sandwiches are definitely on the expensive side, ranging from NT$250-280, making Toasteria look like a deal, or for those of us who make grilled cheese at home. But they are big enough to share, and I could only eat half.

My friend's jalapeño grilled cheese (N$260)

So if you find yourself craving a hot pretzel and a cold beer at 11PM, now you know where to go.

It's exciting to have new additions to the growing scene of gastropub/wine bars have opened in Taipei in the past few years, including Whinos, Diary, EIEIO, Lobster Bar. Write ups coming soon someday, I swear!

PS. Proof of the hipster vibe, the total and bill is tallied on the iPad.

ED'S DINER
No. 216, Lequn 2nd Rd, Neihu
台北市樂群二路216號
(02) 8502-6969

MRT: Jiannan (about 10-15 minute walk away)

website: Ed's Diner's FB page

hours: Tuesday to Sunday from 11AM - 2PM; 5PM - 9PM. Closed Mondays.

$$ (Cash only)

Kid friendliness: minimum charge of NT$100 for kids on weekends

Visit reviewed: 4/18/2013 and 4/26/2013

American BBQ and ribs in Taipei. For the longest time, your options were Tony Roma's (which is now closed), Chili's, or the Jack Daniel ribs at TGIF- and those places aren't going to give you slow cooked, woodfire bbq. Baba Kevin offers a great bbq via catering or delivery, but then the ribs need to be reheated.

Those of you who love pulled pork, brisket and baked beans will be excited to see the menu from the popular Ed's Diner in Neihu. (Make your July 4th reservations now and tell them where you found it!)

You might even spy the logs on the side outside the restaurant that they use to smoke the meat and also realize that you smell like bbq when you head home.

Ed's Diner uses the "same rubs and sauces as the six time winner of the Barbecue World Championship" and learned the secret winning recipe to use for the slow cooked, wood fire bbq. After a few bites, you can see why the recipe was a winner.

I actually brought out my fancy DSLR to get some glamour shots and then my memory card got corrupted when I was uploading photos. BOOO! I already tried to recover it, but it's a lost cause. Thankfully, I have lots of iphone photos that will give you a general idea. I lost the interior and storefront shots, but you can just scroll down to the meat!

I knew I was going to want to try a little of everything so I rounded up a group of excited, ravenous friends so that we could order almost everything on the menu. Pork ribs, beef ribs, bbq pork, bbq chicken, beef brisket, pulled pork sandwich and a plethora of side dishes- my favorites were the baked sweet potato topped with butter and cheese (!!), baked beans and baked potato.

Service is relatively friendly and prompt and most of the waiters speak English, so ask for an English menu if you need one. Plate specials include soup, salad, bread roll and a drink- which is a soft drink or ice lemon or peach tea. Set soup changes daily, this was a pumpkin soup.

I loved the pulled pork sandwich (NT$300) and I think if you're dining solo and can only order one thing, it will be more than satisfying. Overflowing with pulled pork and topped with coleslaw, it is saucy and tender with the bun holding it all together. The side of veggies was us trying to be healthy- but go for the sweet potato!

Full slab pork ribs (NT$950) is the best for sharing, with lots of ribs to go around.

On my first visit, I had wished that there was more sauce atop or on the side, since the ribs have a dry rub, but on our second visit, we figured out you just have to ask. There's spicy or regular bbq sauce available for those that want a little more.

BBQ chicken (NT$280)

Waygu Beef ribs (NT$790)- I wasn't as crazy about these and they are a bit on the expensive side, so I'd recommend the pulled pork sandwich or the brisket for first timers.

BBQ brisket (NT$380) - a bit fatty but oh so good. I remember the bbq brisket I've had in the states being pulled apart already, but it's not a big deal to cut the tender beef myself and bathe it in some sauce. It's great with the baked beans, which have a sweetness and tomato flavor.

With such reasonable prices, good portions and delicious bbq for carnivores, Ed's Diner is packed during lunch and dinner hours, but takes reservations for parties of four or more. When we left around 2pm, the lunch crowd had cleared out, so if you don't want to wait or grab a table outside, then I'd recommend coming early when they open and having everyone in your party there ready to sit down and grub.

LMNT (ELEMENT) EAT
at Neo 19
No. 28, Song Shou Rd.
粉絲團台北市信義區松壽路28號
(02)2723-0068

MRT: XiangShan or Taipei 101 stations

website: LMNT Drink and Eat's FB Page

hours: 11AM- 2AM

$$

Kid friendliness: high chairs available, room for strollers. casual vibe during day

Visit reviewed: 6/12/2014

Neo 19, like the rest of Taipei's restaurant scene, has changed a lot since I first moved back to Taipei almost 10 years ago. Gone are Macaroni Grill, Just In Bistro, Dazzling Champagne Lounge Bar, Watami, Azabu Sabo (that's for you really old school readers), Jogoya buffet, Happy Hong Kong (sad face)-- Now currently replaced by Lighthouse Cafe, Warugaki Ramen, LMNT Drink and Eat, Nike's 2F, Very Thai, Hutong, Shanghai Tea House... So when I saw construction at LMNT Eat, my first thought was damn, I didn't get to write up my post from when I went last year in December and my second thought was another bites the dust. But I was wrong- LMNT was just getting a facelift and remodel. And luckily I was invited to the soft opening event for food bloggers to try out their new menu.

Inside, the front area is more lounge-y to transform from day to night and LMNT Eat can be sectioned off into two areas.

It was definitely more roomy and the tables had more breathing room between groups.

LMNT Eat's new menu is focused on their pizzas and pastas, but still has a selection of tempting appetizers and dishes that reflect a trendy fusion spirit that we saw on their previous menu. So instead of ramen burgers, there are now kimchi fried wontons, peanut butter pineapple burgers, or loco moco. I was happy to see they also kept their red velvet waffles and cake as desserts on their new menu, but bummed to see the huge gooey mac and cheese was gone.

Parma ham with melon and homemade figs (NT$280)

I liked the Kimchi Spam Fried Wontons (NT$280) and found them slightly addicting with the thin crispy wonton skin and the spicy sour filling inside. I didn't get spam in the first one, but I did in the second with chopped up pieces of kimchi cabbage. There's also pulled pork nachos, chicken wings and fries with truffle sauce on the appetizer menu.

Grapefruit Summer (NT$180) Italian Soda was refreshing and fun.

I really enjoyed the homemade squid ink spaghetti (NT$320)- the portion was huge, the al dente pasta was surprisingly flavorful for appearing to not have a lot of sauce and the squid was fresh and large enough to cut up and share. I couldn't finish this and took it home and it actually kept well the next day after reheating. I'd definitely order this again.

Always check yourself after eating squid ink pasta though! It's going to be messy.

We got a cool little packet from LMNT to make squid ink risotto at home. Still haven't had a chance to try it though...

The fun thing about going to blogger events is seeing some of the chefs that you usually can't spy on in the kitchen and seeing how they prepare their special dishes. LMNT had one chef prep a pizza from pizza dough scratch and their dessert chef make both desserts we were given to taste.

I liked the Truffle Mushroom Pizza (NT$300) too- the thin crust was not too crispy and the toppings were generous with four kinds of mushrooms- oyster, button, shiitake and porcino. You get a bit of the truffle aroma with the truffle oil and truffle bits, but at this price you aren't going to get shaved truffle atop (and you might not miss it).

And while you have to admire LMNT for being adventurous in trying to make UFO deep dish pizza with Hungarian beef (NT$320) or seafood fillings, it's more a pizza "bowl" than the Chicago style deep dish pizza that I'd love to see make its way to Taipei. I'd say stick to the regular pizzas as I didn't love the cheese atop or the doughier version of the pizza bowl crust.

As for the desserts, they let us sample lychee berry mousse (NT$220)...

and chestnut berry shell eclair (NT$250), I unfortunately am not personally a huge fan of mousse or chestnuts, so I can't say accurately how the desserts were. I would recommend the red velvet waffles or give the caramel banana shell eclair a try next time though.

All in all, LMNT Eat did a great job with their revamp- besides the dishes they highlighted during the event, I saw a number of things that I'd like to come back and try myself (vodka pasta, truffle mushroom risotto). There's also omelette and two egg options for all day breakfast or a weekend brunch menu available. Thanks to LMNT for inviting me to the event!

HONEY CREME

No. 8, Lane 169, DunHua S. Rd, Sec. 1
台北市大安區敦化南路一段169巷8號D室
(02)2740-7070

MRT: ZhongXiao/DunHua

website: Honey Creme's FB

hours: 11:30AM- 9:30PM, open until 10:30PM on weekends

$ (about NT$150/person)

Kid friendliness: kids will want their own cone/cup.

Visit reviewed: 3/5/2014

If Honey Creme had NT$150 for every person that was curious about their glistening honeycomb soft serve ice cream, then they'd be rich. I suppose that's the idea. A rebranded version of Softree's soft serve from Korea, Honey Creme had lines around the block early on when it opened and it was not even summer yet. Even when I went in drizzly gray March, there were people lingering and eating their cones outside, though you could just walk in and order your ice cream. Was it the honey comb? Was it the craze for everything Korean because of the Korean soap You Who Came From the Stars? Was it just because people in Taipei LOVE to wait in line?

With the soft serve wars going down in Taipei, you could opt for a cone at 7-11 or Family Mart that would be less than half the price and just as tasty (with Matcha, Mango, Strawberry or flavor of the moment), or at Godiva, Gakuden or maybe your neighboring bakery. But then you wouldn't have the honeycomb- is it worth the extra dinero?

I think part of Honey Creme's success is the design of the store and elements- everything is so photogenic and instagrammable. After all, that is how I started seeing a flurry of photos of colorful cones stacked up high, piles of honeycomb under the glass counter and perfectly swirled vanilla topped with a mini honeycomb chip on instagram. Otherwise, who would choose to pay US$5 for ONE soft serve cone (outside a theme park or restaurant).?

You can get the ice cream in a cup or a cone, from NT$110 plain to NT$170 for the ice cream in a pastry like twist roll and honey comb. There's also options for organic (?!) cotton candy, chocolate beans, honey castella cake or dark chocolate sauce toppings. There's only one vanilla ice cream flavor to choose from, which is rich and milky, like the hokkaido milk soft serve I've tried from Costco, but less intense.

After you order and pay, the next server will make your order to deliver to the pick up window. I stuck to the classic Honey Comb in a cone (NT$150), which she expertly swirled high on the skinny colorful cone.

A small chunk delicately set atop from a box of precut honeycombs.

The yellow cardboard cutout at the base of the cone is a great idea for catching melty drips that are bound to happen in the hot Taipei weather.

Finally!! I get to try it after seeing it for weeks on friends' timelines and instagrams.

The honey itself had a nice flavor and sweetness, though I kind of wished there was a bit more of it. At Softree in Seoul, which I tried in March, they were actually out of the honeycombs (which they called honey chips) and so have an option where you just get honey. Obviously that's not as hard to replicate at home and not as cool looking, but to be honest the honeycomb itself was waxy and not edible. If you suck all the honey out, then it's a bit messy. At first, I tried chewing it expecting it to be a bit crunchy, but instead it was soft and waxy and then I had bits I had to spit out. So I'm glad I gave it a try, but it's too pricey to be a regular treat.

Before I left for LA, I spotted a branch of the OG Softree from Korea opened up in Taipei at ATT4Fun with less fanfare (and no lines) so it's interesting how marketing (and branding) plays a factor into the success of a dessert shop. Honey Creme is definitely more pretty and enticing, while the Softree location looked less appetizing (even their honey chips were not as beautifully presented). I wouldn't have even noticed it except that I had recognized their signage from visiting the Korean Shop and researching them when Honey Creme had opened. Interesting to see if it will ever blow up in the same way.

But if it doesn't, we'll have Honey Creme to fulfill our honeycomb ice cream desires.

PIN CHUAN LAN 品川蘭
No. 10, Alley 11, Lane 216, ZhongXiao E. Rd, Sec. 2,
台北市大安區忠孝東路四段216巷11弄10號
(02) 2721-7397

MRT: SYS Memorial Hall

website: Pin Chuan Lan's FB page

hours: 11AM - 9:30PM

$-$$

Kid friendliness:

Visit reviewed: 8/12/2014

When I'm in the states, I devour all the things I can't find here in Taipei. And when I return to Taipei, I return to all my Taiwanese favorites- shaved ice, dumplings, soy milk and shao bing you tiao, or anything that can be found at the night market.

So when I was invited to try out Pin Chuan Lan, the newest beef noodle soup shop to open up in Dong Qu, I couldn't resist.

In a prime location right across from the ZhongXiao Din Tai Fung, Pin Chuan Lan has a new, modern feel to its decor, its menu and its presentation (almost similar to the red, black and wooden look of Japanese ramen spot Ippudo).

The heart of the menu are the beef noodle soups, which can be ordered as spicy braised version, or the lighter clear broth. Diners can opt for beef shank, rib fingers, tendon, tripe or even rib eye steak. There's also pork chop noodle soup or chicken noodle soup for non-beef eaters, as well as spicy chili noodles, beef pancake rolls and a variety of side dishes such as spicy shredded pig ear or eggplants stuffed with ground pork. The stylish menu has some photos and both English and Chinese, as well as identifies where its beef is from with little flag symbols (US or Australian).

Lunch sets are available (it's the only part of the menu not in English).

Plum juiced tomatoes, spicy shredded pig ear and sweet taro (NT$60)- small appetizer dishes to start off the meal.

Eggplant stuffed with ground pork (NT$90)

Chili pepper stuffed with ground pork (NT$90)

Beef noodle soup with heel muscle (NT$210) - the beef heel shank is cut in wide, thick pieces with swirls of muscle that make the beef still chewy, even if the meat is tender. There's a good amount of beef for each bowl, though I'm in like, not love with this particular cut of beef for beef noodle soup.

Beef noodle soup with tendon, tripe and beef heel muscle (NT$260) if you want a little more depth and bite to your bowl. Everyone will look for different things for their ideal bowl of beef noodle soup. I enjoyed the tendon and the beef, while I prefer my noodles on the chubbier and springier side.

A side by side look at the braised vs clear broth beef noodle soups...

The chili noodles definitely have a kick to them, and was a favorite at the table.

I'd definitely order this again- I loved the flaky, chewy freshly made Chinese pancakes paired with shredded pork that were used to make your own wrap (NT$120/portion). I guess the process reminds me of when I was kid eating moo shu pork in the states.

Otherwise you could order the Chinese pancake with beef shank roll (NT$140) where the wrapping is already done for you- with layers of beef and chinese pancake rolled together with scallions for a perfect bite. Crunchy, chewy, savory and a bit sweet from the bean paste sauce.

Even though it's only been open for a few months, the dining room was almost full of diners slurping up bowls of noodle soup. Not everyone is willing to go to the old school spots for beef noodle, so this place is ideal for people looking for a newer version.

INAKA UDON
稻禾烏龍麵
at SONGYAN ESLITE SPECTRUM
No. 88 YangChang Rd.
信義區菸廠路88號
(02) 6636-5559

MRT: SYS Memorial Hall

website: Inaka Udon's FB page

hours: 11AM - 10PM

$-$$ Cash only

Kid friendliness: seating is first come, first serve.

Visit reviewed: 3/8/2014

Ever since people lined up for Marukame Udon at Mitsukoshi's food court, I've been seeing the self serve tempura cafeteria style udon outlets pop up everywhere. Inaka Udon at the newly opened Eslite Spectrum Songyan is very similar with its menu of assembly line hot and cold udons, tempura by piece offerings and popularity.

When the line is long, you can be entertained by watching the noodle maker pull and cut the udon at the front window.

So for first timers, you basically get in line, grab a tray and then grab whatever looks good while shuffling forward along the line. First are the drinks and cold appetizers. Skip the kimchi which on that day was a little sticky and off tasting. The seaweed salad was good though.

Then grab a plate or two and start getting your fried stuffs. I didn't realize until it was too late that they were out of tempura shrimp and I should have asked/waited for some, but I ended up grabbing some fried chicken skewers instead.

At this point, you have to glance up at the menu and decipher the photos to see what you want to order before the people behind you get antsy. No English here, but hot udon soup choices range from tonkotsu pork broth, to curry, to the popular garlic beef (NT$100-160) or a cold udon with a dipping sauce (NT$90). I considered getting the mentaiko udon but the raw egg freaked me out a little. So I ended up with the curry udon (NT$130).

After you order, a flurry of scooping, pouring and condiments go together to make and hand you your bowl. You pay at the end and then find a seat in the food court area unless you already designated someone else in your group to lock down some seats first.

Garlic beef udon (NT$160) has a nice flavor in the soup enhanced by the garlic, while the beef is mostly fat.

Cold udon (NT$90) is good for when the weather is hot and you just want to dip and slurp. I love the chewiness of cold udon, but this is a super bare bones version. For a more souped up version, you could consider the cold udon at Fu Yu Wu, or making your own like it by adding in tempura shrimp and soft boiled egg.

When I have time, I definitely want to do a little write up about Songyan Eslite's food court and the whole mall in general. If you get a chance, I'd recommend visiting it as well as the neighboring Songshan Cultural Park and the nearby alleys which have new cafes and shops popping up. This whole area is going to be insane when the new stadium is also open.

OTHER LOCATIONS
No. 21, Lane 16, Zhongshan N. Rd Sec 2
台北市中山北路二段16巷21號
(02) 2536-2828

at Xinyi Eslite 誠品信義店
No. 11, Song Gao Rd, B2
台北市松高路11號B2捷運大街
(02)2723-5252

Banqiao Eslite 誠品生活板橋店
No. 46, ZhongShan Rd, Sec. 1, B1
新北市板橋區中山路一段46號B1
(02)8953-5298

Tainan Shin Kong Mitsukoshi 新光三越台南小西門店
台南市西門路一段658-1號B2
(06)213-6989

勤美誠品綠園道店
台中市公益路68號1F
(04)2326-2186

YUN SUSHI 允壽司
No. 9, Lane 160, Yanji St
台北市延吉街160巷9號
(02)2751-9828

MRT: SYS Memorial Hall

website:Yun Sushi's FB page

hours: Mon-Sat Lunch: 12PM- 2:30PM; Dinner 6PM- 10PM. Closed Sundays

$$$-$$$$

Kid friendliness: sushi bar seats only

Visit reviewed: 6/19/2014

Just opened a few months ago, Yun Sushi feels like one of those secret sushi spots that have been proliferating around Taipei. Hiding in plain sight in a busy alley in Dong Qu, with a steel door and understated sign with no windows to spy inside, Yun Sushi sits about 10 to 12 people at its sushi bar.

Set menus for lunch and dinner run NT$1380, NT$1800 and NT$2500, while dinner sets start at NT$2500, NT$3000, and NT$3500, so it's definitely a splurge. It's expensive for Taipei, where you can get great sushi omakase or chirashi for under NT$500 (a few of my favorite secret places), but comparable to prices in the US. Yun Sushi could easily join the list of a handful of names that get mentioned on the English blogosphere for favorite sushi bar in Taipei- Sasa, Kitcho, Niu, Addiction Aquatic Development, Yuzu, Sumie, Mitsui (I have my own ranking for these spots, but I'll save that for another post). There's so many great sushi spots in Taipei, many I've yet to try, that the adventure of trying them all could be its own blog.

Yun Sushi's sets include both sushi, sashimi and cooked dishes like grilled fish or waygu beef, but friends who I told about Yun Sushi and visited later asked for less cooked items and more sushi, so depending on what you like you can request it, or you could leave it up to the chef. I did leave Yun Sushi with a strong impression of a lot of unique flavors and technique in preparation in the meal, like the bite of foie gras marinated in sake and sawara smoked with cherry blossom wood.

I'd definitely go back to try out the omakase with just sushi. And of course uni! Haha. Thanks S for the special treat.

loved the vinegar seaweed with ikura

clam

hirame, salmon (the chef said that this particular salmon "doesn't know the time" so swims upstream at the wrong season, and maguro tuna

hotaru ika (soy marinated baby squid)

organic tomato broth

chilled foie gras marinated with sake. luscious, fatty and creamy

crab, figs and tofu with sesame sauce

botan ebi (prawn)- so good!

sawara (spanish mackerel)- smoked with cherry blossom wood

saba with a thin slice of glossy cucumber- still not a fan of the fishier saba

waygu beef two ways- the one with puffed rice with delicious and perfect with garlic chips. precious small bites so you wish there were more and have to chew slowly!

end of the meal- miso soup

mini chirashi with uni and otoro and ika

delicious white sesame ice cream

Yup! There are cronuts in Taipei!

Eeek! I haven't done a restaurant round up in TWO years! I found one from earlier this year and one from last year sitting in my drafts folder. Oops! So I've combined the two lists and added some more to just mark it down while it's fresh in my memory. It's always hard to get e-v-e-r-y single restaurant, as the Taipei restaurant scene changes constantly, but here's just a few places that are new-ish and notable and some that have closed. This list is just from the top of my head, so please add in the comment section below if something opened or closed near you!

NEW and NOTABLE (that I haven't tried yet)

Coco and Bencotto at Mandarin Oriental
L'Air
Angelo's
Very Thai Noodles
Dairy Queen
King Burrito in Shilin
Lucky Ribs
Tribeca
Cyclo at Dunhua
Whalen's
Chicken in Bok and Beer
Pico Pico
Bite2Eat at Zhongxiao
Biteology
L'Idiot (reopening)
Yiamas Greek Taverna
VVG Action and Cafe Showroom and lots of eats at Eslite Spectrum Songyan
Leo's Tuck Shop
Shrimp Daddy
MVSA
Perfume Dance at ATT4Fun
Schaffer's Kitchen
Campus Cafe
Queen's Cuisine
Homie Cafe
Black as Chocolate World
Leo's Tuck Shop
Quiznos
Fiesta Cafeteria
Kinfolk Cheese and Coffee

NEW REVIEWS TO COME (otherwise known as my to do list) (what do you want to read about first?)

Balle Balle Indian
Lobster Bar
Kanpai Kurogeya Shabu and Sukhothai at Mitsukoshi A4
EIEIO Gastropub
Brookhurst Pho
Sunflower Kaiseki
La Farfalla at Humble House
Cafe De Riz
Mayan Xinyi
Belle Epoque
Butcher's Kitchen
Burger and Co
Major K
Laduree
Senju Sushi Bar (Members only)
Drip Cafe
Krispy Kreme
BLT Burger and Mazendo at Xinyi Vieshow
Mia Cucina
Whinos Too
1776 Cyrille Courant (Eclairs!)
Dearlicious
Yellow Lemon
Gaucho Grill (Argentinian!) and Three Lions and all restaurants at Maji Square
Sen Sushi
1Bite2Go Xinyi
Sonnetor Cafe
La Creperie
Drip Cafe at Zhongxiao
Ma Shen Mala
Botega del Vin
Pin Chuan Lan
Matsubishi Teppanyaki
Opa Greek Tavern
Ducky's
Kiko's Diner
Beer and Cheese
Yun Sushi
Inaka Udon
Honey Creme
LMNT Eat
1Bite2Go Truck
Solo Trattoria

CLOSED (Darn it, some closed before I could write about them!!) (Sadface)

Fire Bite
Elephant Cafe
Manhattan Gold Burger
Happy Hong Kong
Belgian Beer Cafe
Uptown kitchen
Nonzero (temporary closure?)
Mayan Grill
Joy's Creperie
Toast
Tim and Mel's Patisserie
Ari Korean Tofu
Dos Chinos
the Loft
Mooooo Pho
Hielo on ZhongXiao
Papa Gio

FLORIDA BAKERY 福利麵包公司
No. 26, Ren Ai Rd, Sec. 4
(02) 2702-1175

MRT: ZhongXiao/FuXing or ZhongXiao/DunHua

website: bread.com.tw Chinese and some English and Facebook page

hours: 6AM - 11PM

$-$$

kid friendliness: lots of fun cookies and snacks

I found biscuits in Taipei, totally by accident! They are perfect with some honey butter, jam or lemon curd, which I brought back from the states (but you can find at Smith & Hsu or Jason's at 101).

I actually went to Florida Bakery for their belgian waffle, which is yeasted, so it's crispy and airy at the same time, unlike the dense hockey pucks you'll find around town. I had to wait about 20 minutes when I went after 9AM for the waffle iron to be hot enough for them to make it, since people in Taipei don't eat waffles for breakfast, they eat it as a dessert.

So after I had wandered around Florida Bakery a few times and eaten a tuna salad sandwich (a tad sweet with pickles and corn in the tuna salad and way too many slices of bread for me, but good for a quick bite) for breakfast in their little sitting area in the front, I paid for my goodies and magically a plate of biscuits were placed on the counter.

A golden pyramid of BISCUITS stacked upon each other!!! I immediately grabbed a few and rushed home to try them. They were buttery, flaky, warm and dangerous. Not as light as the freshly baked scones from Smith & Hsu, but a lot cheaper. LOL.

Florida Bakery also has the sweeter breads and cakes you'd find local bakeries, as well as little jars of salsa, garlic butter, corn & flour tortillas and super cute iced cookies.

SANTOUKA at FUXING SOGO 山頭火
No. 300, Zhongxiao E. Rd, Sec. 3, B2
台北市忠孝東路三段300號B2
(02) 2731-7533

MRT: ZhongXiao/FuXing

website: http://www.santouka.co.jp/

hours: 11AM to 9:30PM

$$

Kid friendliness: no high chairs spotted, but kids should like ramen, pork cutlet and fried dumplings

Visit reviewed: 6/6/2014

Be prepared to wait. I wasn't prepared for the 20 minute or so wait for Santouka, since I assumed the hype had died down, but there they were, 10 or so people standing in line in front of me for a late weekday lunch at 1PM. If you expect a wait, and there isn't one, then it's a happy surprise. So by the time I sat down, I was ready to order, ready to eat.

The first time I tried Santouka was in Los Angeles, at Mitsuwa, a chain of Japanese supermarkets in the US. Yelp and word of mouth already made it a place for legit ramen on the westside, so there were lots of people in line at this random supermarket food court. So there I expected a wait. I struck up a conversation with the tall, blonde guy in front of me and he said, "You must order the spicy miso ramen." So I did. The spiciness and saltiness of the broth was great, even though the deep red color was intimidating. So it was with high expectations I tried Santouka in Taipei, which supposedly had four hour waits when it first opened in 2012.

The Santouka Taipei menu is quite similar with shio (salt), shoyu (soy sauce), miso, hot miso ramen, tsukemen, or cold ramens, or order a la carte or combos with fried pork tonkatsu, fried chicken, gyoza or a small salmon sashimi rice bowl chirashi. Prices range from NT$200-NT$320 for noodles, and you can choose regular, small or large sized bowls. The menu has some English and photos, but is mostly in Chinese and Japanese. And if you really love meat, then try the toroniku ramen, which comes with a plate of simmered pork cheek slices.

That day I opted for a cold ramen (NT$300) which is comes with julienned cucumbers, ham, cold pork and a shrimp on a bed of cold ramen with a vinegary sauce. After my first few bites, I regretted ordering it because I'm not a fan of cold char siu pork and this was basically the main element of Santouka's cold ramen (unlike some cold ramens that also have egg, carrots, tomato or chicken). WHY DID I NOT ORDER THE SPICY MISO RAMEN? DOH! The toppings and sauce were kind of skimpy for the price, and in proportion to the ramen, and the meat was kind of dry. But I didn't look at the menu carefully and the details of the dish were in Chinese, so it was my bad.

Luckily, my dad got a miso ramen combo (NT$370) which came with a small sized ramen and a fried tonkatsu. It was mostly good except the egg was a dry yolked hard boiled egg, not the gooey soft boiled egg we are used to seeing in ramen egg-porn. WHY DID I NOT ORDER THE SPICY MISO RAMEN?!! With pork bone broth boiled for over 20 hours??

I also have to note that service was incredibly slow. We probably waited nearly 15 minutes after sitting down, even after preordering while waiting in line for over 10 minutes, and got our food after the people next to us, who sat down after we did. So I was a bit hungry and annoyed throughout this lunch, which is never a fun experience. But luckily my dad is the best and he shared some of his soupy ramen with me. Thanks Dad!

OTHER LOCATIONS:

QSquare
1F, NO.1, Sec.1,Chengde Rd.
台北市大同區承德路一段1號1樓
(02)2558-2577

Tianmu Sogo
8F., No.77, Sec. 6, Zhongshan N. Rd., Shilin Dist.,
台北市士林區中山北路六段77號8F
(02) 2837-1211

BALLE BALLE INDIAN FOOD 雷巴雷印度餐廳
No. 12 Guangfu N. Rd 光復北路12號
(02) 2570-7265

MRT: SYS Memorial Hall (10-15 minute walk away)

website: Balle Balle's FB page

hours: 11:30AM - 2:30PM; 5:30PM - 10PM

$$ (average NT$400-700/person)

Kid friendliness: no high chairs spotted, but kid friendly breads, rice, chicken dishes

Visit reviewed: 8/21/2014 & 9/1/2014

I was having scones and tea a few weeks ago with a girlfriend who was visiting from NY, and she was telling me how useful my blog was, but also how it felt a little out of date. It's true I haven't been posting as often as I used to, and I have been selfish, keeping my favorite places to myself for as long as I can so that they don't get crowded and I can walk in last minute without a reservation. But sometimes, you can't keep a good thing all to yourself, so I wanted to write about Balle Balle Indian Restaurant.

My mouth started to water when I was uploading the pictures for this post... butter chicken, naan, spinach. So much so that I had to order some food from there to-go for dinner! I was quite happy to find a new Indian place to devour and Balle Balle continued the streak of good Indian food that seems to be hitting Taipei. The past few years has seen the opening of Balle Balle (2013), Khana Khazana (2012), Fusion Asia Indian Restaurant and Bar (2012), Mayur Indian Kitchen (2011) and Sree Indian Palace (2011). Even though there have always been a handful of Indian restaurants in Taipei, or at the mall food courts, I'd sometimes find repeat visits a disappointment when the food wasn't consistently good as the first time (Invariably, they have to keep costs down, but it's still a bummer). I love Saffron (and its next door neighbor Spice Shop is great too), but the drive to Tianmu and its pricier menu makes it a destination, not a regular visit for me.

So when my friend raved about her new find, Balle Balle, we made our way there for lunch and grabbed the last table for two at lunch. It was fairly crowded both times we went, so I'd recommend making a reservation. I took this picture after the lunch crowd had cleared out.

Balle Balle's menu features Punjabi Indian fare and the second time I went, I went with a large group that could EAT, so I was able to try a lot of different dishes. Everything was delicious and the portions are good for the price. The manager speaks English and Chinese, and can recommend dishes if you aren't sure what to order. There's a great range of appetizers, tandoori, chicken, seafood, lamb, vegetarian and breads to choose from.

On my first visit, my friend who introduced me to the restaurant chose her favorite dishes from her previous visits- the murg malai kebab (NT$380), naan (NT$65), cucumber raita (NT$90) and the manager recommended the murg saag wala (NT$380) which had chicken chunks cooked in spinach puree, when we asked for a curry to add. The murg saag wala is a good dish to order if you are eating alone because you get the meat and the veggies without having to order two things- since Balle Balle doesn't have the lunch set menus here.

The murg malai kebab (NT$380) is marinated in Indian spices, cashew nut paste and homemade indian cream, so it's flavorful without being spicy and is really succulent. This is something I'd probably order for my dad to try, as he is someone who doesn't like curry or Indian food. Also a great alternative for those who love chicken tandoori, but want something boneless so you don't have to get your hands dirty.

The cucumber raita (NT$90) is refreshing and cooling, not too runny or sweet.

I liked Balle Balle so much that I chose for dinner when meeting up with some cousins. The guys said they were hungry and loved Indian food, so we ordered up a storm.

Refreshing mango lassi- not overly sweet and great yogurt/mango taste.

Samosas (NT$80 for 2 ) to start off the night.

Fish tikka masala (NT$380) and Dilwala Tandoori murg chicken (NT$550 for full portion) very tender and aromatic. Super yum.

Chicken Murg Tikka Masala (NT$340)- boneless chicken cooked in the clay oven, simmered with tomatoes, onions, coriander and Indian spices.

The Murg Makhani Masala (NT$380) was one of the favorites of the night. Otherwise known as Butter Chicken, the creamy butter cream and tomato curry is on the sweet side and everyone scooped the last of the curry with their naan even after there was no more chicken.

I liked the vegetarian dishes a lot- we didn't spot okra on the menu, but after asking, they said they had it.

Palak paneer- spinach

Scoop a little bit of everything to the plate to go with your rice and naan and pass the curry along.

The manager chose an assortment of naans and parathas for us to try. I ended up really loving the golden brown amitsari aloo kulcha (NT$120), which tasted like a wheat-y flatbread stuffed with mashed potato. Google says that kulchas are leavened Punjabi breads made from wheat flour, and made with baking soda instead of yeast. Next time I'd try the kulcha or paratha stuffed with cauliflower or the poori, a puffed up deep fried bread, which I spotted when another table ordered it.

Balle Balle, the name of the restaurant, is said to be an "expression of joy" or used to describe a feeling of happiness especially in songs. Cue Pharrell, because I'm happy to have found my new favorite restaurant for Indian food in Taipei.

WEI JIE HEART TAPIOCA 魏姐包心粉圓
at LUO DONG NIGHT MARKET 羅東夜市
at Chongcheng Rd. and Xindong Rd.
Yilan, Taiwan

$

website: Weiheart.com

Kid friendliness: kids will love the shaved ice and other street snacks

Visit reviewed: 8/19/2014
Previous review: 10/2011

If you try one thing at the Luo Dong Night Market, try this dessert- tapioca pearls stuffed with red beans next to scoops of shaved ice coated in honey and condensed milk (NT$40). It's the one thing that I remembered eating in Yilan years ago and the one thing I wanted to get when I came back again. SO GOOD!

Each glistening tapioca pearl is slightly more oversized than you'd usually get in your boba milk tea, about the size of a marble, and wrapped around a red bean in the center. The name bao xing fen yuan for this type of tapioca pearl in Chinese is so fitting since the word 包 (bao) means package or bundle and 心 (xing) means heart and so each one has a red bean heart bundled inside.

The funny thing is that I prefer the shop that I first had it from- the purple signed Wei Jie Heart Tapioca (or Wei Jie Bao Xin Fen Yuan)- but now there's a competing pink signed franchise, started by Wei Jie's founder's ex-husband. They even have shops right next to each other at the Luo Dong Night Market, as well as sit down shops throughout the streets around the night market. I must have passed by two or three on the way into the night market as well as when we walked out the other direction.

The boba/shaved ice combinations at Wei Jie are more simple, which is what I prefer, while Jing Yuan Ji (晶圆极) has different colored tofu pudding, flavors and combinations that seemed almost too much compared to the simpler combination of the creamy shaved ice, honey, condensed milk and chewy bao xin tapioca pearls.

If this looks delicious to you, the great thing is that you don't have to trek all the way to Luo Dong to try it. There are Wei Jie Bao Xin Fen Yuan dessert shops in Taipei, including at the Tonghua/LinJiang night market. There's no English on the menu, but there is a menu with photos of each of the different combinations and I just pick the one with two scoops of shaved ice and boba on the side.

Another great dessert pick at Luo Dong is the peanut ice cream wrap (burrito!)(NT$35) near the front of the night market. You could totally miss it, but my radar for it zoomed in on the block of peanut brittle.

Deliciousness for only NT$35!!! If you've missed my previous posts about this, they basically take fresh shavings of the mega block of peanut candy and layer that with three scoops of ice cream (taro and pineapple in this case) and the optional cilantro. I totally recommend getting it with the cilantro, but you can choose to leave it out if you are not adventurous. It's wrapped up like a burrito and it's ready to eat on the go.

The last thing I tried that day for was stinky tofu french fries (for the first time!) It's pretty brilliant since stinky tofu isn't the easiest thing to eat and walk at the same time, with the juices dripping out. This way it's finger food and easier to share. The weird thing about this stall though is that you have to choose a flavor, as if stinky tofu wasn't a strong enough flavor on its own. I think some of the flavors included cheese or plum powder or thai sweet and sour sauce, which is what I think I ended up getting if something didn't get lost in translation.

I haven't seen stinky tofu fries in Taipei yet, but I'm sure it's somewhere or will make its way here eventually.

Luo Dong Night Market is about an hour away from Taipei, and really huge, sprawling over different streets. And as you can see from the photos, it's also open during the day- we ate up a storm after lunch. It's a good alternative to those who've already tried the more famous Keelung Night Market which is only one long walkway. Luo Dong is an awesome night market for those wanting to explore outside of the city- you can make it a day trip by visiting the Lanyang Museum in Yilan or making a reservation for Cherry Valley duck at Silks Place.

COOL N2 分子虎分子雪糕專賣店
Shilin Night Market
No. 29 WenLin Rd.
台北市士林區文林路29號
(02) 2883-8400

MRT: Jian Tan

website: Cool N2's FB page

hours: 12PM - 11:30PM

$

Kid friendliness: Kids will love seeing the liquid nitrogen in action and eating ice cream

Visit reviewed: 10/3/2014

With a row of white Kitchen Aid mixers and staff dressed in white lab coats, you might wonder what the deal is with Cool N2, which sits near the front of Shilin Night Market. If you're in a hurry to get your eating and shopping on, you might pass it by without realizing that it's a liquid nitrogen ice cream shop, offering flavors like milk with pop rocks or chocolate with corn flakes. I'd probably passed by it at least 3 or 4 times, but finally had a chance to try it recently with some friends.

Liquid nitrogen ice cream doesn't come cheap at NT$100-180, but you get to watch chemistry and food in action come together to make ice cream babies. There are five flavors to choose from- that day's were milk, chocolate, green tea, caramel and chocolate whisky. And though in night market eats, NT$150 is a lot (10 pan fried steam buns or 3 giant fried chicken cutlets), it's actually not more than a latte from Starbucks and it's more fun to watch them make it.

A cold fog fills the room as he refills his batch of liquid nitrogen. You could do a twirl and reenact a scene from Frozen while you wait - "The wind is howling like a swirling storm inside." Or not.

It's like magic as the liquid nitrogen cloud sweeps over the milk and when it dissipates there's ice cream to be scooped out.

The White Party (NT$150) ice cream is milky and creamy, and the pop rocks on desserts are always fun, giving your mouth little crunchy bursts and pops.

The Chocolate Beauty (NT$150) was good too, though the corn flakes were just sprinkled atop, not mixed in to give the ice cream extra cornflake crunch. There was a rich chocolate flavor, but didn't taste too sweet. These days I find some flavors at Haagen Daaz and Coldstone to be too sweet for me (Gasp! I really have been living in Taiwan too long!)

I would try it again if I was in the mood for ice cream over shaved ice or snowflake ice (which of course there's plenty to find at Shilin!), and check if they have new flavors or options to create your own flavor since the ice cream is made to order.

japanese/sashimi: SUNFLOWER KAISEKI (SHAN HUA)

snapshot/japanese: i still recommend COLD UDON at FU YU WU

where can you find cinco de mayo (aka mexican food) in taipei?

japanese/sashimi: i recommend CAFE DE RIZ

japanese/hotpot: i strongly recommend KANPAI KUROGEYA

burgers/american: BLT BURGER

happy 9 years to hungryintaipei!

drinks/american: i recommend BEER & CHEESE SOCIAL HOUSE

american/bbq: i strongly recommend ED'S DINER

western/pizzas: i recommend LMNT (ELEMENT) EAT

dessert/soft serve: HONEY CREME

taiwanese/beef noodle soup: i recommend PIN CHUAN LAN

japanese: INAKA UDON at SONGYAN ESLITE SPECTRUM

sushi/japanese: i recommend YUN SUSHI 允壽司

news: restaurant round up summer 2013 - 2014

snapshot/bakery: i strongly recommend the BISCUITS and WAFFLES from FLORIDA BAKERY

ramen/japanese: SANTOUKA

indian: i strongly recommend BALLE BALLE INDIAN

night market/not taipei: i still strongly recommend LUO DONG NIGHTMARKET

dessert/night market: COOL N2