[Taipei] Nonzero 非零餐廳

Nonzero 非零餐廳

Add: N0.5, Alley 4, Lane27, Ren-Ai Road, Sec. 4 / 台北市大安區仁愛路四段27巷4弄5號
Tel: (02) 2772 1630
Hours: 11:30am-2:30pm, 6-10pm
Website: www.nonzero.com.tw
Price: [lunch] 400~800 NTD [dinner] 900~1500 NTD [afternoon tea] 300 NTD
Visited: Oct 2011

Nonzero, an organic food store and restaurant run by the chairman of Aveda Taiwan, serves simple and wholesome dishes. The decor is warm and inviting with an open kitchen, wooden communal tables, an eclectic chair collection, and soft, sensuous lighting. If you are looking to treat your tummy to some healthy and artisanal cooking, try Nonzero.

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[Amsterdam] Restaurant De Kas

Restaurant De Kas

Add: Kamerlingh Onneslaan 3, 1097 DE Amsterdam
Tel: +31 20 462 45 62
Hours: [lunch] 12-2pm [dinner] 6:30-10pm (Closed on Sunday)
Website: www.restaurantdekas.nl
Price: [lunch] €37.50 for 2 courses [dinner] €49.50 for 3 courses

“A kitchen surrounded by fertile soil where vegetables and herbs thrive, where daylight shines in from all sides and where the chefs are free to express their creativity daily using the best the season has to offer.” This, is Restaurant De Kas, a unique dining space serving beautiful dishes of fresh vegetables harvested each morning from their very own herb garden and farm. Love the concept? Read on.

Restaurant De Kas is located in the outskirts of Amsterdam and it takes approximately 30 minutes to reach by tram from Central Station. Once we arrived, however, I knew it was worth the travel. The 8-metre high glass conservatory provides spectacular views during the day with ample sunlight, and I can only dream about how enchanting it must appear when illuminated at night.

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[Shanghai] Lohasly / Nap Cafe

Lohasly / Nap Cafe

Add: Jiashan Market B208, 37 Alley 550 Shanxinan Lu / 陕西南路550弄37号嘉善坊B208室
Tel: 6426 0836
Hours: 10am-9pm
Website: www.nap-cafe.com
Price: 30~50RMB/coffee and tea
Visited: Jun 2011

This past weekend I discovered a hidden gem in Jiashan Market called Lohasly / Nap Cafe. It’s a store, it’s a cafe, it’s a studio. Take a look at the pictures and you’ll see why I’m in love with this cozy little spot.

First of all, Lohasly / Nap Cafe is a cafe. The menu is simple – there’s coffee, tea, and pies. We tried a pot of soothing Darjeeling (50 RMB), and the prompt refill of hot water kept us going the whole afternoon.


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[Shanghai] Qimin Organic Hot Pot 齊民有機中國火鍋

Qimin Organic Hot Pot 齊民有機中國火鍋

Add: 407 Shaanxi Bei Lu / 陜西北路407號
Tel: 6258 8777
Hours: [lunch] 12pm-2pm [dinner] 6pm-12am
Website: www.qi-min.com
Price: [weekday lunch] 68~88 RMB/set [weekend lunch] 148~198 RMB/set [dinner] 250 RMB/person
Visited: Oct 2010

‘Tis cold in Shanghai! To combat the sudden drop in temperature, we went for a hot pot lunch at Qimin to get warmed up. The idea of hot pot naturally conjures images of steamy restaurants and messy table tops, with people hovering over one communal pot filled with meats and veggies and unidentifiable blahs swimming in a foamy, murky broth.  Qimin is quite the opposite. The combination of fresh and organic ingredients, individual pots, elegant interior, and attentive service means that hot pot can be an upscale dining experience as well.

A la carte menu is available, but we went for the 68 RMB lunch set which gives you: two small appetizers, a broth of your choice, a basket of vegetables and/or meats, and a choice between rice and noodles. Two dipping sauces were included with the set. The Qimin house sauce is richer with a sesame flavor and is recommended for the meats, while the Empress sauce is lighter and recommended to be paired with vegetables. You can choose to add minced garlic, chopped spring onions, chili pepper, etc. to the sauces.

The fresh ingredients came out daintily arranged in wicker baskets. Here’s what you get from the 68 RMB lunch set: 6 slices of prime pork, some tofu, a piece of mochi, corn, three types of mushrooms, one meat ball, and lots of leaves.

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[Shanghai] Melange Oasis

Melange Oasis Add: No. 37, Lane 550 Shanxi Nan Lu, near Shaoxing Lu / 陕西南路550弄37号, 近绍兴路 Tel: 64337727 Hours: 9am-8pm Price: 25~55 RMB Website: www.melange-oasis.com Visited: Sep 2010 Discreetly tucked away in an easily missed lane, Melange Oasis is an eco-conscious cafe with compressed bamboo interior and solar heating panels. The coffee served here is organic and fair-trade,…Continue Reading “[Shanghai] Melange Oasis”