Archive for the ‘taipei’ tag
[TAIPEI] agnès b. café L.P.G.
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agnès b. CAFÉ L.P.G.
Add: 1F 2 Lane 106 Da’an Road Section 1, Taipei / 台北市大安路一段106巷2號1樓
Tel: (02) 8773 5273
Hours: 12pm~11pm
Website: www.agnesb-lepaingrille.com/tw
Price: [drinks] 80~160 NTD [desserts] 100~230 NTD
Visited on: 2012/07
Within the past two years or so, fashion brand agnès b. has quickly opened 6 cafes in Taipei, the newest addition being an impressive 2-floor house right behind Sogo. Having tried agnès b. desserts in their Hong Kong flagship store, I really didn’t have much faith in their offerings, but the decor looked attractive enough and really, all I wanted was a place to sit with a friend after dinner, so there we were.
This outdoor patio would be quite a lovely spot if Taipei weren’t so hot and humid during summertime.
Cute mosaic tiles.
[TAIPEI] 4F Cooking Home
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4F Cooking Home
Add: 4F 10-3 Yongkang Street, Da’an District Taipei / 台北市大安區永康街10-3號四樓
Tel: (02) 2321 6608
Hours: 10am~6pm (closed on Monday & Tuesday)
Website: www.4fcookinghome.com.tw
Price: 2000 NTD/lesson
Visited on: 2012-07
Up on the 4th floor of a nondescript apartment building on Yongkang Street is a little utopia called 4F Cooking Home. Come up with me and discover this delightful space, and perhaps this is where you will find yourself next weekend…
There were no lessons being held at 4F Cooking Home on the day of my visit, but Soac, the director of 4F, happened to be in the kitchen conjuring up something delicious to entertain his guests for the evening. My lucky day!
[TAIPEI] Cafe Xiaomijo 小米酒咖啡
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Cafe Xiaomijo 小米酒咖啡
Add: 5 Lane 41 Yongkan Street, Taipei / 台北市永康街41巷5號
Tel: (02) 2395 7617
Hours: 11am~11pm (closed on Monday)
Price: [drinks] 90~180 NTD
Visited on: 2012-07
Yet another cozy place to rest your feet and quench your thirst when wandering in the Yongkang Street area. I’m falling more and more in love with this neighborhood!
[TAIPEI] Tomitamaya Sanuki Udon 富玉屋讚岐烏龍麵
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Tomitamaya Sanuki Udon 富玉屋讚岐烏龍麵
Add: 14 Lane 83 Da’an Lu Section 1, Taipei / 台北市大安區大安路一段83巷14號
Tel: (02) 2778-5255
Hours: [lunch] 11:30am~2:30pm [dinner] 5:30~10:00pm
Website: www.wanpan.tw
Price: 280~320 NTD/udon set, 980~1380 NTD/hot pot set
Visited on: 2012-07
On a hot summer day like this, what’s better than a bowl of ice cold udon noodles for lunch?
Tomitamaya 富玉屋 is a recently opened udon specialty restaurant behind Sogo BR4, ran by a Taiwanese man who has learned the trade during his 15 years of residence in Japan. The decor is simple and clean, with wooden tables and colored seating mats that add warmth to an otherwise very plain space.
[TAIPEI] Jin Feng Braised Pork Rice 金峰魯肉飯
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Jin Feng Braised Pork Rice 金峰魯肉飯
Add: 10 Roosevelt Road Section 1, Taipei / 台北市羅斯福路1段10號
Tel: (02) 2396 0808
Hours: 8am~1am
Price: 50~100 NTD/person
Visited on: 2012-06
Despite how easy it is to find a decent bowl of braised pork rice (魯肉飯 lu rou fan) in Taipei, Jin Feng has impressively made a name for itself as the best place for braised pork rice in town. The street side joint is small and admittedly not so pretty, but it’s always packed with patrons who are addicted to its perfectly braised pork bellies. Let’s give it a try.
So what is lu rou fan? Pork belly slow-cooked in soy sauce and five spices then finely chopped (but not quite minced), then served over a bowl of hot rice. It’s super fatty, and that’s what makes it so delicious. At Jin Feng, a bowl of braised pork rice is priced at 25~45 NTD depending on the size of your order.
[TAIPEI] Wakin’ Up Cafe Apartment 自然醒咖啡公寓
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Wakin’ Up Cafe Apartment 自然醒咖啡公寓
Add: 2F No. 157 Section 2 Heping East Rd Taipei / 台北市和平東路二段157號2F
Tel: (02) 2709 6066
Hours: 1~11pm (closed on Tuesdays)
Price: [drinks] 140~170 NTD [desserts] 80 NTD
Visited on: 2012-07
Nestled on the 2nd floor of a nondescript apartment building on Heping East Road is Wakin’ Up Cafe Apartment, a space where time stands still (if you look around, the clocks here literally not not moving). The cafe was slightly stuffy on a Saturday afternoon with the weekend crowd, but the cozy decor and friendly service still lured us to lounge here for hours.
After venturing up a flight of rather steep stairs, you will arrive at this.
Love the blackboard drawing behind the bar.
[TAIPEI] The Sparkle Spa
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Sparkle Spa
Address: 2/F No. 294, Section 1 Dunhua South Road, Taipei / 台北市大安區敦化南路一段294號2樓
Tel: (02) 2784-9883
Hours: 12:00~11:00pm
Website: www.thesparklespa.com
Price: [body treatment] 3,000~5,500 NTD
Visited on: 2012-01
When I was looking for information on day spas in Taipei, The Sparkle Spa – opened by Jeffrey Huang (黃立成) - caught my attention. This is apparently a favorite among celebrities in Taiwan due to its very private setting: hidden on the 2nd floor of a non-descriptive building on Dunhua South Road, you wouldn’t even notice it unless you are specifically looking for it. Let’s explore, shall we?
Upon entering Sparkle Spa, the spacious rest area made quite an impression. The design is modern yet comfortable, with sharp geometric lines softened by the combination of natural wood and olive green. It’s almost like entering a well-manicured forest.
At the reception, I was greeted by a therapy consultant, who led me through a brief questionnaire regarding my body condition and needs. She then presented 7 different blends of essential oils, each focusing on a different part of the body: heart, throat, stomach, head etc., from which I was to pick out one that I particularly fancied. So what are we in the mood for fixing today?
[TAIPEI] Wellspring Spa 沐蘭 Spa
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Wellspring Spa 沐蘭 Spa at The Regent Taipei
Address: 20/F The Regent Taipei, 41 Chungshang N. Road, Section 2, Taipei
. 台北市中山南路2段41號晶華酒店20樓
Tel: (02) 2523 2828
Hours: 10:00am~10:00pm
Website: http://www.grandformosa.com.tw/EN/SPA
Price: Traveler’s Perk (1 hr 45 min) 4,200 NTD
Visited on: 2012-01-25
I discovered Wellspring Spa at The Regent Taipei on a recent trip to Taiwan, and I was thoroughly impressed. Take a look at the pictures below and you’ll understand. Then, do yourself a favor and book a treatment right away. Thank me later ;)
Wellspring Spa at The Regent Taipei
Waiting area
The spacious reception area, with the sound of trickling water, is instantly calming.
Reception
[TAIPEI] DN innovación
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DN innovación 鼎恩創意料理
Address: 93 Songren Rd, Xinyi District, Taipei / 台北市信義區110松仁路93號
Tel: (02) 8780 1155
Hours: 12:00pm~2:30pm, 6:00pm~10:30pm
Website: www.dn-asia.com
Price: [lunch] 550~980 NTD/set, [dinner] 1,380~3,288 + 10% NTD/set
Vist Date: 2012-01-27
It was my first visit to DN innovación, a Spanish restaurant specializing in creative molecular cuisine. Spanish molecular cuisine! My oh my. Let’s see what the chef has got for us today.
DN innovación
Crispy breadsticks accompanied by three varieties of Spanish olive oil – Picual, Hojiblanca, and Arbequina.
Breadsticks
A basket of warm house made bread with truffle butter, cumin butter, and spiced olive oil.
Homemade bread
Also served with extra virgin olive oil and Modena vinegar.
[TAIPEI] James Kitchen 大隱酒食
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James Kitchen 大隱酒食
Address: 65 Yongkang Street, Da’an District, Taipei / 台北市大安區永康街65號
Tel: (02) 2343 2275
Hours: 11:00am~2:00pm, 5:30pm~12:00am
Price: 300~400 NTD/person
Visited on: 2012-01-28
In times like these, nothing feels quite so comforting as a little piece of the past. That’s the charm of restaurants like James Kitchen 大隱酒食 (Da Yin Jiu Shi). Despite the fact that it opened only 4 years ago, the restaurant looks as if it’s been there forever. The refurbished interior and down-to-earth service foster this illusion, as does the familiar, unthreatening menu with its nostalgic lineup of 扁魚白菜滷 braised cabbage with flat fish, 菜脯蛋 fried eggs with dried turnips, 炸蚵酥 fried oysters, and 蔥香豬油飯 scallion lard rice.
大隱酒食 James Kitchen
Storefront
Sign
The restaurant is small, so book ahead. They do have a second location on the same street in case the space fills up. Scroll to the bottom of this post for the address and phone number.
