A pâtissière, eating around the world
![[Taipei] Cafe Xiaomijo 小米酒咖啡](https://www.sugarednspiced.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/R0032671.jpg)
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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](https://www.sugarednspiced.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/R0031677.jpg)
Tomitamaya Sanuki Udon 富玉屋讚岐烏龍麵 (venue closed)
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](https://www.sugarednspiced.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/R0031582.jpg)
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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](https://www.sugarednspiced.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/R0031899.jpg)
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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] Nichi Cafe 日子咖啡](https://www.sugarednspiced.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/R0031249.jpg)
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Nichi Cafe 日子咖啡
Add: No. 8, Alley 17, Chifeng Street, Taipei / 台北市赤峰街17巷8號
Tel: (02) 25559 6669
Hours: 1pm~10pm
Price: [drinks] 90~170 NTD [desserts] 80 NTD
Visited on: 2012-06
My plan to spend an afternoon at Eslite fell apart once I saw how crowded the bookstore was (even on a Thursday afternoon!), so instead I ventured out of my comfort zone (namely 東區 & 信義區) to explore some hidden cafe shops in other neighborhoods.
I wish I can say I stumbled upon Nichi Cafe through pure serendipity, but it was actually recommended to me by a Taiwanese blogger, who has graciously put together a customized restaurant/cafe list for me as a reference. Nichi Cafe somewhat reminds me of Cafe Megane, a stylish and slightly quirky Japanese cafe near the Tun Hwa/Hsin Yi intersection, except Nichi is even smaller in both store space and menu offerings.
![[Taipei] Yong Kang Beef Noodle 永康牛肉麵](https://www.sugarednspiced.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/R00311071.jpg)
Yong Kang Beef Noodle 永康牛肉麵
Add: No. 17, Lane 31, Jinshan S. Rd., Sec.2 / 台北市金山南路2段31巷17號
Tel: (02) 2351 1051
Hours: 11:30am-2pm, 5:30pm-8pm
Website: beefnoodle-master.com
Price: 180~240 NTD/bowl
Visited on: Jun 2012
I have FINALLY been to arguably the most famous beef noodle joint in Taipei, and yes, it was as good as I expected it to be.
We started the meal off with some side dishes (40~120 NTD each) and Yong Kang’s famed 粉蒸肥腸 (100 NTD), which is steamed fatty pork intestine with sweet potatoes. This may sound disgusting (the look might be even worse), but it’s really, really good. For those who are put off by animal innards, you can instead try 粉蒸排骨 (100 NTD) which substitutes the intestines with spareribs.
Then on with the noodles. I ordered 紅燒半筋牛肉麵 braised beef & tendon with noodle in spicy broth (200 NTD/small), which in my opinion includes the best of both worlds – the tenderness of beef and the chewiness of its tendon. The noodles were done perfectly as well, not too soft and not too chewy. The broth? Slurp!
![[Taipei] Caffe Libero X Red on Tree La Pâtisserie](https://www.sugarednspiced.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/R0030873.jpg)
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Caffe Libero + Red on Tree La Pâtisserie
Add: 1, Lane 243, Jinhua Street, Taipei /台北市金華街243巷1號
Tel: (02) 2356 7129
Hours: [Mon-Sat] 12pm~12am [Sun] 12pm~6pm
Website: redontree.com
Price: [drinks] 60~280 NTD [desserts] 80~220 NTD
Visited on: 2012-06
Caffe Libero is another one of the many stylish cafes that are tucked away in the Yongkang Street neighborhood. The shop, renovated from a 40-year-old mansion, oozes a sense of nostalgia with its original Taiwan zelkova flooring, marble walls, engraved wood door, and vintage furnishing. What it offers: specialty drinks like Longan Latte, and lovely pastries from Red On Tree La Pâtisserie. A good place to linger.
![[Taipei] The Sparkle Spa](https://www.sugarednspiced.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/R0010544.jpg)
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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](https://www.sugarednspiced.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/R0037970.jpg)
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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](https://www.sugarednspiced.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/R0010468.jpg)
DN innovación 鼎恩創意料理
Add: 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: Jan 2012
My first visit to DN innovación, a Spanish restaurant specializing in creative molecular cuisine.
Crispy breadsticks accompanied by three varieties of Spanish olive oil – Picual, Hojiblanca, and Arbequina.
A basket of warm house made bread with truffle butter, cumin butter, and spiced olive oil.
Also served with extra virgin olive oil and Modena vinegar.
