[Shanghai] Zen Cafe

Categories shanghai
[Shanghai] Zen Cafe

ZEN Cafe

Add: 2/F 7-1, Dongping Lu, near Hengshan Lu / 东平路7-1号2楼, 近衡山路
Tel: 6437 7390
Hours: [Sun-Tue] 10am-10pm [Fri-Sat] 10am-11pm
Webiste: www.zenlifestore.com
Price: [drinks] 20~40 RMB
Visited: Apr 2011

ZEN Cafe is the cozy attic coffee shop on top of ZEN Lifestore on Dongping Lu. It’s a small place and fills up quickly on weekend afternoons (no, they don’t take reservations), but empty spots are likely to be found during the evenings.

The first floor is ZEN Lifestore, which features a unique array of home embellishments and furnishings. It takes in both traditional Chinese culture and European aesthetics, combining best of the two worlds into tea cups, antique lamps, paintings, porcelain dolls, and the likes.

A small courtyard right outside the store.

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[Taipei] Cafe Megane 眼鏡咖啡

Categories taipei
[Taipei] Cafe Megane 眼鏡咖啡

Cafe Megane 眼鏡咖啡

Add: 5 Lane 52 Si Wei Rd, Taipei 台北市大安區四維路52巷6號
Tel: (02) 2708 4686
Hours: 12-10pm (closed on Tue)
Website: coffeemegane.com
Price: [drinks] 100~220 NTD [food] 180~280 NTD

Somewhere near the Tun Hwa/Hsin Yi intersection hides this stylish little café with an attitude. The decor is warm in a subtle palette of natural wood and yellow lighting, but the the wait staff serves with a cool nonchalance – not a frosty or rude manner, but it’s just not the usual warm friendliness typical of Taipei. This irked me a little bit (it’s amazing how fast I’ve grown used to remarkably amiable service in Taipei in the few days I lingered in the city) but this disinterested, thanks-but-I-don’t-really-care-what-you-think mannerism fits perfectly with the general vibe of the café.

There’s a table of four and a table of two, plus 6 slots at the bar and a few outdoor seats. It’s a tiny space, and no, they don’t take reservations. We were lucky to have the whole space to ourselves for a weekday lunch, but it’s not surprising that this place gets packed on weekends.


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[Shanghai] Organ (2)

Categories restaurant
[Shanghai] Organ (2)

Organ

Add: 66 Ziyunxi Lu, near Loushanguan Lu 紫云西路66号, 近娄山关路
Tel: 5206 5937
Hours: 11:30am-10pm
Website: blog.goo.ne.jp/organ0417
Price: [lunch] 40~50 RMB [cakes] 25~35 RMB
Visited: Mar 2011

NOTE: Organ has closed and reopened here.

I was absolutely enchanted by this cozy, unpretentious Japanese cafe during my last visit and knew I’d be back very soon. The same warm colors, the same eclectic decorations, the same soothing music on the background…despite the disturbances caused by a few kids running around, Organ is still a charming little oasis.


Here are more of Organ’s handmade menus. Just lovely.


FYI, Organ is donating 5% of their earning to Japan’s earthquake relief effort.


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[Shanghai] Organ

Categories restaurant
[Shanghai] Organ

Organ

Add: 66 Ziyunxi Lu, near Loushanguan Lu 紫云西路66号, 近娄山关路
Tel: 5206 5937
Hours: 11:30am-10pm
Website: blog.goo.ne.jp/organ0417
Price: [lunch] 40~50 RMB [cakes] 25~35 RMB
Visited: Mar 2011

NOTE: Organ has closed and reopened here.

“How do you find these places?” – asked my fellow luncher as we sat down at the table. It is true that Organ is not well-known outside of the Japanese community here in Shanghai. It’s not even listed on SmartShanghai or City Weekend, and has a mere 60 reviews on Dianping (versus 6000  reviews for popular Chinese restaurants). This discreet and unpretentious cafe, with its warm colors, eclectic decorations, and soothing music on the background, is instantly charming. From the handmade hamburger steak to the signature soy milk chiffon cake, everything at Organ taste fresh, healthy, and delicious. It’s one of those places where you can spend the whole afternoon basking in the sun next to the window, or curl away on the ultra-comfortable couch in an inner corner.

The 1st floor of Organ is an elongated space consisting of a bar and an open kitchen. Head up to the 2nd floor and you’ll be pleasantly surprised by how spacious it is.

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[Shanghai] Antique Garden

Categories shanghai
[Shanghai] Antique Garden

Antique Garden

Add: 44 Sinan Lu, near Xiangshan Lu / 思南路44号甲, 近香山路
Tel: 5382 1055
Hours: [Mon-Fri] 11am~11:30pm [Sat-Sun] 11~12:30am
Price: [tea & coffee] 38-45 RMB [cakes] ~38 RMB [sandwiches] 79 RMB
Visited: Nov 2010

Very close to the perennially packed Hof on Sinan Lu, Antique Garden is a two-story cafe that doesn’t only sell coffee and cakes, but also antique furniture (real or fake, I really can’t tell you). The interior is dimly lit and decorated with random vintage pieces here and there. Though the teas and cakes are not extraordinary, Antique Garden is still an alright spot for tea dates and gatherings.

Carefully slip, please.

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[Shanghai] Manne et Sante’

Categories shanghai
[Shanghai] Manne et Sante’

Manne et Sante’

Add: 96 Shaoxing Lu, near Shanxi Nan Lu / 绍兴路96号, 近陕西南路
Tel: 5465 6297
Hours: 8am~10pm
Price: ~40 RMB/coffee, 40~60 RMB/dessert
Visited: Aug 2010

The first floor bakery of Manne et Sante’ looks decent enough, but I would’ve never ventured upstairs to the second floor cafe if not led by a friend. The small doorway, the shabby and twisting staircase, the dark interior…there is nothing delightful about the route leading up. Once I pushed open the wooden door to the second floor, however, the sweet aroma of fresh pastry and coffee convinced me immediately that this is a good place to be.

The cafe owner is an acquaintance of my friend, and he came out to personally brew coffee for us. The guy at the next table is obviously jealous that we got special treatment.

Mille Feuille, a three-tier puff pastry tower with cream, fresh grapes, and blueberries sandwiched in between.

Tiramisu.

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