MaoMao Eats!: April 2016

20 April 2016

Raohe Street Night Market 饒河街觀光夜市 (Taipei)

Raohe Street Night Market is one of the oldest and popular night markets in Taipei. It's also one of the night markets that I will definitely go. You can also shop at WuFenPu (五分埔), Taipei's largest wholesale market for apparel and accessories, which is near to the night market (Exit from Songshan Station 松山 Exit No. 3 or Houshanpi Station (後山埤).

How to get there?

Address: Raohe Street, Songshan District, Taipei City, Taiwan 105

Take the MRT to Songshan station (松山), Exit No. 5
Opening hours: Daily from 5pm to 12am

Raohe street night market is just opposite of Songshan Station Exit No. 5.

The famous and popular 胡椒饼 (Hu Jiao Bing) is located at the start of the night market!

A snake queue for the 胡椒饼 (Hu Jiao Bing) but the queue moves quite fast so we don't have to wait very long.

Hot from the "oven"!

Crispy and I chew the tender meat carefully so not to burn my tongue. 好吃!

More stalls ahead selling chicken leg roll, fresh grilled squid and more.

Taiwan Guava 台湾番石榴/芭樂

Iced jelly 爱玉仙草

蔓越莓汁 (cranberry juice) to quench our thirst!

We're here for the Cheese Potato (起司马铃薯)!

The potato is covered entirely with the melted cheese

Nearing the other end of Raohe street night market, we bought sausages.

Three taiwan sausages (山猪肉香肠) for NT$100!

Fried chicken and mushroom!

Where else have I been in Taiwan?

11 April 2016

Mala Hotpot Gongguan Store 马辣顶级鸳鸯火锅 (Taipei)

Yun recommended me to try the Mala hotpot in Taipei, saying that they provide free flow of Haagen Dazs ice cream. My colleague also mentioned about this Mala hotpot and told me to make reservation at Ximending branch. However, Ximending branch was so popular that it was fully booked during lunch hours and I made a trip to Gongguan for the hotpot.

How to get there?

Address: No. 86, Section 3, Tingzhou Road, Zhongzheng District, Taipei City 100, Taiwan (R.O.C)
Tel: +886 02 2365 7625 (check out the contact numbers at their facebook)
Mala Hotpot website - www.mala-1.com.tw
Facebook - www.facebook.com/mala.hotpot

Alight at Gongguan MRT station and Exit no. 4, walk straight and turn left. Walk a bit further up and you'll see the restaurant located just right opposite.

Nearest MRT Station: Gongguan

Opening hours

Lunch - 11.30am to 4pm (NT$498)
Dinner - 4pm to 5am (NT$598)
Weekends/PH - 11.30am to 5am (NT$598)

Dining time is limited to 2 hours.

Choose 2 out of the 5 soup bases

Choose the meat you want and inform the staff

Yuanyang hotpot which consists of Collagen 胶原蛋白 and Huadiao chicken 宫廷花雕鸡

Proceed to the area to select the food items for your hotpot

We ordered the Slab Bacon 五花猪肉

Strongly recommended to order this!

Boston Shoulder Pork 梅花猪肉

Lamb 羊肉

Mix your own sauces

Free flow of drinks

Eat till you drop!

Not forgetting my dessert - Haagen Dazs and Movenpick ice cream!!

Fruits, cakes and puddings for dessert

Unfortunately, they do not accept credit card and I paid in cash.

Where else have I been in Taiwan?

04 April 2016

Cityinn Branch I 新驛旅店台北車站一館 (Taipei)

Where to stay in Taipei?

Cityinn Branch I is conveniently located near Taipei Main Station/Railway Station which allows us to travel around without much hassle.

How to get there?
Address: No. 7, Huaining Street, Zhongzheng Dist, Taipei City 100, Taiwan
Tel: +886 223148008
Cityinn website - www.cityinn.com.tw

From Taoyuan Airport, take Bus No. 1819 (NT$125 per person) and alight at Taipei Railway Station. Alternatively, you can take the MRT which was officially opened on 2 Mar 2017 to Taipei Main Station.

From Taipei Main Station/Railway Station, Exit Z6. The exit/entrance of Z6 is a flight of stairs, no escalator. Alternatively, take the lift between Exit Z2 and Z4 or Exit M5 and walk towards Huaining Street.

Nearest MRT Station: Taipei Main Station

Exploring level 2 while checking in and waiting for our room.

Americano or American Strong for you?

How about Milk Tea or Rich Chocolate?

Our room is ready!

The room is well equipped with the necessary amenities like toothbrush, razor, comb, cotton buds, dental floss, etc.

If you would like your room to be clean up, choose the magnet and put it outside your door.

Washing clothes and drying them is easy too, just have to avoid the peak hours that people tend to use them.

I wanted to use the dryer machine in the night but the dryers were both occupied. Their staff, 月娥姐, called to my room and informed me that one of the dryers was emptied. More than 6 pieces of my clothes took about 1.5 hours to dry. And many thanks to her that I had my laundry done!

Fret not about luggage being overweight, hotel provides this weighing machine at level 2.

Family Mart is right beside the hotel, Starbucks is opposite, McDonald's is around the corner and Shin Kong Mitsukoshi shopping mall is opposite of McDonald's. So convenient!