27 May 2016

Tamsui 淡水 (Taipei)

Tamsui (Danshui) is located at the north of Taipei and is easily accessible by MRT. The train ride takes about 45 minutes from Taipei Main Station. It's a great place to let your hair down, take a stroll along the riverside and enjoy coffee at starbucks.
How to get there?
Address: Zhongzheng Road, Tamsui District, New Taipei City, Taiwan 251
From Taipei Main Station, take the MRT and alight at Tamsui station and walk towards Zhongzheng Road (Tamsui Old Street)

Dark Palace Taiwanese Gourmet 黑殿飯店
Ten minutes walk from Tamsui station, you will easily spot the dark palace. Their original shop is located a bit further up so we settled our meal at this branch instead.
Address: No. 11-10 Zhongzheng Road, Tamsui District, New Taipei City, Taiwan 251
Tel: +886 226266363
Dark Palace Facebook
Opening hours: Daily from 10.30am to 7.30pm
We ordered the Rice with Pork Chop 带骨排骨飯 (Large - NTD 110) and House Special soup with black fungus, bean curd strips and pork strips 大滷湯 (Small - NTD 60).
Recommend to order Rice with Pork Chop 带骨排骨飯!
Meat was well marinated and served with pickled vegetables. I'm actually back at Tamsui for this 排骨飯! ^_^
We took a stroll along Huanhe Road after our meal.
Jumbo ice cream (巨無霸霜淇淋)!
Interesting shop that sells childhood items.
Chill at Starbucks~
Lane 11 Zhongzheng Road

Ah Po Iron Eggs 阿婆鐵蛋
Ah Poh Iron Eggs is located on the left side after we turn out from Lane 11 Zhongzheng Road.
Address: No. 135-1 Zhongzheng Road, Tamsui District, New Taipei City, Taiwan 251
Tel: +886 26251625 / 26211432 / 26292838 / 26211563
Opening hours: Daily from 9am to 10pm
We bought the quail iron eggs (阿婆鹌鹑蛋), chicken iron eggs and fish crackers.

Original Cake 源味本鋪現烤蛋糕 (旗艦店)
This shop is located a few metres away from Ah Po Iron Eggs (阿婆鐵蛋), along the same side of the street.
Address: No. 145 Zhongzheng Road, Tamsui District, New Taipei City, Taiwan 251
Tel: +886 22620 5685
Opening hours
Mon to Fri: 11am to 7pm (Last timing from oven - 6pm)
Sat & Sun: 9am to 9pm (Last timing from oven - 7.40pm)
Original Cake Facebook
This original cake shop was originally located at No. 228 and later moved to No. 145.
The freshly baked cake, hot from the oven!
One side of the cake is the original flavour and the other is the cheese flavour (黄金起司).
They'll measure the cake before cutting to ensure the right proportion.
Soft and fragrant! 剛出爐的濃郁雞蛋香味!
Subsequently, we chanced upon this small drink cafe at the next Lane 11 Zhongzheng Road.
Ordered their Cappuccino (卡布奇诺) and Cranberry Apple tea (蔓越莓蘋果茶).

Fuyou Temple 福佑宫
After our break at the cafe, we walked back towards the MRT station. Along Zhongzheng Road, we offered our prayers at Fuyou Temple.
Address: No. 200 Zhongzheng Road, Tamsui District, New Taipei City, Taiwan 251
Opening hours: Daily from 7am to 9pm

He Yi Fish Crackers 合益鱼酥
This shop is located slightly further up from the temple, on the same street.
Address: No. 186 Zhongzheng Road, Tamsui District, New Taipei City, Taiwan 251
Tel: +886 22621 1410
Opening hours: 9am to 10pm
Fish crackers are handmade, taste crispy and I can finish the whole packet myself.
纯手工制成, 很酥脆, 停不下来啦!

11 May 2016

Ximending 西门町 (Taipei)

Ximending, well-known for its shopping location and food, is largely patronised by young people and tourists. Located in Wanhua District, it is one of the popular locations not to be missed.

How to get there?
Address: Hanzhong Street, Wanhua District
Take the MRT to Ximen station (西门), Exit No. 6

Hot-Star Large Fried Chicken 士林豪大大鸡排
You'll spot the shop as you walk along Hanzhong Street, towards Hankou Street. It is located at the intersection of Hanzhong Street and Wuchang Street.
Address: No. 36 Hanzhong Street, Wanhua District, Taipei City, Taiwan
1 large piece of fried chicken (大鸡排) which is very filling for 2 persons!
Fried sweet potato (甘甜地瓜)

Tian Tian Li Mei Shi Fang (天天利美食坊)
This shop is located slightly further up from Hot-Star Large Fried Chicken, towards Section 2 Hankou Street.
Address: No. 1 Hanzhong Street, Lane 32,  Wanhua District, Taipei City, Taiwan 108
Tel: 0223756299
Opening hours: 9.30am to 10.30pm (Closed on Mondays)
Must order the braised minced meat rice - "Ru Rou Fan" (滷肉饭)!
I ordered the Ru Rou Fan (滷肉饭) with fried egg (荷包蛋) for takeaway, enjoyed it with the meat dumplings and milk tea back at the hotel.
Milk tea bought at Family Mart that is just beside the hotel - Cityinn Branch I

Lemon House (柠檬屋正宗苦瓜原汁)
Diagonally opposite of Tian Tian Li Mei Shi Fang, you'll notice the Lemon House that sells white bitter gourd juice.
Address: No. 21 Hanzhong Street, Wanhua District, Taipei City, Taiwan 108
Tel: 0223832228
Opening hours: Daily from 8am to 12am
Recommend to try their white bitter gourd juice (白苦瓜汁)! It's not that bitter and only costs NT$75 per cup.

Ay-Chung Flour-Rice Noodle (阿宗麵線)
From Ximen Exit No. 6 and along Hanzhong Street, turn right to Emei Street and the shop is located on your right side.
Address: No. 8, Emei Street, Wanhua District, Taipei City, Taiwan 108
Opening hours: Daily 10am to 10.30pm
Join the queue and order the mee sua!
Big bowl of Mee Sua for only NT$65 (大碗 65元)

Modern Toilet Restaurant (便所主题餐厅)
Along Hanzhong Street, turn left towards Lane 50 Hanzhong Street. Walk straight and you'll find the Modern Toilet Restaurant.
Address: 2F, No. 7, Lane 50, Xining South Road, Taipei City
Tel: 0223118822
Opening hours: 11.30am to 10pm (weekdays), 11am to 10pm (Holiday)
Modern Toilet Restaurant website

It took us a while (about 10 mins) to locate the modern toilet restaurant.
The wall tiles are designed with "poop" drawings and their seats are toilet bowls with decorative seat covers.
We ordered the Rosemary Pan-fried Chicken Thigh (義式香煎鸡腿排) that came with "poop" lookalike bread.
Sichuan Spicy Hotpot with Pork (四川麻辣鍋) in mini-sized "toilet bowl"!
Our drinks came in mini-sized "urine/toilet bowl cups"!
Desserts - red bean soup and chocolate ice cream!

My Sense One (秒鲜旺)
If you're thinking of buying pineapple cakes, you could purchase at My Sense One at Ximending.
Address: No. 30 Wuchang Street Section 2, Wanhua District, Taipei City, Taiwan 108
Tel: +886 223619537
Opening hours: 9.30am to 10.30pm
I bought their traditional (傳统 & 土鳳), egg yolk pineapple cakes (金黄鳳凰酥) and sun cakes (太陽餅).