Category: Region: Taiwan

Cafes and food in Hayashi Department Store, Tainan

Hayashi Department Store is a characteristic five-story retail venue originally opened in 1932 in Tainan during Japanese rule. After decades of abandonment, it was refurbished and reopened in 2014. It is today a big touristic attraction in Tainan. The Japanese influence on the building is apparent; notably there is a restored Shinto shrine on the rooftop.

The visit

The building has such an old-times charm that I keep visiting it every time I am in Tainan, even if I am not particularly interested in the merchandising they sell (even if it includes many quality products from local makers).

Food can be found on the first (ground) floor and in two cafes, on the fourth and fifth floor. Let’s start from the top (the elevator stops only on the ground floor and the fifth floor by the way).

The fifth floor cafeteria

The fifth floor cafeteria (“Delicious Tainan”) is a good place where to relax and have a light meal.

The menu is based on Chinese comfort food, sweet soups, and milk tea.

I tried their Dan Zai noodles (a specialty from Tainan) and I found them bland as compared to the one that I had in another traditional restaurant.

On the other hand, their cold tofu pudding with red beans and peanuts was very good and refreshing. On the menu, they have several variations of this dish.

I spent 235 NTD (7.75 USD) for two sets of noodles and two bowls of tofu (I was with a friend). Very affordable.

The fourth floor cafe

On the fourth floor (one level down) there is the namesake Hayashi cafe mostly catering to cakes, smoothies, tea, and coffee.

I had their chocolate smoothie that was excellent, even if it probably shortened my lifespan.

It cost 180 NTD (6 USD). In this cafe prices are a higher than upstairs.

The first floor shopping area

The first floor of the Department Store is dedicated to cakes and traditional snacks (it is called Tainan Feast, 台南好客廳). These make very welcomed gifts.

One of the signature snacks was the Hayashi’s sweet cake (filled with red beans) made in a century-old bakery in Tainan. Each cake bears the Hayashi seal (back in the day, this was a big innovation). They were popular with women after giving birth, as a dietary supplement.

Brown sugar maltose crackers sandwiches were recommended as a complement for tea time.

Pineapple cake (another classic from Taiwan) was available in many formats.

The most affordable snack was this popped rice crispy cakes made by a bakery in Tainan with natural ingredients: one, individually packaged, could be bought for 40 NTD (a little over 1 USD).

This is just a small selection of the goods available that include mango cakes, dried fruit, and teas.

Where in Tainan:
No. 63, Section 2, Zhongyi Road, West Central District.
Website: http://www.hayashi.com.tw.

The Marvelous Space is in Tainan

In Tainan there is a marvelous space. It is a cafe, cum art gallery, cum event hall, and much more. I had the pleasure to visit it upon a friend’s invitation. It was supposed to be a simple coffee meeting, but it turned out to be marvelously more.

The visit

As I noticed for other nice cafes in Tainan, The Marvelous Space is hidden in a non-descript building. The entrance is on a side alley. You can see the sign above in Chinese (飛石樓). It is perched on the 8th floor.

Entering the shop, you are welcomed in a very spacious room.

A massive wooden table extends for most of the room. What is really impressive is that every corner of the space is dotted by artworks: prints, paintings, statues, furniture. Every single piece has a story.

The baristas have been training for years with a famous coffee master from Taipei and my friend immensely enjoyed his coffee. I had an equally satisfying Oolong tea with cookies.

Some of the teas, tea-ware, and even some of the artworks in the shop are for sale.

The owner kindly walked me and my friend around his studio showing his collection of rare prints and paintings from Zao Wou-Ki, a renown contemporary Chinese-French painter (he passed away in 2013). He had specimens both from his early “Paul Klee” phase and his subsequent more abstract period.

But they also had some more affordable design objects.

In the adjacent room, there is a space sometimes used for events and equipped with a state of the art audio system.

The check

I was kindly treated to this coffee, so I cannot comment on prices. But quality come at a price.

The Marvelous Space is a testament of the well-developed aesthetic sense you can find in Taiwan where tasting an outstanding coffee or tea surrounded by the beauty of hand-picked artwork is not out of the realm of possibilities.

Where in Tainan:
8F, No. 83, Section 2, Yongfu Road.
In Chinese: 台南市中西區永福路二段83號8樓.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/themarvelousspace/.

An izakaya in Tainan where to enjoy great donburi dishes

In Taiwan you can find great Japanese food. In some cases even better than in Japan (see here , here, and here if you do not believe me). So do not judge me negatively if I dined in a Japanese restaurant in Tainan. I was pointed to the place by a friend that had enjoyed lunch in the restaurant and had taken some persuasive pictures. I was not disappointed.

The visit

I went to the restaurant on a Sunday evening. It only has a Chinese name (丼丼丼). Also the menu was only in Chinese, but profusely illustrated, so ordering was not a problem.

It is not a large eatery. They have bar chairs (but comfortable) and at peak hours they might have some queuing.

On the menu they indicate that the rice used is same that is exported to Japan for imperial consumption. The rice is full bodied and firm.

I was offered complimentary edamame.

Their top dish is the donburi (rice bowl with seafood). They have several variations of this dish. I went for the one with mixed seafood. Every single piece of seafood was fresh and tasty: eel, prawns, salmon roe, scallop, ark shell, prawns, sea urchin, squid. The eel was not soaked in the traditional brown sauce, but its flavor was left genuine. It was glorious.

I also had their miso soup that came with a mind-blowing scallop.

Finally I had one of their sashimi on seaweed, with scallop and sea urchin.

The check

My final check was 730 NTD (24 USD). For this quality and quantity of seafood was a pretty good price. I can understand why this izakaya seems to be quite popular on social media.

Where in Tainan:
10 Minsheng Road, Western and Central District.
In Chinese: 中西區民生路一段10號.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DONNBURI (well played… since “donburi” was not available they used the name “donNburi”).

Room A: a crossover between a cafe and a library in Tainan

Room A was introduced to me by a friend during a weekend visit to Tainan in October 2019. Hidden on the third floor of a non-descript building, it was a pleasant surprise. It is a paradise for a bookworm. The owner used to run a second-hand bookstore.

The visit

The cafe shares the entrance with a bed and breakfast.

From the sign, my understanding is that from 10am to 1pm the place operates as a breakfast cafe. Then from 1pm onwards the format changes.

On the door, a sign says “Have a seat & read a book”. It sounds like a plan.

The place has a vintage feeling and, in my opinion, it is beautiful. On one side there is the kitchen behind a big counter and books are everywhere. Books can be taken and read freely. I think the book inventory is all in Chinese. I indulged on a photography magazine.

It was quite busy. And people were really reading books. Obviously, no talking! Customers were advised to keep quiet. I whispered with my friend over lunch.

A number of dishes are available through the day.

I had a burger with egg and bacon.

My friend had a chicken sandwich. In both cases, the bread was nicely toasted and there were no dripping sauces. The food was good and healthy.

Drinks, tea and coffee were included in the usage fee (see below).

They also have a lovely terrace.

The check

The food cost 180 NTD (6 USD).

In addition to the food, there is a usage fee: 1 NTD for every minute inside the cafe. This is an interesting business model. One hour would cost you 60 NTD (arund 2 USD) that is very reasonable if you consider that you can enjoy complimentary coffee and tea. I do not have the final receipt as it was taken care by my friend.

I really liked the place and the format. If I was living in Tainan I would be a regular. I like to think of it as the Tainan’s answer to Starbucks.

Where in Tainan:
3F, 21 Kangle Street.
In Chinese: 中西區康樂街21號3F.
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/on.RoomA/.

The Chef Table in Tainan

I always like restaurants that try to innovate traditional dishes in a tasteful manner. Chef Table Food & Wine in Tainan falls into this category. Chef James proposes Western-inspired dishes using local ingredients and Chinese techniques.

The visit

The restaurant is located on the second floor of the stylish Changyu Hotel.

I arrived for a late lunch on a Saturday. I had reserved a table communicating on the Facebook page of the restaurant. Answers were instantaneous! I later learnt that the page is managed by the chef himself. I was very hungry.

My first dish was a “shrimp brulee egg” with seaweed and sweet and sour sauce. It was a nice mix of flavors, a nice variation on the theme of seafood omelettes popular in Taiwan.

The restaurant has a number of items that can be ordered from the grill. I had scallops and the local milk fish. The milk fish lived up to its reputation and it was incredibly juicy. Portions are small, so you can order several items. Vegetables were included. I wish I had ordered more.

I also had the deep-fried soft shell crab with mustard mayo that did not let me down.

Another interesting dish was the cauliflower with a poached egg and dry shrimps.

Finally, I had their quesadilla that came with a very Chinese filling: roast duck and cheese.

The check

For this Lucullus-grade lunch I spent 1017 NTD (33.50 USD). It could have been enough for two people. I enjoyed every single dish. I think The Chef Table is a great place where to divert from local food and experiencing Western dishes reinterpreted with local ingredients.

Where in Tainan:
2f, No. 89, Section 1, Beimen Road, West Central District.
In Chinese: 台南市中西區北門路一段89號2樓.
Visit the Facebook page for up to date menu.

A visit to a GaKuDen Boulangerie shop in Taipei

GaKuDen is a chain of European-style bakeries found all over in Taipei. Some of the locations also doubles as coffee shops. Here’s my experience.

The visit

Inside they have a variety of baked goods and the style is self-service.

In this particular shop near Chiang Kai-shek Memorial they had a room upstairs where to take a seat.

This was my snack:

I chose a juice, a brownie and a chocolate pastry made with Valrhona chocolate. They seem to do a decent job in supplying Taipei with European bread and cakes.

The check

In total I spent 189 NTD or 6.10 USD. Not bad for spending some time of relax in a clean and comfortable place. The pastries were good.

Where in Taipei
No. 316, Songjiang Road, Zhongshan District, Taipei (for the shop of my visit, but other locations are all over Taipei).

Classic Taiwanese starch balls at Eastern Ice Store in Taipei

A review of Taiwanese desserts would not be complete without mentioning starch balls and ice. Eastern Ice Store is a Taipei’s favorite for this dessert.

The visit

The first step is to queue. They are pretty fast though.

Then you can choose four toppings that will be added to a paper bowl full of ice. The balls are made with tapioca and there are classic sweet bean sauces. Unfortunately all the names are in Chinese.

This is what I got in a pretty random fashion.

Adjacent to the main shop there is a room where you can consume your dessert seated.

I did not like it much. I guess it requires a local taste.

The check

This treat is very economical at 60 NTD (or a few cents shy of 2 USD).

Where in Taipei:
No. 38, Lane 216, Sec. 4, Zhongxiao E. Rd., Da’an Dist., Taipei City

Classic Taiwanese breakfast in Taipei

Breakfast in Taiwan is an unmissable food experience. Taiwanese cities are dotted by restaurants specializing in traditional breakfast dishes, sometimes opening as early as 3am in the morning (and a few even open 24h). I had my breakfast experience on a Sunday morning in a popular restaurant in Daan district near Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Hall.

The visit

I found a Taiwanese diner serving breakfast dishes near the exit of Sun Yat-Sen Memorial station (2 and 3). It is indicated in English as Jiang Yellow Beef Noodle Shop but the signs are in Chinese. It is correctly indicated on Google Maps.

As the name suggests, it is a noodle shop, but until 11am they have a breakfast menu. They have a menu with English translations, so ordering was pretty easy.

The kitchen was pretty busy as they were about to start to serve noodles.

My first dish was the warm soybean milk. It was better than I thought.

Then I had one of the shop’s specialties: a sesame cake rolled around fried bread and a scallion egg omelette. I am a big fan of the fried bread (someone calls it Chinese donuts). All together it was a monster dish, very filling as you can imagine.

At this point my breakfast could have already come to an end, but I also tried their rice roll. This was the version with pork floss and sweet sauce. They had on the menu also a vegetarian version that may be better.

As a side dish I had their radish cake, which was ok.

The check

I ended up paying 194 NTD (or 6.30 USD). By the way, by mistake I ordered two radish cakes (one was more than enough), so the total could have been even lower (one cake was 38 NTD).

I did not like all the food equally (the three-in-one was my favorite dish), but it was a super-filling breakfast. I could not have lunch later on (a pity, as there was a Saboten branch just around the corner).

I cannot judge whether this was a good or a just average Taiwanese breakfast, but I liked the fact that they had an English menu and the ordering process was painless.

Where in Taipei:
No. 1, Lane 240, Guangfu South Road, Da’an District.
In Chinese: 106台北市大安區光復南路240巷1號.

The pleasure of Taiwanese tea at Stop By Tea House

One day I will write a list of the top gastronomic experiences in Asia and one of spot will be rightfully occupied by tea houses in Taiwan. They are warmer than in Japan, more hipster than in Mainland China, and Taiwanese tea is usually flavorful.

Stop By Tea House has checks all of these boxes and is easily my favorite tea house in Taipei. I especially like their blending of traditional and modern.

The visit

The tea house is located in an alley just a stone-throw away from the all popular Yongkang street.

The interior is modern, with various sitting arrangements. On a weekend afternoon it may be difficult to find a seat.

They also sell tea and tea ware.

In my first visit I tried one of their aged Taiwanese teas. They gave me instructions on the optimal time to wait after adding the boiling water. Then I would pour the tea from the tea pot to an intermediate bowl.

On the side of the table I had a kettle with boiling water to add at my leisure.

I also had some of their traditional pastries, these with ginger.

In my second visit I was with two friends and I had their cold brew sampler. This included three different teas: Jinxuan, Dong Ding Oolong, Oriental Beauty (all three from Taiwan). Not that it is central, but the teas were marvelously presented in lab-style long vials; it was a very instagrammable set up that shows the ability of the tea house to blend tradition and modern taste.

In this second visit we tried several of their pastries and my favorite was a purple pastry with a full grape inside.


During my first visit, I was invited along with other customers to have a look at their amazing basement that they use for demonstrations and classes. There was a “river” going along the room that is used to circulate tea among the attendees. It was a magical place.

The check

In my solo visit I spent 396 NTD (there is a 10% service charge) or around 13 USD for a tea pot and a serving of pastries. Fantastic value for money for the quality of the offering.

Needless to say, I thoroughly enjoyed my visits and I try to go back every time I am in Taipei.

Where in Taipei
No. 9, Lane 13, Lishui Street, Da’an District
In Chinese: 麗水街13巷9號
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pg/stopbyteahouse

Well-thought fusion food in Peacock Bistro in Dadaocheng, Taipei

Dadaocheng is an historic district in Taipei that used to be the main commercial port. In recent years, Dihua street in Dadaocheng has undergone a process of gentrification (a good one) and has become a vibrant artery combining traditional shops selling spices and teas with contemporary eateries, tea houses, and design outlets. Walking along Dihua street to get to Peacock Bistro was really a pleasure. Among other things, there was a museum dedicated to the topic of comfort women in the Second World War, a day time food market, and a temple known to people looking for their soulmate.

The visit

I had a reservation easily made through innline.app for a Saturday brunch.


The actual entrance was through a coffee shop. Many buildings on this street have this kind of false bottom. Beyond the coffee shop there was a lovely court and then the entrance to the bistro.

The dining room had a designer feeling, yet it felt warm and comfortable.

I ordered from their regular menu (no special menu for brunch) and my first dish was a delicious cauliflower soup with yam and tempura crumbs called U Ka Bu Yume. Most of the dishes had Japanese influences.

The meal continued with some fried chicken (Chicken Karaage on the menu). The chicken wings were pitch black as the butter was mixed with squid ink. It was quite good, but I would have preferred a crispier skin. Inside the chicken was very juicy. It came with two dipping sauces, one made with sesame and another with cucumber yogurt. The dish was listed as an appetizer but it could have easily been shared between two people.

Finally I had a risotto called “Three Tresures”. It was made with kale, fermented tofu and included a generous portion of tenderized beef strips (indicated as shacha beef fillet on the menu).

The risotto was pleasantly spicy and all was well amalgamated together. The meat was very fresh and tender. It was a nice fusion risotto combining Chinese and Italian cuisine.

No dessert as I headed to Ice Monster afterwards.

The check

Total price 1078 NTD (including 10% service charge) or 35 USD. Considering the size of the dishes, an honest price in my books.

I applaud the attempt (mostly successful) to fuse different cuisines into original creations. There were many more interesting dishes on the menu.

Where in Taipei:
No. 197, Section 1, Dihua St.
In Chinese: 迪化街一段197號二進
Menu from Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pg/thepeacockbistro/menu/