Friday, January 09, 2009

happy new year!



Happy New Year!

Even though the 2008 New Year's Eve fireworks were not as jaw dropping as previous years (I think if they had just made the finale more final, then it would have been more memorable), it's still a sight to see fireworks spiraling off Taipei 101. Even more of a sight is all the people who come out and crowd the streets into the wee hours of the new year.

It's been amazing to grow this blog with you guys and I look forward to 2009 being another year of good eats, new discoveries, more readers and comments, but with less weight gained. LOL.



In Taiwan, the new year festivities continue on to Chinese New Year which is at the end of January/beginning of February. This is the year of the Ox, which is "the sign of prosperity through fortitude and hard work," according to Wikipedia.

So I should get cracking. I finally uploaded all the pictures and tabulated the "Best Of" readers poll, so there will be some new posts in the coming weeks. Here are some of the places that are on my permanent to-do list.. maybe if I declare them here, it'll set a deadline for me to write them up quicker, rather than having post holiday writer's block when looking at the pictures.

-Peanut, cilantro and ice cream wrap and street eats near Longshan Temple
-Famous Larry's New Year Pizza
-Tenpura Sanuki Udon revisited (it moved from Xinyi Vieshow to Bistro 98!)
-Chao Ping Ji dim sum at San Want Hotel
-Ramen Kagetsu Arashi at Xinyi Vieshow
-Tripod King Spicy Hotpot (Ding Won)
-Ding Won (but not Tripod King) Spicy Hotpot
-Curry Champ
-El Gallo
-Crown & Fancy Bakery
-Chia Chia Steak
-Sukhothai at Sheraton Taipei
-Patara revisted (now called Patio)
-Big Tom Ice Cream
-Cheesecakes from Howard Plaza
-Stinky tofu and Street eats in Shihlin
-Beef Noodle Soup in Kaohsiung
-Hong Kong restaurants and dim sum
-Yong He Dou Jiang

I was sad to hear someone post that Mamm Goz has closed? I'm sad... wish I had a chance to eat there again before they closed. The last time I went there was in April 2008. Does anyone know why?

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

You should add Persian Heaven to your 'to do' list. They often have ads in the China Post or Taipei Times.

cathy said...

oh, i love crown! they have the sleekest looking desserts. and the most beautiful breakfast strawberry fruit sandwich i've ever seen.

joanh said...

billy: okay! Persian Heaven will go on my "to eat" list.. :)

csquad: yes, their desserts do match up with their sleek, shiny exterior. but tastewise, i think i prefer other bakeries

Anonymous said...

my friends recommend these, i havent tried them, but maybe you can try. =)

Gabee 咖啡店.
at 台北市民生東路三段113巷21號 (近中山國中捷運站)

昭和屋 at 台北市永康街14巷4號.

cathy said...

thanks for all your comments! i found your blog while I was in the states, and it made me super nostalgic.

in no particular order... (very wordy responses below...)

-I took the baking lessons at this place: http://www.choishome.com (It's at the zhongxiao dunhua station, across from the white sogo). They (and other cooking schools) have long term classes, but because I was only in Taipei for a month, I couldn't make all the classes. And you can't sign up for partial classes, so it was more economical for me to do private lessons. Plus, I could customize the classes for specific things I wanted to make. Another school, by the Shin Guang by the Main Station, is here: http://cook.ytower.com.tw/class/class-0.asp. They also have video lessons online. And there are many many more, but those 2 were the most convenient for me. At the very least, it is worth it to pay the classrooms a visit just to check it out.

-on a side note, my other addiction is visiting baking supply stores. so much fun, and so much cheaper too!

-i'd love to check out the VG BOn bon place you recommended, but tomorrow is my last day in taiwan and I won't have time :( But i'll be back, for sure!

-penpals are great. i actually met one of the ones from Taiwan that i've been writing to!

-as for dessert tastes... everything tastes good to me. so i tend to focus on the visuals. it just doesn't take a lot to make my tastebuds happy :) which is somewhat of a bad thing because it just means i eat a LOT when I am in taiwan.

whew! once again, thanks for all your posts about places to eat in taiwan :)

cathy said...

oh! i guess i shouldn't admit this - but i actually haven't tasted crown's desserts. i am fed so well here that I can only look, not eat.

Anonymous said...

great blog keep up the great work. just got back to australia after a 3 week holiday in taiwan miss it already.

Anonymous said...

Great list!

I added some entries from my recent trip to Taipei

http://www.yelp.com/list/its-yelp-taiwan-san-francisco

You may want to try these places if you have not already

1) http://www.688beefbowl.com/

2) 高家莊米苔目

3) 林東芳牛肉麵

4) 肥前屋 for the absolute best grilled unagi over rice (unaju)

5) Agreed with Kagetsu Arashi ramen. There's one upstairs in Breeze Center. VERY VERY good

6) Chun Shui Tong
http://www.icetea.com.tw/contactus.htm (with locations in Taipei). They claim to have invented Tapioca Milk Tea

7) 台南度小月擔仔麵 originally from Tainan, www.iddi.com.tw. There's one location at 永康街 right around Din Tai Fung. FANTASTIC

orangesoda said...

I was also sad when I saw that Mamma Goz was closed. The owners were friends of my French teacher. I guess the market for French crepes is not large here.

Jake E. said...

OMG! I was standing like right near you for the fireworks! Were you standing here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jakeedm/3168655215/sizes/l/in/set-72157612126092503/

Also - I took almost the exact same picture at the same time as you!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jakeedm/3169489722/sizes/l/in/set-72157612126092503/

Happy New YEAR!!!

:)