revisited/italian: i strongly recommend BELLINI PASTA PASTA

BELLINI PASTA PASTA
No. 16, Sung Shou Road, 2F
inside Warner Village Theaters
(02) 2758-6096

website: bellinipasta.com.tw

hours: 11:30AM - 11 PM

$-$$

Kid friendliness: high chairs and kids' dinnerware available.

Visit reviewed: 4/26/2009

Previous review: 9/11/2006



Having not been back to Bellini Pasta Pasta in quite a long time (maybe a year, or two?), I was again pleasantly surprised at how it measured up to other Italian eateries I've been to since I first wrote about it. Although it's definitely more fusion Italian with a Japanese twist, there's a huge menu to please different tastebuds. This is evident by some of their options- a potato gratin with mentaiko cod roe appetizer or the spaghetti with "kinpira gobo," chicken and chili peppers or thin strips of seaweed atop a calamari, yuzu mentaiko pasta. But don't worry- those are just the extreme- there's still traditional carbonara, lasagna, seafood risotto, or pesto spaghetti.



My favorite is still the Bolgonese with two soft boiled eggs (NT$390) (and it disappeared quickly from the bowl) with the sauce being slightly sweet and the runny egg giving the noodles an extra slippery texture. Bellini also has a pizza with a soft egg in the middle (but I haven't tried it, though I've tried it at Primo).



I also really like that their serve the Caesar salad (NT$180) as a half romaine and is enough to share between four people. This time, they offered to cut it up for us. The dressing doesn't taste like standard out of the bottle dressing. For a little extra, you can add things like parma ham, smoked salmon or grilled chicken on top.



One cool thing Bellini does is let you have 1/2 portions of two different pastas (NT$480) for a popular few selections, in case you want to just give it a try. In this case, I thought the chili flakes made the clam spaghetti too spicy for me, but the pork cutlet pasta was good- maybe too little as a half portion.



The pizza was also better than I remembered- although it probably is best hot and not cooled down as it will if you get it as take-out. We got the number 5 mezzo e mezzo (NT$350) or half and half.



The crust was thin and there wasn't a ton of cheese on the pesto side, but the crust had a nice balance between crunchy and soft.



Bellini is a great option for a meal before the movie if you are Xinyi Vieshow or while shopping at Breeze Center. The atmosphere and menu works for a lunch date or a large group to share and taste a variety of different dishes.




View hungry in taipei restaurants in a larger map

Other locations:

at Future Center, B1
No. 12, Guan Chien Road
Zhong Jheng District
MRT: Taipei Main Station
(02) 2388-8558

at Breeze Center
1, Fuxing South Road
MRT: ZhongXiao FuXing
(02) 6606-0688

CLOSED! afternoon tea: i don't recommend DEAN AND DELUCA afternoon tea set

CLOSED! there is still a deli/coffeeshop in the same space, but very local. not Dean and Deluca

DEAN AND DELUCA
at Breeze Center, B2F
No.39, Fuxing S. Road, Sec 1
(02) 6600-8888 ext 7301

$$

Sun - Wed 9 AM - 9 PM
Thur-Sat: 9 AM - 10 PM

website: deandeluca.com

Kid friendliness: finger foods. area to sit down

Visit reviewed: 10/21/2008
Review of their lunch sets here



After walking around with a friend around Breeze, we decided to find a place to sit down and catch up. We didn't want to squeeze into the crowded Starbucks area and spotted a sign for the afternoon tea set at Dean and Deluca with two coffees or teas (no special lattes).

We lined up at the coffee bar, but when we asked for the afternoon tea set (NT$450), they said we had to order from the middle counter instead. So we placed our order there and grabbed a seat.



All in all, everything on it was just okay. The only thing I really liked was the pudding. Everything else was disappointing- the fruit was not sweet, the pastries were dry, the finger sandwiches forgettable. I guess I expected more from Dean and Deluca.





The next time, I'd just get some of their sandwiches or sides from the counter or sweets from Maison Kayser and make my own little afternoon tea set.

snack/chinese: i recommend ROASTED DRIED SQUID

ROASTED DRIED SQUID place
Breeze Center, Food Court, B1
39, Fu Hsing South Rd, Sec. 2
(02) 6600-8888

Hours: 11am-9:30pm Sun-Thur; 11am-10pm Fri-Sat

$

Visit reviewed: 4/26/2007



Okay, I admit it looks kind of gross in this picture, kind of leg-like and rubbery, but it actually tastes really good! Admittedly, I also think thousand year old egg and stinky tofu taste good, so go with that as your palate base.

You'll spot (or smell) this local snack favorite in night markets and all around Taipei, but this mall version should offer a clean variety for those of you afraid to buy off the street vendors. Just follow your nose towards the bbq roasting smell- one bag goes for about NT$100 and comes in original and spicy flavors.

CLOSED/japanese/mall food: i strongly recommend ROMANKAN YOKOHAMA KATSU SANDWICHES

Romankan Yokohama
Breeze Center, Food Court, B1
39, Fu Hsing South Rd, Sec. 2
(02) 6600-8888
(Was so sad when this place closed. ages ago. it's now an uncle tetsu cheesecake)

Hours: 11am-9:30pm Sun-Thur; 11am-10pm Fri-Sat

$-$$

Visit reviewed: 4/26/2007


THIS IS THE BEST PORK KATSU SANDWICH I'VE EVER HAD.

Granted, I am not a katsu sandwich expert, but days after eating the katsu sandwich from Romakan Yokohama (NT$75), I can't stop thinking about eating another one. The perfectly toasted bread folded in half over a fried katsu is dressed with sweet and salty sauce, completed with pungent sliced onions, lettuce and tomato. The sauce totally makes the sandwich addicting. They have chicken and pork, and maybe some others. Not entirely sure, since their menu is only in Japanese and Chinese along with little displays of similar looking sandwiches.

They could work on the line process, but it doesn't seem to hamper their business. People scattered waiting for their sandwiches in front of the cashier, you don't know if the rope is for the front or the back of the queue. Just go Taiwanese style and tell the cashier what you want, if you don't see a Mr. Donut size line.



This lunch, I waited for about 10 minutes after ordering, about five minutes trying to order. The cashier writes my "number" on a bag, takes my money and tells us it will be about 10 minutes. I see a mysterious back room where people are assembly-lining my little half sandwich, which is only a snack today, otherwise, you would need to eat 2 to make a full sandwich and be really full.



I use the time to wander downstairs and get suckered by buying more stuff to eat at Maison Kayser and go back up to have my sandwich waiting for me. The katsu sandwich comes warm, cocooned in a little plastic bag which helps keeps your hands sauce-free in case you want to eat on the run. If you're going to wait in the line, just be sure to order one for the road so you don't have to wait twice.

japanese: i recommend NOODLE SHOP & revisited: DEAN AND DELUCA

NOODLE SHOP
at Breeze Shopping Center, Foodcourt, B1

DEAN AND DELUCA
at Breeze Shopping Center, B2
CLOSED

39, Fuxing South Rd, Sec. 2
(02) 6600-8888

Hours: 11am-9:30pm Sun-Thur; 11am-10pm Fri-Sat

$

visit reviewed: 4/20/2007




As far as ramen goes, this is a pretty good tasting bowl of ramen. Especially for mall food! The menu is only in Chinese, but with lots of pictures. I think this was a shoyu broth- the broth was so flavorful I couldn't stop drinking it, the pork was very tender and the noodles were quite "Q" - just right amount of chewiness.

I stole more than a few bites of ramen from my friend, while I had ordered the set lunch (NT$250) from Dean and Deluca along with a quiche. Not as in love with the scallop noodles and roasted vegetables this time around- though I did finish it all- and I liked the refreshing truffle asparagus. Wouldn't get the pesto penne again- it tasted undercooked. Still don't really care for the bread or the soup in the set menu, though the bread was served warm this time. The quiche (NT$180) was cold, but they will heat it up for you. The egg in the quiche was the right amount of firmness and the elements all blended together nicely. I especially liked the broccoli.

bakery: i recommend MAISON KAYSER

MAISON KAYSER
at Breeze Shopping Center, B2
39, Fuxing South Rd, Sec. 2
(at the intersection of Civic Boulevard and Fu Hsing South Road)
(02) 6600-8888

Hours: 11am-9:30pm Sun-Thur; 11am-10pm Fri-Sat

website: maison-kayser.com in french

$-$$

visits reviewed: 3/7/2007 and 4/20/2007


say it three times fast: olive it

Today was my third time wandering by Maison Kayser, a very frou frou bakery with the price tag to match near the equally frou frou Dean and Deluca at Breeze. The first time, I bought an assortment of pastries, some that I had sampled, some that I had not. I wasn't particularly impressed with the bun-sized Brioche or the flaky Apple type Danishes (it tasted a lot sweeter as a sample, or maybe I chose the wrong one), but the wide selection and hearty compliments by the picks my friend made were encouraging.

With both English and Chinese signs for most of the bread and sweets, it's easier to figure out what you want. Also, with all the Chinese and Japanese style bakeries in town, this one is more unique in that it offers more European style breads and treats from an actual French chain- from huge loaves to pizza to fruit tarts.

Today I wandered around again, sampled and ended up falling in love with this Olive Twist Bread (NT$90). I almost mistakenly bought the denser olive bread loaf (on the shelves), but comparing the sample with the loaf didn't match. Glancing around again, I spotted (right next to the samples!) a tree of hanging pretzel-like breads. It's very addicting as I've been snacking on it all afternoon, despite my vow to cut down carbs. The tough crust, tender interior bread and sprinkling of distinct olive bits tastes as if olive tapenade and pretzel bread got married and had a baby.

So for this alone, I will probably go back to Maison Kayser and buy more bread. And give another try at some of the other tempting sweets on the counter- if I can bear to pay NT$150 for it.

CLOSED! american: i recommend DEAN AND DELUCA

CLOSED! A/o 2011

DEAN AND DELUCA
at Breeze Center, B2F
N0.39, Fuxing S Road. Sec 1
Taipei 105
(02) 6600-8888 ext 7301

$-$$$

Sun - Wed 9 AM - 9 PM
Thur-Sat: 9 AM - 10 PM

website: deandeluca.com

visit reviewed: 3/12/2007



As "mall" food goes, Dean and Deluca can get pricey. But hey- it's Dean and Deluca- in Taiwan! So for a set lunch, NT$250 for fresh deli salads or hot American style food is quite a bargain. The NT$600 jar of jam- well, that's if you REALLY love spreadable fruit on your bread, right?

The clean classic layout makes it fun to browse the aisles for ultra-gourmet pastas, chocolates, cheese and other random gourmet foodie selections from NY and around the world. And maybe a great place to find a gift for your boss or that special someone.. but definitely the prices are more affordable to those that shop Tiffany's rather than the night market since it's more expensive than the already pricey JASONs or City Super. But don't let that deter you from checking out their deli selections.




You can choose already packed sandwiches or set lunches (NT$250), or you can choose your own selections from the daily specials. Today, I ended up selecting couscous, mushrooms, roasted veggies and noodles. It came w/ bread and soup- and today was corn soup or pumpkin soup. The corn soup was more watery than creamy and the pumpkin soup had a slightly sweet flavor to it. The couscous was flavorful and fluffy, the mushrooms were not grilled and flavorful as the roasted veggies which I really enjoyed, and the noodles were a bit sweet and tangy w/ tiny scallops mixed in and surprisingly tasty.



You can also choose from the hot food selections such as meat, pastas, lasagnas and veggies for a little extra. I really loved the selection and freshness of all the foods, especially since it will be difficult to find things like couscous anywhere else in Taipei. And it's not a bad price for the portion/choices in contrast to a lunch at Macaroni Grill or something equally Western.

There are also gourmet sandwiches such as Eggplant and Brie which come on fresh bread and are in the deli section. Although I didn't have any of this, my friend was very happy with it and finished it all. She even recommended the Brie which unfortunately they ran out of in the cheese section.



All in all, it's a quick pleasant place for lunch, especially if you have been searching for deli style types of foods. You can also get it ala carte by weight, but the lunchtime set menu is a good bargain- you could even take it home to reheat it for later. I think I'll definitely find myself there again, and maybe even splurging on something gourmet from the racks.