afternoon tea: JADE LOUNGE at MANDARIN ORIENTAL TAIPEI

JADE LOUNGE at 
MANDARIN ORIENTAL TAIPEI

No. 158, DunHua N Rd, Songshan District
(02) 2715-6888

MRT: Taipei Arena or Nanjing Fuxing

website: Jade Lounge facebook page

$$$ (about NT$1300/person + 10% service charge)

Visit reviewed: 2/6/2017

[TAIPEI- SONGSHAN] First thing you should know if you are meeting someone for afternoon tea at the Mandarin Oriental in Taipei is which part of the hotel you are meeting at. It was almost comedic trying to find my friend while I wandered the marbled hallways, furiously texting him from the lobby to the empty shopping arcade, back to the Jade Lounge where I started. (Even finding their restaurants Thai and Thai or Bencotto takes a little bit of navigation as the hotel is split into separate buildings and there is an attached shopping mall). 

Afternoon tea is offered at both the Jade Lounge on the 1st floor as well as Cafe Un Deux Trois, with slight variations. Since my friend was doing a write up on "must stay" hotel round up in Taipei and invited me to join him on his comped afternoon tea, how could I say no. 

The afternoon tea at the Mandarin Oriental is a classic three tiered combination of sweet and savory bites, including a ham and truffle cheese layered crepe, Le Jambon Cru, 36 Months Dry-Cured Ham, Nut Bread Baguette Toast, Candied Tomatoes, smoked salmon on toast, scones and delicate raspberry and chocolate desserts and tea cakes to share. While the lounge and the set are very opulent and posh, the food unfortunately was prettier than they tasted, with some of the pieces being way too sweet. A lot of them were mousse based, so being someone who doesn't like mousse, this was a minus for me.  Which is unfortunate since the cakes I've had from their cake shop are actually quite delicious. 

The tea connoisseurs should be happy with their wide selection of teas, including half a dozen Chinese green teas, all from Taiwan. One of my readers mentioned on instagram that they used to offer you to try different types of tea along with the set- that would make it more worth the price tag of NT$1300 per person. Unless you are meeting someone who is staying at the Mandarin or looking for privacy, I would rather have afternoon tea at somewhere like Yellow Lemon or Smith and Hsu.

So cute but...

The scones were dry, even with jam... made me wistful for Smith and Hsu's scones.

On the way out, I spied this cart of chocolates and cakes, which after asking, are not a part of the afternoon tea set, but can be ordered a la carte. The price tag of NT$270 for three pieces of homemade chocolates will be sure to make you savor them slowly. I do also have to note that the service at Jade Lounge was quite helpful in suggesting what tea to choose and they kindly boxed up what we didn't finish for me in a takeaway box.

dessert/snack : i recommend HARITTS COFFEE AND DONUTS

HARITTS COFFEE AND DONUTS

No. 33, Lane 81, FuXing N. Rd

松山區復興北路81巷33號

(02）8771-0645

website: Haritts Coffee and Donuts' Facebook page 

hours: 11AM - 7PM

MRT: Nanjing Fuxing

Price: $ 

Kid friendliness: kids will probably like the gooey chocolate or plain

Visit reviewed: 8/12/2016

I finally made it to Haritts Donuts which I had been seeing it on instagram for months. I just got back from LA where I had indulged in a a number of donut shops (Sidecar & DK in LA and Doughnut Plant & Dominique Ansel cronuts in NY) and craving donuts. 

Haritts is on a one way alley, a block away from Fuxing N. Road. The hand lettered signage on the entrance and on the menu inside gives it an artisanal charm. 

There are a few tables to sit inside to enjoy your coffee and donuts. 

Besides donuts, they sold packaged rusks and coffee and tea.

The donut menu is on the wall, with the same lettered signage in English and Chinese and drawings to show the dozen or so flavors. But not all the flavors were available that day even though we went around 11AM, quite close to opening, only whatever is on display in the glass counter.  They have a monthly schedule of donut flavors, available on their Facebook page (in Chinese only).

When you get them, they are wrapped in paper with cute stamps indicating the flavors on the outside folded flap.

I had to try one right away, so I tried matcha first. The donut was soft and pillowy, lightly dusted with green tea powdered sugar. But it tasted more like a bagel shaped bread dusted with powdered sugar  than the yeasted or cake donuts that we typically think of with we think donuts. Light and not greasy and comes in a dozen or so flavors, though only half were available when we went at 11AM opening yesterday. And you won't find any sprinkle or frosting covered donuts here. 

The cream cheese had a bit of flavored cream cheese inside. There was also a matcha red bean available with red bean inside and a caramel walnut with candied walnuts inside, instead of jelly and custard.

Last minute I decided to get chocolate and I'm glad I did. It had a bit of gooey chocolate in the middle, and was the most sweet of the four I tried. Of course, it's not going to be as sweet as the chocolate donuts from the states, but I guess that's why Haritts works for Taiwan (and Japan, where it's from). It's like a healthier version of a donut that doesn't taste greasy even though it was fried. Also, try to eat the donuts the same day. My best bite was right after buying it-- the donuts the next day were definitely staler and not as satisfying. 

Did I enjoy Haritts' donuts? Yes. Did it fulfill my donut craving? Sort of. Still might have to revisit Voodoo Doughnuts Taipei for a maple bacon bar. But it's not so bad to have an healthier option for donuts to go to. 

salad/desserts: i recommend SAVOUR CAFE

SAVOUR CAFE
No. 115 Xinyi Rd Sec. 4
台北市大安區信義路四段115號
(02) 2701-2498

MRT: Daan

hours: 11:30AM - 10PM

$$ (NT$400+ per person)

website: Savour Cafe's FB page

kid friendliness: quiet atmosphere, but kids may like sandwiches and desserts. i wonder if there is a drink minimum for kids.

visit reviewed: 4/12/2016

I've probably passed by Savour Cafe hundreds of times and never noticed it since (a) I'm usually on the other side of Xinyi so it's blocked by the bus stop stands in the middle and (b) the glaring MUCHO sign down the block and the red Eclat boutique hotel around the corner are more eye catching. But if you were walking down the street, you could definitely spot the cafe with the white and gold sign. 

Inside, they make the most out of their narrow space, with a few tables and throw pillow type seating and the "kitchen" and counter in the back. There are quite a few solo patrons working on their laptops and all of the customers are women (except my lunch date). Makes sense considering the light fare on the menu. By mid afternoon, all the of the tables were filled.

There are pretty much only four things on Savour Cafe's menu- a caesar salad, a baby spinach pumpkin salad, a basil chicken panini or a spicy duck breast panini (NT$180-200). The good- the salad that I had come for was delicious, especially since I had been needing a place to fill the void that the loss of Les Bebes' veggie salad left. The bad? They have a mandatory drink minimum and every drink price is jacked up to at least NT$140-180.

UGHHHHHH. I hate drink minimums. I would much prefer a restaurant have a minimum charge. I even asked the server, what if I ordered dessert? But the answer was still no. The drinks to choose from include coffee, tea, au lait, juice, soda, slush or milkshake. After reluctantly mulling over the menu for a few minutes, I tried to pick a drink with the least damage calorie wise- rose tea (NT$180).

Service was fairly quick- the paninis came out around the same time and before the salad that we were going to share. Each panini is cut into three slices and came with a few potato wedges and small salad. Both sandwiches tasted like something I could make at home, which was a good sign, meaning that I liked the flavors and the combination of elements in the sandwiches.

Spicy Duck Breast Panini (NT$180) with pan fried duck breast, jalapeño, tomato, cheddar cheese and mozzarella.

The spread with our mandatory drinks- rose tea on the left and mixed berry soda (NT$180) on the right. I probably wouldn't order the rose tea again- it was floral but not rose, and tasted like watered down tea. Luckily my friend treated me to lunch so I wouldn't lament the fact that I was forced to pay NT$180 for watered down tea. Sure makes for a pretty photo though! (lol, read with sarcasm)

Baby spinach pumpkin salad (NT$180) the salad was plentiful to share between two people (along with a sandwich each) and I liked how they added various almonds and nuts to give the salad a contrasting crunch. The dressing was a bit on the sweet side, but I thought it went well with the baby spinach. The grilled pumpkins were caramelized and tender. I wouldn't mind eating just the salad by myself, with dessert.

Toffee banana tart (NT$160) 

Whipped cream and toffee caramel sauce slathered atop frozen banana slices and cookie tart crust. Like if tiramisu and banana split had a baby. I wasn't going to order this, but I had to ask them about the red velvet cake, and then looking at instagram, it seemed quite a few people raved about the desserts. After finishing the whole thing myself, I could see why- the icy banana slices taste like ice cream and the thick toffee sauce gives it a sticky sweetness. So so good- I might have to try making it at home. They also had red velvet and cinnamon apple cake on the menu, but were out of red velvet. 

So would I come back to Savour Cafe and acquiesce to their drink minimum again? The toffee banana tart was so good that I'm thinking that the red velvet has a good chance of being good as well, so yes. Next time, I'll skip the teas and get coffee to go with my dessert instead. 

afternoon tea/taipei cafe: i strongly recommend CAFE DE RIZ CAFE

CAFE DE RIZ CAFE 米販咖啡 

No. 9, Lane 119, Heping E. Rd, Sec. 3

台北市信義區和平東路三段119巷9號1樓(全安公園旁) 

(02) 2736-6166

MRT: Liuzhangli

website: Cafe De Riz Coffee Shop's FB page

Hours: 11AM - 7PM 

Kid friendliness: no high chairs spotted, some room for strollers, but it is a smaller space

Visit reviewed: 9/15/2015

Not to be confused with Cafe de Riz's other location on Anhe Road (which used to serve mainly chirashis and seafood rice bowls), this Cafe de Riz is a coffee shop/cafe serving dessert for the eyes and mouth. I was invited to a blogger tasting, where they introduced their new collaboration with French pastry chef Roumanille Yann (previously at three michelin starred Pierre Gagnaire and Dalloyau in Paris).  

I don't know if it was the sugar high or the plating or the French accent, but I felt a tiny bit transported away from Taipei. My favorite  plate included the delicious and delicate butter cookies, caramels and meringues for their new signature sweets (NT$150). Taste from light to dark. Loved this. 

Let's imagine we are in France for a few hours, and eat meringues, caramels, sable, guimauve and gateau au citron. 

Caramels and chocolate biscuits made from Marou chocolates, made from Vietnamese cocoa. Marshmallow with shiso. 

Lemon pound cake (NT$150) 

Hojicha creme brûlée (NT$180)  not as photogenic, but still very delightful

Ahh love natural lighting for photographs!

Chocolate tart (NT$160) 

Onigiri lunch sets are also available for a light lunch (which I'll have to come back to try!), or packaged biscuits and cakes would make great hostess gifts. If you're lucky, they might have cinnamon rolls in stock. Thanks @cafederiz for the tasting and for the delicious treats!