revisited/street food: KO FU SHUI JIAN BAO at XINYI/GUANGFU

KO FU SHUI JIAN BAO 口福水煎包 
LONG XIANG SHUI JIAN BAO 龍香水煎包
No. 355 XinYi Rd, Sec. 4 (XinYi/GuangFu intersection)
台北市信義路四段355號(光復南路口)

MRT: XinYi/AnHe

$ (NT$14/bao)

Kid friendliness: kids probably prefer all pork fillings. scallion pancakes also available

Visit reviewed: 2/3/2015

Recently an anonymous reader asked on an old post from 2008 about an address for the shui jian bao shacks on the corner of Xinyi and Guangfu, and since I had revisited it recently I thought I'd throw up photos of that corner's new look. The baos look (and taste) the same, but the shops got a facelift in the past few years with brighter red and orange signage. 

If you've never had a shui jian bao, it's basically a bun typically filled with pork or veggies and is steamed and pan fried at the same time, so that it has a nice golden crispy bottom.  Shui jian baos can work as a breakfast, lunch, dinner, afternoon snack, post meal snack, midnight snack... you get the idea!

2008 Xinyi/Guangfu baos

2015 Xinyi/Guangfu Baos

The English signage at Ko Fu Shui Jian Bao helps identify the different fillings for the baos, but there's still a little that got lost in translation. Fillings include black pork, radish, squash (not cucumber), mustard greens (not green mustard), leek, cabbage and bamboo shoots. Hey, five out of seven isn't too bad! I admit I'm human too... back in 2008 I said the shop was at the corner of Xinyi and Yanji, which isn't completely wrong since Yanji ends when it hits Xinyi, but is easier to find if you go to the intersection of Xinyi and Guangfu.

There's two different bao shops on the corner, the one on the front has the fancier sign and there's another one next to it. Which one is better? 

Ko Fu also has scallion pancakes, radish pancakes and soy milk. Once a long time ago, I think I also got a huge, fried crispy red bean pancake there for a snack. It was one of those things you wolf down because it's so good when it's hot and then regret eating the entire thing by yourself when it's over. It's probably still available somewhere on that corner- I've been scared to go back and look for it!

There's also a Yong He Dou Jiang right next door (which I have yet to try!) and then further down GuangFu, there's a Mango Cha Cha for those looking for mango shaved ice.  

The baos are NT$14 now and larger than the ones you'd find at Tonghua or Shilin night market and I prefer the juicier, crispier baos at the night market, where the pork juice is going to be dripping down your chin and you usually get it hot out of the pan, but when you're having those cravings during the day, this isn't a bad option. 

If you're looking for steamed baos instead, you can also try Chao Zhou Bao Zi on Lane 216, or worst case scenario, any 7-11 in Taipei! Man, now that I'm looking at that old post, I realized their signage got bigger and fancier too!!!! I'm going to have to do an update post for them too!

dessert/snapshot: I strongly recommend the MOCHI WAFFLES from JIMMIBOBO

This is why I love #taipei so much. Was in search of spring onion pancakes at the street vendors on the corner of Xinyi/DaAn and ended up finding amazing #mochiwaffles instead.

MOCHI WAFFLES! 

Crispy and carmelized on the outside, chewy on the inside!!! My mochi waffle was caramel macchiato and I got it hot off the waffle maker. There's also matcha, chocolate, strawberry, cheese, caramel and plain. Perfect snack for this chilly day and best nt$35 I've spent in a long time!

There's more #streeteats to explore on this corner- steamed dumplings, knife cut beef noodle soup- check out my past review for pictures! But if your heart is set on trying the mochi waffles, then look for the street cart right near the corner with this blue sign- Jimmi Bobo. I think it's a new version of the Jimmy boba milk tea cart from my last visit.

I wonder if I throw a Mister Donut mochi donut on the waffle iron, will it waffle? That might have to be a blog post for another day.

JIMMI BOBO 吉米波波 QQ 餅 

corner of Xinyi and DaAn Road 信義大安路口 

in front of Felice Cafe

(02) 2754-5192

snapshot/dessert: I strongly recommend ICE CREAM PEANUT CANDY SPRING ROLL at SHENKENG OLD STREET

This past week has been full of firsts for me, in a big way, as well as the first time exploring some of the mountain sides and ocean cities on the edges of Taipei.  It was also my first time to Shenkeng Old Street or Shenkeng Lao Jie, which is famous for having a row of restaurants and stands serving up stinky tofu, spicy tofu, fried tofu, bbq tofu, duo hua dessert tofu, almond tofu and tofu ice cream! Shenkeng is about a half hour drive outside of Taipei, on the southeast past the Taipei Zoo and Muzha, so you could combine the two for a day trip.

Before entering tofu street, I spotted this ice cream peanut wrap vendor with the bright green sign and block of peanut candy across from the entrance of the Old Street, and you know me, I had to stop to get one. 

One wrap is NT$40 with a choice of pineapple, taro, plum or vanilla for your three scoops, or there's a rainbow sherbet type swirl action going on if you don't specify a preference. Just to be clear the ice cream here is NOT made with tofu, since it sits outside the tofu street zone. Haha.

A layer of freshly shaven peanut candy, a layer of ice cream, another douse of peanut candy bits and a  sprinkle of cilantro and then the thin wrap is folded in and rolled. ICE CREAM BURRITO for a little over a dollar!! One of my favorite Taiwan street snacks!! Peanut ice cream wrap, spring roll, popiah, burrito, run bing- call it whatever you want because it's essentially the same thing, just with ice cream inside it!

At first bite, I noticed that there seemed to be a hit of salt in the peanuts' sweetness, and the owner confirmed that they do make their peanut candy differently with the addition of salt. It totally accentuates the flavors the same way that we love anything salted carmel. The ice cream is the perfect temperature- creamy and melt in your mouth and you get the crunch from the peanut candy. Hit up one of the restaurants for stinky tofu and then come here for a palate cleanser! 

SHENKENG LAO JIE 深坑老街

dessert/soft serve: HONEY CREME

HONEY CREME

No. 8, Lane 169, DunHua S. Rd, Sec. 1
台北市大安區敦化南路一段169巷8號D室
(02)2740-7070

MRT: ZhongXiao/DunHua

website: Honey Creme's FB 

hours: 11:30AM- 9:30PM, open until 10:30PM on weekends

$ (about NT$150/person)

Kid friendliness: kids will want their own cone/cup.

Visit reviewed: 3/5/2014

If Honey Creme had NT$150 for every person that was curious about their glistening honeycomb soft serve ice cream, then they'd be rich. I suppose that's the idea. A rebranded version of Softree's soft serve from Korea, Honey Creme had lines around the block early on when it opened and it was not even summer yet. Even when I went in drizzly gray March, there were people lingering and eating their cones outside, though you could just walk in and order your ice cream. Was it the honey comb? Was it the craze for everything Korean because of the Korean soap You Who Came From the Stars? Was it just because people in Taipei LOVE to wait in line?

With the soft serve wars going down in Taipei, you could opt for a cone at 7-11 or Family Mart that would be less than half the price and just as tasty (with Matcha, Mango, Strawberry or flavor of the moment), or at Godiva, Gakuden or maybe your neighboring bakery. But then you wouldn't have the honeycomb- is it worth the extra dinero? 

I think part of Honey Creme's success is the design of the store and elements- everything is so photogenic and instagrammable. After all, that is how I started seeing a flurry of photos of colorful cones stacked up high, piles of honeycomb under the glass counter and perfectly swirled vanilla topped with a mini honeycomb chip on instagram. Otherwise, who would choose to pay US$5 for ONE soft serve cone (outside a theme park or restaurant).?

 

You can get the ice cream in a cup or a cone, from NT$110 plain to NT$170 for the ice cream in a pastry like twist roll and honey comb. There's also options for organic (?!) cotton candy, chocolate beans, honey castella cake or dark chocolate sauce toppings. There's only one vanilla ice cream flavor to choose from, which is rich and milky, like the hokkaido milk soft serve I've tried from Costco, but less intense.

After you order and pay, the next server will make your order to deliver to the pick up window. I stuck to the classic Honey Comb in a cone (NT$150), which she expertly swirled high on the skinny colorful cone. 

A small chunk delicately set atop from a box of precut honeycombs.

The yellow cardboard cutout at the base of the cone is a great idea for catching melty drips that are bound to happen in the hot Taipei weather.

Finally!! I get to try it after seeing it for weeks on friends' timelines and instagrams. 

The honey itself had a nice flavor and sweetness, though I kind of wished there was a bit more of it. At Softree in Seoul, which I tried in March, they were actually out of the honeycombs (which they called honey chips) and so have an option where you just get honey. Obviously that's not as hard to replicate at home and not as cool looking, but to be honest the honeycomb itself was waxy and not edible. If you suck all the honey out, then it's a bit messy. At first, I tried chewing it expecting it to be a bit crunchy, but instead it was soft and waxy and then I had bits I had to spit out. So I'm glad I gave it a try, but it's too pricey to be a regular treat. 

Before I left for LA, I spotted a branch of the OG Softree from Korea opened up in Taipei at ATT4Fun with less fanfare (and no lines) so it's interesting how marketing (and branding) plays a factor into the success of a dessert shop. Honey Creme is definitely more pretty and enticing, while the Softree location looked less appetizing (even their honey chips were not as beautifully presented). I wouldn't have even noticed it except that I had recognized their signage from visiting the Korean Shop and researching them when Honey Creme had opened. Interesting to see if it will ever blow up in the same way.

But if it doesn't, we'll have Honey Creme to fulfill our honeycomb ice cream desires.

bakery/french: i recommend LALOS BAKERY

LALOS BAKERY
No. 91 AnHe Road, Sec. 1
台北市安和路一段91號
(02) 2755-5968

MRT: ZhongXiao/DunHua or XinYi/AnHe

Hours: 11AM -7PM

$-$$

Kid friendliness: lots of breads and sweets. small seating area

Visit reviewed: 1/2014 & 3/5/2014

What sets apart Lalos Bakery from all the corner shop bakeries you spot in Taipei? Award winning baker Frederic Lalos-  the youngest chef to have won the “Meilleur Ouvrier de France or M.O.F.” (Best French Baker) in 1997 and Baker of the Year in 2010. He's opened a number of bakeries in France, which supplies top restaurants in Paris, and now has two shops in Taipei.

If you try one bread from Lalos Bakery, get the honey lemon bread (NT$85) or the Miel Citron Confit. I fell in love with it at STAY and again when I picked it up from the new branch shop on Anhe Road. You don't even need jam with the pops of lemon peel flavor in the chewy honeyed bread. I love tearing apart and gnawing on the crust, which is crispy but not too hard.

There's a lot of tempting selection in the store, but after trying different types of breads, the honey lemon bread remains my favorite, while others weren't as memorable. 

The flaky and yummy Pain au Chocolat (NT$60) is another thing I would pick up again.

I wanted to love the caramel almond brioche rolls, but they were not sweet enough for my American tastebuds. Same with their baked apple tart that usually sits near the cash register. 

Always want to try some of their desserts, but always end up resisting. Anyone have a favorite they can recommend? 

OTHER LOCATION

Taipei 101 No. 45 ShiFu Rd, B1
台北市信義區市府路45號B1
(02) 8101-8355

CLOSED/dessert/french: i strongly recommend LADUREE

LADUREE 法國百年馬卡龍
Xinyi Mitsukoshi A9
新光三越 信義A9
No. 9 Song Shou Road
北市信義區松壽路9號
(02) 2722-8918

we will have to go to paris for laduree now. the lines were crazy at first and then after they died down, we couldn't keep laduree for long.

MRT: ZhongXiao/FuXing

website: laduree.com

hours: 11AM- 9:30PM

$$$ (NT$98 for one small macaron)

Kid friendliness: kids might want a colorful confection too, but will eat it quicker than you can say NT$100

Visit reviewed: 10/21/2013 &11/13/2013

Two words- Salted caramel. If you were to get just one macaron from one of the two Laduree shops now in Taipei, go for the salted caramel. Of course, it's not as colorful as strawberry, pistachio, rose or lemon, but it's always my favorite. 

When Laduree first opened up shop in Taipei at Breeze Center, my friend messaged me while waiting in a 2 hour line asking if I wanted a box. Everyone wanted a little piece of the famous French macaron, especially to gifts. "YES! Get me salted caramel!" I messaged back. And when he messaged me again that the person in front of him had just taken the last few, I was disappointed, until he wrote back a minute later that they had located a new batch in the back and so I'd have some by the end of the day.

But nowadays, you can walk up to the shop without a wait. This is a peek at the first floor shop at Xinyi Mitsukoshi. It's kind of weird because it's located where the makeup counters usually are, but is a good spot for luring customers who shop (or Instagram) in the high end mall. Squint your eyes at the mint green counter display with macaron trees and rows of macarons to pretend that you are buying them in Paris instead of Taipei (or wander upstairs to Paul for some napoleons and crepes. Haha!)

For first time Laduree macaron buyers, when you are at the counter, you should take a look at the color coded macaron chart as well as the boxes pricing list. Macarons are NT$98 per piece, but the price goes slightly up if you choose a gift box. It's definitely not cheap for such tiny pieces of sugar, but they are air shipped all the way from France. You could get a box of 12 Krispy Kremes for the prices of 3 macarons, but it depends on what your cravings are. 

There's the typical flavors like chocolate, coffee, lemon, vanilla, pistachio, raspberry, rose, and more unusual flavors like gingerbread, marshmallow strawberry candy, orange blossom, blackcurrant violet or pink pepper. 

The most expensive box is listed at NT$6860 for a 70 piece box (around US$230)! Crazy.

When buying the macarons, they'll usually ask if you are giving it as a gift or not. If you say yes, they'll encourage you get get a gift box which can extra, depending on which box you select. You can also get the free box (especially if it's for yourself), but you need to get a box of 8 (NT$784). The complimentary green box is more thin and flimsy than the gift boxes but works perfectly fine to carry them home. It's about the same cost as the box of six in the fancy box,  but you only get six macarons instead of eight. (And pay NT$130 per macarons instead of NT$98. That's the Asian frugal part of me calculating). I've had friends who didn't know so they thought they had to get the fancy box so their macarons wouldn't get smashed on the way home, and got shorted a couple of bites.

If you're giving it as a gift, then there are lots of different beautiful boxes to choose from, and the cost will go up a bit and they charge different prices for different boxes. If you are just getting one or two to taste, then they will put it in a paper bag, so it's best to eat it right away. If you don't eat your macarons within a few days, you can put it in the fridge, or even better in the freezer to put them in "hibernation" until you are ready to eat them.

Previously, my first and only time tasting Laduree macarons was when I received them as a gift from a friend that visited Paris- in a Hello Kitty box no less! In the US, the only shops are in New York, and in Asia, there are shops in Tokyo, Nagoya, Hong Kong, Seoul, Bangkok, Singapore, and now Taipei and Taichung. So those of you visiting from LA might even find yourself taking some home instead of pineapple cakes.

My other favorite place in Taipei to get macarons for their flavors and adorable packaging is Patisserie La Douceur, but they stopped making a lot of my favorite flavors like wasabi and balsamic vinegar. Maybe one day I'll have a salted caramel macaron taste test from all the shops around Taipei. Haha!

Even Laduree jams, chocolates and souvenirs are available. 

These pink and silver boxes of six were gifts to me. Actually for awhile, I was getting macarons from a number of friends! Thanks to my dear friends J & C, G and Vs for the sweets. It's a splurge for the treat, but costs about the same as the other macarons in town, so it's a fair price to pay for one of the best macarons in Taipei, if not the world.  

OTHER LOCATION

at Breeze Center 微風廣場
No. 39 FuXing S. Road, Sec. 1
北市松山區復興南路一段39號1樓
(02) 8772-4409