american/chinese: i recommend FORKS AND CHOPSTICKS

[TAIPEI]

Orange chicken in Taipei. 

When I first started the blog, the question I would get once in awhile was "where can I find Americanized Chinese food in Taipei?" And I had no idea, I mean it just was not a thing here. Plus you've got dumplings, noodle soups and veggies galore. 

But then after a few years I would really get nostalgic for that styrofoam box of orange chicken, chow mein and a fried egg roll. I know I wasn't alone because I even followed the news of an American Chinese diner opening in China (and closing a few years later) and orange chicken getting so popular you could buy it at Trader Joes. Panda Express even started trying to started making burritos with orange chicken and had Innovation Kitchens. 

And now, Taipei finally has its own spot to order a few of your takeout faves. The founders of FORKS AND CHOPSTICKS 筷叉小館  were feeling the same cravings and tackled this problem with a cloud kitchen solution. 

The menu at Forks and Chopsticks isn't long, but it's got the classics you might spy at the mall food court - broccoli beef, orange chicken, chicken zucchini, eggplant and tofu, chicken and string beans, fried rice, and chow mein..and yes, there's fortune cookies, takeout boxes and that familiar looking styrofoam shaped box (minus the styrofoam cuz it's Taiwan 2022). 

And the taste comes pretty close, at least for me who hasn't been to the states in 2 years and hasn't had orange chicken in more than that. I must admit Panda Express' orange chicken was such the guilty pleasure in college. So while the flavor is close, I do wish it was a bit more crispier and stickier (though I guess I get Korean fried chicken for those cravings these days). Paired with a chewy chow mien, it scratches an itch. The familiar fried rice, the lucky numbers with your fortune.

You can order by the dish or get a combo 1, 2 or 3 dishes with rice or noodles (or upon special request half and half). Currently you can find @ForksxChopsticks on ubereats or pick up,  but there's no dine in yet. They are also testing egg rolls (another fave that I haven't had in years) and crab rangoon. 

There _are_ fortune cookies, but they are an extra charge unfortunately, the same way chips and salsa are not free in Mexican restaurants here. lol. 

So anyone been missing their takeout menu from back home? What else are you missing? Maybe honey walnut shrimp or (it's been so long I had to google) sweet and sour shrimp or Kung Pao chicken. 

FORKS AND CHOPSTICKS 

(pick up and delivery only)

No. 67號, Guangfu S Rd, Songshan District, Taipei

(02) 2748-4205

dear hungryintaipei: TRACKING DOWN TAIWANESE BAKERIES

photo credit: udn.com

OVER THE YEARS, I've probably gotten hundreds of emails and messages from readers, not to mention comments on social media like my Facebook page, Instagram and twitter. I read all of the messages and try to respond if I can and if I have the time. 

I've received many great restaurant recommendations from you guys.  Some messages are touching, a note of thanks or details of how they used my blog while they were in Taipei and appreciate my hard work. I've loved hearing from restaurant owners telling me that my posts helped them get new customers or that they feel a noticeable impact.

I've led journalists and tv crews on the hunt for the best eats in Taipei, and as far as Keelung, Shenkeng, Tainan and Kaohsiung, arranging the right restaurants to feature and shoot. 

Most of the time, people ask for restaurant recommendations, or a list of must eats, but sometimes questions get very specific. I've even gotten asked to recommend places to propose to someone. (What a huge responsibility, right??!)

Once in awhile, I get dumb questions that can be answered by Google or Google Maps. It can be frustrating, but I've reminded myself over the last year that I don't have to answer EVERY single question or plan people's entire itinerary for them.

I thought it would be interesting to post some of these questions and answers over the years, since some of these answers might be something you've been wondering about too, OR maybe something you guys can help me answer!

This one was cool to research because, hey, Taiwan came in SECOND PLACE at the Baker's World Cup! Who's tried these bakeries?
_

JANUARY 15, 2017 
4:59AM

Subject: Tracking Down Taiwanese Bakeries

Hi Joan -

My partner and I are traveling to Taiwan later this month and I am trying to track down some bakeries. You might know that this past year, Taiwan did quite well at the Baker's World Cup, second place!

The winners are three gentlemen, whose names can be found here: http://www.europain.com/events/bakery-world-cup

I've managed to track down one of their bakeries: https://www.facebook.com/CTCBakery

But I am wondering if you know anything about the other two men or their bakery locations. I'm a professional baker myself and enjoy nothing more than "bakery tourism" when I travel. I love your blog and we will be using it as a resource for our trip. My partner Alexandra caught wind of you all the way over here in Boston.

Yours

- Dan S

_

JANUARY 15, 2017
1:45PM

Hey Dan,

Thanks for your email. Your question piqued my interest since I actually hadn't heard about this win. 

I'm guessing you got the CTC bakery from city543. According to 40 minutes of research and Google translating, it doesn't seem to be one of the bakeries. 

Check out this Chinese article

http://udn.com/news/story/7196/1505303#prettyPhoto

The three bakeries are 

Shakespeare Boulangerie 

高雄市鼓山區美術東二路51號（07）586-7256

https://m.facebook.com/shakespeare.co2010/

Un Jour A Paris 

昂舒巴黎烘焙坊

台北市大安區光復南路180巷1號（02）8771-6358

https://m.facebook.com/昂舒巴黎Un-Jour-À-Paris-934527939893710/

Wu Pao Chun

吳寶春麥方店 

台北店：台北市信義區菸廠路88號（02）6636-5888 #1902

高雄店：高雄市苓雅區四維三路 （07）335-9593

One is in Kaohsiung and the other two you can find in Taipei. You can check out their Facebook pages. 

The only one I've been to is Wu Pao Chun, who is the baker who won in 2010 and led this team. 

Their shop is in Songyen Eslite. 

Enjoy browsing the bakeries! 

Joan 

_

JANUARY 15, 2017

10:40PM

Thanks Joan. I can't express how much I appreciate your great detective work! IS this blogging a business for you? You are very passionate about it. We're actually staying in Kaohsiung for most of the trip with family and a few days in Taipei in February. I would be happy to take you out for a pastry as a token of gratitude. 

Yours

- Dan

market/vegan: i recommend IVEGAN SUPERMARKET

IVEGAN 愛維根蔬食超市

No. 54 Wanlong Road

文山區萬隆街54號

(02) 2395-0900

MRT: Wanlong 

hours: 8AM -10PM

Website: https://m.facebook.com/iveganmart

Price: $-$$

Visit reviewed: 6/2/2016

WRITING AN ARTICLE ABOUT VEGAN RESTAURANTS in Taipei has opened up a new dimension to Taipei that I never knew existed. Who knew that there was such a thing as a vegan supermarket in Taipei?! And it's huge. A whole basement level floor of fresh vegetables, fruits, packaged goods and frozen foods, IVegan is a curated, one stop shop for anyone looking for vegetarian or vegan goods in Taipei. Some of the items you could spy in your local market, Carrefour or Costco, but the selection here is varied enough that you could end up with a cartful of things even if you were just looking to buy veggies, tofu or household goods.

Opened for three years, iVegan is near the Wanlong MRT stop and not too hard to find from Roosevelt Rd., thanks to huge white and green signage pointing you to the right alley. Once at the entrance, you have to go down the stairs and down the long hallway before you reach the front of the market. There was a off putting smell for me in the hallway, either from the bathroom or durian or chemicals, not sure, but thankfully it was not evident inside the market. 

A huge array of fresh produce and veggies like you would see at most supermarkets is in the front, cheaper than the gourmet markets at Jasons or City Super.

Vegan kimchi, rice cakes, tofu, tofu products 

Fresh coconuts, pineapple and watermelons

Soy milk, sesame soy milk,  brown sugar soy yogurt 

Frozen vegan dumplings, onions rings, French fries 

Edamame, fruit popsicles, vegan ice cream

Vegan Instant noodles and packaged noodles, both chinese and Italian pastas, sauces 

Korean kitchen noodles for vegetarian 

Fruit vinegars, organic apple juice 

Frozen roti paratha, frozen vegan bacon, lots of mock meat like vegan bacon aka fakon

This fridge has some of the vegan dairy substitutes that I saw for the first time.. Vegan mayo Vegenaise, Earth Balance's olive oil "butter", Tofutti sour cream, vegan cheese  and coconut oil.  Keep in mind vegan products don't use any eggs, milk or cream.

Egg replacer 

Fresh breads and jams, peanut butter 

Vegan snacks, crackers and cookies

There seemed to be a unique selection of Indian, Thai, Vietnamese too- snacks, curry mixes, biryani mix, rice paper wrappers, satay sauce, chili sauces.  

Even spied a durian snack (shudder!!) and fresh durian. I can stand the smell of stinky tofu, but I cannot stand the smell of durian. 

Oatmeal 

Rice bran oil, olive oil sprays, grapeseed oil..

Crispy onions 

Vegetarian oyster sauce 

Quinoa 

An array of spices in large and smaller sizes - curry, fajita slice, thyme, cinnamon, chili powder - with English and chinese labels and nicely illustrated sketches 

Wasabi pepper salt anyone?

XO sauce 

Even can get bathroom, cleaning and kitchen products here. I even spied a glue gun! 

Veggie "pork floss" made from mushrooms or pumpkin 

Vegan chocolate 

Dried fruits guava, pineapple, mango and even vegan shrimp chips?? Haha 

Whew! So a little look at IVegan, Taipei's vegan supermarket.Did you see anything you have been looking for?