revisited/desserts: i recommend VVG BON BON

VVG BON BON 好樣棒棒

台北市敦化南路一段161巷13號 

(02)2711-4505

MRT: Zhongxiao/Dunhua

website: vvgvvgblogspot.com Chinese only

hours: 12PM - 9PM; weekends 11AM - 9PM

$$ (about NT$630/person)

Kid friendliness: no high chairs, lots to see.

Visit reviewed: 4/9/2012
Previous visit reviewed: 7/27/2008

Figuring out a place to throw a baby shower for my friend led us to back to VVG Bon Bon, which I hadn't been for years...

Lots had stayed the same- the princess pink decor, the jars and jars of candy and sweets, rows of cupcakes, and whimsical touches...

But more loungy couch seating areas had been added in the front, like having tea in a hipster friend's living room.

And cupcakes looked fluffier, fancier, slightly bigger. There were also some other desserts, including bread puddings and the divine fudge chocolate marshmallow cake that I loved from the original VVG. 

Turned out to be the perfect place for a baby shower- there was even an adorable baby carriage near our seats that our friends asked us if we brought in. Haha!

The menu had also changed- though there was still four set menus to choose from- this season's sets featured lasagna, Indian styled beef curry pot and rice or burger, and an a la carte menu of pastas and salads.

When we started ordering, the waitress told us that they only certain numbers of certain sets available. I thought it was sort of strange, especially since we were the first customers at lunch and we had made reservations in advance, so they knew we had a large group coming. We worked it out, but I don't know if I'd be annoyed if a set I wanted was sold out.

Each set comes with a soup, salad, drink and cupcake and is served in VVG's signature bento style tray, which I've also seen at VVG Table's brunch. I ordered the Beef curry pot with Indian aromatic rice (NT$580) which had a nice sweet and spiciness and it was nice to have actual basmati rice to go with it, which quite a few Indian restaurants in Taipei skimp out on (and serve white rice instead).

 

Pumpkin soup, fresh greens...

And then the cupcake. I wasn't impressed with my cupcakes at my last visit years ago, but good for VVG Bon Bon, they improved them since then. I felt the syringe of sugar water was kind of strange as I didn't want artificial sugar added into my cupcake, but the chocolate cake and frosting was decent without it. The other cupcakes around the table were also very fanciful. We didn't get to choose our own cupcakes, but I suppose you could request your flavor in advance.

The seating in the back had been changed into a mini shop of sorts- an eclectic collection of candies, ceramics, stationary goods, bags, pillows and stuff. The candy land room was cluttered with salt water taffies, rainbow lollipops, cat shaped pillows, cupcake notecards, animal topped pens, and all sorts of cuteness.

The prices were too high for me to make an impulse purchase, but it could be a place to browse for gift giving.

One could have an Instragram/Facebook/Twitter/Weibo/Fill-in-your-social-media of-choice frenzy in here.

With all the new cute cafes and coffeeshops flooding Taipei's alleys, it was nice to come back to one of the first and see that VVG Bon Bon was worth revisiting.

italian/pizza: VAPIANO

VAPIANO

at ATT4Fun

No. 12 SongShou Rd, 10F 台北市松壽路12號10樓
(02) 2722-7111

MRT: Taipei City Hall 

website: Vapiano Taipei's FB page

hours: 11AM - 1PM; Friday/Saturdays 11AM- 2AM

$$ 

Kid friendliness: high chairs available. everything is self-serve

Visit reviewed: 4/17/2012

Vapiano is a German chain of Italian restaurants with pizza and pasta bars, and has almost 100 restaurants around the world. Located at the top of ATT4Fun, be sure to check out the view of Taipei 101 or grab a seat outside on the balcony.  I had heard about it for awhile, but with so many Italian eateries around, I didn't get a chance to try it right away.

The first thing that happens when you enter the restaurant, the hostess gives you some cards to use swipe when ordering food at the different stations, and to return to the cashier to "check out" when paying the bill. It's perfect for those who are dining with co-workers and always have trouble splitting the tab. This makes it clear- whatever you swiped, you ordered. Some might even visit Vapiano just for this novelty factor.

The modern space with wood floors and panels has higher bar stool type seating and tables, as well as some tables and lounge bar type sofas in the back. 

Colorful drawings decorate the chalkboards above various stations while the details are on menus on the counter, with occasional special menu items offered. 

Essentially, it's like a dressed up Italian food court. You find your own seats, you walk around the different pizza and pasta and dessert stations and order, swipe the card at the counter register, take the buzzers back to your seat, come back to get the food when it's ready, and fetch your own utensils, water, napkins and extra plates. 

It's a bit of a scavenger hunt to locate everything for a first timer. I also had saved seats for the rest of my party and had tell at least 3 different people trying to sit down at the table that the seats were taken while I was waiting for them and my food. A bit awkward.

Luckily there are buzzers for the pastas and pizzas, so you don't have to stand there waiting in line and can multitask. Get all the stuff ready for the meal while the food is cooking up.

If you're in a group, it would be easy to split up the tasks, but since I was by myself, I ended up getting all the food and utensils first, making multiple trips from the pasta/pizza counters to the table. I can imagine that this could be a bit troublesome for diners with a kid or two- do you leave the kids by themselves at the table when you get the food, and the forks and the extra napkins and the water, or do you take them with you?

Pizzas range from NT$280-420 and are made to order. I enjoyed the rucola pizza (NT$360) since I don't often find fresh arugula/rocket in Taipei, and I added mushrooms to the pizza.

This was my friend's pizza with prawns and peppers and pesto sauce, I think it was a special of the day menu pizza.

I found the pastas that night to be a bit gummy and starchy, not al dente like I typically prefer. Even the bites of the other pastas I tried from my friends were the same. The pasta prosciutto tartufato sounded better than it tasted with the prosciutto being cubes of ham (not silky prosciutto like I thought), truffle oil, gorgonzola and baby spinach (NT$420). If I had known that it was ham, and not parma ham, I would have ordered a different pasta. I thought the sauce was just okay and the texture of the pasta kept me from really enjoying it. There are about 10 different types of pasta to choose from, and you can mix and match them with the sauces and toppings.

Chicken and bacon carbonara with fusilli pasta

My friends added some starters- a caesar salad, beef carpaccio and soup.

 

The premade desserts at the dessert bar.

I'd stick to the pizzas at Vapiano and the space is nice enough to relax and enjoy a few slices with a glass of wine, especially on a nice night out with the glittering view of Taipei.

snapshot: RANDOM SPRING ONION PANCAKE STREET VENDOR

Sometimes you can smell it in the air and then follow your nose to the cart. This one, tucked in the alley behind Keelung and Zhongxiao, next to 7-11 was a good find. Hot and crispy on the outside, with a soft chew on the layers inside without being too oily. I prefer the tsong you bing, or spring onion pancake, without egg and without sauce, but you could load it up for a mini meal.
You really can't beat the street eats in Taipei!