Snapshot: Hello Kitty Ramen at 7-11

I think Hello Kitty is celebrating her 35th birthday so you can find all sorts of Hello Kitty related stuff for awhile at 7-11, or at least more than usual. I wonder if there is anything special about the ramen inside or if they just slapped an image on the package.

revisited/thai:i strongly recommend THAI TOWN

THAI TOWN
at Shin Kong Mitsukoshi, A9, 7th FL
9 Song Shou Road
Xin Yi District
(02) 2723-9987

MRT: Taipei City Hall

website: thaitown.com.tw

$$

Kid friendliness: high chairs and children's dinnerware available.

Visit reviewed: 4/6/2009
Previously reviewed: 10/27/2006



Since my first time eating at Thai Town and writing about it's take-out almost three years ago, I've eaten there a number of times, each time being impressed by its consistently good food and ample portions. It's a great place for a lunch date or even better, a huge group lunch so that you can have more dishes to share in a stylish, modern setting.

My favorite dishes to order are usually the Moon Shrimp Pancakes, Thai style satay, Thai Fried Rice Noodle (or Pad Thai) or Seafood and Pineapple Fried Rice, Curry Chicken and Spicy Fried Greens with Shrimp Paste.

But today, we tried out some new dishes- the Spicy & Sour Shrimp Soup(Tom Yom Kum) and the Green Curry Chicken in Coconut Sauce. Both were spicy, but good.



The Green Curry Chicken was more like a sauce than a curry (as the menu states)- and you definitely need the Thai white rice to balance the spiciness. When you order your food, your server will ask if you want regular rice or Thai rice, you definitely have to pick the long grain Thai rice!



The Tom Yum Kum was sour and spicy just like its name in Chinese "Thai guo suan la tang" and had hearty lemongrass, tomato, spicy flavors. I've only recently discovered a newfound love for Tom Kha Kai which is a Thai chicken coconut milk soup (but isn't on the menu here)



While Thai Town is more a casual sit down, chain-store version of Thai food (rather than the local mom and pop shops you'd find in LA) with a large English and Chinese menu of standard popular appetizers, main dishes and even desserts. It's one of my top choices for Thai food in Taipei, my first choice being the delicious Mei Kung and third choice is the fusion-esque Patio (formely Patara)

I know there are quite a few other Thai places in town I have yet to eat at, but when your favorite places are satisfying your stomach, I don't have a reason to wander.

other THAI TOWN locations in Taipei

Zhong Shan Shin Kong Mitsukoshi
No. 15, Nanjing W Road, 7 FL
(02) 2542-7277
MRT: Zhongshan station

49 Ren Ai Road, Sec 2
(02) 2351-0960

133 Anhe Road, Sec 2
(02) 2735-9638

116 Tien Mu West Road
Tien Mu District
(02) 2826-4852

68 Tien Mu East Road
Shin Kong Mitsukoshi, Building A, 7th FL
(02) 2873-6680

Miramar Shopping Center branch
22 Jingye 3rd Road, 2nd FL
(02) 2175-3355

165 Chen Gong Road, Sec 3
(02) 2791-9608

CLOSED! chinese/street eats: i strongly recommend YONG KANG KOU

a/o october 2010 CLOSED!

YONG KANG KOU
No. 1, Lane 6, Yong Kang St
(02) 2396-7532

$

Kid friendliness: no high chairs

Visit reviewed: 4/17/2009



Stinky, stinky tofu. When my friend JL was in town, he had a wishlist of stuff he wanted to eat- taro ice cream, stinky tofu, oyster vermicelli, taro dessert dumplings from Din Tai Fung. So we hit up Ximending one day for an eat-fest and the next day at Yong Kang Street or Yong Kang Jie.

Right across from Ice Monster, you'll spot the entrance for Yong Kang Kou (next to the Vietnamese restaurant) which looks like it's been around forever. To our surprise, we spotted stinky tofu there (when we were told that we'd probably have to hit up a night market to find it) so we decided to give it a try.



And good thing we did! The "chou dofu" (NT$45) which comes fried perfectly crispy, with a touch of superfine minced garlic and pickled cabbage. The stinky tofu here was quite dry, but in a good way, which made the skin much more crispy than those that are served a bit soggy.

I'd also recommend ordering the "shou gong nuo mi da chang" or handmade sticky rice stuffed in intestines (first picture at top of the post) so it's like a sticky rice sausage (NT$55 for small serving) and "da chang oh ah mian sien" or oyster vermicelli with intestine (NT$40). I'd recommend adding a bit of the chili sauce to the vermicelli to give it an extra needed layer of flavor.



SO GOOD! If I didn't already have some beef noodle soup from Yong Kang Beef Noodle, I would have eaten a lot more. Next time I want to try their "ba wan" or a glutinous hockey puck stuffed with diced meats and bamboo with a sweet sauce.



So maybe while you can multitask while you are waiting in line for Din Tai Fung around the corner or looking to eat Taiwanese snack foods without having time to go to the night market (or wanting to avoid the crowds), you should definitely make a trip to Yong Kang Kou. And they deliver! (with a minimum NT$400 order)


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chinese: YONG KANG BEEF NOODLE SOUP

YONG KANG BEEF NOODLE SOUP
No. 17, Lane 31, Jinshan S. Rd., Sec.2
(a few blocks from Yongkang St)
(02)2351-1051

hours: 11:30am-2pm, 5:30pm-8pm

$

Kid friendliness: no high chairs spotted

Visit reviewed: 4/17/2009



Maybe my expectations were too high. Maybe it was too spicy for me. Maybe my tastebuds were just used to the chewier noodles and tomato accented broth of Shan Xi Dao Xiao Mian that we had eaten the day before or the lighter broth of beef noodle soup from Din Tai Fung the night before that.

But I just didn't love the braised beef noodle soup at Yong Kang Beef Noodle Soup. The beef was a bit tough and the soup's spiciness overpowered the rest of the seemingly soy sauced broth for me. I didn't even want to finish my bowl. Instead, I gravitated to my friend JL's bowl of clear broth beef noodle soup, which had more depth in the soup.



I loved how they had big pots of sour and sweet pickled greens on the table and I liked their large assortment of cold appetizer dishes, like the pickled cucumber. I also liked their side dish which had steamed pork and yams or "fen zheng pai gu" which is available also with intestines. There were other things on the menu, but it was only in Chinese.



But Yong Kang Beef Noodle Soup shop has been around forever, or since 1963, as the sign proudly declares. I guess they've also recently redone their sign in an eye catching yellow, which made me check twice we were headed to the right place, since a lot of photos I've seen online show red signage.



If you must try all the beef noodle stores in town, you should give this place a try and then walk around Yongkang Street for some other eats. But if you're looking for the best- you can try neighbor Lao Zhang, voted Best beef noodle soup in my Best of Taipei reader's poll (which I haven't tried yet either).

My personal faves? Probably the "niu rou mian" from Shan Xi Dao Xiao Mian, and half beef, half tendon from Little Shanghai or "Xiao Shanghai."


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brunch/italian: i recommend HSIANG THE BRUNCH

HSIANG THE BRUNCH
No. 18, Ln 236, Dunhua S Rd Sec 1
(02) 8771-8258

hours: weekdays 10 AM - 10:30 PM; weekends 8 AM - 9 PM

$$

Kid friendliness: no high chairs spotted

Visit reviewed: 2/3/2009



Every so often, I get to have lunch with my girlfriends.. Sometimes it's a new place that they are introducing to me like Tripod King spicy hot pot ("mala huo guo") or Shan Xi Dao Xiao Mian (thanks Jenny!). On this day, we passed by this cute looking shop and decided to give it a try. Even though my friends and I ended up at a place named for its brunch, all but one of us ordered pasta. And we were pleasantly surprised.



My camera ran out of batteries, so all these photos are from my iPhone.

The Spaghetti with beef short rib in spicy tomato sauce (NT$400) had a nice chili kick to the great tomato sauce and the beef was tender and plentiful.



Other hits at the table were spicy chicken leg pasta and Risotto with clams and scallop in white wine sauce (NT$380).



The owner definitely kept in mind the interior, decorating it stylishly with various types of seating, chairs and sofa seats, vivid purple walls and lots of window light. It's a perfect place for ladies who lunch or an afternoon tea, yet not too girly-girl for couples or families. A bunch of guys lunching here, I don't know.



You can make your pasta a combo with garlic bread, soup and dessert, but I was not impressed enough with their fruit/tart dessert to repeat that.



The pancakes seemed appropriately fluffy (though kind of weirdly served with a small green salad) and their brunch is served all day. So next time you're craving omelettes or pancakes (or pasta!), you can give Hsiang the Brunch a try.



My friend said she had tried the location in Tienmu which had cute presentation for their brunch, but the portions were smaller than she expected for the price. I'm not sure if it's the same in both locations. Anyone tried the breakfast/brunch there?

other location:
No. 8, Ln 50, Tianmu East Road
Tianmu, Taipei
(02) 2872-5851 CLOSED 2011


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japanese: i recommend ING HSIANG OMAKASE

ING HSIANG OMAKASE
No. 1, Alley 5, Lane 608, Bei An Road
Dazhi, Taipei
(02) 2532-3986

hours: 11:30AM-2:30PM; 5:30PM-9:30PM

$$$

Kid friendliness: high chair available

Visit reviewed: 4/5/2009

Not too far from the popular Mitsui in Dazhi is this little omakase restaurant tucked behind a nondescript entrance a few alleys away.



The first course set the tone for the rest of the meal- simple, elegant presentation and flavors. I think the server said the shellfish was like a cousin to the lobster- with the same sweet meat. Reminded me of crawfish, but not sure if that's what it was.

Second course- sashimi, mmmm, but my favorite- scallop.



You can see the difference between fresh wasabi and wasabi paste.



There's no "menu" since with the omakase, the chef will make different things based on what's freshest that day. They explained a bit about each dish after they served it, but it was in Chinese, so the specifics about everything was a blur.



It's cool if you like surprises, not so much if you want to know what you're getting for your money. This dinner omakase is relatively good deal at NT$1800 compared with other similar restaurants, like Shan Hua.



I felt like this omakase had more cooked fish entrees than other ones I've tried, along with unusual fare like blowfish. Overall, I'm not a huge fan of grilled fish with bones or fish with heads, so some of those courses I couldn't get excited about.



MMmm. Uni. If you don't like sashimi or raw fish, you can let them know and they will make substitutions. They can also make vegetarian omakase course, but I think you have to give them advance notice.



Miso soup with seafood...



If the parade of multiple little plates didn't fill you up, they offer a grilled onigiri or rice triangle dotted with flakes of salmon before the dessert.



The cantaloupe was good, and though I didn't get a picture of it, their tiramisu dessert was really surprisingly good! My favorites of the night were probably similar to what I like in general- uni, scallop, lobster, sashimi.



A cozy little sushi bar with two private rooms for larger groups, it could be a good place for a romantic date. The lighting is dark, but definitely not as dark as Mitsui which I find to be almost too dark to see your food sometimes!


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snapshot/dessert: i recommend KFC egg tarts

KENTUCKY FRIED CHICKEN
multiple locations in Taipei

website: www.kfcclub.com.tw/ Chinese only



I'm sure anyone reading this from the states is thinking, "Whaat? Egg tarts from KFC??" I know, I know. It's sort of strange. Actually, Kentucky Fried Chicken here doesn't even have coleslaw and mashed potatoes. Instead- it's portguese egg tarts.

But they weren't half bad. Surprisingly good even.

My friend brought some over when visiting and they were still warm. I think egg tarts are best eaten warm, when the flaky crust and silky yellow custard still has that melt in your mouth texture. The carmelized tops give it that creme brulee look and taste- and some of the egg tarts had red bean in them.



They weren't that good the next day after being in the fridge and the crusts got all soggy. So eat them hot.

And I like KFC's fried chicken too. They have original and crispy, though the crispy here is a bit spicy.

So mashed potatoes and coleslaw or egg tarts? Which one would you rather have with your fried chicken?

japanese/dessert: i recommend MOCHI on a STICK in XIMENDING

MOCHI on A STICK VENDOR
49 Er Mei St, Ximending

MRT: Ximen

$

Kid friendliness: sticky and messy, but lots of flavors

Visit reviewed: 4/16/2009

Mochi ice cream? Mochi on shaved ice? Mochi on a stick? Traditional mochi desserts? What is your favorite kind of mochi?

For those of you who have never had mochi (or mua ji in Taiwanese or nien gao in Chinese), it's made from a glutinous rice and comes in many different sizes and shapes. It's probably most popularized in the states as mochi ice cream, but I remember growing up eating the brightly colored confections, dusted with white powder on special occasions when my mom would buy a box as a gift in a little shop in Gardena called Sakura-ya. The white ones filled with red bean were and still are my favorite. Or during Chinese New Year, my mom would pan fry brown sweet "nien gao" rice cakes until the outside was crispy and hot, the inside gooey and chewy.

That's what this was sort of like, except on a stick. And covered in sauce.



After eating dumplings near Zhongshan Hall, ice cream from Xue Wang and looking for Ah Chung Noodles, (which were a bit too mushy this time around) my friend JL and I passed by this vendor... and who wouldn't stop for mochi on a stick?!



After asking what the flavors were, he recommended cheese or peanut (though I think there's also quite a few other flavors on the board behind him in Chinese). We picked peanut.



He picked the sticks off the grill, squeezed some white milky sweet sauce on top and poured some ground peanuts on top. At first bite, I wasn't sure if I liked it or not, but with each bite, the flavor grows on you as you are chewing the sticky texture. Kind of like when you grill marshmallows for Smores and get that crispy outside before it burns and inside is gooey. Man, I wonder what mochi Smores would taste like!



If you are looking to try some of your own, look for the Body Shop, it's right across from it, with bright red lanterns hanging from it.

chinese: i strongly recommend ZHANG JI FRIED DUMPLING BEEF NOODLE SOUP

ZHANG JI GUO TIE NIU ROU MIEN or
ZHANG JI FRIED DUMPLING BEEF NOODLE SOUP
Lane 101, Yang Ping S Road

$

Kid friendliness: crowded and no high chairs spotted.

Visit reviewed: 4/16/2009

Simple is hard to do. If basic "tsui jiao" or boiled dumplings were easy to make, then you'd find a lot better tasting dumpling houses all over LA.

Just by looking at the picture, it's hard to taste the perfect combination of chopped cabbage, pork, sesame oil and handmade dumpling skin that made a really good dumpling. But it was really good.

My friend JL insisted that we find this place that he had randomly found when he last visited Taipei about five years ago. I had my doubts, but I'm glad I trusted him.

Basically, you find the entrance of Zhongshan Hall and main courtyard, turn around and look for this alley- Lane 101.



Then look for this sign (since there are several shops in this lane, but this was definitely the most packed!)



And decide what you want. We only had the dumplings (10 for NT$45) because we were saving room for Ah Chung Noodle Soup inside Ximending and ice cream across the street. We ended up getting it to go since we couldn't get a seat, but saw plenty of people slurping down bowls of noodles and eating "guo tie" or fried dumplings. With nothing over NT$100 (US$3), you could feast on a little of everything for a bargain.



You'll definitely spot beef noodle dumpling houses all over the city (with Chinese only menus)- probably can't pass by a block without seeing one. But if you haven't yet found what you're looking for, give this place a try.

And then afterwards, go to the famous ice cream place Xue Wang or Snow King with 73 flavors of freshly made ice cream across the street! With your basic chocolate and vanilla or fruit flavors like peach or guava to more unusual flavors like curry, beer or pig's foot. (Review coming later this week!)


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CLOSED! snapshot/revisited: YUMA SOUTHWESTERN GRILL lunch

CLOSED! a/o 2/2011

YUMA SOUTHWESTERN GRILL
No. 21, Alley 11, Lane 216, ZhongXiao E. Rd, Sec. 4
(02) 8773-8895

MRT: SYS Memorial Hall

website: yumagrill.com

hours: 12 PM - 11 PM (last orders at 10 PM)

$-$$

Kid friendliness: high chairs available

Visit reviewed: 4/7/2009
Previous review and photos: strongly recommended on 11/14/2008



When I spotted tacos on the lunch menu at Yuma, I wanted to give them a try. So I ordered the tacos from their lunch menu at a very affordable NT$150. But I'm not crazy about the new flavor of the rice and the hard shell tacos just left me wanting to eat their regular priced fajitas Three Amigos. Bring back the original rice!

Sadly, I think we'll never find the So-Cal style Mexican carnitas or carne asada tacos here in Taipei city. If anyone finds it, let me know!

But my first-time-at-Yuma friends liked the vibe and the food and chowed down with their seal of approval.

It's kind of cool that they give you the sauces in a bottle to use (kind of how Tony Roma's used to do)...



and drinks were in old-school glass bottles.



The lunch menu is a great option, especially since you can add a bowl of soup and drink for a little extra. But if you're hungry, be sure to order off their regular menu since it's priced to share anyways.


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