hotpot/taiwanese: i strongly recommend DING WANG MALA GUO

DING WANG MALA GUO
No. 251, Da An Road, Sec. 1
(02) 2704-4172

MRT: DaAn

hours: 12PM-2PM; 5PM-10PM

$-$$

Kid friendliness: no high chairs spotted; non spicy hotpot and noodle soups available too

Visit reviewed: 11/30/2009 & 4/15/2010 & 5/2010



Recently, I found out that one of my friends who had moved here last year had never had spicy mala hotpot before. EVER! So I quickly rounded up some friends and we decided on this Ding Wang for her first time.



Not as frou frou or hard-to-get-reservations-for as that other Ding Wang (AKA Tripod King), but equally good, Ding Wang also offers noodles by the bowl in case you are dining alone or don't want to do a whole hotpot of mouth-numbing broth. The space is cozy and clean with maroon walls, dark wood tables and modern lighting, unlike some local places which can feel a little bit grimy.

Unfortunately all their menus are in Chinese only with no pictures, so you'll probably need a native reader to order.



The menu has all the basics, but definitely get the freshly made squid balls, which you scoop into the boiling broth to cook. The end result is fragrant and chewy, but not starchy like the premade kinds. We had to order two rounds of these- they always get devoured quickly.




I also love to dip the you tiao and instant ramen into the spicy mala broth to soak up the soup and eat it while it's still a little bit crunchy.




At an Indian restaurant, you might drink some mango lassi to cool off the tongue, but here it's coke and plum juice. I don't usually drink soda, but here, the bubbly sweet Coca-cola is a relief to the heat (temperature and spiciness wise)!



One of their specialties is their chicken feet- which I've yet to try. I just can't do it! It grosses me out. But my friends order it every single time, and gnaw on the little bones of the claw and wrinkly skin with contented smiles. So if you're a chicken feet lover, you should give it a try.



Those familiar with shabu-shabu might be looking around for sesame sauce or other sauces, but Ding Wang keeps it straightforward with only these two sauces- vinegar and sesame oil. Pour into your bowl and toss in a spoonful of green onion.



For the times I went, we ordered a bit of everything and it ended up being about NT$500-600 a person for lunch.



If you are a party of one and can't do a whole mala hot pot assortment, Ding Wang offers quick and cheap mala noodle soups by the bowl!



You can indicate how spicy you'd like it and a large or small bowl of mala noodle soup (NT$110) full of gelatinous duck's blood.




If you can't handle the spicy, they also have tasty beef noodle soup (NT$150) although the broth was more salty on my recent visit a few weeks ago than I recalled past visits being. I like it with ban zhou ban jing, or half beef, half tendons. I was thirsty all afternoon.



Don't forget to choose a few side dishes, like the tofu skin or cucumber.



You can walk in on a weekday for lunch, but if you have a big group, you should definitely call ahead for reservations.

CLOSED! burgers/new in town: i strongly recommend THE BURGER STOP

CLOSED! A/o 2011

THE BURGER STOP
No. 26, Ln. 137, Yanji St.
(02) 2711-7079

MRT: SYS Memorial Hall

website: burgerstop.com & facebook page

hours: Sun-Thurs 11 AM - 9 PM; Fri-Sat 11 AM - 10 PM

$

Kid friendliness: no high chairs spotted. 2 floors of seating with a few tables on 1st floor

Visit reviewed: 5/5/2010



Burgers, burgers, burgers. Just after I mentioned how there's been a burger explosion in Taipei, I get an email of yet another burger place opening nearby. There's mention of onion rings and shakes so of course I have to give it a try.

The checkered Americana decor definitely stands out in the alley, hidden not too far from ZhongXiao and KuangFu, aka the Pizza Hut buffet corner.



With the checkered theme, the Burger Stop reminds me of Triple O's, which I tried in Hong Kong, which is not a bad thing. The bright red and white interior has ample seating with two floors to sit, with American Top 40s pop music playing in the background. I love that it's open at 11 AM too because a lot of lunch places seem to open closer to 11:30 AM or noon.



Ordering isn't too complicated- choose either a single or double stack (one or two patties), with or without cheese, combo or not combo, french fries or onion strings, soda or shake. A double stack combo with onion rings would cost about NT$190. You can see them grilling up the burgers and frying things to order in the open kitchen. There wasn't any other options besides burgers when I went, but I hear word that they should be adding chicken and pork patty burgers to their menu soon.



I ordered a single stack burger with onion rings and a chocolate milkshake (NT$225), while my friend got the single stack with cheese combo. I got the chocolate milkshake first while I waited for the food and it made an excellent first impression. It was SO good. Creamy, thick yet easy to suck up, that made me feel like I was drinking a Jack in the Box milkshake. I used to drive through Jack in the Box just to order their cappuccino shake. I think the Burger Stop's shakes are decently priced (NT$70 or plus NT$40 for combo), which will give them an advantage from other burger places in town that charge NT$150+ for their shakes. And their sodas have free refills.

I would go back to Burger Stop just for a milkshake.



When I went, Burger Stop had just opened just days before and they hadn't gotten their trays yet, or their timing down. I got my burger, but then we were still waiting for our fries and onion rings. The burger was a good size and will get the obvious comparisons to In-N-Out, and the patty is grilled nicely and has a good flavor and texture, but I was wishing the patty was just a tad thicker for everything else that was going on in the burger- the crispy lettuce, tomato slices and healthy spread of sauce which tasted a lot like Thousand Island dressing. Maybe because I was comparing it to 1885 Burger Store which offers juicy, thick burgers in the same price range, and just visited the month before.

When my friend and I were finishing up our burgers, we looked at each other and knew that we had to split another burger. So if you're on the hungry side, I recommend getting a "double stack" burger.



One weird thing I noticed halfway through eating my burger was that the lettuce and tomato were at the bottom of the burger instead of above the patty. It gives the last taste to be more lettuce than beef, so I just flipped it over and ate it that way. Do you care about the order of the beef-lettuce-tomato?

The fries came not too long afterwards, and then the onion rings about 5 minutes later and they were nice enough to bring it upstairs where we were sitting. Instead of thickly sliced rings, they have thinly sliced, crispy strings that have some seasonings in the batter that give it an addictive quality. They aren't too greasy and I even stuck a few in my burger. I was happy with the quantity of the sides too, which some places can be quite stingy on. It would be cool if they had ranch and bbq sauce available too to dip the onion st/rings in.



The Burger Stop should quickly become a neighborhood favorite for some, especially if they can find fans from those who have gone without In-N-Out for a long time and have been desperately craving something like it. I wonder if you'd be able to request some "animal style" grilled onions on your burger as well?



Hungry in Taipei burger lovers, what do you think? Will the Burger Stop be able to compete for your fave burger place in town?

italian: i strongly recommend BIANCO TAIPEI

BIANCO TAIPEI
No. 19, Lane 112, RenAi Rd, Sec. 4
(02) 2325-3655

MRT: Zhongxiao/Dunhua

website: Bianco's Facebook page

hours: M-F 11:30 AM - 10:00 PM
SUN/SAT 10 AM- 10 PM

$$

Kid friendliness: no high chairs but roomy in the back dining area

Visit reviewed: 3/18/2010



Bianco offers Italian pastas and risottos in a casual, yet elegant space. When I used to pass by the shop (a number of times) I thought it was a store because from a glance, you can see the shelves of pastas and countertops from the outside.



It wasn't until I was invited to a party there that I discovered that they have a full dining room in the back decked out with mod bubble chandeliers, including a room that could be a private dining space or buffet area for a private party.

The mushroom soup tasted like pureed, creamy mushrooms. I probably could have drank two bowls.



The main dish was just as successful- the truffle risotto had layers of flavors and textures- black pepper, cheese, crunchy asparagus, soft mushrooms, al dente risotto and topped off with flakes of truffles and thin flakes of parmesan. I savored each creamy bite and it felt rich, but not heavy.



Because it was a big party to serve at one time, I gave them a little leeway that my dish took so long to come out. My friend also gave me a bite of her sweet and savory roasted balsamic chicken, which tasted really good while I was waiting. Everyone's pastas and pizzas were so aromatic as they passed me by.



We finished the meal with birthday cake and two mini-scoops of gelato.



Can't beat sampling gelatos while deciding what to get.



Dishes here range from mid NT$200-$400 (or make a set menu) and seems like a popular place for afternoon tea as well with a counter full of cakes and desserts. You can also browse the shelves to buy ingredients to make your own dishes at home. All in all, Bianco is a good addition to the list of casual neighborhood Italian places to have on your list, especially if you are a risotto fan.


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korean: i strongly recommend KYUNG JU KOREAN RESTAURANT

KYUNG JU KOREAN RESTAURANT
(or CHING ZHOU GUAN in Chinese)
No. 62, 1st Fl-2, Fuxing N. Rd
(02) 2776-9928

MRT: Nanjing East Road

hours: 11 AM – 2 PM； 5 PM – 9:30PM

$$

Kid friendliness: high chairs available

Visit reviewed: 4/20/2010



I'm sure everyone has heard that sometimes when one doors closes, another opens. In this case, when I revisited Happy Korean, I was sad to discover that it no longer had all the dishes that made it a favorite when they changed owners (and I know I'm not alone). I was pretty upset for awhile, but on the hunt for a new Korean restaurant. Thankfully reader Justine shared a restaurant that she had a authentic meal at for me to try out.



Kyung Ju Korean Restaurant (or Ching Zhou Guan in Chinese) offers a wide array of korean bbq, soups, noodles and stir-fried blood red spicy dishes.



The menu is extremely tourist friendly with a photo for every dish and English, Chinese, Korean AND Japanese! We were very excited to see that the cold noodle soup was on the menu, but it wasn't available yet- probably sometime in June.

A good mix of about six panchan comes fairly quickly to the table and is refilled for free- my favorites include the crispy broccoli, the spicy fishcake slices and refreshing bean sprouts and seaweed.



The galbi or bbq ox rib was grilled for us inside and tender with a chewiness and familiar sweet marinade. Dip it in the bean paste sauce and wrap in a lettuce leaf- I remember the first time I did that in Pusan, I thought it was strange, but it's perfect for those avoiding carbs. You can opt to also grill it yourself as there is a area to grill on each table.



You can also add a slice of raw garlic or kimchi, but I just pile on the meat!



The Seafood spring onion pancake (NT$280) is perfectly crispy, not too thick or thin and devoured so quickly by our table that we order another.



Each dish, like the traditional Korean stone pot rice is presented to table and then the server mixes and it for us to divvy up. One bowl could be enough for one person's lunch, or for us, we are sharing a little bit of everything. What's funny is that the server checks with me, asking if I got the picture before he takes it away to stir (and every other dish to follow). He knows that a good picture is worth a

It's a solid dish with lots of veggies and a healthy dose of gojujang, the red pepper sauce that is spicy and sweet, and brown crispy bits of rice.



We had about six hungry people at our table and I think went a little crazy ordering. Dishes that I'd definitely skip next time are the stir fried squid and the spicy broiled rice cake with chilly sauce (their typo, not mine. haha) - the squid was soft instead of chewy and the rice cake was a bit heavy.




Instead get the tofu stew or the kimchi pot stew (NT$200) which has vegetables and vermicelli inside.




Thankfully I was not disappointed by the Bibin cold noodle (NT$220) which was hiding underneath a layer of chopped lettuce, which gave it a nice touch of salad and texture.



The slippery noodles had just the right bite and was more sweet than spicy, despite the threatening red color. I went back for seconds and thirds.



The cold noodle was one of the favorite dishes among the group, while the Soybean paste noodles was left mostly uneaten. Maybe everyone was full as it was one of the last dishes to arrive, but a few people commented the noodles were too soft.



The Korean version of jia jiang mian is quite different from the Chinese version- the sauce is usually thicker, saltier and darker (from the addition of roasted soybeans sauce). It's a cool option for those looking to try something different, but I'm sticking to the naengmyeon.



The owners of Kyung Ju Korean Restaurant have been running their restaurant here in Taiwan for over 30 years, but this is the first time I had heard of it. You can't miss the wall of photos of famous people who've eaten there, including President Ma, near the entrance, but even more evidence to their popularity is that the restaurant was fairly full at weekday lunchtime both times I went. If you're desparate for parking, you can check with them as they have a few spots available in front of their back entrance in the lane behind Fuxing.



The meal ends with a small black dessert for each person wrapped in a bright green plastic leaf, which is a denser, jelly-ish version of the rice cake that I'm used to.



The restaurant has a casual atmosphere and is perfect for large groups, especially with a second floor of seating. I'll definitely be back for the cold noodle soup. If you're reading, thanks Justine!

Any other Korean places I gotta try? Let me know!

CLOSED! new in town/dessert: i strongly recommend YOFROYO- DUN NAN BRANCH

CLOSED! a/o 2013

YOFROYO
No. 39, Lane 187, Dunhua S. Rd. Sec. 1
(02) 2752-0767

MRT: ZhongXiao/DunHua

website: yofroyo.com

hours: Mon-Thurs 12 PM ~ 11 PM
Fri-Sun. 12 PM ~ 12 AM

kid friendliness: a few tables in back, but easy to take to-go

visit reviewed: 5/4/2010
review of Yofroyo at Shida branch: 5/18/2009




Not to far from where Sherry's Frozen Yogurt came and went is the new Dong Chu East District branch of Yofroyo, tucked a couple alleys away from the corner of Dun Hua and Zhong Xiao (and the stinky tofu vendor).

Once you get in the right alley, it's not too hard to spot with its colorful logo beckoning you to see what it is.



The space is not huge, but there's a good amount of seating and tables on the side as well as tucked in the back. While stylish and kind of mod, the low backed chairs got a little uncomfortable for me while we were lounging and eating.



I was pleasantly surprised to see that prices were not too much more than its original Shida location and a small size wasn't skimped on. I think this is definitely important for picky customers who have a lot of options to beat the heat. It's almost half the price of the nearby Hielo and Yogurt Art.

After browsing the choices, I still stuck to my usual small Tokyo Reverie (NT$65) with green tea frozen yogurt, red bean, green tea mochi and chewy clear konjac.



Other frozen yogurt flavors include Mango, Chocolate, Berry, Lychee and the new Acai Berry.

I was planning to share one with my friends, but we were too tempted by the "Buy one, get one free" grand opening promo to resist (which runs until 5/16). Two of my friends chose to make their own combos with the original tart flavor and two toppings, which is easy to do at an additional NT$10 per topping.

I love the new colorful sporks too, though they are quite Yogurtland-ish. I usually save and reuse my Yogurtland spoons and might quickly collect a set of Yofroyo ones soon.



Opening this branch almost a year after opening the original in the Shida night market, Yofroyo is a welcome addition to this neighborhood. Especially when you're looking for relief from this crazy Taipei humidity and heat!

OTHER LOCATIONS

Shida Night Market
No. 9, Lane 59, Shida Rd.
(02)2365-0188

Gongguan
No. 2, Lane 316, Roosevelt Rd., Sec. 3
(02)2368-9808