american/brunch: I strongly recommend BOTTLESS brunch

BOTTLESS 非瓶

No. 26-1, Qingcheng Street, Songshan District, Taipei 

(02) 2514-0089

MRT: Nanjing/Fuxing (Brown line) (3 minute walk)

website:  drinkbottless.com

hours: 11AM- 3PM; 5:30PM- 11PM

$$ 

Kid friendliness: many kid friendly dishes on the menu

Visit reviewed: April 2021/ December 2020

iceberg wedge salad 

Pork belly chilaquiles, iceberg wedge salads and giant cinnamon rolls- these are some of my must orders on the brunch menu at Bottless, the sister restaurant of Gen Creative. 

Opened over a year ago by the chefs at Gen Creative, Bottless offers two completely different menus for brunch or dinner, and most importantly to diners today, at sizable American portions at affordable prices. You won't find avocado toast or omelettes here- instead it's Korean American Chef Han Cho's heartier versions of American classics. 

Dinner is a completely different menu with appetizers, mains and desserts to share. I've only been to dinner here once when they first opened, I need to go back for dinner again! The name Bottless comes from their wine on tap concept and wanting customers to enjoy a glass of wine with their meal without the fuss. 

Broccoli and iceberg wedge salad

There are few salad options on the brunch menu. I'm a fan of their broccoli salad (NT$320) and like to get the tart dressing on the side. I love the toasted quinoa and pickled onions for the added crunch. The new iceberg wedge salad (NT$300) is a new favorite. I love how the dressing wasn't too heavy despite being creamy and I just just found myself going back for more. 

Pork belly chilaquiles 

The pork belly chilaquiles(NT$390) are My MUST ORDER dish here! it's like having nachos for brunch but fancier. the dragon corn is SUPER sweet and all the flavors just go together for the perfect bite. This was everyone's favorite at my recent visit which was everyone else's first visit. 

Grilled cheese and tomato soup

The grilled cheese and tomato soup (NT$350) was hard to share so not sure I got an accurate taste of this dish. I had 1/8 of the grilled cheese and dipped it in the tomato soup. But I LOVE tomato soup. I miss the version at Woollomoolooo, they stopped making it a few years ago. Sad face. 

Coconut curry chicken

And I was too full to enjoy this Coconut curry dish. (NT$420) With chicken, rice and slaw, this is a very complete dish for one person. 

Fried chicken and biscuits

Can't go wrong with fried chicken and biscuits (NT$380). The biscuits here are bit more dense and less fluffy and they are slightly sweet. 

Kaya French toast

Kaya French toast (NT$340)! The server gave us a heads up that we probably didn't need the additional syrup and he was right. The spongy French toast is new to the Bottless menu.

Other things to order- giant cinnamon roll, ice cream sandwiches 

I would also recommend ordering/saving room for their giant cinnamon roll (NT$260), but we didn't have room for it on this visit because it was my friend's birthday and there were a few birthday cakes already. But the cinnamon roll IS worth the calories. Other things I recommend trying from the brunch menu at Bottless are the ice cream sandwiches, the burger and the breakfast sandwich if it ever returns to the menu!

Advanced reservations recommended. 

 

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BOTTLESS SPRING 2021 MENU

chinese: I strongly recommend SZECHUAN COURT

SZECHUAN COURT

at AMBASSADOR HOTEL TAIPEI

Visit reviewed: April 2021

Previously reviewed: 2007 (!!)

dessert: ARE BASQUE CHEESECAKES THE NEXT TREND IN TAIPEI?

 

Are Basque cheesecakes in Taipei the next cinnamon rolls? 

A few years ago, you had to search pretty hard for your Cinnabon cravings in Taipei. Then Heritage Bakery and Fly's Kitchen lead the way and now it seems like there's at least 20 or more places offering up cinnamon rolls in Taipei. 

After I got these sent these cakes earlier this month, I started to notice Basque cheesecakes 巴斯克燒 乳酪蛋糕 starting to appear everywhere on my IG feed. I'm going to have to start taking notes to make a list. 

But until then, I recommend trying it from Town Taipei/A Fabules Day. The chocolate hazelnut one from Town (NT$1280 for 6 inch) is SO decadent and satisfying too if you're a chocolate lover. Chilled, it's like a Ferrero Rocher in cake form. The closest thing like it is the hazelnut cake from Amamoto Bros. The Basque cheesecake from A Fabules Day is NT$680/ 6 inch. These are small enough to order one of each and indulge in a slice of both. And yes, they are at the same address but on different floors. 

Going to try Town Taipei's latest spring menu later this week. Excited. 

TOWN TAIPEI 

No. 171, Xinyi Road, Section 2, 3F

02-2341-9777

A FABULES DAY 

No. 171, Xinyi Road, Section 2, 1F

 02-2341-5566

sushi/japanese: i strongly recommend JIANG LE

JIANG LE 

taiwanese: I strongly recommend ZHENG PORK KNUCKLE

ZHENG PORK KNUCKLE 鄭記豬腳飯

No. 22, Yanping S. Rd., Zhongzheng Dist, Zhongzheng District

台北市中正區延平南路22號
(02) 2371-1366

MRT: Taipei Main Station   

hours: 11AM - 8PM

$  

Kid friendliness: sidewalk seat and limited indoor seats. bentos available to go

Visit reviewed: 4/2021

Opened for over 60 years, Zheng Pork Knuckle is a tiny neighborhood shop a few minutes walking distance from North Gate near Taipei Main Station. The must order dish is the braised pork knuckle bowl (NT$110), that comes over rice with a shiny stewed hard boiled egg, pickled mustard greens and veggies. The menu signage lists three main dishes to choose from- braised pork knuckle, dong po pork or milkfish, but I spied a lot of other side dishes you could add on like bamboo or intestines and a serve yourself bone broth. 

The pork knuckle is a sizeable piece and easy to eat since they deboned it. Slowly braised until tender, the thick pork skin is Q and velvety, more collagen than fat. I was surprised the sauce wasn’t sweet at all, but the flavor was still rich and perfect for scarfing down with rice. 

There was a short line since we got there after 1pm, but it moved quickly. There's a few shaded tables on the sidewalk and a few tables inside. Bento boxes are also available for takeaway. This post was so popular on Instagram, I had to throw up a post with the address for the next time I'm in the area. 

Thanks to my friend Lucie for taking me here. It's a stop on her historical walking tour, with tons of information about the Taipei Main Station area, what it was like almost 100 years ago and how it's changed. There seems to be a lot of recent renovations for the historical buildings in the area and I got to check out the recently reopened National Center of Photography and Images . There's a small coffee shop on the first floor if you're in the area. Loved these vintage typewriters spotted there.