news: WINTER 2025/2026 RESTAURANT ROUND UP

hello 2026! It’s been awhile since I’ve written one of these, and this has been in my drafts since fall. I've updated it and going to publish! I feel like the places I hear about that are new are more western, so please comment below if you’re still reading, on any new restaurants in Taipei I’ve missed! 

I'll add more details when I get a chance! Every time I write one of these, I realize how much I'm behind and how I should start blogging again. Blogger (the platform) was giving me issues for awhile (out of storage on my main account lol) but now I think I've worked around it.

So many new restaurants to try! 

OPENINGS

• AUFGLET
• FRENCH TWIST BAKERY 
• MIZNON
• 3.3 
• CHAUX DOUX
• SUGARPEA BAKERY
• CHAEWON
• SHINEYU (in Taichung)
• GOLD PIG 
• FONCE 
• BRISE
• CAPELLA HOTEL
• MIAO DONG
• RACHEL
• KUR
• AMAZE
• LILLA
• STARBUCKS RESERVE
• CALMA Private Kitchen in Yilan (by chef Daniel Negreira)
• SUNAMI (by Mai Bach)
• PEPPA
• NOODLE CRAFT
• BOON at CE LA VI
• I'M DONUT

RENOVATIONS/NEW LOCATIONS

• LOGY
• TAIRROIR
  
• SALT AND STONE at LALAPORT
• TAMED FOX in Tianmu
• SLICE SHOP in Tianmu

CLOSINGS

• COFFEE LOVERS PLANET & DUNHUA SOGO (closed december 2025)
• LONGTAIL
• ORCHID
• FIREPLAY (closing feb 2026)
• HIDDEN (closed sept 2024)
• CYCLO (closed December 2025)
• RAW (closed December 2024)
• 16 by FLO
• AKIN
• WENDEL's (just realized both locations closed in the last few years. sad)

CHEF DEPARTURES

• Gildas Perin - CLOVER at Bellavita
• Kai Ward - CANVAS
• BOTTLESS

PS! If you're in Taiwan, go watch the new film out this week DOUBLE HAPPINESS! I really loved it and recommend watching it with your friends or family during CNY. Heartwarming dramedy about Taiwan weddings, family and love. Really great cast and produced by the producer of AMERICAN GIRL, another highly recommend Taiwanese film! I got to see a special sneak preview and hope that you guys outside of Taiwan get to see it too! (one day!)

#asias50best: BORN AND BRED x CHEF TAM 2025 Seoul Collaboration

my kitchen: EASY BANANA BREAD WITH CREAM CHEESE

Okay how I did I already eat three of these? They are so good out of oven. They were fluffy, moist and the top was caramelized with the sugary edges. I ended up using the kitchens aid to mash the bananas first, then add the rest of the top half of ingredients, then the dry with the flour last.

I might also add a bit of lemon juice and salt to the cream cheese next time, or less flour. Also, would this recipe work with chocolate chips?! 

When I have brown bananas in the house, I get the urge to make banana bread!! (Or freeze to make smoothies but I prefer banana bread) 

 

EASY BANANA BREAD WITH CREAM CHEESE

Original recipe here 

Banana Bread:

• ½ cup unsalted butter, melted

• ½ cup light brown sugar

• 1 large egg

• ¼ cup Greek yogurt (original recipe uses sour cream)

• ¼ cup white sugar

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 2 ripe bananas (I used 3)

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• ½ teaspoon baking soda

• ½ teaspoon baking powder

• ½ teaspoon salt

  ½ teaspoon cinnamon (added)

Cream Cheese Filling:

• 1 (4 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

• 1 large egg

• ¼ cup white sugar

• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

  1 teaspoon vanilla (added)

  
  

  

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). You can use a loaf pan but I used muffin pans- it makes 12 large muffins. You can also wait to preheat after you’ve made the banana bread part, before you make the cream cheese. 

  1. 2. Make banana bread: mash bananas in mixer or with fork. Combine melted butter, brown sugar, egg, sour cream, white sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl; mix until smooth. 

     3. Whisk in baking soda, baking powder, salt and flour until just combined.

     4. Make cream cheese filling: mix together cream cheese, egg, white sugar, and flour in a medium bowl until smooth.

  2.  5. Pour 1/2 of the banana batter into each muffin liner. Then layer with spoonful of cream cheese filling. Pour remaining banana batter on top. (Don’t worry if you have cream cheese peeking out. I had almost 1 with mostly cream cheese since I put too much banana batter in the first half.)

  4. 6. Bake in the preheated oven about 30 minutes for muffins, 50 minutes for loaf, until top is firm and bounces back and toothpick in center is clean. Enjoy while warm!