street food/taiwanese: i strongly recommend XIN YI MITSUKOSHI STREET FAIR

XIN YI MITSUKOSHI STREET FAIR
at parking lot/sidewalk outside A8

hours: Some weekends. Not all the time! :)

$

Kid friendliness: lots of room for strollers and lots of finger foods

Visit reviewed: 4/18/2009



Finally, finally! I see these bright red and white tents pop up on occasion near the Shin Kong Mitsukoshi malls in Xin Yi, but I never have the time to eat there. I usually spot it after I've eaten, but this time, I saw them setting up and made a mental note to save all of my stomach to have a little sample-fest.

Basically, if you like night market food, you'll like the food here. If you've never had night market food, then it's a good place for you to explore and see if there's anything you dare to eat.

I started from one end and walked to the other and just bought whatever looked good. These are my favorites:

1- Indian wrap (beef) NT$60



Someone has gotta tell me if this is something that is actually from India, or something like Indian Taiwanese food- a wrap filled with curried ground beef, chicken or lamb or vegetables- sort of like an indian wrap, roll or burrito. I've spotted it at Rao He Night Market, Shih Lin Night market and now here (but never in the states.)



This vendor has probably been doing this for a long time, as he attracted customers by calling out in Chinese and flipping up his paratha like pizza dough before letting it bake on a hot, curved oven.



There's even dessert options if you feel like having peanut, chocolate or butter- kind of like a crepe, I suppose.



2- Fried Mushrooms NT$50

There were quite a few vendors, but this is the first one I saw. I got a mix of the two- I think abalone and chantrelle. They weren't hot off the frier, but still warm and crispy.




4- ren bien or Taiwanese summer roll/wrap/burrito



This vendor was very efficient, wrapping multiples at a time. It was very fresh, as you can see the man making fresh skins to wrap all the vegetables and meats, and she was also stir frying the cabbage.



There was quite a few different vegetables, including something pickled, so there was a crunchy as well as a soft texture; sweet from the ground peanuts as well as salty. It's not as refined as the ren bing from Shin Yeh, but just as tasty.




3- Sausages on a stick. 1 for NT$35 or 3 for NT$100



4- Stinky tofu

Okay, finally stinky tofu that was tooo stinky for me. One bite and I felt sympathy for all the people who didn't enjoy stinky tofu. Probably because this was boiled and then grilled, stuffed with a bit of pickled vegetables. With two sticks, I didn't even know how to begin to shove this in my mouth, but after one pungent bite, I gave it to my friend.




And some stuff I saw but didn't eat

Dim Sum



Sugar cane juice




And a lot of other stuff like fishballs on a stick, sausages stuffed in sticky rice (yum!), watermelon juice and squid vermicelli soup. I can't tell you when or when the street food fair happens, but sometimes you can spot them setting up Friday night or Saturday morning and they stay up through the weekend. Stop by for just a snack, or gorge on street eats the whole night for a meal.

There was a whole other section I didn't get to (between A9 and A11) but last time I spotted the tents, there were quite a few carnival style games for prizes for kids and kids at heart.



Happy Earth Day by the way!

street food/taiwanese: ROASTED SWEET POTATOES VENDOR

ROASTED SWEET POTATOES VENDOR
spotted at the corner of Xinyi and Dun Hua

Visit reviewed: 4/3/2009

Where o where are you, Mr. Sweet Potato Vendor? I was so excited to see you at the busy corner with your little cart of super hot yams and take one home to try. My super huge snack was NT$60, totally worth it for the carmelized ends and roasted goodness inside.



I haven't spotted you since and I feel like I'm writing one of those Craig's List ad: "You were sitting patiently waiting for customers. I regretted not buying more than one, not knowing if they were going to be really good or not, having been burned by mediocre sweet potato vendors elsewhere."



I know you'll never read this, but perhaps other readers have encountered you elsewhere?

Snapshot: hot food counter at Geant

GEANT SUPERMARKET
No. 297, Zhong Xiao E Road, Sec 5, B1
(steps from the Yongchun MRT stop)
(02) 2528-9388

hours: 8:30am - 11pm

website: fe-geant.com.tw English and Chinese

I love supermarkets. Give me an hour or two at Ralphs or Bristol Farms and I'll wander aisle by aisle, usually filling the cart with stuff on sale, stuff that totally off my list. That's why I miss so many of the things I can usually find in the states- cheese (brie and pepper jack), cookie and brownie mixes, Haas avocados, Sunkist oranges, Simply Orange Juice, ice cream, candied pecans from Trader Joes.. the list goes on and on. When I'm craving things I miss back home, I'll head over to Costco but have to buy in bulk or pay premium at Jason's at 101 or Citysuper at Breeze.

The trade off of shopping in a Taipei supermarket is giving up affordable American eats for affordable Chinese eats. Instead of a deli counter filled with salad bars, paninis and random pasta salads, you get chinese sausages, various fried meats and cutlets, tea eggs and braised innards. Freezers filled with frozen dumplings, buns, noodles, taro ice cream and chinese frozen dinners. A fair trade? Depends on what you're craving.

A few weeks ago when I just back from LA, I did some grocery shopping and was so hungry I ended up picking up some BIG sausages and pork cutlet to eat on the way home. I wouldn't get the sausage again, but the tonkatsu seasoned with the salty and sweet sauce hit the spot for my ravenous jet lagged stomach.

Most of my visiting friends get a kick out of the snacks here- seaweed flavored Doritos or buffalo wing chips; various flavored chocolates and fancy Pocky sticks; drinks and jellies from Japan.

What's the weirdest thing you've spotted at a Taiwan supermarket?

Other locations found on their website here. Click on the phone number to get Chinese address for four other stores in Taipei and others in Taiwan.

news: Pikachu Peeps from Bakerella

This is freakin' genius!


the AFTER- from Bakerella.blogspot.com

Now does anyone know where to get Bunny Peeps, lollipop sticks and edible ink pens in Taipei?


the BEFORE- from Bakerella.blogspot.com

I've been drooling over Bakerella's cake pops for over a year, but this is something that I could actually do!

She has a million and one cute ideas and things that you will find yourself "ooh-ing" and "aahing" over.


from Bakerella.blogspot.com

Maybe one day I'll have the courage to make one these suckers myself.

CLOSED/Snapshot: crepes and galettes at NYNY?

Walking around Vieshow/NY NY in Xinyi and spotted this sign.. does that mean we'll finally have soft crepes and not the hard cone-like Taiwanese crepes in Taipei? I didn't have time to check it out, but I will soon. Anyone else try it before or can recommend any good crepe places (especially since Mamm Goz closed)?

CLOSED/snapshot/dessert: waffles at LOUISE BY AUNT STELLA's

(This location is now CLOSED! One other location remaining at Fuxing Sogo)

LOUISE BY AUNT STELLA's
at Zhongshan Mitsukoshi
No.12 Nanjing W. Rd.

MRT: Zhongshan Station

$$

Kid friendliness: lots to eat. no high chairs spotted though some room for strollers. near busy intersection though. only outside seating.

Visit reviewed: 1/19/2009




These waffles were a lot more cakey than I usually like my waffles, but Louise by Aunt Stella's is a cute corner of a cafe at the Shin Kong Mitsukoshi at Zhongshan Station to catch up with a friend over cakes, especially on a nice day.

I rarely get out to this part of town, but there's a lot going on on this busy street- there's also a McDonald's, Coldstones, Starbucks and Apple reseller nearby.



And apparently waffles are big on this side of town. Across the street tucked in the alley, apparently there is a place called Melange Cafe that serves waffles that often has a line outside of girls waiting.

Don't forget- in Taipei, waffles are more a dessert or for afternoon tea than for breakfast (if you couldn't tell by the ice cream and overload of chocolate syrup.)


View hungry in taipei restaurants in a larger map

not taipei: HONG KONG DISNEYLAND

breakfast from Chef Mickey's

Last week, I went to Hong Kong Disneyland for the first time. I had heard horror stories about people cutting in line, how it was too small and it just wasn't the same. It wasn't the same- but that's okay. And I only got cut in front of once. Other than that, it was pretty awesome. A bizzaro Disneyland if you will.

There were NO lines at practically every ride- I went on two weekdays- and even though it was small, they had a lot of the main rides- Space Mountain, Dumbo Flying Elephants, Jungle Cruise, Autotopia, Mad Hatter Tea Cups. Autotopia had the longest line we waited in- half an hour. But every other ride was practically zero wait, just go to the front and hop on. You feel like you've accomplished something because you're able to check off all the rides, and you spend more time on the rides than waiting in line!

Everyone at the park and hotels were exceptionally friendly. I know that's their job to be friendly, but everyone was so pleasant and helpful that it just felt really *nice* especially in contrast to the matter of fact service that you sometimes get in Asia.



But what cracked me up was seeing all the Chinese food everywhere. It's too be expected since most of their visitors are gonna be Chinese. But Tomorrowland's cafe had a whole range of noodles, rice and beef noodle soups.



I chose pork chop noodle soup (HKD $45) with a side of braised radishes . Even though it was put together assembly line style, it still tasted pretty good. A lot better than the awful noodle soup I had the night before at the Asiaworld Expo for the Coldplay concert- proving that just because we're in Hong Kong doesn't mean all the Asian food is going to automatically be good.



If you're going to be visiting, I'd advise eating the Chinese food over the American food. I don't remember the hot dogs and burgers at Disneyland OC being that good, but not this bad either.



I take that back. The corn on the cob wasn't bad. It tasted like the kind you'd get from Church's Chicken or KFC. You'd find it at the vendors, alongside dried squid and squidballs on a stick.





The park closed unbelievably early at 8pm, after the firework show, so we ended up eating dinner at Crystal Lotus in Disneyland Hotel. More Chinese food, but sit down style. It wasn't bad, but of course, a lot pricier (HKD $ 318/per person for set menu).





When we went we got the "Stay and Play" deal, where if you stayed at their hotel, you could buy 1 day at the park, get 1 day free. Pretty good for Disney lovers. I just checked and it's available until Sept 2009.

Maximize your Disney-fied stay by catching breakfast buffet at Chef Mickey's at Hollywood Hotel and Mickey Mouse waffles, or even better, meet Mickey and the gang at the Enchanted Forest at Disneyland Hotel where they'll wander around for photo ops while you eat. The Chef Mickey's breakfast buffet had Western style breakfasts, Chinese style dim sum and noodles, Indian curries and some Japanese offerings- as well as an array of pastries, fruit and juices. I sort of expected to see more food in Disney shapes, but the waffles were the only one.



On the last day, I found a little to-go cafeteria shop in the back of Hollywood Hotel where you could get sandwiches, hot plates and tiramisu with the mouse ears. I don't know how it tasted, but it's amazing that just the shape of it makes it so cute and recognizable.


HONG KONG DISNEYLAND
Lantau Island
+852 1-830-830

CHEF MICKEY's
Disney's Hollywood Hotel
+852 3510-5000

CRYSTAL LOTUS
at Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel
+852 3510-6000

not taipei: BALI - DIRTY DUCK DINER

BEBIK BENGIL (DIRTY DUCK DINER)
Hanoman, Padang Tegal,
Ubud, Bali
(62-361) 975-489

website: agungraka.com/bebikbengil

hours: 10 AM - 11 PM

$$

Kid friendliness: high chairs available

Visit reviewed: 1/2009

Before we went to Bali, a friend of mine from Singapore said that I had to eat at a place called Dirty Duck in Ubud. "Ask around. Everyone knows." And luckily, he was right.

I went to Bali on a family trip. Not only with my own family, but friends of the family. So everything was a group decision. One of the families was from Indonesia, so they had already planned for Bebik Bengil to be one of our lunch spots. Ubud was about an hour away from where we were staying, so by the time we got there I was starving.



There's an array of outdoor seating at Dirty Duck Diner- on cabana like seats or further back in the restaurant, on wooden tables with a pastoral view.



The service is quick and efficient and the menu has everything from Indonesian appetizers to chicken soup. But they are famous for their duck.

Remember the family friends I mentioned? They ordered a half fried duck each for everyone. I thought it would be too much food, but actually it was about right. The skin wasn't as crispy as I thought it would be (for being fried), but the meat was tender around the bone, a bit dried out near the wings and leg.



It tasted a lot better with the chili sauce, a bit of lime juice squeezed and the peanut sauce from the appetizer combo that was ordered.





I think this was their appetizer plate (above) and their Nasi Campur (which is like a Indonesian "mixed rice" plate- with various things with steamed rice) (below). The Nasi Campur was definitely better. The green beans were fantastic, crisp and juicy, with a kick of chili. Another thing that I learned in Bali is that they had different kinds of fried chips or krupuk- but my favorite were the shrimp chips, especially since that is the flavor we grew up with. So good! I didn't like some of the other fried chips that were a bit bitter.



I am also not into avocado milk, but I think here it was served with a splash of chocolate. Ugh.. shudder! For those with a sweet tooth, I think I also spied cakes and boston pie at the front counter.



Outside from the front of the Dirty Duck Diner, you can look for the Bebik Bengil sign.



The second thing my friend mentioned that I must try was babi gulingor roast suckling pig from Ibu Oka. Didn't make it there, but will definitely have to try it the next time!


View hungry in taipei restaurants in a larger map

CLOSED! revisited/japanese: i recommend TENPURA SANUKI UDON

TENZEN- TENPURA SANUKI UDON
Bistro 98
No. 98, Zhong Xiao E Road, Sec 4

(02)8772-6769

$$

Kid friendliness: no high chairs available

Visit reviewed: 12/24/2008
Previous review: 3/2008

First off, please note that Tenzen Tenpura Sanuki Udon has MOVED! It was lunch and I had a craving for tempura udon, so I headed to my favorite place for udon, near Vieshow Theaters/Neo 19- but it was closed! I was nearly traumatized, but my friend noticed the sign that they had relocated- to the Bistro 98 building. So rather than eating nearby, we hopped into a taxi to Bistro 98. Crazy right?



So I was pretty hungry when I got to the new location. I don't think I had high expectations- I just wanted what I grown accustomed to. The new location was empty. The menu was different- they had added sashimi, yakitori and dishes like unagi don to the menu, as well as taken off some udon samplers that I had always had my eye on. The focus was no longer on udon noodles, but rather offering a wider menu (although still in just Japanese and Chinese, with lots of pictures), perhaps to compete with restaurants like Watami.



And the service was sloooow. Sure, they were in a new location. But we were the only ones there (before another customer trickled in). I can't imagine how much slower it would have been if it was even halfway full. Did they totally fire everyone from the old location? Or was it opening week?



The sashimi (NT$420) and shrimp tempura roll was not bad, but probably not something I'd order again. With the extended menu, Tenpura had diluted itself... instead of being awesome at one thing, it was good or just fine at a bunch of things.



What disappointed me the most was the the tempura cold udon set (NT$220) had 1 shrimp instead of 2, and they didn't have any options for people who wanted more. You can clearly see from the last review the robust pile of tempura with 2 golden fried shrimp.

When I asked if I could order another shrimp, they said it wasn't possible. What about ordering another tempura ala carte? Again, they refused- if I wanted another shrimp, I had to order a whole tempura udon set. If this was my first time to their restaurant, I might have been none the wiser. But I was the only customer in their new location, and they didn't have the ability to adjust and appease a loyal customer. Sometimes the rigidness of Taipei restaurants frustrates me to no end, but I know that there are plenty of other places with amazing customer service to balance it out. I ended up ordering the fried shrimp roll instead- which I figured out on my own and not from the suggestion of the waitress.

The udon was still good- served cold and chewy- the way I liked it, unlike some places that offer soggy noodles that tasted like they came from a NT$40 frozen pack. That's why I still recommend Tenzen Tenpura Sanuki Udon, although I no longer "strongly recommend" it. Hopefully they found their legs in the time after they opened- I haven't had the heart to go back. I wonder how they'll do with the fierce competition in the Bistro 98 building.