Dazzling Cafe

Address: No. 3, Lane 248, Section 4, Zhōngxiào East Rd, Daan District
Telephone: (02) 2731-5199
Hours: Sun - Thurs 12pm to 10pm, Fri - Sat 12pm to 11pm
Price: $$

Having heard wonderful things about Dazzling, my friends and I decided to make a Dazzling Sunday brunch date. Since opening in 2010, Dazzling is nothing if not wildly popular! I have had several Taiwanese friends tell me that the "honey toast" is "to die for", so naturally I had to see what all the hype was about. Sans reservations, the four of us walked into the Dazzling Cafe near On Tap around 1pm and were immediately seated. Success!

Food isn't the only thing at Dazzling that's aesthetically pleasing. Serving a wide range of teas, coffees, and hot chocolates (between $100 - $160 NT), Dazzling has decorated many of the drinks after their namesakes. My friend ordered the Iced Pomelo Tea with Peach ($140 NT) and it came garnished with a slice of pomelo, a mint leaf, and pomelo rinds hanging down from the glass. There was also the Iced Fruit Tea ($160 NT), which included pieces of mango, pineapple, and pomelo; and my Rose Latte ($150 NT) not only had shredded rose pedals on top (!) but included a flavorful shot of liqueur.

After ordering the Party in Your Mouth Honey Box Toast ($220 NT) and the Dark Chocolate Honey Box Toast [Danish style] ($290 NT), we chatted under the full power blast of the air-conditioner. After a 15 minute wait, the waitress brought out our two dishes.

We were all in awe of the spectacle before us, none of us ever having seen anything like "honey box toast" before. The waitress let us take our pictures, asked if we wanted a group photo, and then began disassembling our toast boxes. Personally, I appreciated this. The boxes are so daunting in shape and size, I wouldn't know where to begin and how to divvy up the toppings evenly. But I can understand people wanting to disassemble their own food thank-you-very-much.

Starting with the Dark Chocolate box, I poured some of the honey along the top of my portion and helped myself to a spoonful of ice cream. The ice cream was delicious! The dark chocolate flavor was thick and creamy, while the dark chocolate chucks broke up the creamy consistency so the ice cream wasn't too overwhelming. The toast box itself was more of a croissant-type affair, being extremely flaky and tasting faintly of butter. It wasn't dense, as regular toast is, but the lightness of the box was contrasted with the custard filling. One of the main features of this box toast is the custard (those pretty yellow dollops that look like icing), but I found the custard to be disappointing. It was thick, creamy, and didn't really have much of a taste. You felt like you were eating 3,000 calories of some insane dessert (and you were), yet it tasted of nothing. Many times I found myself, fork in hand, eating mouthful after mouthful of custard in an attempt to taste it. 

The Party in Your Mouth box was better, in that you weren't eating tasteless custard the entire time. The toast box is actually made from a loaf of bread, and while there is custard in this dish, it's only a small dollop that you can avoid if you would like. The strawberries were ripe, the ice cream was quite good (not as delicious as the dark chocolate ice cream), and one of my friends ate the macaroon ... but it looks scrumptious, doesn't it? My only complaint was that the "honey toast" didn't taste of honey and the honey brought to the table wasn't enough for four people to share. 

Overall, Dazzling has made a decent attempt at honey box toast. If invited by a friend, I would go back and have the same latte, but completely forgo any of the "Danish Toast Boxes", ignore Party in Your Mouth, and try a new toast box. That being said, these toast boxes are rather pricey ... and I would rather have a pint at On Tap instead.

There are many reviews for Dazzling online, and even some Youtube videos! Dazzling has a Facebook page and lists all of its Taipei locations. As always, menus are in English and Chinese and many members of the staff speak both. There's a 10% service charge, and the Dazzling rule is that each customer must order at least one drink. 

Fong Da Coffee

Address: 42 Chéngdū Road, Wanhua District (臺北市成都路42號)
Telephone: (02) 2371-9577
Hours: Mon - Sun 8am to 10:30pm
Price: $

Touted by many a travel guide as one of Taipei's original coffee shops, Fong Da is located in the midst of the Ximen hustle and bustle. Established in 1956, Fong Da has made a name for itself selling quality coffee beans, coffee grounds, and, of course, coffee beverages. The first to introduce Taipei to the phenomena that is iced coffee, Fong Da likes to push the boundaries of the Taiwanese palate.

In addition to selling coffee, this coffee shop sells small snacks - primarily cookies, biscuits, and cakes. While I've heard several people speak highly of their green bean cakes, I ordered two slices of toast instead (feeling slightly nauseated from the heat and humidity) for $40 NT.

So, the day was hot and muggy, and I wanted to escape the crowds, enjoy the heavenly feeling of air-conditioning, and have a delicious ice coffee. I suppose in the grand scheme of things, one out of three isn't that bad. Because Fong Da is so well-known, there are always people crowded into the small shop, fighting for a spot at a table or the bar. I went on a Tuesday around 11am and was shocked that there were still a plethora of people. 

Fong Da also has an open store front; this means that the owner doesn't put the AC on full blast (or even "medium blast"), and that the hot, humid air and mosquitoes enter as the wind carries them in. When my toast arrived, I had the vain hope it might come with ice cream on top. Or chilled whipped cream. Or ice. Or a Frigidaire. No suck luck. Regardless, the toast wasn't really anything about which one could write home. I mean, ... it's toast. It tasted toast-y. There was a small tin of jam that accompanied it, but I ate the toast dry.

I ordered the Fong Da Special Ice Coffee for $85 NT. The Fong Da Coffee roast is a mixture of several different, complementary types of coffee beans. The Special Ice Coffee was ice cold (thank God!) and tasted not unlike Irish coffee. There was a certain whiskey-esque tinge to the taste. I still can't put my thumb on it. It was almost as though it was a virgin Irish coffee (though that makes no sense), or maybe an Irish coffee with only a splash of whiskey? I'm not sure, but it was delicious and I felt better for having drank it! 

 As I mentioned previously, Fong Da was quite crowded and after taking a couple sips of my drink, I heard a woman whisper in my ear the amount I owed. Turning around and handing her the money, I got the impression that lingering over my drink would probably annoy the wait staff. I quickly downed it and left. 

Ultimately, Fong Da wasn't a horrible experience and I'm glad I went for the novelty factor, but I'm not sure I'll stop by again. I'm deeply committed to Rufous, though the prices are double those at Fong Da. And I feel obliged to warn you dear reader that, that night, 13 hours after drinking this "Special" coffee, I pulled an all-nighter completely against my will. Now it could be because I spent six hours reading Fight Club from cover to cover and was so energized by the idea of starting my very own Taiwanese fight club I could hardly close my eyes, let alone sleep; or  it could be that the "special" ingredient in the Fong Da coffee is really methamphetamine. I think it's the latter.

The staff at Fong Da don't speak English (or the two elderly women who served me didn't), but the menu is in English and Chinese, so you can always point. Everything on the menu is reasonably priced, with most beverages between $85 NT and $150 NT. The website is in Chinese, but if you click around, you can get a better idea of the prices.

Haricot

Address: Lane 233, Section 1, Dūnhuà South Road, Daan District
Telephone: (02) 2773-7111
Hours: 10am to 10pm, days not listed
Price: $$

On beautiful sunny days, I really just want to find a nice cafe with outdoor seating and read. In Taipei, that's more difficult than one would imagine. Many a Taiwanese eatery lacks outdoor seating; those with outdoor seating have only one or two tables (and nine times out of ten, those tables are already occupied). So, more often than not, I find myself back at Haricot, enjoying their outdoor seating area all to myself.

Settling in to my usual table outdoors, the waitress brings me the menu, but asks if I want my usual (the smoked salmon panini for $240 NT). Sure, why not? Disappearing to get my usual glass of ice water, she leaves the drink menu, in case I deviate from my pattern. Nope.

As the breeze picks up, I can't help but wonder why outdoor dining isn't more of a thing here. There are entire months in Taiwan when the weather is absolutely perfect. Temperature, humidity, wind speed; everything perfect. My smoked salmon panini arrives with a side of french fries and a salad.

The  salad is quite good. A lot of iceberg lettuce, alfalfa sprouts, and some cabbage. There aren't any tomatoes or other assorted fruits and vegetables, but I'm not too picky in this regard. There is a light balsamic dressing drizzled on top which I thoroughly enjoy ... until I see all the oil at the bottom of the plate. Then I feel slightly guilty.

The panini itself is made of toasted wheat bread and consists of iceberg lettuce, tomato, onion, salmon, capers, and very light cream cheese (so light as to be almost imperceptible). This sandwich tastes as healthy as it looks. Finally! I can eat something in Taipei and not agonize over the calorie content! I absolutely love this panini (though the bread isn't what I would typically recognize as "panini bread") and it's obvious to me why this is my "usual". 

The french fries are perfectly cooked, as referenced in my last Haricot review, and the ketchup rendered superfluous. Some things never change, and these french fries are reason alone to visit and return to this Dunhua eatery. 

Dining at Haricot previously, I have received several glasses of tea on the house. On this particular occasion, I received a water "upgrade". The staff is so nice here and the owner always makes a point to talk to me and ask me how everything in my life is going. I believe that Haricot is to Taipei what Cheers is to Boston sans alcohol. My bill came to $264 NT with the 10% service charge, and I promise that next time, I'll step out of my comfort zone and eat something else.... Maybe the ham and cheese panini.

O2 Brunch Cafe

Address: No. 47, Section 3, Mínquán East Road, Jhongshan District
Telephone: (02) 2506-6529
Hours: Mon - Fri 10am to 11pm, Sat 9am to 11pm
Price: $

Becoming a recognized name throughout Taiwan, the O2 cafe has opened ten cafes since January. Immensely popular, this brunch cafe serves sandwiches, burgers, risotto, pasta, bagels, and the famous O2 Roll. 

Walking inside, I can instantly see why the O2 is popular. It's bright, cheery, and clean, with some classical music softly piped through the speakers. When the waitress hands me the menu I'm pleased to discover that this meal is going to be cheaper than I expected. 

 For the price of a Starbucks latte, you can have a proper O2 Brunch meal consisting of their famous roll, french fries, and a beverage. I chose the O2 smoked chicken roll for $55 NT, though there are many other options such as bacon, garden salad, and egg. If you decide to "make it a meal", which I recommend doing, it'll set you back a mere $39 NT (includes a drink and french fries). I really wanted an ice latte though, so I forked over the extra $30 NT.

The latte was just the thing I needed on such a hot, muggy day! I liked that there wasn't a lot of ice in the glass, but there was a preponderance of foam which was a little bizarre. The foam was quite thick, very sweet, and didn't really dissolve into the latte. I drank the latte from a straw and scooped the foam out and ate it independent from the latte. Perfect!

The french fries arrived next, hot and crispy with a side of ketchup. I like ketchup on my fries, but the O2 fries were so crunchy, flavorful, and delicious that I didn't want to ruin them with any condiments. Like many Taiwanese restaurants, the food is brought out to your table as it's ready. I'm not saying I want cold fries, but I wish things were a little more coordinated in the kitchen. C'est la vie.

 Next, the famous O2 roll that's made such a splash in Taiwan! The roll is made of toasted flatbread, something you don't see much of in Taiwan. There's a lot of lettuce, some smoked chicken, an egg, a tomato, and some secret sauce in the roll. The sauce tastes like Thousand Island dressing but has the consistency of water, so maybe it's watered down dressing? Not sure. But the roll is really good and is probably one of the healthiest things I've eaten in Taiwan.  

I like that the O2 serves delicious food in decent portions at good prices ($124 NT for anyone that was keeping track). With all of their locations, it's quite easy to accidentally run into one. I'm also a fan of their decor. You can tell they put effort into their cafes and it shows (in a good way). Little touches like pumpkins as table markers definitely win them points in my book.

I'm curious to see how the O2 does risotto, so that's definitely on my to-do list. The menu at the restaurant is in English, but the menu online is only in Chinese. The wait staff are really friendly and if you're ever in the mood for good, cheap food, you'll know where to go!