Chef Jason - My Place

Address: No. 258-1, Ruì'ān Street, Dà'ān District (台北市大安區瑞安街258號之1)
Telephone: (02) 2703-8516
Hours: Not listed
Price: $$

I'm not sure what it is, but recently I've been craving all sorts of American food: hot dogs, hamburgers, barbecue ribs, Philly cheese steak, Buffalo wings, whole Maine lobster, you know. So I thought I'd head over to Gusto Street Hot Dog next to the Diner. And wouldn't you know it? It's gone too. If this isn't the month for failed reviews....

Gusto Street Hot Dog is now Chef Jason - My Place. Taking a quick glance at the menu outside, I see there are burgers. Fits the criteria. Settling into a table at the back, I'm pleasantly surprised with the decor. It's fun without trying too hard. There's a Hulk hand smashing through the wall, a couple amusing "Wanted" posters, random paintings, some Americana photos. I can't quite figure out why but, I like it.

On the menu it says that this is a "burgers & pastas" joint, an interesting fusion. There are a lot of appetizers like nachos, onion rings, chili cheese fries, calamari and there's A&W Root Beer and Mountain Dew ($80 NT). There's a wide variety of burgers (Chili, Cowboy, Jalapeno, Philly, Regular Ham/Cheeseburger, et al.) and I ordered the BBQ Bacon Cheeseburger ($230 NT) with a Coke ($60 NT). 

The music at Chef Jason's isn't so loud as to disturb reading or conversation, but it's loud enough that you can listen to it and hum along. My massive 8 oz. burger arrived on a toasted bun with all the accoutrements necessary for a delicious burger: a big green lettuce leaf, huge slice of onion, thick slice of tomato, melted cheddar cheese, two pieces of Applewood bacon, and zesty barbecue sauce. Two hands are definitely necessary. As far as burgers go, this might be my new favorite.

The hot fries were cut thick and perfectly seasoned with crispy exteriors. After eating the burger, finishing the fries is quite the challenge. Jason came out and asked me how everything was. Umm, most delicious burger I've ever had? As we chatted, he told me he bought the place in February, created the menu, decorated the restaurant, and used all of his sous chef knowledge to put together fantastic dishes (he didn't say that last part). Maybe that's why I like this place. You can sense from the moment you walk in he's excited to have his own place.

I like that Chef Jason - My Place focuses on a couple types of food (burgers, pastas, sandwiches), and avoids over-extension. There are also salads and quesadillas on the menu and a section for vegetarians. All the food is fresh, never frozen, and Jason makes almost everything himself (including the pasta sauces). The menu is in English and Chinese, there's no service charge, and there's a fairly good chance you'll get to speak with the proprietor himself. Look out for my pasta review coming soon!

Shake House

Address: Lane 96, Wēnzhōu St, Daan District
Telephone: Not listed
Hours: Not listed
Price: $$

If you want to go to Shake House, you're going to have to trust me... at least a little. Almost no information about Shake House exists in English. It's Chinese name is 雪可屋 and if you put these characters into a search engine, you'll get a few results. But if you want an English review, you've come to the right place.

Directly across the street from Cafe Bastille's Wēnzhōu location and down the street from Kitchen 66, Shake House is reminiscent of a 1920s vintage European coffeehouse. The faded chairs, terracotta pot light covers, wooden floors, vinyl records, smell of roasting coffee, and natural sunlight make Shake House a trendy coffeehouse that's quite popular with students from nearby National Taiwan University.

The drink selection consists of espresso coffee, estate-grown coffee, tea, smoothies, and Belgian and Taiwanese beers. I ordered a hot Vienna coffee ($120 NT) and looked over the food menu again in case something caught my eye. The food menu is quite sparse, but there's a lot of variety. Everything from popcorn ($65 NT), French toast ($45 NT), chocolate muffins ($45 NT), and spicy fried tofu ($45 NT) to shrimp fried rice + soup ($80 NT), spaghetti ($70 NT), and chicken curry rice + soup ($90 NT). I decided I'd wait and see if I felt like a Triple Karmaliet beer ($150 NT) and some food later.

As I read, I couldn't help but notice a university boy staring at me. I flashed him a quick smile and he strode over. "Excuse me, are you Pamela?" he asked. "Uhh, no." So eloquent. The American girl a couple tables down jumped up and waved him over. No big deal ... until another university guy asked me if I was Tiffany 20 minutes later. I think it's because of its location to Taida but Shake House is swarming with language exchange partners. 

The Vienna coffee was delicious and just the extra kick of caffeine I needed. I liked the traditional sprinkling of chocolate on top of the whipped cream, and the proportion of whipped cream to espresso was good. Whilst contemplating a Triple Karmaliet, I noticed the noise level in Shake House was a bit too much for my liking, so I paid my tab and left.

 

I would most definitely go back to Shake House. I would get there before noon, snag a window seat, and work on whatever-it-is before the uni students arrive. The menu is in both English and Chinese, there's no service charge, and you can use the Wi-fi from Cafe Bastille across the road. Check out the Shake House website. 

Kitchen 66

Address: No. 11, Alley 3, Lane 74, Wenzhou St, Taipei City (台北市溫州街74巷3弄11號)
Telephone: (02) 2362-9668
Hours: Tues - Sun 11:30am to 10pm
Price: $$

I've been in the mood for a good bagel lately, so I thought I'd head over to Shih's Bagel in the Gongguan area and have a late breakfast. Turns out, Shih's Bagel is gone. In its place is Kitchen 66, a kitschy Americana diner selling American fare.

When I walked in, the interior was dimly lit (so dimly lit, in fact, I thought they were closed). There were only two other patrons, so there was this weird kinda-open-for-business-but-not-really vibe. The waitress handed me a menu, a glass, and let me sit wherever. Kitchen 66 is one of those rare places in Taiwan that offers free refills but, as I was to find out later, the soda was flat and not really worth the refill.

Looking over the menu, I noticed there were a lot of photos of people eating Kitchen 66 burgers and making a mess of themselves. The motto underneath was "Never use a fork". This sounds like a philosophy by which I can live quite easily. Though there were pizzas, fried chicken, steak, and fish & chips to tempt the wayward, I chose the Spicy Mexican Burger ($240 NT). The waitress warned me that this burger is "very spicy, too spicy", what with it's jalapenos, chipotle sauce, and tinge of Tabasco. Psssh! Please! Bring it on.

Ten minutes, two glasses of water, and thirteen pages later, the aromatic burger arrived at my table. This thing looked quite a sight! Bacon hanging out, cheddar cheese dripping, chipotle sauce running, burger still sizzling. Now this is what I'm talking about. 

The burger bun is quite delicious, second only to the Diner, and is lightly toasted. The lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickle on the side were are fresh and, when added to the burger, made me long for a fork and knife. How was I supposed to eat this tower of food?! I managed to take a couple bites and was immediately hit with the heat. The chipotle, Tabasco, and thick, fat jalapenos definitely give this burger a kick. There's a lot of heat to contend with, but not so much that you can't appreciate the cheddar, bacon, and burger patty. This burger rides that fine line between perfection and overbearing heat.

The fries were hot, crispy, and well-seasoned. And because there's a bottle of Tabasco at every table, I thought I'd add a dash to my fries. Does it get any better than Tabasco-soaked fries? I'm not sure that it does.

I would definitely go back to Kitchen 66 to sample more of their burgers. I'll write off the weird vibe and flat soda to the early time of my arrival. I went on a Tuesday around noon, so they'd been open for a half hour before I showed up ... but still, completely flat soda? Anyway, there's no service charge, the manager speaks fluent English, and it's close to a lot of coffee houses and Belgian beer places (if you're looking for somewhere to go afterwards). 

Check out their Facebook page

The Door

Address: No. 26, Lane 57, Dàzhí St, Jhongshan District
Telephone: (02) 8509-8786
Hours: Sun - Thurs 10am to 9pm, Fri - Sat 10am to 10pm
Price: $$

Who would've thought an American diner such a lucrative concept in Taipei? Well, apparently, everyone. And they're right on the money.

In my new favorite part of town, there's an offshoot of the popular "the Diner" called the Door. Tucked down a tree-lined lane in Dàzhí, the Door is in a picturesque neighborhood. Walking from the Dàzhí MRT, you get the feeling that you're in Portland. What with all the college kids from Shih Chien University, tree-lined avenues, free Wi-fi cafes, bookstores, and small parks and green spaces, it's as close as you'll come to the real thing.

the Door is significantly smaller than the Diner and has only eleven tables inside, some able to accommodate five people easily, while others can accommodate two at best. Arriving on a Sunday around 2pm, I was told there was a 20 minute wait. So, I headed down to Kooka Coffee (yup, you read that right) for a cold latte; more on that later.

Taking a seat at my table for two, I immediately ordered the Asparagus and Chicken Omelette ($250 NT). I'm working my way through their amazing omelets and this one was next on the list. The omelets come with a choice of white or wheat bread, hash browns or potatoes O'Brien, and coffee or tea. There's a complimentary glass of kiwi juice that comes with each omelet order, a small cup of assorted fruit, and all omelets are made with organic eggs.

Several minutes later, my breakfast arrived, smelling divine. Tucking into the potatoes O'Brien, I was initially overwhelmed with the seasoning. There was a lot of salt and pepper on the potatoes and, though the potatoes weren't soggy, there was more oil than I'd care to see at the bottom of the plate. This was the first time I've had a less than wonderful experience with the potatoes O'Brien, so I'll definitely order them next time despite my latest disappointment.

If there's one thing the Door does right, it's most certainly the omelets. Fluffy and delicious, these omelets never disappoint (I should probably knock on wood). The eggs are cooked enough so that they aren't raw, but not so cooked as to taste like rubber. You immediately notice the cheese! It's the glue that holds the whole delightful concoction together. It's warm, gooey, flavorful, and present throughout the omelet, not just stuffed in the middle.

The diced chicken pieces are huge and lightly seasoned, adding another dimension to the omelet. My only minuscule complaint is that the asparagus pieces were quite tiny, a little lacking in quantity, and I had envisioned asparagus heads as being in the omelet, though this was never specified. Also, the onions got a little lost in the sauce, as the saying goes; but overall, I was immensely satisfied.

The wheat bread was lightly toasted and the whipped butter on the side was appreciated. Not wanting to leave, despite my hour-and-a-half-long stay, I decided to order myself a treat (as if a huge omelet wasn't enough). I debated between the milkshakes, nachos, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, until I remembered the list of imported sodas.

the Door serves three imported sodas ($60 NT for a 12 fl oz. can): Dr. Pepper, A&W Root Beer, and ... Mountain Dew? I've forgotten the last one. My eyes probably glazed over after reading Dr. Pepper. I ordered one and was tempted by the waitress to turn it into a Dr. Pepper float for an extra $40 NT, but didn't.

If you need additional reasons to love the Door (you know, besides the locale, Dr. Pepper, American style food, Wi-fi, and cute waiters), consider this; there's self-serve, all-you-can-drink hot coffee/hot tea/ice-cold water, and no service charge! My total came to $310 NT and I drank a swimming pool's worth. The menu is in English and Chinese and the staff speak both. The Facebook page is here.

Yogurt Art

Address: No. 14, Alley 8, Lane 216, Section 4, Zhōngxiào East Rd, Daan District
Telephone: (02) 8771-5366
Hours: 11:30am to 10pm
Price: $ (depending on size and weight)

Delicious, cold, nonfat, calcium packed, and just a third the calories of normal ice cream, frozen yogurt is the perfect summer treat. I've visited several "froyo" joints in Taipei, but there aren't many good DIY places with reasonable prices. A friend suggested Yogurt Art and now, I'm hooked.

There are a variety of different flavors at Yogurt Art (40 to be exact), though there are only eight available at any one time. The flavors change with the season and when I visited a couple days ago, the choices were country vanilla, cable car chocolate, ripe strawberry, Oreo, cinnamon apple pie, summer fruit, berry tart, and plain tart. Because you're paying by weight ($56 NT per 100 grams), there are no rules or stipulations concerning mixing and matching yogurt flavors. How about equal parts Oreo, chocolate, and strawberry? Sounds like a delicious twist on a Neapolitan to me!

Every froyo machine has two different flavors, and there's a middle lever that will swirl the two flavors together, making your job of creating the perfect dessert even easier. After thinking about it, I decided I really needed some cinnamon apple pie in my life (sorry Neapolitan). Filling my cup a little more than I should have, I headed over to the toppings.

 There are over 20 toppings and I'm not going to name them all, but some memorable ones are kiwi, mango, granola, gummy bears, Oreo pieces, waffle cone pieces, chocolate chips, sprinkles, strawberries, mochi balls, marshmallows, M&Ms, and Fruit Loops. I sprinkled some Oreo pieces, chocolate chips, and granola onto my cinnamon apple pie and went to weight and pay. 

Yikes! Almost 300 grams! My total came to $134 NT; not bad, but I couldn't believe how quickly all those grams added up! Digging in, I was reminded of Mixx in Boston. The yogurt is really flavorful without being overly sweet. There's no hint of tartness, but you're not going into a sugar coma either. The toppings actually went together quite well (I was a little surprised). The Oreos and chocolate chips were as mouth-watering as I imagined, and the granola really brought out the cinnamon apple pie flavor. It was a little like eating a chocolate apple crumble. 

My only complaint concerns the raisins in the granola. They were rock solid. I definitely thought I might need dental work after that first twinge-inducing bite. Afterwards, I was careful to sift through the granola and pick out the offending raisins. 

With delicious yogurt, varied toppings, DIY freedom, no service charge, and a rewards card, Yogurt Art will certainly become a fixture in my life. The reward card lasts for four months and, within that time limit, you must purchase nine cups of yogurt to reap the reward. Reward: the tenth cup is discounted ($100 NT off the price of the tenth one). What with the money saved and the calories a third of ice cream, walk over to Uniqlo and go crazy! Visit their website for more info and other locations.

Consulate Cafe

Address: No. 257, Zhōngzhèng Rd, Danshuei District
Telephone: Not listed
Hours: Not listed
Price: $$

Type "Consulate Cafe Taipei" into any major search engine, and you'll get a lot of results. The majority won't even reference a cafe. Sometimes referred to as "The Embassy Cafe", Consulate Cafe is hard to miss on Zhōngzhèng Road and is across the street from the Fort San Domingo entrance.

This conveniently located cafe welcomes a lot of tourists who come to visit the Fort and former British Consulate, students from Aletheia University, and day-trippers visiting from Taipei. The fare is light and moderately priced. You can find cheaper food and drinks at the street stalls; this air-conditioned cafe is not the place to seek a bargain.

Though the menu boasted many drinks (hot/iced green tea, hot/iced black tea, beer, juice, soda, chocolate milk and hot chocolate, "ice cream soda", coffee, lattes, etc.), I decided water would be best, what with the humidity and my state of dehydration. I wanted to eat something light that wouldn't weigh me down, but thought a salad too boring. Dessert sounded good, but cheesecakes and brownies aren't really all that light. A sandwich it was.

The sandwich selection was tuna, ham, smoked salmon, or German sausage with sauerkraut ($140 - $190 NT). Quite the eclectic smorgasbord. I chose the smoked salmon sandwich with herb bread (possible alternatives: croissant, "milk" bread) for $160 NT.

The sandwich was a lot bigger than I had anticipated. The "herb bread" was actually two large pieces of olive and rosemary focaccia bread. The olive and rosemary were married well, though the focaccia seemed a little oily, bizarrely so. There was a good amount of lettuce, some nice ripe slices of tomato, several cucumbers, and (disappointingly) a sliver of salmon. All of this was smothered with some sort of salad dressing (even more disappointing). 

While I suppose it is my fault for not asking them to make the sandwich without dressing, it never stated on the menu that dressing was even a potential component. I think I hear the smallest violin in the world playing just for me.... Anyway, I was a little miffed that I had purchased a smoked salmon sandwich with almost no smoked salmon, but such is life. There was a dollop of the salad dressing and relish on the side, but the sandwich was drowning as is. Unnecessary.

The real appeal to this cafe is the location. Located right on the riverside, there are beautiful sunset views and lovely nighttime views of Bali. Consulate Cafe is located close to Big Tom, in fact, just walk down Zhōngzhèng Road and you'll bump into both of them (about a three minute walk from one another). There's no website for Consulate Cafe, but you can search "Consulate Cafe Taipei" or "The Embassy Cafe Taipei" and sift through the results.

The menu is in English and Chinese, there's a 10% service charge, and the staff speak a limited amount of English. My opinion on Consulate? Just head over to Big Tom. The view is quite similar, there's no service charge, the riverside view is indoors with floor to ceiling windows, the food and drinks are cheaper, the ambiance better, and all the Wi-fi for which you can ask!

Zoca Pizzeria

Address: 149 Linjiang St, Taipei City (台北市臨江街149號)

Telephone: (02) 2707-2212

Hours: Tues - Fri 11am to 2:30pm, 5:30pm to 9:30pm, Sat - Sun 11am to 9:30pm

Price: $$

I missed Zoca. It's been a long time since I've had pizza and today was the perfect day to satisfy my cravings. Last time I was here, I sampled more of the dessert menu and their delicious Nutella pizza. So this time I chose a "hearty" pizza, the Prosciutto e Funghi (ham and mushroom) for $320 NT. There were a selection of drinks on the menu; everything from lattes, cappuccinos, and hot chocolate to Coronas, Radlers, Diesels, and Taiwan Beer. I ordered a Peroni ($120 NT for a 330 mL bottle) and sat back with my book.

I forgot that Zoca's packed on weekends. There's a lunchtime special that's quite popular and always draws a crowd, so it's best to avoid the early afternoon. The service is really good, with the waitstaff being extremely attentive to detail. I think I almost drank all my water before it was refilled to the brim...

The pizza arrived quickly, piping hot from the oven! I'm such a huge fan of these pizzas, it's probably a little unhealthy. The thin crust is expertly fired; it's never burnt, it's never raw, it's never soggy, it's never a weird consistency, it's just as thin crust pizza dough should be. You can easily cut through it with a knife, though sometimes I forgo the knife and fork in favor of my hands.

The pizza toppings are wonderfully judicious. The tomato sauce is evenly spread across the pizza and there's a great ratio of sauce to cheese to ham to mushroom. The pizza avoids being too "soupy" with a preponderance of sauce, which I like (though some friends have complained that the sauce is too thin and lacking). The mozzarella is concentrated in the center of the pizza and melts nicely beneath the additional toppings. The prosciutto is finely sliced, flavorful, and distributed evenly; as are the chewy mushrooms ... though the mushrooms aren't too finely sliced.

I quickly demolished the entire pizza. Shameful? I think not. I regret nothing. Since my last review, Zoca has added cannolis to the menu! They're $150 NT and while yours truly didn't sample one, they looked unbelievably scrumptious sitting in their display case. The waitress told me I could take one "to go" but I needed to resist temptation. 

There's a 10% service charge, so my total came to $484 NT. The menu at Zoca is in English, Chinese, and Italian, and the waitstaff speak English and Chinese (if you want to utilize your Italian, you can always talk to Federico himself). The desserts are homemade, there's Wi-fi, there's wine, did I mention there are cannolis? Check out the Zoca Facebook fan page or just search "Zoca pizza Taipei".

Mei's Tea Bar

Address: 16, Lane 37, Yongkang St, Taipei (台北市永康街37巷16號)
Telephone: (02) 2394-2425
Hours: Unsure at present
Price: $$

Yes! Mei's is back! For those of you unaware it even went away in the first place, you now have time to hightail it over there before it shuts down! A brief history: In February, there were some grumblings from neighbors about the noise from Mei's. Some wanted the tea bar closed, but Mei posted a memo outside reminding everyone to be quiet and respectful as a way to bring the noise level down and mollify the neighbors. This worked for a couple weeks. Then Mei's closed for a week, reopened, and closed again. 

So it's official. Mei's is no longer on Yongkang Street. She moved the tea bar to another area of town; but the old Yongkang establishment now serves as an homage to Mei's. Mei still owns the location, the interior is the same, and the menu is practically the same as regards the food dishes, but wine has been taken off the menu completely. Additionally, the Yongkang "Mei's" now operates under a Chinese name that I have since forgotten.

To celebrate (the return of?) one of my (new?) favorite Taipei cafes, I sat down to order my Egyptian spice tea ($180 NT) ... and couldn't find it on the new menu (a menu which was still being drafted and was presented to me on rolled up paper). Not wanting to question the poor server even more than I already had, I settled for the Chai tea latte ($180 NT) and the English scone with butter and jam ($90 NT). 

Whilst waiting, I studied the menu a little more and saw that mulled wine was still listed, but there was no sign of the Egyptian tea. I assume this is because the new menu is still coming together and some items haven't been crossed out or added on. That being said, I'm a little nervous that the menu will change and be, primarily, in Chinese. Here's to hoping some things stay the same.

The chai tea latte was delicious and just what I needed! It came with it's own sugar bowl and I quickly polished off my four cups. Unfortunately, they were sold out of scones (a frequent problem!) and I did without. At the Yongkang tea place there's no service charge and the wait staff friendly as always. I promise to search out the new Mei's in the coming months. I'm sure it'll only be bigger and better! 

Rufous

Address: No. 333, Section 2, Fuxing South Road, Taipei City, Daan District (復興南路二段333號)
Telephone: (02) 2736-6880
Hours: Fri - Wed 1pm to 11pm
Price: $$

This month I'm going to be reviewing a lot of old favorites, and Rufous is first up on the list! If you have the time, visit during the weekdays around 1:30 or 2pm (this is when the crowd's at its thinnest and the service at its fastest). Avoid Rufous around 8pm or so; people are meeting after work or dinner, and the wait for a seat can be up to an hour.

I ordered the Iced Banana Mocha Latte for $165 NT. I reviewed the (hot) Banana Mocha Latte back in January and thought it was one of the best mocha drinks I've had. The iced version is even better. The banana-flavored whipped cream is dusted with chocolate powder and drizzled with chocolate sauce. Though I've ordered this drink numerous times, I've never stirred the whipped cream into the beverage as I've seen some patrons do. I think I'm a "separatist"; I need to taste all individual components of a food or beverage, rather than mix them together to find out what they taste like as a compound. Oh well.

I've never had flavored whipped cream before, and the novelty never ceases to impress me. After consuming all the whipped cream and chocolate powder and sauce, it's on to the actual beverage.

I've watched Rufous make this drink a couple times and he always starts with the dark chocolate shavings. He puts some in the glass, adds ice, pours the mocha into the glass, and adds more chocolate shavings. Your first sip is comprised of the smooth, cold, creamy mocha and thick, dark chocolate shavings. The dark chocolate dissolves in your mouth before you have a chance to bite into it. Every sip, beginning to end, is like this. The ratio of dark chocolate shavings to mocha is genius; the way the shavings are layered throughout the drink is purposeful and only enhances the overall flavor of the drink. It's delicious.

I love this drink because so many unique and interesting flavors come together to make one delicious mocha concoction. It's worth the long evening wait and the Starbucks price tag. The menu is in Chinese and English, the staff speak both, and there's NO service charge. The price you see is the price you pay!

 Visit the website for more information.