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! 

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: Mon - Fri 3pm to 1am, Sat - Sun 3pm to 2am 

Pricing: $$

   One of my favorite restaurants in Taipei, Mei's Tea Bar is a cozy cafe tucked into one of the many alleys around the Daan area. With the welcoming decor, soothing music, and inviting atmosphere, Mei's is a great place to either have a glass of wine and read a book, or socialize with friends. 

   On my first visit to Mei's I had the hot chocolate ($180 NT, includes cookie). It's by far one of the best cups of hot chocolate! With frothed milk on top in lieu of whipped cream, this drink has the same consistency as that of a latte. However, this, combined with a hint of cinnamon, makes for one of the most unique tasting cups of hot chocolate I've ever had. This definitely isn't some cheap cocoa powder drink! An additional plate of three cookies is $70 NT. 

On my next visit to Mei's, I had the Egyptian spice tea ($180 NT). As with the hot chocolate, the spice tea definitely has some cinnamon in it, but since cinnamon is one of my favorite spices, I'm instantly addicted! Mei's also offers a diverse selection of Taiwanese black teas ($150 - $180 NT) - Sun Moon Lake and Hualian teas to name two. Also on offer is a good selection of international beers like Peroni and Mexican Tecata. And the mulled wine that Mei makes follows a traditional British recipe and is well worth the $200 NT.

   For lunch I ordered duck breast with a salad and a side of rice (~$230 NT). I was expecting all three items to come to the table in three separate dishes or separated into three piles on one plate. However, this particular dish has its elements stacked one on top of the other.

  The rice, duck, and salad was drizzled with a balsamic vinaigrette that enhanced the flavor of both the salad and the duck, but left the rice slightly soggy and "vinaigrette-y". Overall, lunch at Mei's was very good and I highly recommend a visit. The menu is in both Chinese and English and all of the staff speak English. The rest of the menu is reasonably priced with items ranging from $180 NT to $400 NT. The appetizers range from $60 NT to $150 NT and include large cheese platters, scones, cookies, apple strudel, and honey pancakes. 

Mei's Tea Bar does not have it's own website, but please read more about Mei's here.