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!

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.

Roaster Family Coffee

Address: Lane 243, Jīnhuá Street, Daan District, Taiwan
Telephone: Not provided
Hours: Not listed
Price: $

Google Roaster Family Coffee and you'll pull up a slew of results. Too bad all these results are about the coffee branches in LA. Everyone in Taiwan will tell you that, despite Google's prolific mention of American locales, the RFC company sold it's first cup of coffee in Taiwan about 12 years ago. Using coffee siphons and eschewing the Starbucks model of fast, mass produced coffee concoctions, RFC serves up some of the best coffee around.

Confession: I've actually never been inside RFC (other than to settle my bill and take a quick glance around). The outdoor seating area is small but, being on the main road, lends itself to excellent people watching. The interior, or what I've seen of it, looks like a posh cafe with a muted gold and scarlet color scheme, coffee siphons everywhere.

RFC doesn't just serve coffee; there's a healthy collection of teas on the menu as well. Since I was feeling slightly under the weather, I ordered the lavender tea ($150 NT). RFC does sell food, but its fare is quite basic i.e. bagels, toast, etc. The focus is primarily on their beverages (can't fault them for that).

The lavender tea doesn't come with milk. Indeed, most of the RFC beverages arrive at your table sans sugar, milk, honey, or other additives that would alter the flavor of the coffee/tea. These people are "beverage naturalists"... if such a term even exists. So when my tea came with honey, I was quite surprised. This was probably a testament to how ill I looked. 

The tea was able to steep as long as you liked, which in my case was quite a while. Though I was a little congested and unable to taste much, after a couple sips my sinuses weren't as horribly congested. The tea is crisp, herb-esque, and tastes vaguely medicinal thanks to the lavender. This is exactly what I needed!

Deciding to make use of some of the honey, I poured in a dollop of the sweet stuff. The honey, in and of itself, was sweet without being overpowering. It was so runny, it was almost the same consistency as water. It didn't taste like the usual supermarket honey (thankfully), and I'm not ashamed to say I ate a couple spoonfuls of it.

RFC is a great place to go for a cup of coffee with friends (or tea when you're feeling ill). The menu is in Chinese and English, and the waitstaff is wonderful. The only mention of the Taiwan branch next to Da'an Park is on Facebook. While searching online, I also came across the possibility of a branch in Neihu. Looks like more research is in my future...

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: $$

   You can get tired of all the Dante, Ikari, IS, and Starbucks coffee shops all over the island pretty quickly. The only way to cure the monotony is a visit to Rufous. Since I live outside of Taipei City proper, the journey to Rufous is sometimes difficult and requires at least an hour in a bus. But I love this place, so it's not really a problem. 

  A cozy cafe, Rufous doesn't have much room for big groups of people (groups of 5 or more). There are only a couple tables, but everyone clamors for a seat at the coffee bar in order to watch Rufous make their coffee. The decor is reminiscent of some Manhattan coffee shops and the eclectic style makes for a comfortable atmosphere.

 The menu has a plethora of coffee and tea drinks. Some of the flavors include hazelnut, coconut, and almond. There are combination flavors like the honey and cinnamon latte ($145 NT) and the almond and hazelnut latte ($145 NT). These drinks come hot or iced and always sport fun "latte art" designs. In addition, there are several good tea beverages and alcoholic drinks like the Kahlua and Bailey's coffee drinks. Most of the drinks are between $130 and $160 NT. 

 On this occasion, I had the almond and hazelnut latte. Delicious. The frothed milk tastes of almond and hazelnut and isn't too fluffy or dense. The freshly ground coffee beans really add the extra flavor that make this drink memorable. Though the drink has almond and hazelnut flavors, it isn't sweet like a Starbucks latte would be (thank God!). This is one of those rare, traditional lattes.

  Because one drink was not enough, I ordered the banana mocha latte ($150 NT). I usually always get the iced version of this drink ($165 NT) because the dark chocolate shavings tend to melt in the hot latte. This being winter and all, I decided to forgo any of the iced drinks. Like the iced version, this hot latte comes with banana flavored whipped cream and is drizzled with a dark chocolate sauce. The banana flavor doesn't last for long, and the mocha really kicks in once the whipped cream is gone. I love this drink and it is one of the best mocha drinks I've had during my travels.

The menu is in Chinese and English and the staff speaks both. I have been here on multiple occasions and recommend almost everything on the menu. I've never eaten here though there are four food dishes on the menu. These are primarily sandwiches/bagels and a bagel with cream cheese is around $70 NT. On the weekends this place is PACKED!! I recommend going sometime during the week when you're less likely to encounter a crowd and a long wait.

Visit Rufous's website at:
www.rufouscoffee.blogspot.com

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.