18 Cafe

Address: No.55, Sec.1, Anhe Road, Daan District, Taipei Taiwan.  安和路一段55號一樓

Telephone: (02)2775-5530

Hours: 11:30AM - 12:00AM daily.

For years now, Room 18 has been one of the preeminent clubs on the Taiwan night scene.  For some reason, knowing that 18 Cafe is opened by the same owner threw my mind into a weird place.  I suppose one doesn't associate clubbing with a classy cafe and elegant dining, but once I got my easily distracted mind to stop thinking of such trivial things, I was ready to settle down for a meal.

I'm sure there are similar components in operating a successful night club and a top notch restaurant, because after all, they both do fall under the umbrella of the service industry.  The business acumen of the owner seems to have transferred well, since I've mostly heard only positives in regards to the cafe.  My buddy and I came here somewhat on a lark, as we were wandering the streets trying to figure out where to stop and take in lunch.

For my money, we made a good random choice in stepping into the elegant interior of 18 Cafe.

I don't want to say that Taiwanese people aren't original... but... it seems like anyone with half a thought in their head and half a dollar in their wallet, opts to open a cafe these days.  I'm certain that 10 years ago, there existed almost no such places in Taiwan's culinary landscape.  Now? They are nearly as ubiquitous as the convenient stores that we are so fond of here.

Black Tea Set

With so many places offering overlapping experiences, it is in the hands of each proprietor to give the customers something that's different.  If they can't, there exists little incentive to give the extra effort to patron your establishment instead of the multitude that I'm sure is just a brisk walk from most people's doorstep.

With all of that said, I believe 18 Cafe does a good job of distinguishing itself and does so in some subtle and not so subtle ways.

 Egg Tofu Salad with Sesame Dressing. (150NT)

Dessert Options.... duh.

For being so brand spanking new (opened in July of this year), 18 Cafe has quickly distinguished itself.  I believe the three main reasons (although there are others) is because of the fact that indeed 18 Cafe is opened by the same owner as some of Taiwan's top night life destinations.  The owner is somewhat of a mid level celebrity here in Taiwan, and that in of itself brings a certain level of notoriety.  But in the end, it doesn't matter who the name attached to the restaurant is if the quality is lacking.

That brings us to points two and three: The food is not lacking, and is done with a certain finesse and class that really surprised me. And thirdly, they have a signature dish in their award winning beef noodle soup (a Taiwanese classic if there ever was one).

The Award Winning Beef Noodle Soup from 18 Cafe (bested 200 competitors). Flavors were good, a bit on the sweet side, but that is to my personal preferences.  

I would say a good half of the restaurant had one of these green bowls in front of them.  For just 250NT you too can have your head crammed into one of these creations.  To be honest, I'm not the biggest fan of beef noodle soup, but I know a good one when I taste it.  

I was a big fan of the broad noodles and their chewiness was very much to my liking.  The soup was flavorful without being overpowering and had that little extra spice to give it that much needed kick.  Although I found the dish to be very good.. is it the best version of this dish I have ever had?  That would probably be a no, but I would be hard pressed to exactly nail down the location of the best.

All told however, 18 Cafe's beef noodle soup is worthy of being a signature dish.  Without question the notoriety of its owner and food has really given this place solid footing in the crowded market for this type of cuisine.

 Seared tuna with black olive puree.  (250NT)

 Crispy soft-shelled crab spring roll. (180NT)

The food here deviates slightly from what you find at most diners and cafes in Taiwan.  Instead of the customary breakfast/burger/sandwich options, 18 Cafe brings a more sophisticated take on what a cafe can deliver.  Although the menu isn't extensive, the dishes we tried were all presented nicely and tasted very fresh.  The portions are not large and the price range is adequate, but there is enough diversity on the menu for most people to find something that they will find to their liking.

Tender chicken wrapped with cream cheese in brandy sauce.  Very juicy chicken and the mashed potatoes were fantastic. 

 I really enjoyed the decor and atmosphere at 18 Cafe, and really the best way I can explain it is that it was... substantial.  What I mean by that is that you can tell resources were spent into designing and laying out the space that this cafe occupies.  A brightly lit area that strays from the rustic feel that many cafes try to capture and instead goes for a modern feel that is heavy in vibrant colors.

The good looking waitstaff were ever helpful, and an army of them are patrolling around to make sure your needs are tended to.  

Chocolate brandy cake and fruit mille-feuille. Both really good.  Loved the texture of the chocolate cake.. simple yet magnificent.

Because of our own indecisiveness, we stumbled upon 18 Cafe.  I'll chalk it up to a fortunate accident, and I'm glad I got to judge this new entry into the Taiwan dining forum.  There is room for improvement of course, as any new establishment will have its fair share of growing pains.

The waitstaff, although friendly, is still green and gave us some faulty information about the menu a few times.  I'm certain the menu is still being tweaked and added to, and the speed of some of the food took too long to be delivered with no explanation as to the long wait.

With that said though, behind the strength of their beef noodle soup, sophisticated design and food, I can declare the cafe not only a winner in an award for their signature dish, but almost a certain sure fire winner of patrons wallets in the years to come.

Overall 18 Cafe receives: 

-Til Next Time-