Cafe Moi

Address: update coming soon.

Telephone:

Hours:

How many quaint/cutesy/cozy cafes can spring up before we reach the saturation point? Have we reached it already? 

I mean, based on how you feel about brunch... this sorta falls under the aged old question of can there be too much of a good thing.  And I suspect the answer is almost always yes. 

These sort of establishments fulfill the dreams of many to open a restaurant without having to completely go broke in the process of doing so.  In the time since I've been bplayer's r Taiwan, I have been to my fair share of these diners and they really do come in all shapes and sizes.  I think there is a good side effect to eating at these restaurants so often, when you go to a good one, it immediately stands out.

Does Chez Moi stand out? Nope.  Does that mean its bad? Nope.  Is this the warmest endorsement? Nope. But its not bad.

Chez Moi is in a nice busy location and definitely has a pleasant homely feel to it.  Its not overly spacious and the seating feels a teensy bit cramped, but that probably adds to the coziness of it all.

An open kitchen, some nice rustic touches and the decent use of space, gives the overall vibe a better than average score.

French Toast/Omelette combo.

The food? Meh.  But you can do a lot worse than having no real opinion about the food.  It was hot, it was perfectly tasty, but I just felt the menu brought absolutely no creativity and or surprises to the choices.  That and I felt the food choices was a bit too minimal. 

Apparently all of their efforts went into creating absurd drink combinations (albeit tastily absurd).  I think a good half of the menu was dedicated to drinks (the non-alcoholic kind... I know right, what gives).  



Pretty Tasty though.

On the whole I can't argue with the notion that way too much money and more importantly, way too many calories are wasted on liquids.  Sure... there is the whole we need fluids to survive thing... but that doesn't mean it has to cost us the equivalent of another seperate entree.  

Then again.. can a price tag be placed on a sensation that comes with a cold beer on a hot day..... the lesson as always.. i know nothing.

But I would suggest that you might as well pony up some extra cash for something cool and sweet to accompany your perfectly pedestrian meal.

In the end... I think we have reached the point where any creatively marketed, decorated, named cafe falls into the same general category. This is in the end a good thing i think.

It means you won't have to waste hrs on research to find the perfect diner to meet your needs...because let us be honest... that place only exists for the taste buds in your dreams.

More and more we are paying for decor and atmosphere... and i think in that regard Cafe Moi does just fine. It's a good little restaurant that gets lost in the shuffle.. a category of existence that most good restaurants fall into. There are worse fates.

Overall Cafe Moi receives: 

6.5 seals of approval. (As you can see.. this update comes courtesy of the cell phone.. revisions will follow soon. Thanks!)

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-

Cozi Burger

Address: No. 223-2 Jinhua Street, Taipei Taiwan.  台北市大安區金華街223之2號

Telephone: (02)2358 1809

Hours: Mon-Fri: 11:00AM-10:00PM ; Sat-Sun: 10:00AM-10:00PM

I might have been away for a while, but that doesn't mean I haven't been eating.  It's true that most of the food that makes up my diet now is courtesy of the generous government of Taiwan as part of my mandatory military service, but I will not neglect my blogging duties and fit in posts when I can. Appreciate the patience, and hope that you dear reader will still check back when you can and spread the good word.

Cozi Burger was one of the last meals I enjoyed with my friends before my hair was taken from me.  It is part of the ever expanding net of western eateries that is finding a stronger and stronger foot hold here in Taiwan.  I'm certain there will never be a day when the Taiwanese Xiao Chi that I love so much gets replaced by foreign fare, but the margin will probably continually get smaller at an ever diminishing rate.

1885 Burger Store is the only other burger joint that I've properly reviewed on this blog, and in my estimation, Cozi Burger falls short of the quality established by 1885.  I happily and greedily devoured every bite of my burger here at Cozi, but there were somethings lacking that would've turned it from a good/decent burger to a fantastic one.  

Besides the burgers that inhabit the menu, Cozi offers a wide selection of American Brunch options and a variety of pastas.  But I always like to point out, when the word burger is explicitly worked into the title of your restaurant, a burger is what I shall order.  Cozi is located right next to Patisserie la Douceur in the widely popular Yong Kang Street area that is famous for its fantastic food.  The decor is simple, and has ample seating as the restaurant is divided into two separate levels.

Where as at 1885 Burger I opted for a simple burger to really taste the flavor of the meat itself, at Cozi, I decided to try a more adventurous approach and tried a burger that was a little bit more off the beaten path. You are not mistaken, that is a combination of bananas and peanut butter heaped on top of a burger patty.  I've seen PB and B sandwiches, but they were of course missing the beef that makes this combination so intriguing (and possibly disgusting to some).
Cozi, isn't the only burger joint that offers this combo, but most other burger places I think leave out the banana and just incorporate the peanut butter, but who couldn't use some extra potassium in their diet?  Upon the first bite, my taste buds were a little thrown off, and thought that it was slightly too sweet and cloying.  But I must say, as I moved along, I began to enjoy the burger more and more and thought while this isn't a type of burger everyone can find joy in, people who enjoy an interesting mix of textures can definitely give it a try.

  Burger selections tried by my friends.  Fish Burger, Philly Cheese Steak, and the Lucy.

The biggest disappointment according to my friends was the fish burger.  She complained of its dryness and the hardness of the skin.  Having a bite of it myself, I can confirm her reports about the burger, and is definitely an option I would stay away from.  The other two burgers were perfectly fine, and I was happy with the portions offered by Cozi.  

I think my two complaints about the burgers here are about the patty and the bread.  Lets be clear again that I enjoyed my burger, but the bread wasn't soft enough (for my tastes) and the beef was slightly overcooked and lacked that.. juiciness I want when I dig in.  With so many burger options cropping up all over the city, there really isn't a need to settle for something that you don't deem to be worthwhile.  As far as gourmet burgers are concerned (i've subsequently eaten at both Evan's and Bravo Burger), Cozi ranks last in my estimation.

If I were to be walking by, and was in need of a hamburger fix, then I would very happily walk through its doors, but if I had options, then it is my opinion that Cozi deserves to be ignored.  

Over Cozi Burger Receives:

-Til Next Time-