十里安

Address: No.61, Sec.2, Lane 81, Dunhua S. Road.  敦化南路2段81巷61號

Telephone: (02) 2708-5027

Hours: 11:30AM-9:30PM Daily.

Nobody really talks about lunch do they?  Breakfast gets top billing as being the most important, dinner gets all the glamour, but what about lunch? For most people lunch is about eating something quickly and not too heavy.  No one wants to be the idiot that falls asleep in the afternoon meeting from devastating food coma.

But there is no reason to trivialize lunch in such a manner.  Simple food can still be excellent food, and while 十里安 certainly shouldn't be pigeon-holed into a lunch specific role, I feel that it really is the perfect place to have lunch for the businessperson on the move.  

 Some simple small dishes.  Sweet tomatoes and Taro Cubes.  Easy, flavorful and clean.

I'm waaaaiting...

十里安 is located in an area heavy with foot traffic from people who are looking to enjoy a gratifying lunch in the midst of their busy work lives.  The food is affordable, tasty, clean and runs in a very similar vein as what you would be expected to find at Ding Tai Fung.
I won't go so far as to say 十里安 is as good as Ding Tai Fung, because after all, Ding Tai Fung is a Taiwanese institution unto itself, but there are clear similarities and you won't be disappointed by what you find here.

Always one of my favorites no matter where I can find it.  Friend rice with fried pork chop.  A little sweetness in the batter, and not too oily at all.

Drunken Chicken.  Good tender chicken that isn't too heavy in its flavoring, a clean light taste to the dish.

十里安 is a relatively new restaurant that has seating for a good 30-40 people.  The decor is simple yet modern, with a few Asian touches here and there to remind you what kind of restaurant you're in.  A see through glass barrier is erected between the seating area and the kitchen to allow you to take a glimpse at what is about to be put in your belly (another similarity with Ding Tai Fung).  

The menu is far from extensive, but they have all the necessities, and sometimes its a good thing to keep the options limited.  The prices are more than fair for the quality that you get (I think I was too busy eating to take a pic of the menu... it happens), and I believe the most expensive item was around 250NT with most things in the 100-200NT range.  

Some spicy options.  I have to reiterate, 十里安 does a great job of keeping their food delicious yet without the greasiness that I would expect to find in a lot of the dishes.

The type of food here really is very traditional Chinese fare, and that is perfectly fine with me.  There is a warmth that comes with eating food such as this, and doubly so if its done well.  Noodles, rice, dumplings... 十里安 isn't trying to reinvent the wheel, but instead staying in that area where they know people can find comfort.  Don't come to 十里安 if what you want is something out of left field or some ridiculous take on classic food.  What they do.. they do very well, and when dealing with food, that will get the job done time and time again.

I can never... ever get tired of soup dumplings.

Not too shabby.

What more can I say? Everyone should have a restaurant like this in their rotation.  Coming here to dine will not wow you, but it's more about efficiency.....and really, what sort of businessman doesn't love efficiency and economy of movement?  

The food is fast, clean, tasty and economically sound.  Breakfast and dinner may get all the accolades, but as long as restaurants like 十里安 exist, then I'll feel good about my lunch time options as well.  Opened in July of this year, 十里安 is a definite up and comer whose seats I often find filled.  There is good reason for this, so the next time you are in search for a simple filler for your afternoons, do yourself one better and come to 十里安 and see what they have to offer.

 Always one of my favorites.  Beef rolls.  Warm and tender.

Overall 十里安 Receives: 

-Til Next Time-

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-

瞞著爹 三

Address:  No.17, Lane 346, Alley 9, Bade Rd. Taipei Taiwan.105 ; 台灣台北市松山區八德路二段346巷9弄17號

Telephone: 0926594575

Hours: 11:30AM-2:30PM; 6:00PM-8:30PM

Maybe it's been the deprivation, maybe it was a lack of a breakfast, whatever the root cause.. I was giddy at the thought of being able to finally lay my grubby hands on some Japanese food.  My second full day back on my military leave found the family and I heading over to 瞞著爹 三 for some lunch.  It really is difficult to describe what an odd sensation it is to all of a sudden be allowed to walk around freely like a regular human being.  As I have been fond of saying lately, it really is the little things that brings you the greatest lasting joy.

It's important to make the distinction that this is 瞞著爹 三 and not the other two because each location offers up its own type of Japanese fare.  At 瞞著爹 三 you can find a varied selection of chirashis, some handrolls, and a nigiri set.  This may not like seem like a whole lot for you to choose from, but trust me, these simple things are really all you need for you to leave as giddy as I was.

Judging from that sentence alone you can see that I have quickly become a fan of this cozy little restaurant.  Open your appetites and let me tell you why.

Before the onslaught of customers.

 Menu

Some colorful drinks and all you can drink miso.

瞞著爹 三 is conveniently located right behind Breeze Center, and occupies a lovely little space with seating for around 20-25 patrons.  But for the love of God.. if you are stupid like us and deign to not make a reservation, then in turn be smart like us and arrive exactly at 11:30 when they open.  If you desire to be twice stupid and do neither, then settle in for a lengthy wait, as a butt will fill every one of those seats rapidly 

The space is simultaneously crowded without seeming cluttered.  The menu is simple, the prices are reasonable, and there is all you can drink miso soup.  For my money, that's a good start right there.

Negitoro handrolls with some uni and cucumber.  Sublime.

 Eel handroll.

I left the ordering of our meal in the ever capable hands of my sister.  She started us off with some handrolls (ranging from 40NT - 60NT), and before I had time to tell them to lay their hands off the merchandise, half of the food was already down their gullets. A round of reordering commenced and I had my photo op with the food.
After eating the handrolls myself, I suppose I couldn't begrudge them for being so quick on the trigger.  They provide a very affordable treat to start the meal with.  The negitoro w/uni handroll is a must order, and should be consumed quickly or else there is a chance the seaweed might get soggy due to the negitoro.

First Up.  Shrimp/Uni seaweed wrap chirashi.

Although 瞞著爹 三 offers other options, they are most known for their chirashi options.  On this day, we went with three types.. first up is the four pics that you see above you.  It is a shrimp/uni concoction that is meant to be eaten in a slightly heated seaweed wrapper.  Truly, one of the things I love most about my first experience here is the vibrancy of all the food that is presented.  There is something awesome about food both tasting and looking great that takes the whole dining experience up another level.

I'm not exactly sure why this particular dish was meant to be wrapped instead of just me digging in with my bare hands (I would've been fine with any option), but I played along and enjoyed my wrap.  When the seaweed ran out, I was perfectly fine just almost inhaling the rest of the contents.  And yes, it was still delicious.

Heck Yes.

I'd like to stress again how reasonable I feel the prices are at 瞞著爹 三.  It is true we aren't dealing with sashimi per say, but the ingredients being used are still of high quality and there is no fear of having to leave a pauper if you want to satisfy your hunger.

Actually the only thing I found to be overpriced was the Japanese style soft drinks.  90NT for some colorful sweet liquid? It was tasty... but not that tasty.

My Favorite. Uni and fish eggs.

 More traditional chirashi option for the mother.

As is plainly visible, each dish looks like its just begging for you to devour it.  I thought the Uni/Fish Roe chirashi was superb, and the portions were admirable to boot.  The food was delivered quickly and efficiently, and while we didn't have too much interaction with the wait staff, they were attentive to our needs and were present without being pestering.

Nigiri Set

In addition to the handrolls to accompany the chirashi, they also offer a nigiri set for 680NT that I feel is a must have.  Each individual nigiri comes with its own bit of garnish to add that little extra flavor to the fish.  I mean really, do I have to say it again? It really does just look incredibly appetizing lined up on that wooden board like that... it's almost too pretty to eat... almost.  There is no option to order each item separately, but I feel there is enough variety in this platter and coupled with whatever else you ordered, there is little doubt in my mind you'll leave a satiated patron.

I realize from the beginning to this very word, I have had yet to say a negative thing about this establishment.  I can guarantee you with 99% certainty that this is due to the quality of 瞞著爹 三 and not just because I've been isolated on an dinky island for over two months.  

Sure, this food perhaps doesn't lend itself to the precision of other aspects of Japanese cuisine, but we judge each dish on its own merits, and I can unequivocally say that I found the food to be lacking in no regard.  The taste was there, the food was visually appealing, and the food was delivered quickly... I don't need a whole lot else for the prices I paid at 瞞著爹 三.  I have 10 days until my leave from the military is over... it's a good bet that I'll find myself in that cozy little nook again before I leave.  

Overall 瞞著爹 三 receives:

-Til Next Time-