middle eastern: i strongly recommend SABABA PITA BAR

SABABA PITA BAR
8, Alley 54, Ln 118, Heping E Rd, Sec 2
(02) 2738-7769

website: sababapita.com

hours: 11 AM to 9 PM
closed Sundays

$

CASH ONLY

Kid friendliness: no high chairs and small seating area - so tough for strollers, though finger foods quite kid friendly. Recommend calling ahead and getting food-to-go if you have lots of kids or baby.

Visit reviewed: 6/6/2007

The hummus here will make you hum about Sababa to all your friends afterwards. And if you've never had hummus before, you should give it try and have one of their sandwiches as well. After having it a few weeks ago, I had been thinking about the food ever since. It's simple and light and easy on the wallet- yet there are complex and hearty flavors in the food. They have pita sandwiches (NT$98) and plates (NT$158) with combo option of adding fries and a drink (add NT$50).

So last night, I got some more Sababa food to go and I have to say it traveled better than I thought it would back to my dining table.

The first time, I made the mistake of just ordering a hummus combo plate, the plata sababa (NT$158), as my lunch. Hummus is a creamy blend of chickpeas and sesame tahini with lemon and garlicky flavors to keep everything interesting, and plated with the roasted eggplant gives it a slightly sweet partner to dip your pita bread in.



While it was sizeable- it was more like an appetizer with a plate full of hummus, roasted eggplant and sliced pita to dip it in. I had to ask my friends to try it out so that I didn't feel forced to finish it- all hummus and pita and no meat was starting to feel a bit heavy and I was eyeing my friend's combo pita sandwich.



my friend's combo sandwich, not my chicken pita!


This time, I was smart, I ordered a Chicken Soulvaki Pita (NT$98) as my protein and the plata sababa to share, as well as some Moroccan cigars (NT$88 for 2) on the side. Everything came in paper bag (smartly imprinted with Sababa's info and a map) so the cigars stayed crispy and didn't get soggy like some fried foods to-go do. My chicken pita was stuffed full of large diced chicken breast pieces with some tomato slices and filled with green homemade yogurt sauce which made the sandwich moist without being too greasy (like mayo). The pita was soft and fresh- and they even stuff the part they cut off into your sandwich- which I promptly used to dip into the hummus.

The Moroccan Cigars were like I remembered the first time- a bit spicy with ground beef and pine nuts, wrapped in long cigar-like egg roll skin, deep fried and crispy.



It's usually made with phyllo dough, but the egg roll skin gives it a unique fusion twist which is perfect to cater to the Taiwanese tastes without taking away from its original flavor. My vegetarian friend had the Egyptian Cigars (NT$88 for 2), which were made from spinach and herbed cheddar- but must warn you, it's quite spicy! Much spicier than the beef and without warning on the menu. I also didn't spot any spinach in my bite, but he liked it. I think I also like it because it reminds me of taquitos and while it's quite different, it's similar enough to make me happy.

It's not easy to find since it's located off in the alley off a lane off a street, but check out their map on the website and look for the red sign hanging outside their little shop. They also don't have any sweets/desserts, so if you are still hungry afterwards, you can get a smoothie or drink next door, especially on a hot day. (I got the guava/grapefruit juice and it was very refreshing and surprisingly good combo).



The English menu is written on the chalkboard behind the counter, as well as menus with both English and Chinese floating around the front. You order at the bar as well as pick up your own food when your number is called and I recommend getting there a little before noon to beat the lunch college crowd to get a seat.



We lucked out by doing just that and getting a table in the back before it quickly filled up. There's probably no more than 18 seats or so as well as seating at the pita bar, and it feels sort of like fast food joint with all the tiled tables, but a wee bit nicer. They also make everything to order, so if you get there before the rush, you don't have to wait extra long to eat! If you are getting food to go, I recommend calling ahead so you don't have to wait. Also, to-go orders are buy 5 get 1 free, so try something different next time for your office lunch or order food to go and let the kids try something different.

There's also quite a few options for vegetarians that are filling and satisfying for even non-vegetarians. Besides the plata sababa and Egyptian cigars, there's also an Eggplant or Falafel pita sandwiches as options, or the Labneh Eggplant Salat, which had a lot of homemade yogurt cheese - which is more an appetizer plate rather than a lunch or dinner plate as we discovered.



Opened by the same people who brought Citizen Cain to Taipei, Sababa has quickly gained many loyal customers. I heard a lot about it on the various Taiwan forums before getting a chance to visit and now they have opened another location, as well as offer franchising opportunities- so you might see more and more Sababa's around town.

Our dinner to go was NT$530 (US$16) for 2 sandwiches, 4 cigars and 1 plata sababa and very satisfying- can't beat that price at most of the western/foreign eateries in town! Even in LA, 2 pita sandwiches, hummus and sides would be about the same, maybe even more.

OTHER LOCATIONS

Gong Guan branch
17, Lane 283, LuoSiFu (Roosevelt) Rd, Sec 3, 1F
(02) 2363-8009
Hours: 11:30 am-9:30 pm

Yong Kang branch
No. 3, Lane 12, Yong Kang St
Phone: (02) 2327 9159
Fax: (02) 2327 9159
Sunday~Thursday 11am~10pm
Friday&Saturday 11am~10:30pm

Breeze Center at
Taipei Main Station
(02)6632-8999 # 2557
Fax: 02-2389-5720
Monday - Friday 11am ~ 9:30pm
Saturday - Sunday 11am ~ 10pm

Who else recommends it?
Taipei Times

random: cold foods to beat the summer heat

It's too hot to blog.

If it's not raining, the sun is out to get us with its global warming revenge.

But here are some things I've been eating to beat the Taipei heat.

Cold ramen noodles at Watami (can you spot the ice cube?). Even better- I found the Korean cold noodles in a sweet and vinegary-sour soup I loved from Korea in Yonghe.



I've been day dreaming about the mint chocolate chip ice cream from Movenpick ever since I shared a banana split.



And of course, shaved ice. Shaved ice is one of the best things about living in Taipei! Can we eat it everyday?




I know it's not nice to tease you with the pictures and not tell you exactly where to get them. I'm working on the reviews and the restaurant name and address translations. Blame the restaurants for not having English on their business cards and websites!!!! Hope everyone is staying cool.

WATAMI
at Neo 19, 2nd FL
No. 22, Song Shou Rd
Xinyi District, Taipei
(02) 2723-2623
Hours: 11 am-1 am

TBA KOREAN RESTAURANT
Yonghe, Taipei
(02) 2929-7667

MOVENPICK
at at Miramar Mall, 3rd FL
22 Jing Ye 3rd Road
DaZhi, Taipei

TBA SHAVED ICE at NIGHT MARKET
Yonghe, Taipei

TAI YI TBA POPULAR SHAVED ICE
across from entrance of TaiDa University
on XinSheng South Road

revisited/american: i still strongly recommend THE DINER again

THE DINER
No. 145, Rui-An St.
(02) 2700-1680

HOURS: 10AM-11PM
closed Mondays

website: thediner.com.tw

kid friendly?: I believe that they don't have any high chairs, but there is some room for strollers (when they are not packed) and booths along the side. There is a few Diner-like options on the kids menu (NT$100)

$
CASH ONLY

visit reveiwed: 6/5/2007
original visit reviewed: 12/17/2006

So their pastrami sandwich (NT$260) doesn't look like this- but their burgers and fries (NT$120-260) are pretty close to what you'd expect if you were in some burger joint in the states, with all the trimmings as options (NT$20-30)- swiss and mushrooms, cheddar and bacon, pickles/tomatoes/onions and self serve mustard and ketchup. The only thing I wish they had was Haas avocado slices as a add-on option.

It's also almost half the price as a burger you'd get at Chili's. You can also pair your burger with a icy cold milkshake (NT$120-160) or yogurt/fruit smoothie (NT$120).



This time around, I even discovered their off the menu dessert counter with temptations (NT$90+/slice) like key lime pie, cheesecake, carrot cake, pumpkin pie & non-desserty but equally delicious looking quiche!

The service can sometimes get a bit slow especially when they get packed and backed up, but that's why you self serve your coffee and water. We also had to wait about 15-20 minutes for a table for 3.



I got a carrot cake slice to go and it was tough to pick one! Tall, three layers and calling out my name the next day- the cake would be just what Bugs Bunny would order from his baker with lots of cinnamon and grated carrots, but the frosting was not cream cheesy at all. Instead it was a bland white frosting that committed a sin against the flavor of the carrot cake.




Still can't beat their American style breakfasts (NT$150-240)- this is especially evidenced by the sight of other customers busting out their cameras and artily taking pictures, perhaps for their food blogs, asking their friends to move all the background stuff out of the way and making them wait to eat their plates while they get just the right shot.



Okay yes, I'm guilty of it too! But then you wouldn't have all these nice pictures. :)

See what I said last time I went to the Diner.

OTHER LOCATION:

No.6, Lane 103, Dunhua S. Rd., Sec. 2
(02) 2754-1680

japanese: i strongly recommend A-PLUS DINING SAKE BAR

A-PLUS DINING SAKE BAR
33, Anhe Road, Sec. 1
(02) 2731-9266

website: aplusdiningbar.com.tw

lunch:12 PM - 3 PM
dinner: 6 PM- 2 AM

$- $$

Visit reviewed: 5/30/2007

Yay! Spicy tuna rolls! Yay! California rolls!

Yay for A-Plus. I can't tell you how hard it has been to find spicy tuna rolls in Taipei. They have been basically inedible or non-existent up to this point. (I even attempted to order spicy tuna roll in Beijing at the Japanese restaurant in Shangri-La hotel, but it was awful as well. Spicy tuna is not just tuna with tabasco sauce okay?)


a beautiful sight for sore eyes

But now, I have a place to go when the craving hits me in Taipei. They also had a wider selection of "rolls" (NT$100+) than most other more traditional Japanese restaurants in town, but not doused with mayonaise with paper thin unagi like practically scarring experience I had at Niko Niko.

Their unagi over rice almost blew me away. First, the portion was huge! Second, it was tender, perfectly grilled and seasoned- and didn't have the moisture grilled completely out of it.



The menu is in English and Chinese with a few pictures, though the set lunch special is only in Chinese. You can choose from a few main dishes, and comes with a ordinary salad and miso soup, as well as a coconut flan-like dessert.




It's self proclaimed "fusion"- Japanese food made with local ingredients and with South American embellishments served in a sophisticated NY inspired environment. And the environment is definitely nicer than your average Japanese restaurant, but still reasonably priced- perfect for casual business lunch, lunch with your friends or maybe evening a night out. It's also definitely less hectic than the similarly priced Watami nearby.



My friends heartily recommended the grilled Mackarel- but I was in the mood for rolls. And I polished off all of my share.





The cold udon was smaller than I expected, but it was al dente Q and the sweet sesame sauce was the perfect accompaniment.



All in all, I heartily recommend A-Plus. Supposedly, they remodeled and revamped their menu recently and has been packed ever since. I think we grabbed the last table during this lunch hour. It's down the block from Dun Hua Eslite bookstore a little past Space Yoga and open late as well for late night grazing and drinks.

not taipei: i strongly recommend JOHNNIE's PASTRAMI

If anyone can tell me where to find a pastrami sandwich like this in Taipei, I will treat you to lunch there. (And yes I've tried the pastrami at the Diner and definitely not the same!) Ohhhh- juicy but not overly greasy pastrami with some squirts of hot mustard, lovingly hugged by two toasted soft buns. Huge sandwich you can share or pack to save the other half for later. Can't forget the chili cheese fries to complete your classic diner experience. Open late for your cravings and super busy at lunch.

So for my 5 readers out there, what are you guys craving in Taipei from back home?? Put it out there in the blog universe in the comments, and maybe other readers will be kind enough to share if they know where they can find it!

JOHNNIE PASTRAMI
4017 Sepulveda Blvd
Culver City, CA 90230
(310) 397-6654

hours: Sun-Mon 10am-1am;
Tue-Thu 10am-2:30am;
Fri-Sat 10am-3:30am

$$ (cash only)

new in town/dessert: i strongly recommend COLDSTONE CREAMERY

COLDSTONE CREAMERY
at NY NY Mall
12, SongShou Rd
Corner of SongShou Rd. (松壽路) and SongZhi Rd. (松智路) near the "Statue of Liberty"

phone: 0800-001-677

website: coldstonecreamery.com US site

hours: 11 am-10 pm

$$ (for ice cream)

Visited reviewed:

Nothing beats the heat like a nice ice cream cone and in Taipei, the humidity comes earlier than most summers. That's why I predict Coldstone's will be around for quite awhile. It's got more variation than the established Haagen Daaz and though it's sweet, I feel like it's less heavy than Haagen Daaz as well. It's easier to find than the local Big Tom's chain and got more pizazz than Movenpick.



I heard about its opening through a friend's text message a few weeks ago and when I passed by it on a busy Sunday afternoon, there must have been at least 40 people in line. A little googling showed that the same company (PSCP) that operates McDs, Mister Donut and Starbucks here plans to open 60 more Coldstone stores in Taiwan in the next 7 years. So maybe it's time to buy your stock in Coldstone. Even though most of the people I see here are so darn skinny, I know they have a sweet tooth too!



While you're waiting in line, try and snag a copy of their menu which is full of pictures and ice cream w/ English and Chinese names like "Monkey Bites" or "Cookie Mintster", but the description is only in Chinese. You don't like their combos? You can also make up your own.

So if you want details on what is in the combos (or do your homework on the website), ask one of their servers who are taking the orders. Ours had quite good English, and the servers at the counter- not so much. I sampled a dark chocolate flavor ice cream and asked him what flavor it was, and he didn't know the English name.

One you've placed your order, one of the many servers will scoop up your ice cream, mix in your choice toppings on the cold slab on the counter, and then scoop it back into your cup or waffle. I got a medium Mud Pie (which came with coffee ice cream mixed with fudge, peanut butter and almonds) with a waffle cone to share with a friend (NT$160 + NT$20). It's definitley not cheap, but soften the blow by sharing with a friend or getting a single scoop with one mix in (NT$90).

There were at least seven servers behind the counter buzzing about so the line went fairly quickly and occasionally they would burst into song, which I've heard is their trademark in the states.



Pay, get your stuff, and then eat on the go, or try and get one of the very few tables inside, or slightly more tables outside. Or if you have a whole team of eaters, have someone else grab a table while you wait in line. We had to wait a little while for them to make our waffle cone and wait for it to cool so it didn't melt our ice cream creation. It was a little softer than I would have normally liked, but it was still sweet and coffee-chocolately goodness.

So if you've had your fill of Ice Monster mango ice, then head over to get some Coldstone. Go on a weekday and you might not even have to wait in line!

I wasn't sure if they had cakes, but how awesome would it be if they had Red Velvet cake in Taipei?? I would become a fat, but happy frequent customer.

CLOSED/japanese/mall food: i strongly recommend ROMANKAN YOKOHAMA KATSU SANDWICHES

Romankan Yokohama
Breeze Center, Food Court, B1
39, Fu Hsing South Rd, Sec. 2
(02) 6600-8888
(Was so sad when this place closed. ages ago. it's now an uncle tetsu cheesecake)

Hours: 11am-9:30pm Sun-Thur; 11am-10pm Fri-Sat

$-$$

Visit reviewed: 4/26/2007


THIS IS THE BEST PORK KATSU SANDWICH I'VE EVER HAD.

Granted, I am not a katsu sandwich expert, but days after eating the katsu sandwich from Romakan Yokohama (NT$75), I can't stop thinking about eating another one. The perfectly toasted bread folded in half over a fried katsu is dressed with sweet and salty sauce, completed with pungent sliced onions, lettuce and tomato. The sauce totally makes the sandwich addicting. They have chicken and pork, and maybe some others. Not entirely sure, since their menu is only in Japanese and Chinese along with little displays of similar looking sandwiches.

They could work on the line process, but it doesn't seem to hamper their business. People scattered waiting for their sandwiches in front of the cashier, you don't know if the rope is for the front or the back of the queue. Just go Taiwanese style and tell the cashier what you want, if you don't see a Mr. Donut size line.



This lunch, I waited for about 10 minutes after ordering, about five minutes trying to order. The cashier writes my "number" on a bag, takes my money and tells us it will be about 10 minutes. I see a mysterious back room where people are assembly-lining my little half sandwich, which is only a snack today, otherwise, you would need to eat 2 to make a full sandwich and be really full.



I use the time to wander downstairs and get suckered by buying more stuff to eat at Maison Kayser and go back up to have my sandwich waiting for me. The katsu sandwich comes warm, cocooned in a little plastic bag which helps keeps your hands sauce-free in case you want to eat on the run. If you're going to wait in the line, just be sure to order one for the road so you don't have to wait twice.

desserts/afternoon tea: i strongly recommend 85°C CAFE

85° C Cafe
No. 2, Lane 16, Da An Road, Sec 1
(02) 2776-6350

more addresses TBA (help! if you have one near you)

website: 85cafe.com in Chinese or English
official blog: cafeshop85 w/ lots of pictures

hours: 8AM- 12midnight

$

Visit reviewed: 3/10/2007 and 4/24/2007


caramel coffee pudding: savor every bite

Have you ever walked into Starbucks and thought- "Man, US$4 bucks for a coffee? What has the world come to?"- then you should definitely look for 85 degrees C cafe. You can get a drink and two cakes for the price of one Frappucino, and trust me the desserts are MUCH better than the ones at Starbucks.

I can't believe that I've been here for so long and have only discovered 85°C cafe now... after having been introduced to it by a friend who offered me a slice of blueberry cheesecake she had at her house, I have been seeing the shops EVERYWHERE. Maybe it's because they have slowly expanded since opening stores the past three years all over Taiwan. Maybe it's because they are located mostly on cornershops on the street rather than in malls. Maybe it's because even now, it's hard to find information about the cafe in English besides its official website and a few blogs.

so many cakes, so little time!

Either way, you are about to thank me for telling you about this awesome little coffee shop and cake chain that offers delicious and "5 star" products at ultra affordable prices (if you haven't discovered it yourself already). I think that the desserts here give Starbucks and all the other coffee shop and cake chains, as well as many afternoon tea places a run for their money. Why? Their cheesecake is creamy, melt in your mouth happiness without being too heavy, sweet or powdery, and only NT$35! The same with their coffees, smoothies and teas- from NT$20-$60, but tasting just as good as Starbucks and I think way above the taste of local chains like Barista and IS Coffee.

You could have an afternoon tea for two, with two drinks and three cakes for only US$5, which is a bargain compared to many of my previous afternoon tea experiences in Taipei.

The shops are bright, open and clean- most of the seating, half outdoors on a patio and counter next to a large window display of a varied assortment of cakes, panna cotta and sweets to drool over. The desserts only have signage in Chinese with prices, but their coffee/drinks have English posted on the menu above the cashier. The seating is limited, so it's hard to get a spot during their busy hours. But they are fairly quick and package the cakes so they stay intact if you want to take it home or on the road.

The blueberry cheesecake (NT$35) may be one of the BEST cheesecakes I've ever had, Taipei, LA or anywhere else. I think it's also better than the original plain cheesecake which I found to be a little less moist. I also could eat five of the caramel coffee puddings (NT$35) if I didn't think about how many calories they are. The sweet and aromatic syrup on top has more depth than most flans because of the slight cappucino flavor. They also have tiramisu, chocolate, strawberry and hundred layer cakes, as well as panna cottas in different flavors and more unusual offerings like this snowball. Sometimes popular items will run out, even while you are waiting in line!

As for their more unique fare as the one above, I thought it was a mochi outside w/ cream inside, but it turned out to be more creamy outside with a crunchy center. I didn't really like this at all- I would stick to the cheesecake! If you want to take some home to share, the 8' round is only NT$240, or about US$7- which is about how much one slice at Cheesecake Factory costs these days!

As for the drinks, I liked the Grapefruit green tea (NT$35) and the Korean Citron green tea (NT$35) I had on different occassions. A nice blend of citrus, sweet and sour, it wasn't overly sugary or too sour like drinks I've had in other places. I had a taste of the Iced Coffee and it was good- strong coffee flavor without being bitter and sweetened.

So the next time you pass by 85 degrees C cafe, give it a try. Just make sure it's not a knockoff that I've heard have also been sprouting up- 85.1 degrees C or 80 degrees cafe, both of which are packaged very similarly. So if you have one near you, please let us know where it is, so I can collect all the locations!

not taipei/brunch/american: i strongly recommend CAMPANILE

CAMPANILE
624 South La Brea Avenue
Los Angeles, CA 90036
USA
(323) 948-1447

website: campanilerestaurant.com

brunch: 9:30 AM - 1:30 PM Sat/Sun only
lunch: 11:30 AM - 2:30 PM M-F
dinner: 5:30/6 PM - 10/11 PM M-W/Th-Sat

$$

Visit reviewed: 4/1/2007



Someone needs to find the recipe to the Belgian Waffle ($10) that Campanile makes and deliver it to me ASAP. It was the most wonderfully light, crispy, airy delicious waffle I've had in a long time and it melted in my mouth while I quickly devoured it before anyone else was even halfway done with their dish. AND tell me if they use a special waffle maker.

It's not that hard to make a decent waffle- I do it when I can, when I have the craving and I'm not too lazy to drag my cheap-o Target waffle maker off the kitchen shelf. It's perfectly delicious to me (and many others that I've made brunch for), especially with bananas and honey on top. But to make a DIVINE waffle like the one at Campanile that day, that is hard. Especially after all the cold and botched hotel waffles I had in Korea and China. Ugh. It's not that hard to make a decent waffle, but apparently it is harder than you'd think. So sometimes I don't feel like my brunch dollars are worth it on a waffle, especially when it usually doesn't come w/ any sides, but today it was.

But back to Campanile- it's a pretty infamous brunch place in LA and gets very packed, so reservations are highly recommended. It's on La Brea and near a lot of touristy spots, so you can do your thing afterwards. There is also a little bakery adjacent to it so you can take home some fresh bread or a panini for later. The space is open and bright, with white tables and white paper with proper service without being overly formal.



Other people in our party had Cast Iron Spanish Eggs ($15) and Steak and Eggs ($18) (choose the way your want your eggs) which were also good, but I was pretty happy with my choice. Other things that tempted me on the brunch menu- the Eggs Benedict, and the Quiche Lorraine. I also liked the dinner menu more than the lunch menu (you can check it out on their website) since grilled meat and desserts always make me happy.




So brunch places in Taipei, take note... and try and find the recipe!