One day I saw a cool restaurant and bar on Instagram, a speakeasy with a Chinese style. I love those places where you can't find the entrance XD. The cocktails and dishes also look really delicious 😍.
You can make a reservation through Instagram first. You need to pay a deposit of 1000 NT dollars, and they'll make you a membership card that can also serve as a recharge card and a door access card. Plus, you'll receive 120 shots as a bonus.
It's a 10-minute walk from the MRT station, which is a bit far.
The entrance looks a lot like a suit store, so if you hadn't seen it beforehand, you wouldn’t know it's a restaurant and bar. The membership cards are displayed in the middle, but you still wouldn't know how to open the door XD. If the staff finds you can't get in, they'll come out to help.
The interior space is spacious, the lighting is dim but not too dark to see. On Sunday night, there were only two tables occupied.
The menu is accessed by scanning the NFC next to the table with your phone. The staff provided detailed introductions and recommendations.
Stir-fried scallop pasta with Singapore sauce has a flavor I've never tried before; it’s mildly spicy with scallops and salmon roe.
Spicy green pepper chicken balls are the sauced kind, a bit spicy but very addictive.
Tender tea-infused lamb chops have a nice tea aroma, but they might be a bit overcooked and hard to chew.
The "Indulgence" drink is served in a Stitch cup with dry ice—it looks super cool! You can't taste any alcohol at all; it's just sweet and fruity, perfect for those who can’t handle strong drinks.
The "Yama King" drink has pork paper, and the alcohol flavor is obvious but not overpowering. The balance of tea aroma and hibiscus flavor is really good.
Overall, both the dishes and cocktails performed excellently today! It's a great place to hang out with friends.
Location: Da’an District, Taipei City
I remember this series is well-known for tea and alcohol.
Tea wine has always been my top choice as a beverage enthusiast,
so I also check if there’s tea wine on the menu when dining.
The overall service here is excellent.
The dishes are somewhat average, but the drinks are really good.
I can visit again, but I might come after I've eaten to just enjoy the drinks.
🌟 Garlic Spicy Shrimp Pasta
Since it’s a stir-fried pasta,
it’s not a total miss for me.
The garlic flavor is ordinary, and the overall seasoning is on the lighter side.
The pasta itself also lacks flavor;
there’s no spiciness or garlic, just a pretty average dish.
🌟 Scallop Asparagus Cream Pasta
The scallops are perfectly seared and are the best main dish.
The cream is rich but doesn’t overpower the flavors.
Overall, the ingredients blended nicely because of the cream.
This dish is quite good!
🌟 Iberico Pork Truffle Risotto
The rice has a bit of texture but hasn’t reached the chewy stage.
There are about five slices of pork.
It’s about right.
Basically, I really like most of the tea wines we ordered.
The tea flavor brings out the nuances of the wine, blending very well.
Tea wine is superb! 😋
Location: Zhongzheng District, Taipei City
A gastropub near Taipei Main Station
This area is also a hot zone for gastropubs
There are a ton of gastropubs between Taipei Main Station and Zhongshan
After all, once you've had your drinks at a gastropub, you need to take public transport home
The staff are all very friendly and the service is excellent
They present the dishes clearly
Both the food and drinks perform quite well
I highly recommend everyone to come and try it!
🌟 Spicy Meat Sauce Pasta with Onsen Egg
The onsen egg makes the pasta very smooth in texture
The meat sauce is mildly spicy
The sauce clings well to the pasta
Every bite is packed with sauce, delicious! 😋
🌟 XO Sauce Scallop and Radish Cake
Today's number one dish
I really love foods that are coated in sauce
Like Korean fried chicken
The technique is somewhat similar
But the radish cake is probably pan-fried, and it's delicious
It pairs really well with drinks, highly recommended
🌟 Taiwanese Salt and Crispy Chicken
Even the packaging is very much salt and crispy chicken
Inside, there’s not just salt and crispy chicken
But also pig's blood cake, squid, beans, and various other dishes that pair well with it
Very tasty too! 😋
🌟 The drinks part is special, named after places in Taiwan
I had two drinks, one from Taoyuan and one from New Taipei
Both were very refreshing
The drink options are also clearly labeled
For someone like me who knows what I like, it’s easy to choose.
At the tavern near Taipei Main Station and MRT Zhongshan Station, there were quite a few options nearby. However, since my companion and I arrived about an hour apart, this place was perfect as it allows for a three-hour dining time.
When I arrived, I was super hungry and ordered:
Their drink menu was quite unique, featuring alcohol from various counties and cities in Taiwan. I ordered the Taipei - Peach Aroma Wenshan Dream. I personally like gin and peach, but the addition of coconut milk intrigued me. It tasted refreshing overall with no strong coconut flavor, and it was smooth.
My friend who drove could only order non-alcoholic drinks, so they chose the Red Heart Mango Lychee, which was full of fruity flavor and well-balanced.
Overall, the restaurant had a relaxed atmosphere, and the staff were quite friendly and easy to chat with. They responded kindly to questions, and the cocktails had a high degree of customization. Besides cocktails, there were also beers to choose from, making it suitable for a casual drink on a holiday evening.
🔹Appetizers and Main Dishes
Marinated Tomatoes $80
Sea Urchin Hand Roll $290
Braised Pork Rice $60
Seafood Fried Udon $150
🔸Fried Dishes
Salted Egg Squid $260
Karaage Chicken $150
Thick-Cut Pork Chop $160
🔹Grilled Dishes
Beef Short Ribs $180
Beef and Scallion Skewers (2 skewers) $130
Pepper Salt Pork Belly $250
Stir-Fried Water Lily for Health $120
Mentaiko Yam $180
Mackerel Teriyaki $320
Squid Sausage $150
I recently discovered a very eye-catching pink restaurant and wine bar next to Kenting Street; its exterior is very striking.
The interior decor is cute and colorful, with each area having great photo-worthy color schemes. The seating is quite spacious and comfortable. I arrived at three in the afternoon, and to my surprise, the place was still doing great business.
The crispy fried flying fish seafood platter from Nossa is super cool! They served three whole flying fish, which was really eye-catching—there were also crayfish, making it very flavorful. The risotto was also quite good; it was fragrant with a distinctly Italian flavor, and enjoying it with the Kenting scenery outside was really pleasant.
The most impressive dish was the duck breast, cooked perfectly medium-rare with a slight pink hue; the meat was incredibly tender—definitely the MVP of the day!
Although the prices are a bit on the higher side, it's a tourist area after all, and the dishes themselves were genuinely delicious. Overall, I would highly recommend this place.
As a restaurant ranked in the top 50, I truly believe it deserves the recognition. Not only is the atmosphere fantastic upon entering, the service is very warm, and the food and wine🍷 are all outstanding! The overall design is very elegant and stylish, with vibrant colors that appeal to all ages. No matter who walks into the restaurant, the pleasant atmosphere is palpable!
The main event is, of course, the food. To start, they served us cocktails and bread🥖. Just the bread left us in awe—crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, perfectly warm. The dipping sauce was particularly surprising; with one bite, it felt like we were tasting butter, with a hint of sweetness from carrots🥕, and a touch of exotic spices. It completely won us over, and made us even more excited for the subsequent dishes!
Today we ordered:
❤️ Fish
The freshness of the fish is unquestionable. The sauce had a slight tang to it and featured special spices that enhanced the aroma. Overall, it was very refreshing and served as a wonderful appetizer. The only downside was finding a small piece of connective tissue in one of the fish fillets, which seemed like a minor handling error. However, this slight tissue did not affect the taste at all; I still found it very delicious!
❤️ Fried Ceviche
Because I usually have raw fish, I was particularly curious to try the fried version to see if it was any different. Surprisingly, the fried fish retained its tenderness and freshness, paired with Peru's unique flavors and sauces, plus the glutinous corn I particularly enjoy—making for a rich culinary experience!
❤️ Pork Belly
The layers of the pork belly were very distinct, with the fat being pleasantly chewy—not too soft or unpleasantly hard from overcooking. It matched perfectly with the tender lean meat, and the pickled onions added a refreshing touch!
❤️ Cheek
This was our favorite dish🥘! You could cut it all apart with just a fork🍴. It was so flavorful and completely tender, with the mashed potatoes on the side being a real highlight—it was so fine that it felt like eating cotton candy, melting away the moment you took a bite!
Overall, I highly recommend everyone visit this restaurant for a complete dining experience. However, I suggest making a reservation beforehand, as the number of diners is quite high even on weekdays. Looking forward to everyone trying out more of their dishes!
🍶 Tsunji Bistro
📍 No. 117, Section 1, Lanfeng Road, Yilan City, Yilan County 260
🕓 Tuesday and Thursday 16:00–00:30; Friday, Saturday, and Sunday 16:00–01:00; closed on Wednesdays
This time we gathered at Tsunji for a meal, and our table was almost full with dishes ordered. The braised pork rice ($60) was surprisingly delicious, with a perfect balance of fat and lean meat, mixed with rice just right. The fried chicken ($150) was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, while the deep-fried cuttlefish ($260) was salty and flavorful, making it one of the recommended fried items. The seafood fried udon ($150) and the healthy stir-fried water lily ($120) had good flavors and were not too oily.
The mentaiko yam ($180) was enhanced by its grilled fragrance, with the yam being creamy; the grilled fish ($320) was cooked perfectly with a salty and delicate taste, making it something you could slowly savor. The sea urchin hand roll ($290) was paired with lettuce and seaweed, making for a refreshing and not greasy dish. The pickled tomatoes ($80) were sweet and tangy, providing a perfect balance.
However, the beef short ribs ($180) were really tough to bite into; chewing them for a while made my jaw sore. The beef scallion skewers (2 skewers for $130) were also hard to chew, so I wouldn't recommend these two. The squid sausage ($150) was mediocre, without much standout quality. The thick-cut pork chop ($160) was crispy and had good thickness, with a slightly sweet sauce that still tasted good overall.
The spicy chicken soup ($150) was mildly spicy and warm, with generous ingredients; the baby corn (5 pieces for $140) with husks had decent sweetness. For drinks, we ordered one cup of Calpis ($80) and one cup of cola ($60).
Surprisingly, the complimentary fried cod fish shreds were the most impressive, salty and crunchy, becoming increasingly addictive, quietly turning into the most sought-after snack of the evening.
The total for this meal was $3,170 for 22 dishes, perfect for a group looking to order a variety. While a few dishes were hits and misses, overall satisfaction was quite high, and the atmosphere was relaxed. I would want to visit again.
#Vegetarian
Dining Time: 2025/05/17
🍽️ Hi~ I’m TJMM🍙
🔖 Today we’re dining at: Chunjing Italian Bistro 🍲
Speaking of Xidong, in addition to the famous Er-Yanping Trail, there are actually quite a few great hot pot restaurants hidden here!
After hiking and taking a shower this time, we chose to feast at “Chunjing Italian Bistro”~
We ordered several dishes this time, and each one was a surprise:
⭐️ Chunjing Signature Tea-Infused Hot Pot (Pork) | 💰560
We chose the original flavor tea-infused hot pot. The broth alone is sweet with a faint tea aroma, refreshing and comfortable.
After adding a variety of ingredients, the broth becomes even more warm and rich. The nine-grid ingredient selection is exquisite and diverse, including mushrooms, root vegetables, eggs, seafood, and even fruits.
Additionally, there’s a large platter of seasonal fresh vegetables. It may not look like a lot, but after eating, both of us were completely stuffed—it’s really quite filling!
⭐️ Basil Beef Pasta | 💰320
The rich pesto sauce pairs well with tender beef and fresh vegetables—the flavor is substantial. If you don’t want hot pot, this pasta is also a great option.
⭐️ Indian Samosas | 💰180
Unlike the common samosas, this filling is made from apples and chickpeas, served with a sweet and sour sauce while hot, giving a refreshing and appetizing experience that feels both familiar and new.
⭐️ Alishan Yun Oolong (Cold Brew Tea) | 💰90
The hot pot typically comes with hot tea, but I opted to upgrade to cold brew tea (originally priced at 120, with a 30 discount), which tastes refreshing and has a pleasant aftertaste, particularly great for enjoying after exercising.
📝 TJMM says:
After a hike, being able to enjoy a fragrant and sumptuous hot pot at the mountain is truly a blessing~
❗️ Reminder: If you want to eat hot pot, be sure to make a reservation in advance. Otherwise, you'll encounter many walk-in guests on the day hoping to order, but due to insufficient preparations, they can only come back another time.
📍 Chiayi County, Fanlu Township
🕐 Business Hours:
Wednesday to Friday | 17:00–21:00
Saturday to Sunday | 11:00–14:00 | 17:00–21:00
🍙 Recommendation Rating: 🍙🍙🍙🍙 (4/5)
🛋️ Will I visit again: 💯