初二咖啡 Ao Tao Zu Café

【Foodholic Niko @ Taipei】

"Initial Two Café Ao Tao Zu Café" is located in the area around Dihua Street and Dadaocheng, about a 12-minute walk from the Daqiaotou station, on the second floor of an inconspicuous building, but the entrance is not hard to find.

It opens at 2:30 PM and stays open until midnight, making it a night owl-friendly café. It's an old house café, and the overall decor creates a warm and comfortable atmosphere, with every corner being quite charming and photo-worthy.

We arrived at around 2:30 PM on a Sunday and found the place already half full. Fortunately, we managed to get a window-side table for two, and the height of the table and chairs was very suitable for using a laptop and reading. I felt comfortable enough to sit there for 3 to 4 hours. (However, the lighting in the café is somewhat dim; in the afternoon when it's sunny, there's natural light, which is pretty good for reading, but around 5 PM when the outdoor light isn't enough, reading can become a bit uncomfortable for the eyes.)

By around 2:50 PM, all the seats were taken, and more customers were coming in to ask about available seating, needing to wait. (But I’m not sure what the waiting rules are.)

The overall atmosphere in the café is quiet; most people are either reading or working on their laptops. Even when customers chat, they tend to lower their voices automatically. The music playing inside is also nice and not too loud.

Latte (Hot) $150
The coffee beans have a slightly acidic flavor. The first sip felt average, but it got better with each sip, making me want to take another.

Earl Grey Milk Tea (Hot) $180
The milk tea tastes unsweetened; the Earl Grey tea aroma is prominent, and although the milk flavor is mild, it doesn’t taste watered down. It’s smooth and tasty, but it is on the pricey side.

Caramel Salt Butter Croissant $120
It’s smaller than I expected, but very delicious. The outer layer is crispy and somewhat firm, while the inner bread is soft. Dipping it in caramel sauce and whipped cream is delightful. Sharing one croissant between two people feels a bit inadequate.

Dumplings $140/10 pieces
Everyone says that the dumplings at "Initial Two Café Ao Tao Zu Café" are a must-try, and they should be ordered with chili. However, they are served closer to evening (the staff originally said 6:30 PM, but later mentioned they could be ordered by 5 PM). After ordering, it took over half an hour for the dumplings to arrive.
When I finally tasted the dumplings, they were indeed quite large, but I felt the filling wasn't very substantial. The pork and cabbage flavor was mediocre, and dipping them in chili soy sauce was refreshing, but overall the taste was just average. I think it’s decent but not something you must try.