I simply can't resist Chinese and Taiwanese dishes. I found this place through Instagram ads, and you can make a reservation online in advance. It looks like a trendy café from the outside, consisting of two floors, where a café and a restaurant are combined. After finishing the meal, you can order desserts and drinks (the café is called Hocc, and it has its own bar; I will write a separate post about it later).

I thought there wouldn’t be many people on Friday, but upon arriving, I found that except for our reserved seats, the place was completely full.

When I actually looked at the menu, I realized that there weren't many dish options compared to other restaurants. However, several items I had never seen outside could be the restaurant's signature dishes, like honey plum pumpkin, Zuo Zongtang’s egg, malt sugar eggplant, crispy shrimp with plums, etc. But this time, I ordered more approachable dishes.

Each dish's price is quite reasonable, and the portions are generous. This time, the two of us ordered six dishes; half of them were packed to take home for another meal. In terms of cost-effectiveness, it’s pretty high! I found out online that this place just opened on April 1st of this year. I hope to see more signature dishes to choose from next time!

(The hearts below are my recommendations 💓)

✐ Mapo Tofu $200

• The tofu used in the Mapo Tofu here is egg tofu instead of firm tofu, making it smooth and tender. Personally, I prefer the firm tofu version, as it’s more solid and absorbs the sauce better; texture can vary from person to person. The spice level is mildly spicy, and the sauce is quite different from the traditional one—there's no thickening sauce, and it's somewhat like the sauce for spicy stinky tofu. The minced meat is in large chunks, and I found some fatty bits that I didn’t particularly like; it’s more akin to a simpler version of Mapo Tofu.

♡ House Special Three Dishes $240

• When it was served, the aroma was intoxicating—it’s essentially Hakka stir-fry. The wok flavor is strong, and the aroma from each ingredient after being fried is truly mouth-watering. It includes squid, dried tofu, celery, and pork belly. It’s flavorful but not overly salty, making it perfect with rice.

♡ Egg Floss Cabbage $130

• This is the lightest dish on the table, which nicely balances out the other dishes, although it’s also a bit simpler in comparison. You can taste the sweetness of the cabbage and the aroma of the egg floss; the cabbage is cooked to the perfect texture.

♡ Crispy Fish Fried Rice $150

• My top pick! My companion and I unanimously agreed that the fried rice here is excellently cooked. The fried whitebait mixed in during stir-frying gives it a wonderful wok hei, and each grain of rice is distinct. The portion is suitable for 1-2 people.

♡ Spicy Creamy Beef $280

• It’s slightly spicy, with tender and flavorful beef. The cream isn’t very pronounced, but it’s a delicious dish.

✐ Kyoto Four-Sided Dice $360

• The texture is great, and the four-sided dices inside are king oyster mushrooms and pineapple, giving it a sweet and sour flavor. The downside is that the beef has a bit of a fishy taste if you chew it carefully.

✐ White Rice $20