Taipei 2016 (Food Extravaganza): Day 3 (Danshui - Cat Rain Cafe [CLOSED] - Ximending - Raohe Night Market - Shihlin Night Market) + Day 4 (Souvenirs)

 Hey everyone! Welcome to Day 3 - the last day of the foodie adventure around Taipei!

If you missed out on the previous posts, click on the following links:  

• http://vanvanscully.blogspot.sg/2015/07/taiwan-2014-day-1-part-1-singapore.html
• https://vanvanscully.blogspot.com/2023/09/taipei-2016-food-extravaganza-day-2.html
  

This was the last day in Taipei of a very short 4D3N trip, so it meant lots of cramming for the final few food items. 

The morning kicked off with a cloudy morning to Danshui. The skies were not at all promising, but at least they held up for about an hour or so.

One of the gems here is Berliner Landbrot - a German-style bakery. The fragrance of the bread being baked was literally wafting out of the shop.

A delicious cheese bread which was so yummy. The bread was soft too.

After a brief walk around, the drizzle grew heavier, so it was time to head indoors for the main reason I came to Danshui, Cat Rain Cafe (which has sadly closed, but it's okay, my photos live on). 

It was a fun experience, and being the only customers, there was plenty of attention from the cats. Danshui is also known for Oia, an alpaca cafe. It is a distance away from Danshui station, but if you really like alpacas, don't let that hold you back. 

After an early day at Danshui, it was time to head back to Ximending because we didn't get to finish exploring the area. Plus there were two very important snacks I had not tried yet.

Firstly, the pillowy, fluffy, sweet potato balls.

Secondly, this grilled mochi. I love this brown sugar flavour which is more of a sauce
than a powdered topping.

With Ximending items fulfilled, time for the next stop: Raohe Night market again!

Highly recommend this Okonomiyaki stall!

I do not recommend this takoyaki stall. It was not good but I do hope the takoyaki stall there has since changed hands.

The three colour pudding dessert is so refreshing and I really love it. It comes in an ice-cold brown sugar syrup and is slurpalicious.

福島屋圓圓燒 Okonomiyaki
No. 138, in front of No. 174, Raohe Street | 台北市松山區饒河街138號174號前（斜對面攤位地）
Opening Hours: 5pm–11.30pm (daily)

鄉淳布丁豆花 Xiang Chun Pudding Soy Beancurd
No. 192, Raohe Street, Taipei | 台北市松山區饒河街192號
Opening Hours: 12pm–12am (daily)

These are the updated shop details (as of September 2023) if you are looking to head down for a visit. 

One final stop for the night, and that was Shihlin Night Market for some final souvenirs and snacks.

Flame torched beef cubes. Choose from a variety of flavours like pink salt, seaweed, etc.

Prince Cheese Potato for one last time

Back to Zhong Cheng Hao

Taiwanese-style Tempura

One more order of Oyster and Prawn omelette 😍

This charcoal roasted fried chicken line was the longest. The moment you alight from Jiantan station, you can already see this line. It's right outside the area where Prince Cheese Potato is. The chicken pieces are first deep fried. Then, they are dipped in a gravy and grilled over charcoal.

Watching him in action, it was really quite exciting. It made you look forward to the meal.

Many locals in line is a sign that it's a good thing right? Unfortunately, not for us. The chicken still contains many bones so it was not a very convenient/easy street snack to consume. It didn't taste particularly special to us either but maybe you might have different tastes!

That's pretty much the end of this trip since Day 4 was all about checking out and heading to the airport. However, here are some souvenirs I bought! 

Egg puddings which I bought from a souvenir store.

Used up my Taiwan coins to buy these guava juice cans from the airport vending machines.
They are so delicious! I hope they still have them 😂

This was an interesting snack that I bought. A flaky pastry filled with pork floss, covered
with sesame seeds and baked.

Some novelty souvenirs I bought: joke marshmallows and chocolates for my then-colleagues.

My then-obsession: nanoblocks. These are imitation ones from Shihlin. They build just the same and are of good quality too.

 

Till the next trip,

Fly safe and eat happy,

V

Taipei 2016 (Food Extravaganza): Day 2 (Mala Hotpot - Ah Zhong Mee Sua - Ginza Massage - Raohe Night Market)

 Hey everyone! Welcome to Day 2 - another day for a foodie adventure!

If you missed out on Day 1, click on this link to be updated!
http://vanvanscully.blogspot.sg/2015/07/taiwan-2014-day-1-part-1-singapore.html

Since this was a very short trip, we essentially only had 3 days to really eat what we wanted to eat, and do what we had to. 

On Day 1, we went to Ximending to make a reservation for Mala Hotpot. This shop is called 馬辣頂級鴛鴦火鍋 and in Ximending, they have two branches: the Ximen branch and the Hankou branch. 

 Based on some new and updated research, they've standardised it such that all branches charge the same rate. You also no longer have to go down physically to the shop to make a reservation for another day. You can make reservations online even before you fly into Taipei! 

Link to their facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/mala.hotpot/?ref=page_internal

The rates have increased (duh it's been 7 years since this!) and the menu has been slightly revamped. However, I've been back a few times and I always love my meals here. I'm stuffed full and silly but my stomach is so happy. I have faith that when I go back in a couple of months, I'll have a great meal too! 

The whole array of dishes available at Mala Hotpot. Even braised shark meat?!?! We ordered the Huadiao Chicken soup and the Mala soup broth. We also chose the most budget-friendly option of all the meats available. There are drinks, fruits and desserts available and there's even free flow beer!

 

The best part of the buffet is the free flow of Haagen Dazs and Movenpick ice cream! A second stomach magically appeared in me because how can I miss out on such a wonderful opportunity?

 

馬辣頂級鴛鴦火鍋 西門店 Mala Hot Pot Ximen Branch (updated in Sep 2023)
108, Taiwan, Taipei City, Wanhua District, Xining Rd, 157號2f
Opening Hours: 11.30am - 2am

• Choose from the following: 
• Angus beef access (NTD698 for lunch on Mon to Fri; NTD798 for dinner, Saturday and Sunday)
• Prime Wagyu access (NTD798 for lunch on Mon to Fri; NTD898 for dinner, Saturday and Sunday)
• Supreme Duo of Wagyu access (NTD898 for lunch on Mon to Fri; NTD998 for dinner, Saturday and Sunday)

 

After a massively delicious meal, we walked around Ximending for a little to digest our food. And what's Ximending known for? Ah Zhong Mian Xian of course! We shared a small bowl because we were still stuffed with hotpot food. 

阿宗麵線 Ah Zhong Mian Xian
No.8-1, Emei St., Wanhua District, Taipei City |台北市峨嵋街8號之1
Tel: 02-2388-8808 | Opening Hours: 8:30am to 10:30pm (Mon – Thu),
                                                           8:30am to 11pm (Fri – Sun)

•  Small bowl: NTD60; Big bowl: NTD75
• You can add your own vinegar, toppings and chilli on the side
• Stools are provided but there are no tables! That's the beauty of this mee sua.
  

 

With the Ximending tradition done, we made our way down towards Huaxi Street for a massage at Ginza Massage 銀座足體養生會館. 

The shopfront looks a lot brighter than this now so just look out for the shop name! Based on Google photos, a 60-minute foot massage should set you back around NTD599. You can do the math yourself to see if that's worth the money. I actually did gua sha and a foot massage. Gua sha is great, but it left my body bruised that it hurt to move or touch my skin =(

 

With our massage over, we decided that since we were not too hungry yet, we could go to Carrefour to buy some Taiwanese snacks home (since it would be cheaper than at a convenience store). I don't think I actually bought anything though because nothing really caught my eye. 

However, if you're in the area and you don't mind popping in to take a look, go ahead! They may have seasonal specials that tickle your fancy. 

After making a quick stop at the hotel to dump off what was bought at Ximending and Carrefour, it was time for more eating at Raohe Night Market! 

From Taipei Main Station, hop on a train headed to Hualien (or ask for directions) towards Songshan Train Station. This is a 6 minute ride and only 1 stop away. Alternatively, if you are at Ximending, you can head directly to the Songshan subway station (if you're more comfortable with this option.)

Your Raohe Night Market journey must start with a Pepper Bun (hu jiao bing). This store has won the Michelin Bib Gourmand and is a crowd favourite. The queue may be long but it moves quick. I heard they've moved to another shopfront that's larger but is still at the entrance of Raohe Night Market. 

I really love this tamago shop! What they sell is simple and you can choose the topping you prefer. However, by the classic street food rules, it's easy to eat, not too filling and completely delicious.

A snack I discovered on this particular trip to Taiwan: quail eggs cooked Takoyaki-style. Basic quail eggs are meh but these are SO GOOD. Each "ball" has a tiny shrimp within and you could choose from mayonnaise or honey mustard topping. I went with mayonnaise and wow! The calories though~

I'm not a shellfish person but this stall definitely enjoyed quite a bit of business!

Foodie day 2 completed! 

Stay tuned for Day 3 (our final day) where we visited a cat cafe and decided to cram a whole load of last-minute eats for our final day in Taipei.

 

Till then,

Fly safe and eat happy,

V

 

Taiwan 2014: Day 4 (Jiufen 九份 - Shifen 十份 - Jingtong Mining Town 菁桐老街 - Raohe Night Market 饒河觀光夜市)

If you missed out any of the previous posts, here are the links:
Day 1 Part 1 (Singapore Changi Airport - Taoyuan International Airport)
Day 1 Part 2: (Yongkang Street 永康街 - Taipei 101 台北101 - Shihlin Night Market 士林夜市)
Day 2 Part 1: (Four Seas Soy Bean King 四海豆漿大王 - Goose Meat Shop 鴨肉扁 - Ximending 西門町)
Day 2 Part 2: (Raohe Night Market 饒河觀光夜市)
Day 3: (Taipei Breeze Centre 微風廣場 - Guang Hua Digital Plaza 光華商場 - Ximending 西门町)


Jiufen and Shifen have been famous for its rail tracks and old school charm. Jiufen gets its popularity from Hayao Miyazaki and Shifen (probably because its close by and it also allows you to let off sky lanterns without having to travel too far).

These are tourist hotspots - whether by tour or self-guided travel so be sure to bear in mind that they can get crowded. Also, these places are actual housing areas - meaning people still live there! So be considerate and also bear in mind that stalls are not open till that late - I'll peg the closing times at about 7-8pm especially in Jiufen. Be sure to commence your trip early in the day - varying on whether you want to let off sky lanterns in the day, evening or night.

There are many ways to get to Jiufen from Taipei Main Station (Train-Train-Bus), (Train-Train-Taxi).

Though it may cost more, I'd recommend the Train-Taxi Route because the last time the boyfriend and I went and we tried to board the bus back to the train station from Jiufen, we just could not get on. If you go by taxi, you can be sure that you will have no disruptions to your schedule, seats when shuttling between destinations and speedy but aware cab drivers!

First things first, remember to buy your train ticket to Ruifang Train Station. Buying a train ticket ensures you have seats on the train, otherwise be prepared to stand for the entire 40 minute journey. If it is convenient, I'd even recommend buying the tickets a day in advance just so you can get seats together (especially if you are in a big group) or if you want a particular train time.

From Taipei Main Station, take the train and alight at Ruifang Station.
You'll be taking the Tzechiang Train自強號 towards  Hualien花蓮 – 4 stops, 42 mins.
You can get train bentos or purchase snacks and drinks before boarding the train.
Make sure you reach the platform early, the train leaves punctually and waits for no one. So if you miss it, tough luck.

Taiwan looks gloomy in December - grey skies and cold winds - but I love it!

Remember to get off at Bade Station to transfer to Ruifang Station.
We made that mistake and thus wasted lots of time = (

At Ruifang Station, walk out of the station and you'll see a heap of taxis waiting at the side. The first taxi driver in line will approach you and ask you how many people are in your "party".

Package B (NTD2,300)
   Ruifang Railway Station (瑞芳火车站), Jiufen Old Street (九份老街), Shifen Waterfall (十分瀑
   布), Shifen Old Street (十分老街), Taipei (台北)

                             * if necessary- Single destinations:
                                           Jiufen (九份): NTD180; Jinguashi (金瓜石); NTD240,
                                           Shifenliao (十分): NTD480; Shuangxi (双溪): NTD600

Ruifang Train Station -> 九份老街Jiufen Old Street
The taxi driver will give you about an hour or so (depending on what time you reach) to spend time in Jiufen. You can eat some local food or purchase some local merchandise as souvenirs. 
As a reference, this is what you can buy in Jiufen: Herbal Pipa Fruit (sold in jars that you can bring home as souvenirs and are great for your sore throats), Ocarina (a special instrument that sounds like a flute but is shaped like a ball or teardrop shape), Wild Boar Sausage (local delicacies), Drinks in kiddy, souvenir bottles (like a milk bottle or in the shape of Doraemon).
 
* DO NOT BUY MINI SKY LANTERNS AND IRON EGGS FROM HERE AS THEY ARE MORE EXPENSIVE.
* If you are purchasing a large number of mini sky lanterns, check with the cab driver if he knows of
   where to get a cheap one.
* Shuqi Road is entirely made out of stairs, remember to wear comfortable shoes.

My brother's first bite at Jiufen - Cheese Milk Sticks - a flaky pastry with cheese.
Pretty awesome to munch on in the cold weather!
1 stick for TWD40 or 3 for TWD100.

The cutest stray dog who came up to us when my parents were buying some seaweed snacks as souvenirs. Look at those innocent "feed me" eyes!

九份張記傳統魚丸  Chang’s Traditional Fish Balls
25 Jishan St, Rueifang District, New Taipei City, Taiwan 224 | 新北市瑞芳區基山街25號
- Mixed Fishball Soup, Drunken Chicken, Braised Pork Rice/Lu Rou Fan

From top left in a clockwise motion: Mixed Fishball Soup, Dry Noodles (乾撈麵), Braised Pork Rice (滷肉飯), Drunken Chicken and Stir-fried Greens

My verdict? Looking for a warm meal? Then this will be a good place to go. The food is simple but delicious. The food in Jiufen is pretty cool - chickens are range-free and pigs are mountain pigs so you are eating pretty sustainable food. Grab a seat and order quickly because they'll rush you to do so - its all about the get-in-quick-get-out-quick concept in Taiwan.

The crowded bustling streets of Jiufen - shops on your left or right that sell snacks, food souvenirs, souvenirs and all sorts of knick-knacks!

花生捲冰淇淋Peanut Ice Cream Wrap
Go to the No-Name Yellow Signboard Uncle and Auntie, with a metal table (theirs is best)
Otherwise, if they are closed, there is this shop that you will not miss - they roll their peanut ice cream rolls in an assembly line of sorts.

A-Zhu Peanut Ice Cream Roll 九份阿珠雪在燒 No 45

Do try this if you get the chance - unless you have allergies or some disdain for peanuts. It is a local delicacy from Yilan and is extremely refreshing and unique (in a good way).

"No-Face" Dolls for sale - Hayao Miyazaki's character from Spirited Away which was drawn to resemble Jiufen!

Wild Boar Sausages! This stall-seller is so adorable she dresses up as a gimmick to sell her sausages but it works and she is really friendly! You can even get cuttlefish sausages and glutinous rice sausages at her stall!

Granny Lai's Taro Balls - the 2nd most famous taro balls dessert shop in Jiufen!

賴阿婆芋圓 Grandma Lai’s Yuyuan (Taro Balls)

 143 Jishan St, Ruifang District, New Taipei City, Taiwan 224 | 新北市瑞芳區基山街143號
- About NTD50 per bowl

Breathtaking Mountainscapes from the tip of Jiufen Town!

Climbing up the stairs of Shuqi Road to the most famous taro ball shop!

阿柑姨芋圆Ah Gan Taro Balls
5 Shuqi Road, Jiufen, Ruifang District, New Taipei |新北市瑞芳區豎崎路5號
Opening Hours: 9am-8pm (Weekdays), 9am-10pm (Weekends)
- Top of the stairs, but way better and more value for money than Grandma Lai’s (NTD50)

A simple, satisfying bowl of taro balls and dried longan soup =) This piping hot dessert in the cold winds is just the perfect perk me up you'll need! The taro balls are chewy and the soup not overly sweet and gingery.

The famous steps of Shuqi Road that I had a grand rant about last time. It is much more pleasant to be walking down in the cold rather than hot weather. The cab driver will wait for you at the bottom of these stairs to go to your next destination.

The famous Ah Mei Teahouse which Hayao Miyazaki modelled the bath house to look like in Spirited Away.

阿妹茶酒館 Ah Mei Tea House
20 Shixia Lane, Ruifang district, New Taipei City| 九份 崇文里 市下巷20號
Tel：+886-2-24960833  |  Opening Hours: 0830-0130 (Weekdays), 0830-0400 (Weekends)
Can take photos outside but if you go in just to take photos the staff will chase you out. The teahouse is rather expensive so you can just take photos outside if that's good enough for you.

Going futher down the steps to the bottom - the stairs are a great spot to take photos but not if there are throngs of tourists photo-bombing your shots haha!

Back on the cab and heading off to Shifen! Since we only arrived at about 3 in the afternoon, we missed the chance to go to the waterfall since it would be too late by the time we got there. So our cab drivers arranged for us to go to Jing Tong Mining Town after Shifen.

In any case, here's some information about the Shifen Waterfall for you.


十份瀑布Shifen Waterfall
226, Taiwan, New Taipei City, Pingxi District, 乾坑路10號
Opening Hours: 8:00-17:30 daily | Admission Charges: NTD80 for adults


Shifen is famous for the sky lanterns so its a fun family/couple activity to do together. Prices are pretty standard among all the shops, so any shop should be fine. Some taxi drivers however will bring you to a designated shop but don't worry (all prices are the same). 

You get to pick if you want 4 colours or 8 colours or 1 colour - each colour has a meaning so we just got 4 colours because that was good enough.

Pick up a calligraphy brush and begin penning down your wishes!

When you finish, the staff will take you to the track to release your lanterns. They'll also help you take photos and videos - don't worry they are really professional - especially the young ones!

Mini sky lanterns with well-wishes on them - they are however in Mandarin, so either get someone to translate, or be cautious about what you buy. Some are specifically gifts for parents or lovers.

We spotted some fireworks as we were leaving Shifen - they were really pretty and being set off from this bridge! Then we got back on the cab and headed to Jing Tong Mining Town 菁桐老街.

Jing Tong Mining Town 菁桐老街 is famous for yet another wishing "gimmick" - bamboo wishes! 

You can opt to buy 2 bamboo pieces, tie them together and attempt to throw it up and hopefully it hangs onto the tree as a symbol of your wish coming true! Otherwise you can hang it on the fence of the rails in the photo below - which are cleared ever so often. I brought mine home, because I'm a cheapo and didn't want my money to go to waste.

Your cab driver will take you to your final destination which is pretty much anywhere in Taipei - so we opted to go to Raohe Night Market again because we didn't get to try everything that night.

Enter seaweed flavoured Fried Squid once again - our staple street snack in Taiwan!

Another round of Raohe Pepper Buns!

Hong Kong Style Rice Rolls (Chee Cheong Fun) - yummm! It was absolutely amazing. The skin was not too thick but did not tear easily as well!

We stopped by a beancurd shop for some refreshing and delicious beancurd pudding! I ordered the three coloured beancurd and there is also peanut and red bean!

The best okonomiyaki in Raohe Night Market and quite a lot of places I've been to honestly. Don't miss out on eating this at Raohe Night Market.

They even rented a stall space just to accommodate their long line/queue!

Ending the night with "THE CLAW"!

Till then,


Fly Safe and Eat Happy,
V