Addiction Aquatic Development 上引水產 - Seafood

 No. 18號, Alley 2, Lane 410, Minzu E Rd, Zhongshan District, Taipei City, Taiwan 10491

A place with restaurants and supermarket and live seafood. We are here for the sushi bar. 

Giant snow crabs! There are various tanks of them in varying sizes. 

We order the sushi platter and also the sashimi platter set. Yummy and delicious. 

Its worth a visit to take a look at the place. 

Look at how fresh and succulent the sashimi is. As good as japan. 

Having Ding Tai Feng in Taiwan 鼎泰丰

104, Taiwan, Taipei City, Zhongshan District, Nanjing W Rd, 12號B2

Multiple outlets for Ding Tai Feng. We ended up at this place because we were stuck in a queue of influencers shoe shop D+af. By the time we manage to purchase it was already 8 plus and most places are closed.  

But Din Tai Feng is hugely popular even at 8 pluse, we had to queue like an hour before we manage to get a seat. Our dinner starts at 9.30 pm. 

Some dishes are different from the ones we have here in Singapore. We wanted to order the sweet and sour pork ribs but it was sold out. 

So we order stir fried cabbage. 

Shrimp and pork siew mai

Of course, we must also order the signature xiao long bao. 

The crowd pleaser will be the pork chop fried rice. There is a healthier option offered here - brown rice. Everything taste great just like Singapore. 

Michelin Gua Bao in Taipei - Yuan Fang Gua Bao 源芳刮包

No. 17-2, Huaxi St, Wanhua District, Taipei City, Taiwan 108

We are quite familiar with this dish. In Singapore, we call it kong bak bao. The difference is that our 3 layer pork is braised till tender and mixed with spring onions and coriander. 

In Taiwan, its the 3 layer pork, coriander, peanut powder and pickles. It works surprisingly well for this dish. It makes it all the more flavourful and delicious. It within walking distance from Wong's broth another michelin star lu rou fan. 

Michelin Lu Rou Fan (Braised pork rice) in Taipei - Wong's Broth 小王煮瓜

 108, Taiwan, Taipei City, Wanhua District, Huaxi St, 17之4號攤位153號

This is one of the Michelin Lu rou fan. And it worthy of its michelin. Price is also highly reasonable. 

The braised meat is so soft and tender that it melts in your mouth. I should have order the same HUGE size as Hubs. I was pretty impressed with Formosa Chang 鬍鬚張魯肉飯 on the last trip to Taipei. But this one is the one i go for sure. 

The sides are delicious as well. But you must you must eat the braised pork rice.

Also within the vicinity is another michelin star food you must try. Yuan Fang Guabao.

Taiwan local breakfast - tea with toast at Zhen Fang 真芳

 No. 19號, Section 1, Chang'an E Rd, Zhongshan District, Taipei City, Taiwan 104

This is a chain toast shop in Taipei.

Authentic local toast very popular with locals and tourist. We order 2 types of toast: one is the zhen fang toast which had everything. Eggs, pumpkin mashed potatoes, cheese, pork patty, cabbage with peanut sauce. The other toast is simpler. Toast with pork, egg and cheese. The toast is paired with the milk tea. 

Taipei cafe breakfast - Simple Kaffa (award winning barista)

 No. 27, Section 2, Zhongxiao E Rd, Zhongzheng District, Taipei City, Taiwan 100

All the wins from WBC competition. 

A cafe which is well designed and has a character. Even the toilets look visually pleasing. 

Recommended toast by the cafe: Cinnamon and brown sugar and butter toast. I think its ok but could be better. 

The coffee is great. 

The high ceiling make it a very comfortable place to work and chill. 

We brought back a packet of the seasonal blend. It still taste as good as in Taiwan. 

Eat like a local in Taipei - Ba wei Ginger Duck 霸味姜母鸭

 No. 67號, Section 6, Xinyi Rd, Xinyi District, Taipei City, Taiwan 110

It's our first meal in Taipei in Winter. So i really appreciate the hotpot with charcoal. There is a queue for seats. And you wait on stools at the roadside while waiting for your table to be ready. 

Its hot pot style where you order the ingredients you want to eat. The star of the show is not the meat but the mee sua. Its fragrant and yummy. It absorbs the soup so every bite you take is delicious. 

As for the hot pot, i am not a fan of the duck stew in hotpot despite it being highly raved by his brother. I find the duck meat tough after being in the soup stew for a long time.  

The soup was paired with a bottle of rice wine. It makes the soup base so much more fantastic. I can drink the soup endlessly. 

I super love the duck blood we order. Its really reminds me of the old times when we have pig blood tofu. 

Do note that the tables where the hot pot is cook is coffee table height and that you will be sitting on stools. 

Yilan - Jimmy park

Jimmy Park

 No. 240號, Section 1, Yixing Rd, Yilan City, Yilan County, Taiwan 260

Near the Yilan station, there is a Jimmy park. 
The park is based on Jimmy's famous book made to a movie. 

Turn Left, Turn Right 向左走向右走. It started quite promisingly at the Yilan Station. 

However when we reach there a few models in the park and a alot of luggages dotted around the park.

You can see the main characters at the back. 

Personally, this is a very small park and it is not worth the effort to go unless you are in the area already. 

Taiwan, Yilan - Lanyang Museum, Northeastern coast drive: Beiguan Tidal park, Bitoujiao, Nanya rock

Lanyang Museum

No. 750, Section 3, Qingyun Rd, Toucheng Township, Yilan County, Taiwan 261

It is a museum in Toucheng district. Its close proximity to Yilan is the reason to visit this place. 

The unique architectural design appeals to me. Too bad the skies are grey. Otherwise, it will be a pretty picture with clear blue skies reflected in the lake.

The design of the building was inspired by the cuestas commonly seen along Beiguan Coast. The museum adopts the geometric shapes of the cuestas where the roof protrudes from the ground at an angle of 20 degrees meeting a wall which rises from the ground at an angle of 70 degrees.

Northeastern coast drive: Beiguan Tidal park, Bitoujiao, Nanya rock

Enroute back from Yilan, we plan to do the north eastern coast drive. But the forecasted weather is today is rain, rain and more rain.

北關海潮一線天 Yi Xian Tian

No. 10, Section 4, Binhai Rd, Toucheng Township, Yilan County, Taiwan 261

First stop is the 北關海潮一線天 Yi Xian Tian (loosely translated as one line sky). From the carpark its a flat walk and you need to climb up a flight of stairs which is steep but still easy to climb.

北關海潮一線天 Yi Xian Tian

From this picture, it does show a huge similarity to Lanyang Museum.

Up close and person to the stormy sea. It started drizzling at this point.

Bitoujiao

Bitou Rd, Ruifang District, New Taipei City, Taiwan 224

The original plan was hike up the hill where the lighthouse is. We called the cafe (聽濤cafe) we wanted to visit at the mid-hill and was told it would take least a 30 minutes cllimb up. Looking at the time and the poor weather conditions we decided not to climb up. *if doing the hike: do hike from the elementary school which was said to offer better and nicer views. 

  

There is a fisherman out at the beach making some catch. 

So we decided to chill at the nearby B1 Ocean cafe. 

They have a very cute cat which roams around the cafe and some of their desserts are modelled after the it. Note the heart shape pattern on its hind leg. 

Nanya rock

224, Taiwan, New Taipei City, Ruifang District

After this it started pouring and we could not go for any other planned rock formations (82.5 son/mother cliff, wolf and sheep, elephant trunk rock) along the coast. But we did made a pitstop at the iconic Nanya rock. 

Its literally pouring and super windy at this point. The umbrella flipped sideways the moment it is opened. Somehow we still managed to get this picture. Hubs was asking if i wanted to hike down to look for the ice cream, fur seal and bamboo shoot. I was like NO WAY!!!

So we headed back to Taipei after this shot taking the highway instead of along the coast.