Indian / Malaysian food in Tianmu

For authentic flavour we would recommend Namaste, this little shack at Shida night market, run by a man from Sikkim, north India. Portions were hearty, even too large. Outdoor seating only. Score of 5/5 on googlemaps.

No. 13號, Longquan St, Da’an District, Taipei City, 106

Chicken curry received the approval of the missus

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cooking Indian food

I would recommend a visit to Trinity Indian Store. This shop is great for Indian ingredients in nearby Shilin. It is sooo easy to cook a delicious curry, as soon as you have some spices.  

111台北市士林區中山北路五段535號

No. 535號, Section 5, Zhongshan N Rd, Shilin District, Taipei City, 111

The supermarket chain PX Mart started selling Curry Leaves, fresh, organic.

For Indian food

A lot of expats (not me) recommend the following two Indian restaurants in Tianmu

The Spice Shop; Saffron Fine Indian Cuisine.The tandoori chicken and naan is decent (and expensive), the vibe is convivial and expat-friendly.

For Malaysian food

try Mr Chee Kopitiam Premium, next to Zhishan MRT station. No. 150號, Fuhua Rd, Shilin District, Taipei City, 111031

 

 

Heading South

If you visit the southern city of Tainan you are in luck: a lot of cheap Indian restaurants are kept in business by all the foreign postgraduate students there.

Print shop / photo printing / photocopying in Tianmu

1. This little place is very capable, reasonably priced, and only five minutes walk from Tianmu square. Colour reproduction is good. Excellent cost / performance ratio.

No. 40-7號, Tianyu St, Shilin District, Taipei City, 111

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you want a longer document printed (and/or bound, thesis style) and want a cheap price, head for one of the universities, such as Wenhua at the top of the mountain. 

No. 55號, Huagang Rd, Shilin District, Taipei City, 111

In the narrow lanes approaching the uni, you cannot miss the copy shops which cater to the students printing needs. The price is super cheap, plus you get fresh air, lively vibe and a killer view.

Eating like a local!

1. Your sweet tooth has a new girlfriend waiting...  she doesn't speak a word of english, 

but it's love at first bite...

 

 

 

Try the douhua 豆花 (layers of white colour soybean pudding), plus your choice of three toppings: point out the ones you want to the staff. Taro (purplish coloured veg.) recommended, also red beans.
 

If you have a Mandarin-speaking friend to accompany you on your first visit here, that would help! 

No. 262-1, Dexing E Rd, Shilin District, Taipei City, 111

好奇營養豆花, 111台北市士林區德行東路262-1號

2. Shi-dong Market

For adventurous travelers seeking the food that the locals eat, try having early lunch upstairs at this upscale market. Prices are not expensive. The staff will possibly be surprised to encounter foreigners, but point at the things you want; friendly persistence may bring rewards. Best to go early (say 11.35am) to grab a table and beat the crowds. 

The ground floor marketplace has recently been redesigned in collaboration with design students, so it feels a bit like an upmarket Covent Garden (London). Rub shoulders with the wealthy locals. A good variety of cheese, florists, high quality fruit suitable for gifts. High prices may terrify the non-affluent.

No. 100, Shidong Rd, Shilin District, Taipei City, 111

3. Close to Shidong market, this little place does a great breakfast. Reviewers complain about the slowness: I would only go if the queue is not long (in other words, approach with a Plan B in mind). Try shaobing with egg, plus a bowl of warm dou jiang. Legendary quality; when they are on form (two out of every three visits?), it's the best local breakfast I've had in all of Taiwan. When something seems simple, you know there's a lot of skill behind the scenes!

No. 43號, Shidong Rd, Shilin District, Taipei City, 111

 

 Great concentration! Dedicated to all things breakfast.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4. "Little Lunchbox place with the long queue." Best tasting lunchbox in Tianmu, excellent value. To avoid the very long queue don't go 11.30am-12.30pm. Fried chicken plus three veg of your choice, point and smile, can be done by non-Mandarin speakers. 

No. 150號, Dexing E Rd, Shilin District, Taipei City, 111. A few seats inside and out.

5. Just underneath the cinema at Mitsukoshi department store, this place does great beef noodles, and famous pearl bubble tea

https://www.chunshuitang.com.tw/

6. Open 24 hours a day, this little place offers dumpling, pancake and other cheap local staples, usually edible, if not particularly good. Staff are grumpy / overworked, you have to bark your order 2 or 3 times before they get it. Gritty/edgy vibe, good for people-watching;   go midnight on a Friday night and you feel you have finally arrived in regular Asia. Like a Hopper painting, transposed.

On the corner of the main road near to the swimming pool.

Zhongshan North Rd Section 6 no. 225. 中山北路六段225號

7. 金樺城鵝肉擔（鵝肉蔡）

No. 1 Lane 75 Section 2 Shipai Rd, Beitou District, Taipei City, 112 

Small place at Shipai night market, does EXTREMELY TASTY goose rice and small dishes to order, good price, highly recommended. Grab a beer from the fridge. Pay at the end. You may need a Mandarin speaker to navigate the menu, write your order on the tear-off menu, staff don't seem to speak english. Alternatively, see what other diners are having, and point those out to a waitress, they will not be traumatised if you do this with smiles all round. You may not get exacttly what you bargained for, but it is a LOT more fun than Pizza Hut.  

8. 大發生猛海鮮餐廳

Sit on stools outdoors under the red lanterns. Drink bottles of beer. Order the tastiest food at great prices, especially fish. Great for a jolly night out with your gang. Feel like a gangster boss. Omelette with basil, clam soup with ginger, lots of fish dishes, sweet and sour fish.

No. 60號, Yumin 2nd Rd, Beitou District, Taipei City, 112

9.Chinese gnocchi, No. 6號, Fuguo Rd, Shilin District, Taipei City, 111台北市士林區福國路6號 popular lunch and dinner spot for tasty bowls of soup noodle, try the pumpkin. 10. This dodgy-looking little place does really good beef noodle soup with tingling hot Szechuan pepper flavour and top quality handcut noodles. 大得民牛肉麵館 No. 19號, Section 2, Zhicheng Rd, Shilin District, Taipei City, 111

Where to Eat out, Western style in Tianmu

(See also "Toasted sandwich shops in Tianmu" "Pizza in Tianmu")

 1. American-style Roast chicken

Texas Rangers Fried Chicken

Zhongshan North Road Section 6 no. 752

111台北市士林區中山北路六段752號

Try the whole roast chicken, together with sides of spicy beans and sweet potato fries. Time it right: they get VERY busy Friday night, weekend lunch and dinner time.  

 

2. Louis Burger

No. 28號, Tianmu E Rd, Shilin District, Taipei City, 111

 

3. Wendels German-style bakery sells a great olive bread, but I wouldn't necessarily recommend their German style restaurant for dine-in. 

Very close to Sogo / Zhisham MRT.

No. 5號, Dexing W Rd, Shilin District, Taipei City, 111

 

3. Sit inside the expat friendly Lutetia (English sopken), next to TES (see photo): enjoy the art on the walls, and the funky scuptures outdoors.

You will likely see some western faces and hear a language similar to yours, while munching on a quiche set, or french pastries. 

No. 751號, Wenlin Rd, Shilin District, Taipei City, 111

 

 

 

  4. For American / English style breakfast/brunch, visit:

JB Diner (in a terrific building, at No. 2, Alley 16, Lane 38, Tianyu St, Shilin District, Taipei City, 111)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Alternatively, and with less enthusiasm:

MWD (My Warm Day) and 

Dante both have branches all over.

These two are not a recommendation, but simply a listing ;-) 

 

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Philosophical note: 

Option A adjust your tastes to local food: after an initial study period, life is ten times simpler. Plus your taste-buds expand, and you have stories to tell your grandchildren (durian, stinky tofu etc).

Option B insist on finding western food, meet with bitter disappointments and inflated prices. 

Option C combo of A and B

My personal vote is C, sometimes we all need a bit of comfort, food reminding us of our childhood. Also, while travelling, it's part of the experience to try the local cuisine, even if it takes a little bit of effort and experimentation.

Drinking (alcohol) in Tianmu and beyond

1. Hangout Cocktail Bar, recently opened to very good reviews.

111, Taipei City, Shilin District, 中山北路六段338號

2. To sit outside for a homely glass of wine, at the big square just north of TAS. (bring mosquito repellent, no seating indoors).

Le Sommelier (website here)

 3-81號面向天玉街38巷號 1 樓 

3. Lili Restaurant and Bar 

Good quality Tianmu restaurant with bar, comfortable indoor seating with tasteful arty interior.

Zhongshan North Road section 6 no. 760, Taipei City,  中山北路六段760號

 

4. Buy whisky from Taiwan's award winning Kavalan

111, Taipei City, Shilin District, 中山北路六段734號

5. For a swanky evening out, with cocktails further afield:

Closet Restaurant (pricey)

No. 15號, Lane 101, Section 4, Zhongxiao E Rd, Da’an District, Taipei City, 106

Thanks to Taipei Expats blog  (click here)for the tip and photo 

6. Mellow Fields hotel serves very cheap cocktails until 9pm in their cafe/bar, open to the public, on the ground floor. It's not a romantic venue for a night out, but it is calm and pleasant with comfy chairs.

7. For cold beer, try Asahi Dry, a Japanese lager available in convenience stores and supermarkets, crisp flavour suitable for a hot summer's day.

Keeping cool in the heat of Taipei

If you are feeling too hot in Taipei, go to a department store: they have great air-con, and you can pass a little time strolling around. (See separate post on department stores). You can buy some clothes with thinner fabric while you are there. The cinema in Mitsukoshi store has fantastic aircon. Meanwhile: 

1. Make fruit smoothies at home

Dragon fruit and papaya are currently in season. Pop them into your blender with some ice. Serve with a dollop of yoghurt. What a colour! Guaranteed to put a smile on your face! 

Cultural note: MILK is commonly blended wih mango and papaya drinks in Taiwan. (I had it by accident, I admit it is delicious): if you don't want so much dairy, stick to fixing your own at home.

 

2. Go out for shaved ice or soybean pudding
A great Taiwanese summer cooler for sharing. 


No. 262-1, Dexing E Rd, Shilin District, Taipei City, 111

好奇營養豆花, 111台北市士林區德行東路262-1號

Or visit Yonkang Street (Dongmen MRT) for plenty of fashionable mango ice options. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3A. Go for bubble tea. 

Drink in at chunshuitang (underneath the cinema box office at Mitsukoshi department store, this company claim to be the original inventors of bubble tea. 

 

 

 

 

3B. Grab a take away from Milkshop  (No. 82號, Dexing E Rd, Shilin District, Taipei City, 11147), a successful chain which originated in south Taiwan.

4.  Cafe Rue

The Sicilian coffee (with lemon) is surprisingly acceptable and refreshing.
No. 2號, Lane 35, Section 6, Zhongshan N Rd, Shilin District, Taipei City, 111

See also their other branch Cafe Ruelle. Both do very tasty toasted sandwiches, possibly the best in Tianmu.

 

PRACTICAL TIPS for surviving the summer heat/humidity

• Carry a small flannel/towel around with you for mopping the brow. Check out this novel kind of 'cooling towel' : soak it under the tap, rinse it out, fan it in the air and drape it around your neck, it does feel cool.  
• Avoid the heat of the midday sun. If possible, avoid being out and about between roughly 11am-3pm. 
• Take several showers a day.
• Buy clothing with thinner fabric (inc. linen and sportswear).
  
• You could do as the locals do (on condition of being immune to fashion considerations) and wear 'sleeves' (on top of your T-shirt/vest) to protect you from UV rays, especially if you are cycling around in the sun
  

Eating out in Tianmu

 

(See also 'Missing Western Food in Tianmu' and 'Eating like a local' and 'Seven favourite cafes').

For a 'safe bet' for a decent restaurant, head for one of the department stores. They have a food court (average meal $200 NT); plus a range of reassuringly expensive independent restaurants, all under the same roof. Japanese food is well represented: if you like sashimi or Teppanyaki, you will do great. Korean food also present. Noodles and rice dishes abound, as do braised fish. The Hong Kong style of Chinese cuisine, which we are familiar with in much of western europe, is NOT widely available in Taiwan.

1. Chunshuitang 

An excellent mid-price restaurant chain, underneath the cinema box office at Mitsukoshi. Famous for bubble tea and beef noodle soup. Pleasant view from the window tables. Open for lunch and dinner. Reduced food menu outside those times. Reservations taken. 

beef noodle soup at Chunnshuitang

world's smallest font in a menu at Chunnshuitang

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. Ootoya, reliably good Japanese restaurant downstairs in Takashimaya, which has the benefit of taking orders via an electronic tablet on the table. Mandarin only, alas. You can try guessing which button to press, as I do: it adds to the entertainment value. The staff come to double check with you. 

 

3. Lili Art & Kitchen

Stylish evening with friends or a date, good bar and kitchen, art on the walls, quite classy.

Zhongshan North Road Section 6 no. 760, 111, Taipei City

中山北路六段760號

4. MiaCucina

If you are looking for healthy, vegetarian/vegan friendly, lunch and salads, this is worth trying.

No. 48號, Dexing W Rd, Shilin District, Taipei City, 111

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5. Din Tai Fung for world famous dumpling chain (also in Hong Kong, Singapore, etc) downstairs in Sogo. Reserve a table in advance or queue for ages at meal times. 

6. Baires ice cream

Voted one of the world's top 50 ice cream places. 

Zhongshan North Road Section 6 no. 760, Taipei City 111, T中山北路六段460號1樓 

 

7. Duomo Japanese restaurant

Cheerful vibe at this cute little Japanese restaurant, opposite Takashimaya. Reasonable prices, gets crowded. The best miso soup!

111, Taipei City, Shilin District, Lane 50, Section 2, Zhongcheng Rd, 2號1樓

8. Beijing-style Chinese restaurant Song Jiang Pie & Porridge 宋江餡餅粥

Try the circular pastry with chive and minced beef; hot & sour soup; spinach; fried rice; mushroom fried noodle; dumplings.  Eat-in or take away. Very popular place, best to arrive early.

 No. 2, Tianmu N Rd, Shilin District, Taipei City, 111

 

 

 

 

 

Public swimming pools in Tianmu

 1. Keqiang Swimming Pool    克強公園游泳池

No. 2, Lane 55, Huangxi St, Shilin District, Taipei City, 111

Currently undergoing renovation

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. Tianxi Swimming pool 

No. 170, Alley 3, Lane 219, Section 7, Zhongshan N Rd, Beitou District, Taipei City, 112 Small open-air pool, Procedure: go in, hand $60NT to the somewhat surly staff, swim. The pool is probably intended for local residents in the huge residential complex. But it is often empty mid-week, and they seem happy to have occasional customers, rather than to keep it empty. There is no kind of ID check. Ideal for small children.

Favourite Cafes in / around Tianmu

(See also 'Cake shops', 'Toasted Sandwich') Here is a mixture of artisanal specialist places, everyday places suitable for laptopping, and comfortable places.

1.  Changing cafe

Best. Coffee. Beans. In. Taipei. Don't start a conversation with the owner about beans unless you have 30 mins free! Sit in or takeaway.

112, Taipei City, Beitou District, Alley 17, Lane 114, Yuminliu Rd, 2-1號1樓

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. Old Hall Cafe

has very good coffee and is a good choice for buying beans. A few seats indoors. No. 9-2號, Yunong Rd, Shilin District, Taipei City, 111

 

 

 

 3. Louisa is Taiwan's answer to Starbucks. The coffee is very decent quality. It's a very good choice if you want somewhere affordable to work on your laptop. Food is OK, but no-one comes for the food, it's more like an affordable community centre / hangout / shared workspace (not necessarily quiet, bring headphones). Packed at weekends. This new branch is huge and has cool architecture:

No. 2號, Lane 141, Section 7, Zhongshan N Rd, Shilin District, Taipei City, 111

This next branch has a great view from the top floor and is close-by to a great river walk toward Keqiang swimming pool and Zhishan MRT. No. 132號, Tianmu W Rd, Beitou District, Taipei City, 112

4. Lutetia (French style bakery and cafe) is run by a friendly local expat. If you are craving a European vibe, their first branch (turn left from TAS, walk 5 minutes down the main road) is your best bet Zhongshan Road Section 6 Number 442 Taipei 111台北市士林區中山北路六段442號. Quiche and salad set recommended. Second branch is opposite TES, peaceful.

5. Komeda's Coffee For a laptop session close to the MRT station at Zhishan, this Japanese chain is a very good solution, choose a table at the window in the front. Avoid at weekends due to atrocious service.

Zhongshan Road Section 6 Number 136, Taipei City, 111  中山北路六段136號

 

6. Supranormal Bakery Cafe

Fashionable, very small, expensive, busy

No. 39號, Section 7, Zhongshan N Rd, Shilin District, Taipei City, 111

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7. Mellow Fields Hotel

No. 127號, Section 7, Zhongshan N Rd, Shilin District, Taipei City, 111

Walk into the reception area (photo) and straight through to the cafe (open to the public).

Service is friendly and good. Drinks are good, as is the thick toast with peanut butter or chocolate spread. Very good value, highest Cost Performance Ratio of all these options! You could get a takeaway coffee from their cafe and sit in this gorgeous reception, feel a spaciousness which is often denied us in the cities.

 

 

Mellowfields Hotel, cafe

 

 

 

 

 

8. One floor underneath the cinema at Mitsukoshi, just as you come off the escalator, is an unobtrusive cafe that does good iced latte, big sofas, good cakes and suitable for chatting or laptop sessions.

Places to chill out in Tianmu: introducing 3 Department Stores and cinema

All over Asia, people love department stores, not least for the air-conditioning! Taiwan's department stores are mostly Japanese. In Tianmu you have a choice of three: here are a few suggestions of how to while away a couple of hours while you cool down. 

Sogo

The food court has a good view. Supermarket in the basement carries a decent range of international food and drink brands. Quality and price are both high. Pick up some clothing from Uniqlo upstairs, their range seems to be an unofficial uniform for blending in in Taiwan. If you have come from Europe, the fabric of your cotton clothing is likely much thicker than the local versions, so it's well worth investing in some thinner and cooler staples. Taiwan offers super-fashionable sportswear in very thin fabrics and Sogo is possibly the most stylish of the three stores. 

Mitsukoshi

Two Mitsukoshi stores side by side. The one further from the traffic junction offers a cinema on the top floor, which shows Hollywood and Asian films (alas not Bollywood). Cinemas have THE BEST AIRCON in Taiwan! You may need to take a scarf or socks! If you want to buy a ticket, but don't speak Mandarin, you could show a photo of the movie poster, and the sales person can probably figure it out. They will ask you where you want to sit, the default position in Taiwan is for everyone to sit in a group in the centre of the cinema. You can request a seat at the side or back; usually there are plenty of seats free for seat-hopping. Unless its the first weekend of some Marvel blockbuster when it might be absolutely packed.  

 

The restaurant just underneath the cinema ticket office is famous for bubble tea, and great beef noodle soup. Their menu shows english (in the world's smallest font). Go up to pay first when ordering. On the basement floor is a FNAC selling a few electronics. 

The food court here is small and not impressive.

Takashimaya

Situated beside the baseball stadium. A gigantic aquarium display is popular weekend attraction for kids. The basement food court is probably the best of the three department stores' food courts, and the supermarket is very good.

 

Piano Competition success

Many congratulations to my student Bunny Liu for winning first prize at an international piano competition in Los Angeles a few days ago, playing Liszt Hungarian Rhapsody 12!

Listen to my new video 1.57 of Student Recital highlights 2015!

Click here for YouTube link: Student Recital 2015

Or paste this in your browser         https://youtu.be/mb_1Ha0ELwk

Highlights of Student Recital 2015