Shabu Shabu : Taiwanese Style

Shabu-Shabu is a Japanese variant of hot pot and quite a RAGE in Taiwan. It seems that no matter what part of Taiwan you happen to be - there will always be a neighborhood Shabu-Shabu Restaurant. The dish is related to sukiyaki in style, where both use thinly sliced meat and vegetables, and usually served with dipping sauces. The difference is in the taste; shabu-shabu is more savory and less sweet than sukiyaki. Normally considered a winter dish, which makes sense considering it is all cooked in hot boiling broth and the Taiwanese opts to have theirs with so much HOT spices. Shabu-shabu is eaten all year-round.

In Taiwan, all you can eat Shabu-Shabu is the more popular fare for the family, company outings, and just friends getting together for a nite of food and chatting.
Choices of all sorts of thinly sliced meat (beef, pork, duck, chicken, sheep, etc are staples...as well as the seasonal vegetables. Seafood such as crap, shrimps, clams & oysters are available, too. Rich or Noodles are available for carb lovers but I guarantee you - you will not want to be filled with those when you have so many other choices...

Pls Note: there are no real "rules" for eating Shabu-Shabu. Your Choice, your way all the way. You are your own chef. Just cook what you want, when you want, and enjoy it the way you want...


Shabu-Shabu has become one of my MOST FAVE types of food to eat in Taipei... I always welcome guests for a great excuse to make a nite of it... I really love having it, not because I eat a lot, though I do -- but because of all the little choices that comes with having it.... meat... veggies... seafood.... desserts (fruits, pudding, & different flavor Ice Cream by MEIJI, Japan) ... drinks.... only $10.00US per person...and the BEST part, NO TIME LIMIT!!!!

Recently was able to enjoy a Shabu-Shabu feast dinner with Todd, his GF & David at the neighborhood Shabu Shabu place, Hen Ji Shabu Shabu.

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Shabu-shabu is sooooo POPULAR in Taiwan - there was even a POP song of the same name, that became a HIT !!!

Chilling Out with Pao Pao Bing : Taipei

Bracing ourselves for the announced typhoon to come, Sunday, we (Huiling, David & I) decided to take in a double feature at the Cinema on Nan Jing St... We went to see "Untraceable", a suspense thriller with Diane Lane that was actually good, and "Pathology" an "i'm going to be sick from this" kind of movie.....

On the walk back home from the movies, we happen upon a PaoPao Bing stand... I have heard so much about this refreshing treat from others - how good it is and how it is Taiwan's answer to Gelato Ice Cream.... so we decided to try it -- and we were not disappointed at all...
Pa Pao Bing is really more like a SHAVED ICE or SNOW CONE treat that I used to get in San Francisco - only the ice is much more finely shaved.... and it is hand mixed for a richer and creamier texture.... hence, the comparison to Gelato.... the stand was run by a husband and wife team... the man is in charge of shaving the ice using an electric ice shaver; while the wife does the mixing of the individual order including hand churning them till they are well mixed with no whiteness from the ice visible anymore.... in my opinion, she has the bad end of the deal... her job looks very tiring...
David, Huiling & Me enjoying our treats.... you can choose from the many flavours available for your very own Pao Pao Bing... you can either have it fruity (I had a passion fruit combination) or nutty (Huiling opted for the peanuty one), while David chose something of the sour kind... needless to say, we each devoured our respective Pao Pao Bings halfway through the walk home.....

Sao Bing You Tiao : Breakfast Treat

Sao Bing You Tiao has been a staple breakfast treat for the Taiwanese ... or Chinese all over the world, it seems -- have seen it offered and eaten by the masses in various Chinatowns in countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Macau, Hong Kong, China and even Canada & the good ole US of A.

I never really got into to it until moving here in Taiwan... and HONESTLY, one taste was all it took and I was hooked.... I actually like it at any hour of the day, not just breakfast time... as long as it is served I would not hesitate to order it....

Sao bing you tiao is a sandwich of a crispy flat bread topped with sesame seeds and stuffed with you tiao - now for the shocker: every bite squishes with oil -- but I swear, it MUST add to the tastiness of it!.

That is because you tiao, fried dough sticks about 18 inches in length, very much known as comfort food for my Taiwanese friends' childhood. In their younger days, they would be served you tiao with a bowl of sugar for dipping and a cold glass of soy milk. Now the street food version of you tiao that I have come to know is a bit salty instead of sweet, and deliciously sinful.
But I TRULY much prefer the Sao Bing part... I love the taste of the bread and the flakiness of it... I like to have it with lightly scrambled egg - sao bing dan, as it is more commonly known here. Give me sao bing dan and a hearty glass of Dou Jiang or soy milk - and it is an instant treat at any given time of the day.

2 Reasons Why Veggies Are Good For You!

Enuff Said!!!

A Nite with Peter Rabbit

Finally got around to posting these photos on Flickr... have I been that busy???

A Wonderful Dinner Treat by Juliana, at this quaint little themed restaurant - tucked away in the back streets of Chung Hsiao East Rd.. it is actually my second time but Juliana wanted to take DAVID as he missed out on the experience our first trip there.. My first time dining there - I did not have my digi cam with me so I missed out on documenting the experience...t his time out - I came prepared and took a lot of photos..... The business card above is in Chinese... sorry no English translation... and though they may have started out as a vegetarian restaurant - one can actually select from a few meaty meals... whatever is fresh that the chef can get for the day....

It seems that the proprietress/chef Love's and is a BIIIG FAN of Peter Rabbit - hence, the whole restaurant decorated with so much Peter rabbit memorabilia... The restaurant has been around for a few years now... and their clientele has grown so much... through word of mouth... rightly so as the FOOD is really well made - fresh & tasty, beautifully presented, and the set meals nicely priced.

It was such a nice experience.... and one of the BEST KEPT SECRET of Taipei themed dining that is perfect for a fun nite out with friends and/or family........

SATISFIED FOODIES!!!

2 KGS Gained from Yesterday's Lunch Alone.....

YOWZA!!!! Yesterday I was trying sooooo hard to be good not to eat too much as I knew I would be going out to dinner... so I was saving my APPETITE..... I skipped Breakfast - aside from the COFFEE.... as most of you know, I need that CAFFEINE to get me going.... thenI was going to eat really lite for lunch... WRONG!!!

With everything I had to do - i kept putting my lite lunch off.... and putting it off... and putting it off.... come 1:30PM - did I feel the HUNGER!!! my stomach was growling soooo much I swear it could be heard by my neighbors through the walls.... SO I talked David into going to Miramar for a little quick, lite lunch.... WRONG AGAIN!!!

Once at the FOOD COURT of Miramar, my eyes and stomach was going crazy with all the choices... Each one looking even tastier than the next... and the more the combo was the more I could feel my mouth watering.... what I opted for is this COMBINATION that had Tonkatsu Pork, Grilled Squid, Tempura Shrimp, a Baked Clam, all on a bead of sprouts.... not forgetting the (super) burrito style & sized java rice wrapped in an egg omelet.... there was also a side of mixed veggies (carrots.peas & corn) plus a little bowl of seaweed soup.... LOLs!!!! I do not even know what this meal is called... maybe "TOO MUCH of Everything!" I should state though that all was for under $5 US - so it was a pretty good deal... and in fairness, it was all TASTY!!!
(Meal for One??? whaaaaat???)

Am very SAD to report that I actually finished it all.... and I DO mean ALL!!!! Even sadder -- it was only 3 hrs left before dinner by the time I finished this meal.... and dinner is another story.....

Aternoon Tea: English Style in Taipei

Last week was such a busy week for us with work, work and more work - I was not ableto keep up too much with my blogging... even forgotten about our Tea Time Experience at Rose House till I was reminded by a friend who saw my flicker album on the whole experience... Not to say that it was not good... on the contrary it was lovely, as lovely as they come... I would even say that it would rival the ones I have had in some of the finest places in London....

I have seen the Rose House tea shop/cafe all over Taipei... it is a chain shop located in some of the busiest places in the city... One look at the logo and you right away would think of a chi-chi place to be and right off the bat - upon entering - you know you are in for a treat with the place's frilly interior: bone china in antique style wooden cabinets; floral paintings hanging on the walls; floral motif draperies; and most especially, the quiet, relaxing ambiance the place exudes -- truly an English style experience in Taipei.

Rose House offers a wide variety of teas, coffees and drinks, Rose House's signature rose tea and fruit teas are very refreshing. Each are served in a lovely bone china setting... complete with sugar sticks, honey & a biscuit. Most people definitely come here for the tea but Rose House also offers a selection of sandwiches, and a bit of meat dishes... we opted for the afternoon waffles with our tea.

The servers are pleasant and are impeccably dressed to serve. And serve they do with big smiles on their faces. Very attentive with all your needs and are most eager to clear your table to make it a whole lot more neater for you.

So if you're looking for a quiet place for an afternoon cup of tea and a chat with friends and/or family Rose House is definitely a great choice. But if you are more into loud music blaring in the speakers and people conversing like they are speaking with someone deaf the I suggest you do not come here.... and I highly recommend the one we dined at, located in the MIRAMAR Mall:
ROSE HOUSE TEAROOM
at Miramar Mall
No. 20, Jingye 3rd Road, B1F
TEL: (02) 2175-3023
Hours: 11: 00 AM - 10: 00 PM