When in Taiwan, get ready to frequently apply your ABS, and not the one you are likely already familiar with. Over the years I have learned that in Taiwan the culture appears to indirectly revolve around a similar acronym that Alec Baldwin’s character emphasized in the movie “Glengarry Glenn Ross”. The Taiwanese more than any culture I have ever known seem to live by the mantra ABS (Always Be Snacking). As soon as we arrived Bella and Cindy picked up sandwiches for our drive to the family townhouse. I received a healthy chicken lettuce with horseradish wrap. Yes, in Taiwan the eating commences immediately.

I love the mysterious nature of mist, fog, and rain especially amongst the green growth of Taiwan. This photo was taken on the way to the family townhouse which is located near the top of the mountain.

If you camp out you may see monkeys eating the bananas from the trees. Unfortunately they have already been picked clean. It has been my experience that this is actually “perfectly normal, perfectly healthy” for Taiwanese monkeys leaving nothing for those who lag.

“You cannot open a book without learning something.”

Confucius

My guess is they do not know about the Playboy bunny and Hugh Hefner or dad is showing off his “player” side.

The attic is ideal for people who are short and petite or youngsters. There is even a mini computer desk setup.

For those who are unfamiliar with my dimensions, I am 6′ 1/2″ tall and weigh 178 pounds. Bella is maybe 5′ 2″ and 100 pounds yet earned the bigger towel. She was not amused when in the spirit of comedian Chris Farley (RIP), I began singing “big boy in a little towel…big boy in a little towel.” I was not amused when I observed how much larger her towel was compared with mine. Due to the humidity in Taiwan ultra-thin, small and 100% polyester bath towels are commonplace.

I have been obsessed with penguins and birds since I was a child so this humorous statue is a welcome site. To get to Taipei City we take a community shuttle bus that runs on a very tight schedule. As a result I would soon realize this trip would not be as leisurely as I anticipated.

“I’m a culture vulture, and I just want to experience it all.”

Debbie Harry

Our restaurant is located in a food court in a shopping mall. These handy drawers are equipped with chopsticks, napkins, hand wipes and tooth flossers. I often joke that my wife is AEE certified (borrowed from auto mechanics acronym) Asian Efficiency Expert. Now I see where she gets it.

I know it is seaweed, but I especially like healthy when it tastes this good.

“Anything that walks, swims, crawls, or flies with its back to heaven is edible.”

(Cantonese saying. Source: The Chinese Kitchen by Eileen Yin-Fei Lo)

Tender fatty eel with eel sauce and delicious white rice.

“Talk doesn’t cook rice.”

(Chinese Proverb)

Squid (cuttlefish) is very popular in Taiwan and they prepare it about any way you can think of. Fried squid will always be my favorite, but my dad makes a nice baked squid.

This healthy beverage consists of milk, fresh papaya and ice only. Nearby we browse a fancy grocery store and other vendors booths. I pick up some thick pork jerky for later. We visit Bella’s godmother for a while before traversing more of the city.

Taiwan is not shy on high fashion retailers.

There is a zero percent chance they attempt this in the United States — especially in 2023.

These pop-ups appear in various neighborhoods where you will find crafts, food, snacks and more.

There seems to be an endless supply of fantastic coffee in Taipei City. I am literally in java heaven. I order a Brazilian siphon brewed cup and Bella orders a Indonesian golden blend pour over. I used to love siphon brewed coffee, but I am transitioning to pour over. It is hard to beat the flavor in spite of it being a simpler method.

They have some tasty looking blueberry tarts and citrus tarts, but our bellies are a little too full for dessert.

It looks like a chemistry lab when they are at work with the siphon brewing process.

I highly recommend sniffing in here for a first class coffee experience. Their whole coffee beans are available to purchase by the bag and as their name indicates they cover the world of coffee.

Afterwards we head to Bella’s dermatologist appointment (one of the best in the city) where you take a number like you are at Baskin Robbins seeking a cone or a cup and wait your turn. You do schedule an appointment in advance. It does not take more than 10-15 minutes and Bella is in. As soon as she was out she picks up her prescription at a separate window in the same office. The grand total = $3.50 US dollars which covered the appointment, the pill medication and the cream medication. Let us all shed some tears over what this would cost in the United States. She booked the appointment one week in advance and they do accept walk-ins. Per the CEOWorld Magazine’s Health Care Index, Taiwan ranks #2 in the world and the United States ranks #11. Enough said.

I fell in love with these coconut gelatin cubes on my first trip to Taiwan while staying at a fancy hotel in Taroko Gorge. Now I sniff them out wherever I can.

These taste like a morph between flan and creme brulee in a buttery flaky pie crust. These tarts are one of my favorite desserts at Asian bakeries in Taiwan and in the United States. Trader Joe’s has one in their frozen section but unfortunately it has a heavy custard quality to it with notes of cinnamon which does not speak to my palate.

“Seize the moment. Remember all of those women on the ‘Titanic’ who waved off the dessert cart.”

Erma Bombeck

Most of the cold coffee beverages in these convenience stores are much better than what we offer in the United States. In the United States, only companies like Peet’s or La Colombe can compete.

This company located in Singapore has been around since 1933 and this tender oily pork jerky is next level.

Hopefully you are not scared of my extreme close-up shot.

This is Bella’s go-to and would have been mine, but I am watching my sugars more than she is.

This is the largest and best high school in the city and not easy to get accepted into. Middle school and under grades are based on where your family home is located. High school and higher learning is based on testing and placement. We do a comprehensive tour of the grounds and buildings (classroom, basketball courts, track, old pool, cafeteria, music department, creative arts etc.) as she narrates for me.

Back in my speedster running days I would have loved a rubber track like this in the middle of the city. I ran the half mile in 1:55 back in the day. I was fast, but never quick. Today I would be lucky to finish the half mile. Afterwards I get a delicious iced latte at Ikari coffee nearby while Bella gets her hot latte.

“Good food is very often, even most often, simple food.”

Anthony Bourdain

I was in the mood for noodles and there were three noodle shops in a row. We dropped in at the least crowded one so we would not have to wait. The cost was under $9.00 for two people.

“Ice-cream is exquisite. What a pity it isn’t illegal.”

Voltaire

Fresh mulberries are one of the tastiest fruits on the planet and this ice cream is a joyful reminder of that. The Snow King ice cream has a good balance between iciness and milky creaminess.

This flavor is always on my must have list while in Taiwan. I wish my Italian brethren could “sniff in” on this goodness.

This beverage costs $100 NTD per cup and is pure indulgence. It is fatty, creamy, rich, decadence in a cup. Next we shop at S3 Beauty Store which is Bella’s favorite cosmetic store. During the pandemic she ordered all of our face masks from here because the quality was excellent, the price was fair and they would ship to the United States. We grab pastries and beverages from our I JY Sheng Fashion Bakery and Family Mart convenience store located near the shuttle bus pickup location.

“Your body is not a temple, it’s an amusement park. Enjoy the ride.”

Anthony Bourdain

From the mountain top lookout near the family townhouse I zoom in for a perspective of Taipei City.

Our main task for the day is to go for a two hour full body massage at a foot massage spa. My therapist has strong hands and is even throwing elbows into me. The wife and I love deep tissue massage. He even goes “New York Yankees” on my shoulder which seemed almost chiropractic and a bit much for me, but I survived it unscathed.

Afterwards we meet up with Bella’s sister Cindy near Taipei National University.

I am a huge fan of Art Deco and modern architecture. Mission Craftsman style is another favorite of mine, but you will not find much of that over here.

This park is near the family’s city apartment (soon to be sold) which is in a hip neighborhood with upscale boutique retail stores, great cuisine, fancy coffee houses etc. They used to have fitness equipment that used your body weight for resistance instead of weights.

The dumb waiter (elevator) shown is used to send food up to the dining room on the second floor.

We stopped at this casual restaurant because Bella was craving the meatball shown on the right.

“He was a bold man that first ate an oyster.”

Jonathan Swift

Bella and I had these on our short list of tasty items for awhile.

Afterwards we head a little further down the street for a more substantial meal. This Italian is never scared to get after a nice squid dish. The restaurant has photographs on the wall with names of the dishes at their entrance and that is how you order.

“Tea began as a medicine and grew into a beverage.”

Okakura Kakuzo

Kumquat tea is one of my favorite hot beverages in Taiwan. If you like kumquats it is sweet with slight tartness and tastes like they squeezed the fresh fruit into the teapot. It is really tasty with or without a meal. This teapot of tea was actually free.

We have pork jowl, beef and veggie dishes as well.

Sadly you cannot capture this with a still photograph or a video. With about 10 seconds left the little green man begins power walking on the screen indicating it is time to “qui dien” or “mach schnell” your way across the street.

Various family members came over for lunch. Shown above are most of the dishes that were served. One relative serves me Asahi beer. To me it tastes like the Coor’s Light of Japan, but I am a porter and stout (full body) beer drinker.

You do not see roasted sweet peppers prepared that often in Taiwan. Thankfully they are one of my favorite vegetables I enjoy in the United States.

“All worries are less with wine.”

Amit Kaantri, Wealth of Words

It has above average sweetness with clear blueberry on the palate. It’s pretty good in spite of my not being a big sweet wine fan. They offer me Japanese style cheesecake and I politely decline. I explain that it tastes more like sponge cake with a tiny element of cheese added which does not suit my palate.

Bella was a big fan of Canadian ice wine when we met and we collected a variety of bottles.

I could not resist getting another perspective of my penguin buddy. Before we go to our lunch spot I get a milk tea with coffee jelly. I wish more places in the United States offered coffee jelly for their milk tea and iced coffee beverages.

Bella’s friend and former student Becky and Bella’s sister Cindy meet us for lunch. There is lobster, assorted seafood, beef belly and vegetables.

The cost was $20.00 per person. The meal includes a beverage bar with loads of options, condiment and sauce bar and vanilla ice milk soft serve ice cream machine. I had a winter melon slushie, lemon sweet iced tea, oolong sweet iced tea and another unsweetened iced tea.

“Ask not what you can do for your country. Ask what’s for lunch.”

Orson Welles

This is before the stir.

Once your meat, fish or seafood is cooked you dip it into the sauce of your choosing. I concocted this at the sauce bar where you can create your own.

This is so good with my sauce.

I could eat this almost every day. Udon noodles in this sauce are excellent.

Cafe! N is another fantastic gourmet coffee spot in Taipei. This brown sugar crusted creamy coffee with a torched caramelized crust is off the hook. The coffee is excellent and I ordered it 50% sweetness so the sweet is not too much considering the brown sugar factor. In Taiwan and the United States you often have the option at their tea and coffee joints to customize the sweetness and ice quantity by percentage (ex. 25%, 50%, 75%, 100%).

The interior is basic modern and white and the upstairs is very Ikea-like with a mostly neutral pallete and pine wood or white oak materials. It is a warm day, but I think they have the thermostat set for 60 degrees fahrenheit. They have a basque cheesecake, but we were too full to try it.

Bella has never been to Dadaocheng. It is well know for its textiles and vendors selling suits, fabrics, knitting supplies, traditional Chinese herbs, roots, nuts, Chinese medicine etc.

People light incense and say a prayer to the gods.

Temples can be off a busy street, in an alley, almost anywhere.

There are endless vendors selling similar items. Afterwards we kill time at a Starbuck’s drinking coffee. I opt for a sweet cream cold brew.

When in a foreign land you should get outside your comfort zone and night markets are a great opportunity to open your mind with Asian cuisine.

“Preserve the old, but know the new.”

Chinese proverb

We meet up with Jessie to attend a nearby night market that I have never attended. Night markets in Asia are like an American swap meet, but instead of the primary focus being merchandise, it is food and beverage. An oyster pancake may look like a goey mess, but it is very delicious for seafood lovers.

Fresh papaya, milk and ice in a subtropical country that produces fantastic fruit is all that is necessary here in this simple tasty drink.

These sticky mochi rice balls are liberally covered in sweetened black sesame powder. I may not be able to sell you with the photo since it is comparable in appearance to cigarette ash, but I find them to taste fantastic. They are less sweet than the peanut version but are equally great.

This night market is one of the smaller I have been to but the offerings are great and the crowds confirm that.

I regret not getting these.

“You don’t need a silver fork to eat good food.”

Paul Prudhomme

I sniffed in for a very meaty fried drumstick at another vendor.

“Not eating meat is a decision, eating meat is an instinct.”

Dennis Leary

Bella always told me that black pig is the yummiest — and she’s not wrong.

“Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it.”

Confucius

These sticky mochi rice balls were heavily dipped in sweet peanut powder.

Expect crowds at night markets but it is always well worth it. Oddly enough you often do not wait long to get your snacks, food or beverage.

There’s not a man, woman or child on the face of the earth who doesn’t enjoy a tasty beverage.”

David Letterman

This is probably my favorite fruit cold beverage in Taiwan. Papaya milk being second favorite. This approximately 20 ounce fresh watermelon juice cost me $1.30 in U.S. currency.

My Italiano father’s favorite bicycle of all time.

In Taiwan the trash and recycling trucks play classical music to alert residents to come out and discard their items.

I could see a motorcycle with serious CC’s showing off its bull oysters, but a scooter?

There are so many scooters in Taiwan I had to know what their rank was. Per worldatlas.com, Thailand is #1, Vietnam is #2, Indonesia is #3 and Malaysia is #4. Taiwan does not even rank in the top 15.

Starting the morning off right again with egg tarts and iced coffee. This iced coffee is especially creamy and good.

These gelatinous pork cheese snacks are seriously tasty. If you like jerky (these are much more tender) or meat snacks and cheese you should be fully vested in these.

A pig wearing a cheese hat makes for one hilarious sack.

Taro is in the root vegetable (think sweet potato) family and used in many desserts and beverages in Taiwan and other Asian countries. Taro mochi cakes are one of my favorite Asian desserts of all time. This brand is pretty good, but there are better.

“Food is culture. Food is an identity, a footprint of who you are.“

Lidia Bastianich

If you like passionfruit, this is a beauty on a warm day like today.

This has become very popular in Taiwan. Either orange or lemon is utilized to make a refreshing iced coffee beverage. Bella buys LaColombe Nitro Cold Brew canned coffee by the case. It is a nitrous infused cold brew coffee that uses Sicilian lemons.

Yes, in Taiwan you can get a fantastic gourmet cheeseburger. “Chuck, I want my double burger.” Can you name that film reference? The waiter brought my cheese out in a sizzling mini skillet and dramatically poured the cheese over ‘Chuck’s’ burger.

I have learned to appreciate chocolate over the years, but at heart I am all about the vanilla. This is a Japanese style souffle. My tasty meal costs about $21.00 U.S. dollars. It even includes an iced coffee latte (not shown).

A vendor in the food court area of the mall. Not that you would want to eat here, but you could if you are the “eat to live” type. I pick up some of my favorite brand of taro mochi cakes at a vendor in this mall.

Shan Mai brand taro mochi cakes are likely the best I have ever had.

I love penguins but I think I will pass. This store is similar to a CVS. We visit a fancy grocery store located in a basement for some fruit and miscellaneous items.

Bella adores a nicely done canele pastry. I am a fan as well and these are pretty nice.

Bella helped me figure out the Chinese characters so I could choose ones lower in sugar. This one is around 10grams. It is not as enjoyable as the higher sugar ones, but I mix these in for “health purposes”.

This one actually tastes better and is about 14 grams of sugar and is about perfect for me.

These are located at the base of the mountain where the family lives.

These are another condominium option at the base of the mountain.

This crispy eel is very crunchy with garlic, spice and sweet eel sauce.

This sweet fried pork is tender and good.

These are not actually duck tacos, but that is my slang term for them. See image below.

This is the pre-wrap of the “duck taco”. Yum City U.S.A.!!! Sweet, fatty, crunchy veggies and thin doughy goodness.

You can pick and choose how you want your duck order to be made into various dishes. We choose duck lettuce wraps as one of ours.

“As long as there’s pasta and Chinese food in the world, I’m okay.”

Michael Chang, retired professional tennis player

Talk about a trip down Nostalgia Lane. I feel like I am watching a 1940s’ or 1950s’ film set in Europe.

The abundance of trees add beauty to this city.

This coffee house is behind Bella’s high school. You could easily transport it to downtown Santa Cruz and the UCSC students would enter in flocks.

I love Brazilian coffee but mine was not the strongest player ordered today.

Bella got her Sicilian iced coffee in a double-wall glass.

“Coffee is the official beverage of culture.”

Andrea Illy

All of us share a apple turnover pastry with what little belly space we have left. The owner of this shop was in mass media communications for over 20 years before spending approximately the last 13 years running this coffee house.

The interior design is very eclectic and Bohemian with a nice Mission table lamp I would not mind borrowing.

You know it’s hip when they utilize an old classic bourbon whiskey bottle for drinking water at the table.

They are cool from A to Z.

I do not think I have seen one of these in the United States since the 1980s’. Wow! Per Wikipedia.com, as of October of 2022 only 17 locations remain open worldwide.

Bella is losing her mind over her peeps exotic pet choices.

We grab some bread and pastries for breakfast.

This cake is similar to a butter cake with light sweetness, mochi and macademia nut inside. They are great with a touch of butter on top and hot coffee. I sure am having fun at breakfast.

Another tasty rendition of my beloved egg tart.

This shot was taken after a substantial rain.

The flavor is very grapefruit forward and my dad and I tore these up here on warm days.

I could not figure out why my wife rarely used our dishwasher in California until I observed one of these. Apparently dishwashers are not big in Taiwan.

When you are not scared about 20 grams of sugar I highly recommend this one. Good balance of coffee, whole milk and sweet.

These sculptures very much remind me of the artist Salvador Dali. I am a huge fan and have a collection of Dali framed prints, artist renditions, pictures books and collectibles.

Pretty cool pieces on display.

“Politics is downstream from culture. “Politics is downstream from culture.”

Ben Domenech

This area features various indoor buildings that feature local creatives selling their beverages, foods, snack and arts and crafts. This is another area that Bella has never been to. If we had more time this would have been a great place to camp out for more personal souvenir shopping and enjoyment.

This vendor was selling by the bottle and you can see they are dialed in on what is trendy and offer some culturally representative beers as well.

This old skool record shop shot is for my brother and his musician wife.

“If this is coffee, please bring me some tea; but if this is tea, please bring me some coffee.”

Abraham Lincoln

You know the coffee is next level when they have a chandelier outside the establishment.

They were ranked #1 in the world in 2019. I order a iced whiskey latte with Balvenie 12 year old double wood rye whiskey. It was creamy, soft, deliciousness with woody goodness and the whiskey puts on the finishing touch without any burn. This will surely lead to my own rendition at home since I already make bourbon-infused cold brew coffee.

Around the corner from Simple Kafka I see this dog that looks quite similar to my pup from my childhood and early adulthood. He was a beautiful dog that was half Husky and half Doberman Pinscher.

We meet Bella’s aunt here for dinner with sister Cindy and her boyfriend Alan joining us. Bella’s aunts son-in-law owns this restaurant. The rooms are semi-private and ideal for conversing and enjoying great food.

I love that you can get a creamy iced milk tea almost anywhere in Taiwan. This blend of coffee, black tea, whole milk, sweetener is one of my favorites in the United States and Taiwan. It becomes much more interesting marrying the two. There is a perfect color for iced latte’s and this color for this beverage is perfect with the java and tea flavors prevailing slightly above the milk.

We are eating beef, pork, veggies and the clam hotpot is really good.

“I like to eat and I like the diversity of foods.”

David Soul

Bella does not eat tomatoes much and I am unable to for heath restrictions, but I taste a nibble and they are good.

Impressive looking and tasting.

This simple dessert features a lightly sweet bun with a firm shiny exterior and airy interior with pads of butter inserted. There is sweet on the exterior and salty on the interior. The salty sweet train is on the move. Choo! Choo!

“I’m obsessed with Chinese food and culture. It’s food that I adore above all others.”

Andrew Zimmern

In the alley you can see the illuminated Taipei 101 Tower. It was the tallest building in the world from 2004 to 2009. I have been up to the observation platform twice.

You know you are somewhere in Asia when you are in a compact Ford wagon and the camera technology is this exceptional.

This shot was taken off the second floor patio in the early morning hours of our final day in Taiwan.

It may not have been the wisest to wander out here with crusty eyeballs in the early morning hours. Thankfully it is not slippery.

It is almost like a San Pellegrino carbonated orange soda with alcohol (3%) added. It is medium sweet, barely sour if at all, and I am a big citrus fan so it is a gem.

Bella opted for a white grape cocktail in a can and this is pretty good too.

Mom calls this “Spanish cake”. It tastes like a bread pudding was morphed with a flan and I am not complaining one bit. I think my dad would tear this up.

They have about four or more levels of airport lounges. She is kind enough to bring me some snacks and beverage. And then we are off to California.

THE END!!!