Chic 'n Cheap Living

There are a few famous Taiwanese foods (besides their street food at the night markets which is so fun to eat!) Otherwise, two of the most authentic and affordable Taiwanese eats are hotpot (or huoguo) and pineapple cakes. I went to a few of the more famous restaurants for these treats and wanted to share my experiences.

What is hot pot? It is basically shabu shabu or fondue or food you boil yourself. It can be a fun individual or group meal. You order a list of raw foods based around a type of meat - usually fish or beef. Then you order your stock which can be light or spicy. Your soup selection is brought to you along with vegetables (cabbage, enoki mushrooms, etc.) and starches (handmade noodles and fish dumplings - they are better than they sound and not fishy!) It is SO fun just chatting with friends while leisurely cooking your meal. You get to create your own dipping sauce as well (mmm for sacha sauce with dried shrimp!) It is a cool, somewhat healthy way to eat out.

We went to Shaburi which is in ATT 4 Fun (who named this mall?) and has a really great ambiance. It is a little pricier, but comes with salad and dessert as well. You can save a little by going a la carte as well though sesame ice cream is definitely a great way to end this meal!

899 NTD (about $30)
ATT 4 Fun mall

To be honest, I never loved pineapple cakes. Some brands were too greasy, others were too sweet. But SunnyHills Bakery sets itself apart. First, there are the ingredients: this international cast of ingredients includes butter from New Zealand, flour from Japan, and free range eggs as well as organic pineapple from Taiwan. This adds up to a simple, flakey, and perfectly sweet (not too sweet) cake. The second draw of the bakery is the location. It is based in a quiet, tree-lined residential neighborhood in Taiwan. The environment is artistic and chic and I loved the random art work throughout the place. You can order cakes to go and the bakery will invite you to sit down for a complimentary cup of tea and a pineapple cake (two cakes for the price of one - score!) The last two pictures are from the website because I quickly devoured my cake and there was none left for photos!