Taiwan cafe life

For our first day in Taipei, dear Murphy was feeling funny and decided to rain on us for the entire day. Zzz. No matter, we spent the day mostly indoors and still managed to walk loads, making the most of the cool weather. Heh.

This first day is also known as AB's guide to his favourite haunts whenever he's here, and it was interesting to experience and see the places he favours. 

Coffeeology (松山區八德路三段 12 巷 5 弄 2 號)

First stop was at this quaint charming cafe that's just a 15 minute walk from our airbnb, and I can assure you that it was no coincidence. Pretty sure this was actually one of his key considerations in selecting our airbnb, hehe. And it wasn't hard to understand why. This cafe roasts its own coffee beans, and while it doesn't serve any food, the menu of beverages that includes a comprehensive selection of coffee, tea and fresh juices was more than enough to provide an hour or two of comfort in a cosy spot in their space. What sets this place apart is really the genuine warmth and friendliness of the owner and staff, and of course the beautiful cups of coffee they brew. Took the cappuccino (my default order when trying any new cafe) which was deliciously smooth but also strong. I stole a sip of AB's house blend (Americano with milk) and it was even better - with less milk and froth, the coffee notes presented even more distinctly, and it was a gorgeous rounded blend. I was definitely going to switch to this for the rest of our visits here. Yum.

Perfect start to a rainy day

Ueshima Coffee Lounge (106, 大安區忠孝東路四段200號B1樓)

After the warm comforting cuppa, AB then led us to this Japanese inspired cafe, Ueshima Coffee Lounge (上岛咖啡店）just a five minute walk away. He gleefully told us that this was his standard route when he visited the past few times. Coffee first, then Japanese sandwich after, accompanied with a green tea latte that he simply adores. We all followed his recommendation of a BLT with egg sandwich, although I wasn't feeling like having milky green tea, so opted for a black coffee this time. Still good. The sandwich was prepared with fluffy freshly baked bread, and the egg was the perfect touch to make it a satisfying meal. Although it was a late brunch, it certainly filled all of us up without us feeling stuffed.

The ambience of this cafe was comforting and quiet. Amidst soft jazz music streaming through the speakers, and the warm dark chocolate hues of the tables and seats, it's the sort of space that one can while away hours at, just reading or working off the computer. That's what majority of the crowd seemed to be there for, and the friendly service certainly contributed to the draw of the place.

Not too bad for a first day experience of Taiwan. Despite the rain, we were well nourished and kept mostly cosy and warm. All ready for more adventures and exploring!

simple and good BLT