Taipei, Taiwan (Spring 2024) - Day 3

Tim Ho Wan

This is a chain all around Asia and I hear that they are in the US now. Some of the best quality dim sum that you will find anywhere and very affordable (at least in Taipei). They don’t do the carts as you order from a menu which to me is more convenient anyway. You get all the tastiness of being in a Hong Kong dim sum joint without the hassle of being constantly on guard of what’s coming out of the kitchen.

The menu is not as extensive as you may find at some other places but the quality is excellent. A great way to start the day.

Ximending

Ximending can probably be best described as the hip neighborhood. It has a young vibe and it has many blocks filled with shops and eateries. The gay district is also on the south side of the area.

One thing I will say is that I expected a little more day drinking options in this area but it was hard to find. We actually resorted going to a TGI Friday’s there to have a beer during the day.

We also had a fancy coffee break inside a book store in a mall in Ximending.

Monga Fried Chicken

There are many options for the beloved fried chicken patty around Taipei. We opted for this place on the outskirts of Ximending. I believe you should get the medium spice option as the little bit of kick really enhances the flavor. This place makes a very tasty version.

Chance Bar

We finally hung around long enough for some of the bars to open in Ximending. This is a place we have gone to before. A low key place in one of the alleys with a good comfy feel and good drinks.

Thai Town

This was another one of my must eats on my return to Taipei. There are many Thai restaurants in Taipei and we happened to hit this place as we had been here before and it was close to the hotel. It is located on the top floor of an upscale mall.

What I really craved is the lemon fish. It is a whole steamed fish soaking in a boiling lemony broth. Their version of the pork shoulder is pretty good too. The Thai restaurants here have a Chinese bent to them but they are generally consistently awesome.

Kavalan Whiskey Bar

I love Kavalan whiskey. Years ago I went to the distillery out in Yilan and did a tasting out there. They have shops all over town but they finally opened a proper bar and it is wonderful.

Not only can you order custom flights of their products, but they also have special barrel editions that they pour from barrels onsite. When you order one of those, a server takes you to the barrel and pours it there for you.

Pawn Bar

One of the bartenders from the Kavalan Bar recommended this place to us. It was a speakeasy not too far from our hotel so we decided to check it out. The front is disguised as a pawn shop.

Every drink is based off a item that someone had previously left here to pawn and had a story to tell about it. The menu is a binder full of the drinks and the stories behind them.

I guess if you bring a knick knack to pawn you get something in return. We obviously were not prepared so they just let us in and we had drinks. It was a fun place with a young vibe. The bartender wanted us to try some local liquor before we left.