It can be difficult to find an apartment in Taipei that has a kitchen. I'm not talking about a full Western-style kitchen. I'm talking about a hot plate, a sink, and a bit of counter space. So, when I was searching for an apartment I already knew that my budget might not allow me to find a place where I could cook at home.
The balcony - laundry and kitchen combined!
When I looked at my apartment in Dazhi I liked the size of the room, the Western-style shower in the bathroom, and the fact that the unit was newly renovated. There was also a small desk, a new bright red couch, and a small bar fridge.
The apartment came with a washing machine, which was located on the balcony. (This is very common in Taipei, and probably most of Asia.) However, most apartments in Taipei only have a tiny balcony. The balcony for this apartment was huge, and covered.
The only problem with the apartment? There was no kitchen. Hmmm. That's when I came up with the idea of setting up a camp-style kitchen on the balcony. People have cooked outside since the beginning of time, so I figured I could kick my Western sensibilities aside in this case and embrace something a bit more rudimentary as far as kitchen facilities were concerned.
I didn't - well, couldn't - rush into setting up the kitchen. I had to prioritize setting up the bathroom and bedroom, and sorting out storage. Then I got sick with acute bronchitis. That was a whammy in my plans. Anyhoo, yesterday I finally had the time, energy, and motivation to make a big shopping trip to A-Mart to buy the necessary bits and bobs for the balcony kitchen.
A closer look at the pantry cart, hot plate, kettle, and storage
One thing you should keep in mind as you read this is that I don't have transportation. I have to rely on the MRT and my feet to get most places. A few weeks ago I went to Carrefour in Tienmu and hauled some household items home on the MRT. I learned that I never wanted to do that again. My plan this time was to take the MRT to A-Mart and then catch a cab home with all of my large purchases. So that's what I did, and it worked beautifully! I even managed to direct the cabbie to my exact address which was a bit of a Mandarin miracle.
The dry storage/pantry inside
Thankfully everything I bought was easy to assemble and didn't require tools. All of the appliances worked, too. (One of the things I secretly dread is having to return things that don't work. Oh, the miming I would have to do!)
Now that I had the structure to cook, I had to get food. I packed two large bags and headed over to the Wellcome grocery store. I've only ever bought snacks and drinks over there, and a little bit of fruit. This time I got a cart and loaded two baskets onto it, and shopped.
I tried to focus on basics - tea, oatmeal, sugar, soup, broth, canned vegetables, spices, rice, noodles, cooking oil, soya sauce, vinegar, etc. It was a big shop by the locals' standards - NT$1,800 or about CAD$60. And look at how my dry storage/pantry is filled up! It's located inside the apartment because I don't want to attract vermin or have to pick pupae out of my dry goods.
My first cooked meal at home was spaghetti, of course. I am a noodle girl. The only problem is that I bought a Taiwanese brand of bottled spaghetti sauce. The Taiwanese love sweet things, so everything is loaded with sugar. The sandwich bread is inedible because it's so sweet. And even if you can stand the sweet bread, there's the sweet mayonnaise, sweet mustard, and sweetened sandwich meat. I'm sure they'd add sugar to cheese if they could. (Maybe they do - I hate processed cheese slices so I have no idea what the cheese tastes like.) Well, I learned last night that they also put a tonne of sugar into the spaghetti sauce. Ick! I got down as much of it as I could, and threw out the rest. So, while the act of cooking was successful, the results were a little disappointing. Oh, well. I am looking forward to the next meal, and the meal after that, and the meal after that...
This post is mostly going to be photos, because words just don't do the experience justice.
There are a number of theme restaurants in Taipei, and the one that is probably the most famous is Modern Toilet. As you can imagine, the theme is ... bathrooms and toilets. A small group of us decided to go check it out. We caught the MRT to Ximen, and then realized that none of us had written down the restaurant address or directions. We were fumbling through a Lonely Planet book when a woman stopped and asked if we needed directions. When we told her where we wanted to go, she thought for a moment and then said "It's too hard. I will take you there." It's true what they say, people in Taipei are really friendly and helpful.
Emma and her parents from Holland, Cidric from France, Raz from Israel, and Roshana from Australia
Our arrival at the restaurant was a bit chaotic. The greeter misunderstood me or was just being difficult, and seated us at two separate tables. Roshana sorted it out, though, and we were finally shown to a table where we could all sit together. The table, as you can see, is a bathtub with glass over top.
Oh, my! The rye bread is artfully baked into a turd shape
Ordering was also chaotic. They give everyone a menu, then they give one
person a menu with the table number written on it. That person has to
then write down what everyone at the table wants to eat. If that isn't hard enough, you also have to pay before
you are served. We did the mental math and then scratched around in our wallets for exact change. Most of the table could do it, but Raz and I had to go downstairs to get change and settle up for the rest of the table.
My spicy Sichuan hot pot (in a toilet bowl) with chillis and rice
The "dish" of choice was hot pot. For those unfamiliar with hot pot, it's a boiling pot of broth in which you cook a selection of veggies, meat, or fish. I had the spicy Sichuan beef hot pot, which came with exactly four strips of thinly-sliced beef. The rest of my hot pot contained cabbage, enoki mushrooms, fish dumplings, tofu, "crab" stick, and a spotted prawn donated by Roshana.
Green tea in a toilet-shaped mug, fruit juice in a urinal-shaped glass
The restaurant reviews aren't terribly good for Modern Toilet. Most people say that the restaurant is overpriced - natch! - and that the food is mediocre to bad. Our experience was pretty good. My spicy Sichuan hot pot had a lovely rich broth, and everyone said that portion sizes were generous.
Raz's penne au gratin came in a bathtub-shaped bowl
My one disappointment with the meal was the service. The servers seemed quite grumpy, which was odd considering that all they had to do was show you to your table, explain the menu system, and serve the food. Oh, well. The other thing I didn't like was that the servers' shirts were stained with food. This was obviously because the hot pots were so heavy and there was bound to be some broth sloshing over. But, still - you could tell that some of the stains were not fresh. Ick.
Dessert was turd-shaped "ice cream" which was really just flavored ice shavings
All in all it was a fun night out. I probably won't go to Modern Toilet again - not because I didn't like the experience, but rather because there are so many good restaurants to experience in Taiwan.
This was my first Christmas away from home, ever. I was sad not to be able to celebrate with family, but at the same time managed to find a good group of people to share the holiday with.
In Taiwan, the 25th was just another work day. Well, Santa came ho-ho-ing by in the afternoon with elves to hand out treats, but other than that it was business as usual. Roshana, Emma, and Evan (fellow hostelers at World Scholar House) had to attend classes at the Mandarin Training Center as well. But Roshana arranged to cook up a holiday feast of spaghetti, coleslaw, and cake at the hostel afterwards and I was invited to join in, which I happily did!
I was late arriving because of the brutal transfers at the Zhongxiao Fuxing and Zhongxial Xinsheng MRT stations. There is only one MRT line that travels west-east across the city, and at peak hours the station platforms are completely jammed with commuters. I'm sure it's not as bad as Japan, but it's still quite an experience.
Cidric from France, Raz from Israel, Evan from the US
It was a full house with Greg, his lovely daughter Iileitia, Emma and her parents from Holland (sorry, forgot their names!), Roshana, Winnie, Cidric, Raz, Evan, and myself. (The hostel manager Diane was also there, but in her room with her grandchildren enjoying a Christmas pizza.) The main room in the hostel is about as big as most people's bathrooms, so as you can imagine every surface was being used to serve the food and perch on while you scooped said food into your mouth. The only plate left when I arrived was a kid's serving tray. And the only eating utensils I could find were chopsticks. I was surprised to learn that it's actually super east to eat pasta with chopsticks - forget the fork and spoon thing!
Roshana and Winnie
After the pasta feast there was cake. Two cakes, actually, since both Emma's parents and Roshana had bought one. Roshana also busted out an awesome marshmallow and chocolate fondue, which fascinated the kids.
It was an early night for all of us because we had to be up for work the
next day. On my way home on the MRT, I noticed that the lady sitting
next to me had an odd-looking case. I mimed "badminton raquet?" to her
and she mimed back "no, musical instrument." I tried to ask how many
years she had been playing but I actually asked how many raindrops there
were. Oh, well.
Then she did the nicest thing. She reached into her
handbag and pulled out a DVD of her orchestra's last performance. And
she gave it to me! So, not only was I sitting next to a professional
musician, she generously gave me the DVD to enjoy - on Christmas night,
no less!
I have been sick for the past several days. I woke up yesterday with wicked case of cabin fever. I just had to get out of the apartment. The weather wasn't the best but I decided to explore Dazhi to the east of Bei-An Road anyway.
I took a look at Google maps and noticed the Miramar Entertainment Mall. It looked interesting. It also didn't look too far away so I figured I could walk there.
I was just a few minutes into my walk when I began to realize that I might be living in the bad part of Dazhi. To put it another way, I definitely live in the old part of Dazhi. Once you cross Bei-An Road there are wide streets with artfully paved and tree-lined sidewalks. The buildings look new, with modern architectural designs and highly-desirable underground parking. All of the condo towers seem to have lively piquant French cafes and bistros on the ground level.
Gorgeously paved, wide, and landscaped streets in eastern Dazhi - but completely devoid of pedestrians.
The only thing that I would describe as a drawback to this new Dazhi is the lack of people on the streets. Widen the streets and make room for parking, and ... people tend to drive everywhere instead of walking. I was one of the few pedestrians enjoying those lovely streets. Where I live, everyone walks while they run their errands. There is life in the streets and laneways.
Two new towers under construction.
The first thing you notice about the Miramar Entertainment Mall is the big Ferris Wheel. You can see the top arc of the wheel above the other buildings from quite a distance. As I got closer I could hear music. Then I saw brightly-colored market tents set up by the mall's main entrance. I had to check that out! I thought it might be a Christmas-themed market, but sadly it was just a typical pop-up market of food vendors.
The Miramar Entertainment Mall and the big Ferris Wheel.
Pop-up market by the mall entrance.
Funny "hot dog" stall in the market.
The Miramar Entertainment Mall itself is a fairly typical Taipei mall - full of "branded" fashion stores. The Taiwanese are just crazazy for name brands. You name it, they want it: Dunhill, Aquascutum, DKNY, CK Calvin Klein, Anna Sui, Nine West, Guess, etc. The Miramar doesn't have the super high-end brands like they have at Sogo. Instead, they seem to serve the middle-range name brand market.
I've been looking for a handbag for a while because the clutch I brought with me to Taiwan is barely big enough to hold my wallet, phone, and company ID card. The problem - with me - is that I don't like overly-branded handbags. I also don't like blingy or "cute" handbags. I want something more unique and would prefer to buy something that is made locally.
On the second floor I found a small boutique for a brand called Partake. I didn't know this at the time, but Partake is a Taiwanese brand focused on designing handbags that are functional, stylish, and suitable for a variety of occasions. That's exactly what drew me to the boutique! I shocked the clerk by doing a bit of man-shopping and buying a handbag within 5 minutes of entering the boutique. She nearly fell over. I also didn't bargain with her, so she gave me a funny look and then suggested a lower price. (I figured that since it was a boutique in a mall with a fixed price tag that I shouldn't bargain, but it seems there's always room for a little negotiation.) Anyhoo, I'm very happy with my new handbag. My fashion instincts proved me right again!
My new handbag from the Taiwanese design firm Partake.
I was quite exhausted by the time I left the Miramar Entertainment Mall so I caught the MRT back to the bad part of Dazhi. In the eastern part of Dazhi, even the MRT stations are shiny and new! So pretty!
It's just before noon, and I am happily digesting a late breakfast of scrambled eggs, hash browns, bacon, toast, and fruit. Oh, and a big-ass glass of home-made iced tea. At NT$180/CAD$6 it was a bit pricey, but it was well worth it.
(That square patty that looks like sausage is actually hash browns. The toast comes plain, but there is a pat of whipped garlic butter in a small ramekin on the plate. And, sadly, no jam or marmalade were on offer.)
I had this delicious repast at The Door, an American-style diner that is - happily! - just down the lane from my apartment. They serve breakfast all day and have the usual options - classic breakfast dishes, omelettes, and bennies. The lunch and dinner sections are fairly typical as well, with burgers, sandwiches, and pasta. I definitely need to go back and try more dishes. The Buffalo Chicken Melt sandwich is tempting me!
I read about The Door in the blog a hungry girl's guide to taipei when I was researching food and restaurants in Taipei. However, I didn't realize it was in my neighbourhood until I did a Google Maps search this morning for nearby cafes and restaurants.
I must admit, I felt kind of bad about going there. It's such a cliche - Westerner has a Western breakfast at a Western-themed diner. However, I'm still having problems ordering food in Mandarin and I'm afraid of the local food stalls selling eggs and ... stuff I don't recognize. It was nice to have a stress-free meal with familiar ingredients and predictable tastes.
The review of The Door mentioned that service was a bit sketchy. It wasn't bad, just slow - and the reason for that was fairly obvious. The place was hopping and there was just one server to manage all of the tables. Around 11:00am another server showed up for the lunch rush and there was a definite up-tick in the speed of service.
One thing I really liked about the place is that you're allowed to help yourself to tea, coffee, water, and iced tea. These are all available at the counter. Some diners seemed completely at home serving themselves - they even went behind the counter to grab Tobasco sauce - but others requested top-ups from the server. They, of course, had to wait a bit while the server shuttled orders from the kitchen to the hungry diners.
I didn't get a picture of it, but there's a patio outside with a couple of tables. It's "fenced" in with rough wood planks, and there are lots of creeping green plants. It looked quite lovely in the morning sunlight. As I left, I noticed two other whiteys having brekkie on the patio, which eased my Western guilt a bit.
As soon as I typed the title for this post, I was reminded of the best music video of all time - "Weapon of Choice" by Fatboy Slim. You have to be a Christopher Walken fan to understand just how amazing it is.
Anyhoo, it's noon on a rainy, rainy Saturday here in Taiwan. I had a delicious sleep in this morning. It's funny, but when you aren't working you don't appreciate sleep-ins. You're just waking up. Sleep-ins are naughty indulgences. You know you probably should get up and do something productive, but you choose the blue pill and snuggle back down under the duvet.
Speaking of duvets, here's a picture of my "bedroom" in the apartment. As you can see, I finally found a mosquito net for the bed. I attached one end of the net to the curtain rod. I attached the other end to the ceiling using those 3M hooks that you can remove without leaving marks.
I think I mentioned it earlier, but I was surprised to find out that there are mosquitoes all year 'round in Taipei. I got bitten terribly my first week here, and the bites got infected. It's two weeks later and they're still not healed.
So, getting a mosquito net became a high priority. I spent a couple of hours online researching where I could buy one, and then a couple more hours walking around Taipei from store to store. I finally found one in a Japanese home furnishings store in the basement of Momo. I think it only cost NT$299, or $10. It's worth every penny!
There are screens on the windows but they don't fit properly. Plus, whenever I open the door to go onto the balcony the skeeters can sneak in. I'm glad I have a second layer of defence.
So, it's Saturday. For those of you who are keeping track of things, that means I've just finished my first week of work. It went well - the people are all very nice and helpful, there is a semi-formal company orientation process, and there is a lot of documentation for the company's products. I was issued a new laptop and monitor, which caused some pangs of jealousy among team members who struggled with hand-me-down technology when they started.
I definitely chose a good apartment as far as commuting is concerned. It only takes 20 minutes to get from the Dazhi MRT station to the Liuzhongli MRT station. Then, I have a short walk over to Dunhua Rd. and the office.
The "office" is in a 19-floor office tower. Trend Micro uses 18 of the 19 floors. The first floor is occupied by a gorgeous Audi car dealership. (There are no outdoor car dealerships in Taipei - they're all inside buildings.) My department, HIE, occupies the entire 19th floor. On a clear day I will take some pictures of the city from our floor. We have pretty close to a 360 degree view!
Thought some of you might enjoy seeing my Chinese-English keyboard. I don't know how it works when you're typing Chinese characters. I'll have to get someone in the department to show me one day. There are literally thousands of characters in Chinese, so I don't know how people can create all of those characters with just a few keys on a keyboard. Thinking about it makes my little pea brain hurt.
Here's my Lucky Cat login screen. I thought it was a good image to choose, given that I've made such a big transition in life and work.
My biggest challenge right now is finding something familiar and nourishing to eat. The apartment doesn't have a kitchen - yet - so I am limited to uncooked food at home. It's cheap to eat out, but my Mandarin is so poor that I have to rely on places that have English translations of their menus, or pictures of specific dishes.
I've started keeping a log of where I've eaten and what my experience has been like. My first entry was a place called Whalen's that is near the office. It's run by Canadians and they have a fairly Western menu, which actually includes poutine! The food was good but I felt like I was copping out by going there. Going there reminded me of my experience at Taipei 101. I got there at noon and I was hungry, so I went to the food court. There were about 50 different places to eat but none of them had English menus. There were also hundreds of people there and the lines were huge. By the time I walked around and examined all of the options, I was so hungry that it started to affect my mood and my thinking. I finally just went to Burger King and got a Whopper. Problem solved, but burger-eating Westerner stereotype reinforced.
Another, more recent, log entry is for New Health Idea. It's like Salad Loop, but for Chinese food. You grab a take-out container and some tongs and start assembling your meal from the 10 to 20 items on offer, which change daily. Some items are cold and some are hot. One thing I like about this place is that I can take a small amount of something I don't recognize and give it a try. (I tried three different greens yesterday - the spicy watercress was good, but the pickled cabbage was bad and the shredded broccoli was meh.) Another thing I like about this place is how they figure out what you pay. At Salad Loop you pay by weight. At New Health Idea, a sharp-looking woman at the till examines the items in your container, does some mental arithmetic based on food cost and portion size, and tells you what to pay. She charged me NT$70 ($2.00) for the meal shown above. Yesterday she charged me NT$100 because I had a slice of curried pork "schnitzel" and some sesame chicken, as well as veggies and rice.
The other night I got home from work and I didn't feel like having yoghurt and cereal for dinner, so I walked around the neighbourhood to see what was on offer. It's quite common for food carts, cafes, and restaurants to serve breakfast and lunch but not dinner,or to only open for dinner. Some places only open on certain days of the week. So, you have to take your chances and just wander around until you find a place that's open and serves food that you want to eat.
I decided to try Lan Xuan, a classy looking place by Shih Chien University. They had an English menu outside and the "stir-fried spicy green beans with shredded pork" sounded delicious. What they served, unfortunately, was boiled green beans with ground pork. It was the saddest plate of green beans that I've ever seen. I ate about half before I became disgusted by the texture (I hate overcooked, soft vegetables) and abandoned the cause. Sigh. You win some, you lose some. I'm sure that other items on their menu are good, but I'll never order the stir-fried green beans there again!
Well, it's 1:30pm now and my tummy is starting to rumble. I think I'll go to the Wellcome and get some basic foodstuffs first, though - water, orange juice, yoghurt, cold canned coffee, and biscuits. I still have lots of fruit in the fridge so must finish that up before buying more. After that, I'll walk around the neighbourhood and play food roulette again!
