Mike's Blog Journal

The Foods I Almost Forgot to Blog This Year

2010-12-31T16:25:00.027+08:00

It is the last day of the year 2010! My two friends who encouraged me to blog before have already stopped blogging and I am also considering retiring my blog journal or probably just do a monthly journal with a new format, theme, and blog title. : )

So before we enter the new year, here are some of the good food in Taiwan that I almost forgot to blog or no time to blog...

Jolly Brewery + Thai Restaurant visited during my birthday:
Good thai food comparable to Thai Town flavor with nice selections of brewed craft beer. Their Thai shrimp cake sticks and chips are kids favorite. Very nice ambience and service as well. Recommended!

Xiao-Gao-Yu (小高玉) Sushi Express inside Nankang Software Park H Building where my wife is working:
This is my current favorite sushi express bar where the price is just right and the freshness is one of the best. A must-try is their grapefruit jello dessert. Yummy!

Small local restaurants (小館) near our house... we usually visit once-a-week for delicious local Taiwan food. My favorites are the 3-cups chicken, sizzling oysters with black beans and yuotiao, and fish-flavored spicy braised eggplant. They go very well with white rice. : )

Weng-Yao Stone Oven Chicken (甕窯雞) at Yilan... Experiencing Taiwan won't go complete without taking a hotspring in Jiaosi (Yilan). And along the way, you might want to try this old Taiwan tradition wood stone oven delicious chicken.

C'est Bon Steak (Chez Jimmy 法樂琪法式牛排館) in the newly open Uni-President Shopping Mall (統一阪急百貨) in Xinyi Shopping District near Taipei 101... Woodstone oven USDA prime steak and Boston clam chowder. We were craving for more!

Time for me to get ready for 2011 Taipei 101 fireworks countdown. Taiwan is celebrating its 100th birthday so everyone is hyped. Happy New Year to everyone! Hope I can bring more food and travel blog next year. : )

Taipei Flora Expo (Xinsheng Park)

2010-11-28T23:01:00.015+08:00

Last Friday, I was able to sample visit part of the Taipei International Flora Expo that runs from November 6 till April 25, 2011.

This huge flower expo encompasses four large connecting park areas at the heart of Taipei city (Yuanshan Park, Taipei Fine Arts Park, Xinsheng Park, and Dajia Riverside Park) with 14 pavilions and exhibition halls.

The city government provides free shuttle bus to the expo from designated MRT stations including Songshan Airport station (Taipei International airport) where we parked our car.

The weather was very lovely that day... almost clear skies.

Missing luggage... anyone?

All free shuttle buses passing by the Expo areas are marked with special Expo stickers... here comes the bus.

We drop off at Gate 4 (Xinsheng Park) where the Pavilion of Dreams is located and which I wanted to see most. I need to check first where I am.

Ticket prices are as follows... Taipei residents are entitled for 50% discount on designated dates which why me and wife are here. : )

General admission card... and I thought it was a one-day admission electronic card which I can use to exit and return on the same day. Turns out if you leave the exit gate, you will need to have your hand stamped with a red expo logo mark to show when you return on the same day. Hmmm...

We first went to see the flower base which was colorful but not very big.

Is that Willy?

Free Willy!!!

Moby Dick also?

Other photos taken inside the Xinsheng park...

I could not believe the long long lines to see the pavilions... it is longer than the queues at Disneyland. So visitors beware!

I was asking my wife if there is a Fastpass just like in Disneyland. I was a bit disappointed. My pavilion of dreams now became an oblivion of dreams. : (

Inside the park, we saw this very interesting art figure of a father and his very attentive children... how I wish my children were like this when I want to talk to them.

Not wanting to join the long lines to enter the pavilions because we had other plans in the afternoon, I was thrilled to see the Taiwanese Gourmet Delight area inside the park with 26 different food kiosks to choose. So let's forget about flowers. : )

Black Bridge sausages... our favorite!

I ordered the grilled pork sausages in stick...

Too bad my kids were in school... : )

Fried squid balls...

These are the most beautiful flowers I've seen inside the expo. They look so edible. : )

Delicious!

Traditional Taiwan mochi with red bean inside and covered with peanut powder and black sesame seeds...

Kungfu champion beef noodles (功夫蘭州拉麵)... also a long line. : |

Laughter (a joyful heart) is the best medicine...

"If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world." ~ J.R.R. Tolkien

Well, I have to settle first for this Youtube video of the Pavilion of Dreams exhibit hall... I need to prepare well for my next visit and make sure to get in.

Hopefully, I still have time to do this blog journal because Facebook is slowly killing it. : )

Blue Skies and Orange Sunset

2010-10-23T22:58:00.012+08:00

I've been capturing some amazing blue skies and orange sunsets from our living room window overlooking Taipei 101.

Blue and White...

Blue, Orange, and Yellow...

Orange...

Oh! Knowing You Jesus... there is no greater thing.

Jin-Tai Unbeatable Chirashizushi (金泰無敵蓋飯)

2010-10-18T19:52:00.010+08:00

Can anyone beat this unbeatable chirashizushi (無敵蓋飯 or unbeatable sushi rice bowl) at Jin-Tai (金泰) Japanese restaurant?

Chirashizushi (ちらし寿司, lit. scattered sushi) is a bowl of sushi rice with other ingredients mixed in (also refers to barazushi). It is commonly eaten in Japan because it is filling, fast and easy to make. Chirashizushi most often varies regionally because it is eaten annually as a part of the Doll Festival, celebrated only during March in Japan. The ingredients are often chef's choice. Edomae chirashizushi (Edo-style scattered sushi) is an uncooked ingredient that is arranged artfully on top of the sushi rice in a bowl. Gomokuzushi (Kansai-style sushi) are cooked or uncooked ingredients mixed in the body of rice in a bowl. There is no right or wrong way to make your Chirashi. You simply place your favorite ingredients whether it is fish, shrimp or even egg.

Maybe you wonder how many people would go crazy to eat this level of raw sushi. You'd be surprised to see many people always lining up outside before Jin-Tai restaurant opens just to experience it. No reservation allowed! First come, first serve! : )

Well, we were early too! It's a long story really. My car was towed away that early morning for parking in a red line while I was walking my son across the main street to the school gate. The tow truck was very early that morning where they normally don't. Bad luck! My wife and I decided to take the day off from work and our little girl who is still in kindergarten joined the day-off to get my car. It so happened that the place where they towed my car is just near Jin-Tai. Is that a consolation? : )

The place is not very big and can sit around 60 people I think. You could see many pictures of their menu specialty. Jin-Tai was originally just a company selling fresh seafood but later open this restaurant when many people tried their chirashi and seafood dishes.

Our first order was this plate of sashimi... really fresh and good!

Free appetizers...

Delicious miso soup with large fish chunks and egg white... this comes free with the chirashizushi.

Grilled beef rib steak (烤牛小排) for our little girl... she's a meat lover! But I would not recommend ordering this. The grilled pork looks better. They also have many grilled seafood to order if you don't like eating raw.

Here comes our chirashi! This NT$600 chirashi bowl (無敵蓋飯) includes a large raw botan shrimp (botan ebi), salmon roes (ikura), flying fish roes (tobiko), sea urchin, raw salmon, raw tuna, raw bonito fish, raw scallops, raw shrimps, raw oysters, and last of all... raw egg yolk. All RAW!!!

My wife and I actually never had this kind of chirashi before and we were feeling a bit scared to dig in at first. We were just used to eating chirashi with raw salmon and tuna. I was asking for more wasabi. All the ingredients are very fresh but it was too raw for us. I would recommend sharing one bowl instead with your partner or friend. But if you are a raw-lover, this is a must try for you! I was craving for a hot beef noodle soup afterwards.

Jin-Tai restaurant is not accessible by bus or MRT so you will need to take a taxi and be early especially weekends.

金泰食品有限公司
Address：台北內湖區舊宗路二段121巷34號
Phone：02-87928164
Open Hours：Everyday except Monday 11:30AM-21:00PM (Weekends 11:00AM-21:00PM)

Chinese blogs with more wonderful photos:
http://www.wretch.cc/blog/aqei/24241446
http://sallysoup.pixnet.net/blog/post/26742562

Stuart Townend - Communion Hymn

2010-10-17T19:42:00.007+08:00

My current favorite Christian worship leader and songwriter... Stuart Townend. Just one of the many gifted British and Irish worship leaders including Graham Kendrick, Tim Hughes, Martin Smith, and Robin Mark.

Stuart Townend is a British Christian worship leader and writer of hymns and contemporary worship music. His songs include "In Christ Alone" (2002, cowritten with Keith Getty, Townend's first collaboration with any other songwriter.), "How Deep The Father's Love For Us", "Beautiful Saviour" and "The King Of Love".

As of 2008, CCLI lists the popular In Christ Alone in its Top 25 CCLI Songs list. In 2005, Cross Rhythms magazine described Townend as "one of the most significant songwriters in the whole international Christian music field". The Christian website Crosswalk.com commented that, "the uniqueness of Townend’s writing lies partly in its lyrical content. There is both a theological depth and poetic expression that some say is rare in today’s worship writing".

This Communion Hymn song makes me feel so grateful and joyful to share Christ's body and blood with brothers and sisters every Sunday morning worship in church...

Behold The Lamb (Communion Hymn)
Words and Music by Keith and Kristyn Getty & Stuart Townend

Behold the Lamb who bears our sins away,
Slain for us – and we remember
The promise made that all who come in faith
Find forgiveness at the cross.
So we share in this bread of life,
And we drink of His sacrifice
As a sign of our bonds of peace
Around the table of the King.

The body of our Savior Jesus Christ,
Torn for you – eat and remember
The wounds that heal, the death that brings us life
Paid the price to make us one.
So we share in this bread of life,
And we drink of His sacrifice
As a sign of our bonds of love
Around the table of the King.

The blood that cleanses every stain of sin,
Shed for you – drink and remember
He drained death’s cup that all may enter in
To receive the life of God.
So we share in this bread of life,
And we drink of His sacrifice
As a sign of our bonds of grace
Around the table of the King.

And so with thankfulness and faith we rise
To respond, – and to remember
Our call to follow in the steps of Christ
As His body here on earth.
As we share in His suffering
We proclaim Christ will come again!
And we’ll join in the feast of heaven
Around the table of the King

Happy 99th Birthday Taiwan!

2010-10-11T12:10:00.017+08:00

Happy 99th Birthday (Double Ten National Day) to you, Taiwan! Although it is actually an anniversary of an uprising or independence that led to the establishment of the Republic of China (that later retreated to the province of Taiwan after the Chinese civil war), I would also like to agree that it does hold an important significance to the birth of Taiwan as an independent democratic country. And thank you Taiwan for all the wonderful experiences. I'm so looking forward to attending next year's centennial birthday celebration.

More information:
The Origins of Double Ten Day and "History of Double Ten Day".

Walking with Dinosaurs (at Taipei Arena)

2010-09-08T17:20:00.007+08:00

Last weekend I treated my kids to watch the "Walking with Dinosaurs 與恐龍共舞 (The Arena Spectacular)" show at the Taipei Arena (臺北巨蛋).

After 65 million years they're back!

After years of planning, the award-winning BBC TV series, Walking with Dinosaurs comes to life in a stunning theatrical event. Internationally renowned designers have worked with scientists to create 15 life-size dinosaurs, including the terror of the ancient terrain, Tyrannosaurus-rex! Be amazed and thrilled as the greatest creatures ever to walk the earth return before your eyes.

It's a dazzling 10 million pound arena spectacle of unprecedented size and quality set to captivate young and old alike. Marvel at the story of their 200 million year domination of life on earth. Watch them walk. Hear the roar. Be there as they fight for survival and supremacy. From the ripple of their skin to the glint in their eye, you will know the dinosaurs really have returned! So make sure you have your seat to see the return of the dinosaurs!

There were many people posting for a picture with the event poster. : )

I felt the tickets are a bit overpriced. Paying this much (NT$1500 per ticket) just to be seated far on the 3rd level floor is really not fair for any kid. We were all looking down at the dinosaurs when our kids should be looking up in awe! : (

The show is about to begin inside the Taipei Arena...

The paleontologist (Dominic Rickhards as narrator Huxley) holding a dinosaur skull fossil comes out to begin narrating the story of the dinosaur evolution and distinction. The side projectors shows a live video feed with Chinese subtitle.

We begin with the dinosaur egg...

And there's someone who wants to pry on the little ones... a Liliensternus! Their mother (a Plateosaurus) tries to protect her newly hatched babies.

Mother leads her young ones out of the stage. Can you spot the two tiny dinos? : )

A change of time and season... green trees and plants appear. A Stegosaurus comes out.

And so is a prying Allosaurus!

Another change of scene with thunder and fire... the reptile still prying (and maybe praying)!

Then rain comes and the green habitat starts to grow again... the reptile was happy! : )

The green habitat is fully restored and out comes a Brachiosaurus! Every kid gave out a loud "ahhhh!"

Those people sitting on the second floor level are looking up on the brachiosaurus while we are still looking down. But they are paying double our price.

Another tall brachiosaurus comes out and fells in love with the female one... : )

Another change of time and season...

Out from the sky flying comes... a 40-feet wing span Ornithocheirus!

While on the land comes the treacherous Raptors (utahraptor) scavenging on a prey...

This is one of my favorite change of season... you could say a Dinosaur's paradise!

The next dinosaurs to come out... Torosaurus (bull reptile) and there's two!

Bull fight! Interestingly the word "toro" means "bull" in Spanish. Maybe that's why they are called "Toro-saurus". : )

Another change of season (probably autumn)... and a tank-liked armored Ankylosaurus slowly comes out. This dinosaur was well protected from big meat eaters with large bony plates and had additional horn-like coverings, protecting its flanks.

Finally the ultimate tyrant dinosaur all of us have been waiting for (the narrator's voice making everyone in suspense)... the T-Rex! Everyone laughs when a baby T-rex instead appeared. : )

Baby T-Rex is being cornered and bullied by the two old dinosaurs saying, "Who's gonna protect you now, little Rex?" : )

Look! Out of the smoke! It's a bird! It's a plane! It's Super Mama T-Rex! Tyrannosaurus Rex!!!

Big Mama Rex to the rescue!

"Thanks Mommy!" Noticed the smaller dinosaurs are actually real persons inside doing the walking and running... see their legs and feet? : )

Finally the meteor comes to bring the dinosaurs into distinction... Big T-Rex gives a big loud roar!!!

New world evolves...

End of the show! Paleontologist Huxley and Baby T-Rex waves goodbye!

Our kids had ice cream after the show to cool off outside the sunny Taipei Arena...

Catch other exciting coming shows at the Taipei Arena if you have an extra day in Taipei. Coming next week is the longest running musical... CATS! : )

Taipei Arena
English Website
Transportation (How to go)

Yilan Mr Brown Coffee Castle & Wai-Ao Beach

2010-08-27T13:30:00.017+08:00

This is the last week of our kid's summer break before they start school next week. So after our church conference event last Sunday, we took an extra day off Monday from office to take our kids and my mother-in-law to Yilan which is just less than an hour drive from Taipei thru Hsuehshan Tunnel. I'm happy to introduce here the place we visited called Mr Brown Coffee Castle (伯朗咖啡城堡) and Wai-ao Beach (外澳海景)!

This coffee shop castle was only established October 2009 and is situated on top of the King Car Toucheng Afforestation Park mountain at Toucheng, Yilan. You would need to drive a car to go up here (no public transport available) but it is just a short mountain drive.

The view of the castle at the other side. I am very sure that many people come here not because due to a cup of Mr. Brown Coffee. : )

Mr. Brown Coffee logo... Maybe many of you will remember the China milk scandal in 2008, Mr. Brown instant coffee mixes were also found to be contaminated with melamine. Since then, Mr. Brown coffee mixes are made with milk from New Zealand and they are now back in the market even selling fresh brewed coffee (Lets Cafe) at all Family Mart convenience stores competing very well against Starbucks and 7-11 City Cafe.

Nice place to bring the whole family and kids... a good place to relieve your stress and pressures, or even worries. : )

See how the flowers and grasses grow, they don't work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. : )

The seaside view below. The town of Toucheng is also popular for its fresh seafood and black sand beach.

Inside the Mr. Brown Coffee shop castle you will find barrels of Kavalan Whisky produced by Taiwan King Car Distillery under the King Car Group which also owns Mr. Brown Coffee.

You may want to try their special Kavalan almond whisky latte (杏香奶酒拿鐵).

We were quite surprised to find so many visitors even on a Monday and the place was really packed. We still managed to find a table upstairs. View from the second floor inside...

The serving crew were really busy non-stop taking and preparing food/drink orders. The little lady on the counter even told me not to order coffee drink if possible because it might take an hour to wait. We disappointingly obliged even as I badly needed a coffee, and just asked for what we thought were quick orders which is cold chocolate drink and milk. We were glad they quickly gave us first the ready-made sliced cakes and ice cream mini cup orders. So I took them upstairs for our kids and mother-in-law first. When I went back to check with my wife, we found out that our drinks order was just sticked at the end of the long queue of drink orders whether it is hot or cold drink. To make a long story short, my wife and I just looked at each other, closed our eyes, controlled our temper over the little lady on the counter, and just walked backed to our table upstairs.

The good thing about this place is they provide this wireless gadget with LED which will blink once your order is ready and so you don't need to wait and stand at the counter. Note that we also waited almost an hour to get our cold chocolate and milk drinks. Next time, we will pass by 7-11 convenience store to buy some cold drinks first just in case.

Not so sure if my kids liked their chocolate drink.... but they surely love the mini cup chocolate and strawberry ice cream.

View of the glass roof ceiling with castle iron chandelier hanging on top...

You can also go upstairs on the rooftop to see a grander view of Toucheng town and beach...

View of Turtle Island from the top of the castle....

They also provide coin-operated viewing telescope/binoculars (NT$10) for you to zoom in on the island... my kids said they can't see a thing!

Well, here's a view of Turtle Island (Guishan Island 龜山島) from my camera zoomed in. In 2000, this island (only active volcano in Taiwan) was formally opened to tourists as a maritime ecological park and for spotting whales and dolphins.

If you want to visit Guishan Island, you must be apply in advance. Click here for more information.

After our drinks and castle tour, we drove back down the mountain and parked across Wai-Ao (外澳) beach area where there is also a huge Mr. Brown Coffee shop. Our kids were really excited. This is their second time in Wai-Ao black sand beach. From afar, we also saw soon-to-be newly wed couples taking pictorials at the beach during that nice cloudy day.

My son loves to show me his muscle... : )

Kids really love to play with the sand... whether it is black or white.

Sand castle building competition begins...

This is our target place to stay overnight next time we come back to Yilan... Sealuv Lodge (真情非凡行館)! : )

For more photos, check out these nice Chinese blogs:
http://www.wretch.cc/blog/smilejean/27338274

http://blog.yam.com/evenlin/article/29649363

Mr. Brown Coffee Castle Yilan (伯朗咖啡頭城城堡咖啡館)
King Car Toucheng Afforestation Park
Time: Monday-Sunday 8:00AM ~ 7:00PM
(7:30AM~7:30PM weekends and holidays)
Telephone: 0924-020-088
Address: 宜蘭縣頭城鎮外澳里8鄰石空路95號 (Map)
座落於宜蘭頭城海景咖啡館斜對面山上(可從接天宮紅色牌樓進入，沿著山路至山頂即可到達宜蘭頭城城堡咖啡館品嘗咖啡)。

Fool's Noodles (小南門福州傻瓜乾麵)

2010-08-13T00:20:00.005+08:00

It has been more than a month since my last update and although I have a backlog of good things to write about, I just couldn't find the time and energy. We are very busy in church preparing for our annual nationwide church joint summer conference. I have to force myself with this one...

Last Sunday August 8 was Father's Day (爸爸節 or 'Pa-Pa Jie') in Taiwan. We didn't have any plans for special dinner since my kids are still too young to be treating their father... but they treated me with a song though. So thinking most restaurants are probably fully reserved that night, we decided to eat simple and went for our favorite fool's dry noodles (傻瓜乾麵 or 'sha gua gan mien')...

Yep, it is really called Fool's Noodles. There are many interpretations to why this noodle (from Fuzhou 1950's) is called by this name. They say only a fool will eat this kind of dry noodle by just adding sauce topped with chopped scallions. Well, I say only a fool father like me will eat a bowl of dry noodle during Father's Day... : )

Lots of side dish for you to choose while you wait for your noodles...

I took a plate of century egg and tofu (皮蛋豆腐)... the normal way to eat this is to smash and mix it up together.

The sweet and spicy dried small fish (小魚乾 or xiao-yu-gan) is becoming a favorite of my daughter. She probably can eat spicy food better than me. : )

Most customers would order the noodle together with their special soup (combination of fish ball, meat ball, and wonton) with egg...

You can prefer to break the egg yolk into the soup or you can swallow it... I prefer to swallow it. : )

The noodle is really simple. They just boiled it up and put chopped scallions on top... only a fool cannot prepare this.

But the secret to this noodle is the sauce... and you have three ways to flavor your noodles. First is by simply adding the fool's special mixed sauce of vinegar and soy sauce. You can put as much of the fool's sauce to reach your level of flavor. It is not pure soy sauce so don't worry. The second way is to add some chopped chili on top of the noodles which is spicy but not that spicy. And finally, the third way is also to add their fool's spicy sauce to make you really hot. : )

Which way did I choose to eat my fool's noodles? Add the fool's special sauce first...

And then add some chopped chili on top... I'm not a spicy eater but my wife convinced me that it was not that spicy so I gave it a try. Real good! = )

Their fried pork chop is also a must-try... you can ask our kids. : )

Just being able to eat together with my family is already a wonderful day for me...

Fool's Noodles is open from 6am in the morning till 11pm in the evening. People go here for breakfast, brunch, lunch, afternoon snack, dinner, supper, and late night snack. My wife and I already tried brunch here. Foolish indeed! : )

Fool's Noodles 小南門福州傻瓜乾麵
台北市中正區延平南路153號1樓
MRT: Transfer from Ximen to Xiaonanmen Exit 2 (walk 5 minutes)
(捷運小南門站2號出口步行約5分鐘)
Tel:02-23116285
Opens 6am - 11pm

True Worshippers (Indonesia)

2010-06-29T12:39:00.009+08:00

I had to blog about this Christian music group, the True Worshippers from Indonesia. Their worship songs (in English) have given me great inspiration as much as seeing gospel is very much alive in Indonesia where Christian persecutions still remain in the country. So I offer my prayer to our Father God to bless this group to spread the good news of Jesus and draw His children near to Him through their songs and worship.

"Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." - Matthew 5:10

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?... No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."- Romans 8:35-39

"But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body." - 2 Corinthians 4:7-10

"Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life." - Revelations 2:10

Here is a great worship song entitled "You Are My Father"... very nice lyrics.

Verse 1:
It doesn't matter where I run, You're there for me
It doesn't matter what I've done Your love's for me
You wipe away the tears, You lift me when I fall
My life is safe by the mercy of Your grace

Verse 2:
It doesn't matter where I go, You walk with me
It doesn't matter when I fall, You cover me
You wipe away the tears, You lift me when I fall
My life is safe by the mercy of Your grace

Chorus:
You are my Father, Provider
You're my Deliverer
Your mercies embrace me, surround me
Through Your everlasting love
Father I worship You
Father I worship You

And Your love is for me
And Your love is for me
And Your love is forever

Another nice praise song (in Indonesian)...

For more True Worshippers at Youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/TheTrueWorshippers

Brunch at La Cocotte (Bistrot Fabien Verge)

2010-06-21T12:15:00.004+08:00

I've been wanting to blog about French food but I couldn't dare dining in a French restaurant as long as my two kids are eating with us. My kids spent the weekend at their grandparents and so I invited my wife to this French bistro I saw from a Chinese food blogger called La Cocotte opened by French native chef Fabien Verge (previously assistant chef at a Michelin 3-star restaurant and also chef at Le Gout De Paris). By the way, the French word 'La Cocotte' means 'The Casserole".

During weekends they are now offering so-called brunch course set menu or 'un petit brunch'. This surely is the best brunch I've ever had and the most expensive brunch (NT$780 + tax). It's Father's Day anyway. : )

La Cocotte is located in a small alley just somewhere in between YongKang Street and Jinshan Road. I had to check their location using Google Map and used my GPS to find it because I don't usually go to this area to eat. I found out that it is just at the back alley of well-known YongKang beef noodle shop where there is also a pay parking building very near.

Their brunch course set menu prepared by chef Fabien Verge includes soup, salad, fruit juice, main course, dessert, and coffee or tea. I noticed from other food bloggers of La Cocotte that the food menu changes from time to time so you might like to call and ask first for the menu list. The menu has no English so I was again learning French. : )

Yep, they're serving "poisson" if you're having trouble spelling it... don't worry, it means "fish" in French. : )

For an additional NT$70, you can have refillable mineral water or sparkling water. I'm not sure if they offer free tap water. : ) They are serving Ferrarelle Italian sparkling water with sliced lemon on your glass which I enjoyed drinking very much. I love the sight of the Ferrarelle bottles on a large ice bucket but I forgot to take a photo with my camera.

I already ordered a box of Ferrarelle from PChome.

We started our meal by having French bread (baguette) and butter which was nothing special aside from they put a dash of sea salt on top of the butter.

Surprisingly, the butter came in very tiny serving for two of us to share... but you can ask the waitress for more bread or butter if you like. We were only asked and knew of it after we had already finished our soup. We're not complaining though. : )

Our le debut... "soupe du jour" or "soup of the day". Don't let the plate fool you, it is not that small. : )

I couldn't remember what this yellowish cream soup with olive oil and milk foam on top... it looks like pumpkin soup but it is not... probably pea soup, not sure... anyway, it was light, very smooth and taste very good. Our kids will surely love this soup. : )

Our next course is this wonderful egg mushroom quiche with fillet steak green salad... "quiche du jour et salade au filet de veau".

I really love the quiche with mushroom... it also goes beautiful with the colorful fillet steak salad.

We were then served with watermelon and lychee juice... but I don't understand why the very long metal spoon. : )

All over the tip of the glass were sugar bits to add sweetness to your buds...

After our juice drink came a long break... because the next was the main course. I told my wife the longer the wait, the better the food is at French restaurants... the reason of course is "presentation". My pan-fried seasonal fish finally came first... "poisson du marche aux aromates" or seasonal fish with herbs.

At first sight, I was thinking like, "I could buy me this fresh fish from the wet market near our house and cook this myself." But probably I cannot even do this simple presentation especially with the fish sitting on top of these very flavorful green cauliflower and red cherry tomatoes with herbs.

Next came my wife's main dish... "poulet en ballotine garniture du moment" or chicken ballotine with green okra (see health benefits of okra).

My wife gave me a piece of the chicken ballotine to try and it was very tender and delicious... the waitress comes to our table to fill our glasses with Ferrarelle again. : )

Dessert or "Coté sucré"... Brownies chocolat, mousse à la fleur d'oranger! Chocolate walnut brownies and orange flower mousse cake. Very nice!

There are two layers of brownies with whipped ganache filling in the middle... Fantastique!

Finally, our hot coffee... "No coffee can be good in the mouth that does not first send a sweet offering of odor to the nostrils. ~ Henry Ward Beecher"

We prefer coffee with milk... wonderful!

I'm not sure if I can get another chance to go back to La Cocotte... their dinner menu costs around NT$1700 at least. So I might just look for another brunch opportunity to return if ever. Recommended!

La Cocotte (Bistrot Fabien Verge)
台北市金山南路2段13巷 20號
Tel: (02) 33223289
Opens Wednesday to Sunday only
Weekend Brunch: 11:00~13:00 / 13:30~15:30
http://blog.yam.com/biencuisine

The Happy Prince (and the Swallow)

2010-06-13T20:37:00.018+08:00

One morning after I came back home from sending my son to school, I noticed little birds flying in circles outside our building and a few even I spotted resting just outside our living room window. I wonder what kind of birds they are. My guess was they are swallows (barn swallows). So I took my Sony DSC-H9 camera with 15X optical zoom and managed to capture some stolen shots of the swallow up close. : )

This swallow bird brought me to mind a very nice short story book by my son from his English learning center at CKids called "The Happy Prince (by Oscar Wilde)".

"The Happy Prince" tells of the statue of a once happy pleasure-loving Prince, which, with the help of a selfless Swallow helps people in distress. Perched on high, the prince's statue can see all the misery of the city and begs the swallow to pluck off his gold leaf and distribute it amongst the poor. First published over one hundred years ago, the fairy tale is recognized as an enchanting masterpiece enjoyed by adults and children alike and treasured forever.

Here's a very nice Youtube version of "The Happy Prince" narrated by the great Christopher Plummer (read narration here).

Part 1

"When I was alive and had a human heart," answered the statue, "I did not know what tears were, for I lived in the Palace of Sans- Souci, where sorrow is not allowed to enter. In the daytime I played with my companions in the garden, and in the evening I led the dance in the Great Hall. Round the garden ran a very lofty wall, but I never cared to ask what lay beyond it, everything about me was so beautiful. My courtiers called me the Happy Prince, and happy indeed I was, if pleasure be happiness. So I lived, and so I died. And now that I am dead they have set me up here so high that I can see all the ugliness and all the misery of my city, and though my heart is made of lead yet I cannot chose but weep."

Part 2

"Dear little Swallow," said the Prince, "you tell me of marvellous things, but more marvellous than anything is the suffering of men and of women. There is no Mystery so great as Misery. Fly over my city, little Swallow, and tell me what you see there."

Part 3

"Bring me the two most precious things in the city," said God to one of His angels; and the angel brought Him the leaden heart and the dead bird. "You have rightly chosen," said God, "for in my garden of Paradise this little bird shall sing for evermore, and in my city of gold the Happy Prince shall praise Me."

If you walk around Taipei especially along old house buildings, you may probably spot some swallow cup nest like this one just on top of the wall ceiling... I know a few in our Donghu area where I walk my son to school. : )

Donghu Street Market Noodle Shop

2010-06-12T22:12:00.006+08:00

My wife took me and our kids this afternoon to have a simple lunch at nearby Donghu street market. This formerly fruit vendor shop has now turned into a local noodle shop.

Almost every Taiwan noodle shop offers a variety of small appetizer dishes (小菜 xiao-tsai) like the popular small dried bean curd (豆干 dou-gan) and the delectable "pig's head skin" (豬頭皮 zhu-tou-pi) which my little girl likes very much. : )

This local noodle shop sells rice noodle soup (米粉湯 mi-fen-tang), plain noodle (陽春麵 yang-chun-mien), and other kinds of clear soup noodle except beef noodles. They also offer rice with braised pork toppings (魯肉飯 lu-rou-fan). All at a very affordable prices.

My wife also ordered this pig's large intestine (大腸 da-chang) topped with flavorful sauce, sliced ginger and chopped spring onions. So tender and tasty.

My kids ordered this egg noodle (意麵 yi-mien). A kind of noodle that is sort of similar to the thin curly noodle you find inside those instant ramen pack. It has a tasty clear soup and topped with green water spinach.

My wife ordered this fat rice noodle (米台目 mi-tai-mu)...

I don't feel like eating noodles as the weather today was a little humid. Good thing they also sell this braised pork rice (魯肉飯) and fish ball soup... Looks yummy!

My second bowl for just NT$25... The braised pork is lean and not much fat. The braised pork must still have some fat to be more flavorful. : )

Fish ball clear soup with chopped spring onions... a nice pair to your braised pork rice.

Delicious! Even our kids had no leftovers! We only spent NT$240 for all we ordered. Taiwan small-eats (小吃 or xiao-chi) is hard to beat. : )

Beautiful Saviour

2010-06-06T00:16:00.006+08:00

It's Sunday... Jesus is inviting us again to His table of mercy. Let us call upon the wonderful name of Jesus and worship Him, our Beautiful Saviour.

Philippians 2:6-11 - "Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made Himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death - even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted Him to the highest place and gave Him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Amen)

Jesus, Beautiful Saviour
God of all Majesty
Risen King
Lamb of God
Holy and Righteous
Blessed Redeemer
Bright Morning Star

All the heavens shout Your praise
All creation bow to worship You

How wonderful, how beautiful
Name above every name, exalted high
How wonderful, how beautiful
Jesus your name, name above every name, Jesus

I will sing forever, Jesus I love you, Jesus I love you.

Love Woolloomooloo (Taipei)

2010-05-29T11:21:00.016+08:00

Each time we go to Woolloomooloo to try their brunch, we always end up, and always end up having lunch instead... who wants brunch when Woolloomooloo offers one of the best tasting nicest ingredients pasta, pizza, and desserts! : )

Our favorite Chicken Pasta alla Carbonara (NT$260)...

Love the Pappardelle pasta, love the creamy white sauce, love the tender chicken, love the flavor... my wife and I were shouting for more pasta. : )

We tried their Pizza Margherita this time and what can I say... a bit pricey (NT$420) but definitely love it! Fresh and delicious! Good for 3 to 4 persons.

Here's a bit of history about Pizza Margherita... All hail to the Queen!

1889 - Umberto I (1844-1900), King of Italy, and his wife, Queen Margherita di Savoia (1851-1926), in Naples on holiday, called to their palace the most popular of the pizzaioli (pizza chef), Raffaele Esposito, to taste his specialties. He prepared three kinds of pizzas: one with pork fat, cheese, and basil; one with garlic, oil, and tomatoes; and another with mozzarella, basil, and tomatoes (in the colors of the Italian flag). The Queen liked the last kind of pizza so much that she sent to the pizzzaiolo a letter to thank him saying, "I assure you that the three kinds of pizza you have prepared were very delicious." Raffaele Esposito dedicated his specialty to the Queen and called it "Pizza Margherita." This pizza set the standard by which today's pizza evolved as well as firmly established Naples as the pizza capitol of the world.

Love the fresh basil leaf on each slice of the pizza... the 3 colors of the Italian flag also symbolizes Hope (green), Faith (white), and Charity (red)! You think of those great attributes as you savor this pizza. : )

Each time we visit Woolloomooloo, we must have their milk ice cream and tiramisu. I say this is the way one should enjoy a tiramisu dessert. I think vanilla ice cream would be a better pair.

We only have one word to say...

We will always be a regular customer at Woolloomooloo for some Saturday lunch or perhaps finally for brunch.

(Sigh) I am really starting to dream of having my own Woolloomooloo some day. That would be very wonderful indeed. : )

Mihan 101 (三燔 101) Nigiri Sushi Feast

2010-05-18T11:50:00.002+08:00

I'm back from my sabbatical blog leave mainly due to a very bad cold recently and also busy work in office, family, and church. Praise God for giving me enough grace and strength. Thank God also for one week day afternoon when my wife and I spent a day together with our kids at school to finally savor the all-you-can-eat Nigiri Sushi (握壽司) Feast at Mihan 101 (Taipei 101 4F). So feast your eyes on these! : )

Mihan 101 only offers this all-you-can-eat nigiri sushi (hand-formed sushi rice) at their 20-meter long sushi bar and only one time (if I remember right) during lunch hour and dinner hour so reservation is a must. Once the long sushi bar is filled, you either have to go back for dinner or next day. It was a weekday when we went that day (with reservation to make sure) and we were the first customers to arrive. : )

Love the beautiful plate presentation and and lighted bar table.

The nigiri selection includes but is not limited to: mahi mahi, sea bass, sailfish, yellowtail, ebi, squid, salmon, yellow fin tuna, US prime beef, shrimp egg, snapper, skipjack tuna, and maguro. All in all, I counted 20 kinds of nigiri sushi. You will be asked by the sushi chef if there is any item on the list that you don't like. If you like them all or want to try them all, then they will serve you first with all of these 20 nagiri sushi as your first round of meal. After that, you can tell your serving chef what you like to eat more and he will make them for you. You will also be served with Japanese-style salad, fish seaweed soup, mineoka tofu and green tea red bean ice cream for dessert.

We started off with this Japanese-style salad... which you want to finish really quick. The moment you sat on your chair at the sushi bar, you like to get started with the main sushi dishes right away. : )

Our good-looking sushi chef... careful with the blow torch, young man. : )

Our first set of nigiri sushi are these fabulous 8 fresh fish and seafood nagiri sushi consisting of maguro tuna, sailfish, squid, amaebi sweet shrimp, salmon, hamachi (yellow tail), sea bass, and... well, I'm only guessing their names as I am not a sushi expert... anyway, they're all fresh and colorful, so let the feast begin! : )

Delicious hot fish soup with seaweed and ginger.... I'm glad it was not miso soup. This clear sweet tasting fish broth is just the right soup after our first plate of nagiri sushi.

Very nice texture and flavor...

Next comes the torched (微炙) sushi set... Cobia (海鱺), US beef, and Unagi (eel). So good!

Torched saury (I think) and scallop...

Torched squid and salmon...

Shrimp eggs and Tamago Yaki (egg omelette)....

Some of our repeat orders... we really didn't order too many after our first full set. Maybe just another ten orders. : )

The guy seated next to us who also came with an office lady partner, he was so amazing. He kept asking for the US beef sushi. : )

Time for dessert... White silk soft tofu with black sugar syrup.

We were surprised they also served us the green tea ice cream with read bean toppings. I like this better than the tofu (douhua).

The price for the nigiri sushi feast is NT$680 per pax which I think is acceptable. It is totally a different buffet experience compared to those Japanese buffet like nearby Wasabi restaurant where you have to keep standing up to get your food and usually wonder what to eat after already actually eating a lot. The Nigiri Sushi buffet experience just lets you sit and relax at the cozy sushi bar, chat with a good friend, a relative or your better half, while the sushi chef prepares each delightful nigiri sushi in front of you. Nigiri sushi are naturally low in fat, high in protein, carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. The only thing my wife was worried after we left Mihan 101 is how many equivalent bowl of rice she had taken. : )

Mihan 101 is just one of the many wonderful restaurants at the 4F of Taipei 101. It is located just at the back of Wasabi and Crystal Spoon. You can also try their all-you-can-eat sukiyaki. If you are a sushi lover, then I recommend Mihan 101.

Check out latest news here.
Add: 4F, No.45, Shi Fu Rd., Taipei (Taipei 101 Mall 4F)
Reservations: 02-8101-8166

T.G.I. Friday's 123大方點

2010-05-06T21:15:00.001+08:00

Well, I think this is a good deal... I just had to take a photo of this tempting Chocolate Fudgy Brownie dessert even with just my Nokia phone. : )

T.G.I. Friday's 123 Generous Promo is offering a choice set of appetizer, main dish, and dessert for only NT$399. And with an additional NT$99, you can upgrade your main dish to more choices like the Spicy Thai Chicken Noodle which is my wife's favorite at Friday's. I actually enjoyed the White Fish Vera Cruz with rice Mexican dish. Promo ends June 28. Click photo below.

We Love Biking at Dajia Riverside

2010-05-02T18:21:00.000+08:00

The past few years, biking has become a very popular outdoor leisure and sports activity in Taipei. This is probably the one leisure activity that my whole family enjoy doing together including my wife. : )

In 2005 the Taipei City government completed the city's riverside bike-trail network joining major systems along the Danshui, Keelung, and Xindian rivers. Six riverside bike trails were mapped out, taking riders along rich backdrops of nature's wonders, cultural sites, and places of historical interest.

To ensure that everyone has the chance to do some soul-invigorating sightseeing on two wheels, all of the pathways have been outfitted with bike-rental stands for public convenience. These bike-rental stands also provide a "One Location Rent, Separate Location Dropoff" service if you want to ride the bike farther along the riverside trail. The bikes for rent are GIANT brands and very good quality.

Well, I don't think my little girl won't go very far but she is improving. : )

Still a very long journey for my young little girl... so much to learn and experience, so much to explore.

The bike trails along both banks of the Keelung River are the city’s longest. And my son is ready for his first full road test. : )

And there he goes...

Hey son! Wait for me!!!

On our journey back, my son spotted something along the flower bed...

Can you spot the bee?

This photo was taken by my Nokia phone...

After returning our bikes, we went for a snack and drink inside the riverside park. They are serving John's favorite... chocolate toast!

My kids were surely in a "Oh Happy Day" mood. : )

Mini Second Floor Café (小貳樓餐廳)

2010-04-19T20:37:00.008+08:00

A new cool place we found in Neihu near Rui-Guang Flower Market offering brunch, burger, pasta, salad, and steak is the Mini Second Floor Café! This is literally the mini branch of Second Floor Café in DunHwa at Daan district area.

We did not made reservations that Monday (Tomb-Sweeping Day) and we just took our chance by arriving the place around 10:30AM. Otherwise, our second choice would be nearby NY Bagel Neihu branch. Luckily, the lady was kind enough to give us a small table till 12:00 noon which should be enough for us.

My wife and kids went inside first while I parked my car in an open parking lot just in front of the café. You will love the interior decor of this very 'petite' café especially the stairways to the second floor. I was not able to take photos of the first floor and third floor. Yes, there is a Third Floor (check the blog links at the end of this journal).

You would wish your house is like this. Books are now very common decor items inside these café-theme restaurants.

These books look interesting... The Guns of August and The Aquarian Conspiracy (I first misread it as 'Aquarium' and was thinking Finding Nemo and the fish tank conspiracy scene, hehe). I might grab them to my table next time we visit. : )

I also like the miniature motorcycles and the wallpaper design.

Not really much tables upstairs... but the place is very clean and have a homy feeling to it.

Their Chinese/English menu offers choices of brunch, burger, pasta, salad, steak, and drinks. I actually was thinking I was at TGIF. : )

For appetizer, we ordered this chicken finger stick (Kid炸雞柳棒) with fries and delicious sweet mayo dip. The chicken is very tender and their fries are very good. I personally like the mayo dip.

Spaghetti is always considered as the safest choice to order for kids. So we ordered the Petite Italian Spaghetti and split to two bowls. Our kids were not complaining. : )

For an additional NT$90, you can get a chowder soup and bread...

Their bread set comes with olive oil dip...

I was supposed to try their brunch but suddenly had a craving for burger... so I ordered their United Nation Combo Burger (聯合國牛肉漢堡) with ham and cheddar cheese inside. I wanted to ask the lady why my burger only had a Swiss flag on it (with a pickle slapped on top). I was expecting more flags since this is supposedly a U.N. Burger. : )

I can only say the fries tastes better than the burger... the beef burger was not that bad, it was just not that good and juicy to me. Maybe I should have chosen bacon instead of ham if that would make the taste better. I was looking for pineapple but it was not on the choice list. I still love my home-made burgers using Costco ground beef. I'm yet to find a right time to try the famous Evan's Burger.

My wife was in love at first sight with this Baked Rice with Spicy Seafood (sorry for the poor photo)... but ended up taking home because it took a bit long to arrive and she already had soup, bread, fries, chicken, and spaghetti. Plus coffee. : )

Our kids enjoyed their meals and drinks. Coke adds life... and appetite.

Next time, I will surely try this Montreal Herby Chicken Rice-Omelet (蒙特婁香草雞腿蛋包飯). Looks delicious! : )

Actual photo... : )

We might be frequently visiting this café for a hearty meal or brunch before we go biking at Dajia Riverside Park.

Mini Second Floor Café
小貳樓餐廳
台北市內湖區洲子街73-1號
02-2659-2058
OPEN Mon-Thu 11:00~21:30 Fri-Sun 8:00~21:30

Also check out Celine's Blog and Fiona's Blog for more nice photos.

In Tenderness He Sought Me

2010-04-18T00:20:00.007+08:00

I love this new rendition of the classic hymn "In Tenderness He Sought Me" (W. Spencer Walton, 1850~1906) from the CD - "The Feast of Tabernacles by Chuck King". It so happen that we will be singing this hymn next week in our church.

Dear child, He whispers to assure thee... "I've found thee, thou art Mine."

In tenderness He sought me, Weary weak from sin;
And on His shoulders brought me, Back to His fold again.
While angels in His presence sang, Until the courts of Heaven rang.

Refrain:
And Oh, the love that sought me.
And Oh, the blood that bought me.
And Oh, the grace that brought me to the fold,
Wondrous grace that brought me Home.

He washed the bleeding sin wounds, He poured in oil and wine;
He whispered to assure me, "Child, I've found thee, thou art Mine";
I never heard a sweeter voice; It made my aching heart rejoice!

He pointed to the nail prints, For me His blood was shed,
A mocking crown so thorny, Was placed upon His head;
I wondered what He saw in me, To suffer such deep agony.

I'm sitting in His presence, The sunshine of His face,
While with adoring wonder, His blessings I retrace.
It seems as if eternal days are far too short to sing His praise.

So while the hours are passing, All now is perfect rest,
I'm waiting for the morning, The brightest and the best,
When He will call us to His side, To be with Him, His spotless bride.

Love Taipei

2010-04-13T20:24:00.005+08:00

My relatives visited Taipei last month for my mom's 70th birthday. Here are some nice photos taken by my nephew Drew using a Canon EOS Rebel DSLR... maybe it is time for me to get one. : )

Let's start off with the classic all-time favorite... Egg Fried Rice (炒飯)!

Sanbeiji (三杯雞) or "three cups chicken" referring to the sauce used for it... one of the most flavorful chicken dish you have to eat in Taiwan.

San-Bei-Ji originates from the Jiangxi province of southern China, and is a specialty of Ningdu. However, it has become especially popular in Taiwan, so much so that it is said "A restaurant that cannot cook Sanbeiji is not a true Taiwanese restaurant."

Stir-fried green vegetables...

View from the Fuxing-Nanking MRT Station (Mucha Line) just beside the Brother Hotel where my aunt and uncle from San Francisco stayed during their visit...

Taipei is always a busy metropolis...

John taking the MRT ride with his brown teddy bear...

My aunt and uncle enjoying the streets of Taipei... : )

Taxis are a plenty in Taipei... it is a very competitive business. The Chinese word on top of this taxi sign means "personal" (個人) or owned and driven by the driver. I supposed taxis in Taipei doubled due to the increasing unemployment rate.

Can you count how many taxis on this photo? And I must say the taxis in Taiwan are the best in Asia. I even saw a Benz and a BMW taxi.

Wall exterior of the luxury Bellavita mall...

Empire State Building... just kidding. : )

Mitsukoshi Department Stores at XinYi commercial district...

a Flickr photo winner! : )

Love Taipei... the City that never sleeps.

Fish-Flavored Braised Eggplant (Yishang Garden)

2010-04-03T16:07:00.008+08:00

I am loving fish-flavored braised eggplant (魚香茄子煲)... especially this one at Yishang Garden.

Love the color of the eggplant, love the spicy flavor! Interestingly, it actually doesn't have any fish or fish flavor ingredient in it. Just minced pork, garlic, spring onion, ginger, bean paste sauce, and red chili. Goes very well with your white rice. Eggplants contain lots of nutrients and said to be good in lowering cholesterol. One of my favorite Szechuan dish right now.

The Blogger Template Designer

2010-03-27T21:33:00.007+08:00

Finally! The Blogger Template Designer is here. Try it now!

I tried it first on my children's blogs. : )

Go to http://draft.blogger.com/ to log in to Blogger in Draft. (If you've never been there before, Blogger in Draft is just like regular Blogger, except with new, in-development features like this one.) Click on your blog's "Layout" link to go to the Layout tab. The link to the Template Designer is at the end of the row of sub-tabs.

Read more here.

Taitung CNY Winter Vacation - Part III (Chulu Ranch)

2010-03-26T23:44:00.020+08:00

Busy busy so busy since we came back from our CNY vacation... I got no quality time to update my blog journal. It's weekend again and got sort of time to relax and reflect back on our last CNY vacation day in beautiful Taitung at Chulu Ranch (初鹿牧場). : )

On our last day where we supposedly plan to just relax at the hotel in the morning before our train ride in the afternoon, the good cloudy weather that morning enticed us again to head back to Chulu Ranch which is not very far from Naruwan hotel. So we extended our car rental for three more hours and drove back to the ranch after our breakfast.

Our kids were really excited especially when they saw the horses. I think it was my daughter's first real horse (pony) ride, if you will not count her horse daddy who would usually play horsey with her and her big brother at home. : )

After horseback riding, we headed towards the field to see the cows. There was no sun but the cloudy bright weather makes the day all but cool and refreshing.

Yep! They're real cows alright!

No feeding of cows this time, honey. Just smile at them. : )

My good friend Cata surely enjoyed the nice scenery while sitting on the grass... to get away from all the pressures in life for awhile.

Our kids surely don't mind just rolling over the grass to get away from the pressures of school... : )

There is also a horse carriage ride and our kids enjoyed it very much. My daughter was thinking Cinderella. : )

Family time is always a happy time...

Also with friends...

I love these lovely daisies...

There are lavenders all over as well...

These Chinese steamed milk buns (mantou) are good! : )

Also these waffles topped with sweet condensed milk...

Aside from fresh milk, they also have chocolate milk... Premium Quality! : )

And yes, before we leave... one more ice cream.

After Chulu ranch, we finally head to the train station for our long ride back to Taipei. Taitung is famous for their local fruit product of "Shijia" (釋迦) or Sugar-Apple. So you will see a lot of them selling at the train station.

We call this fruit "Atis" in the Philippines which is also very popular. But in Taitung, these sugar-apples are really big and really sweet!

You see why I prefer to take the train... spacious and lots of leg room. : )

We will definitely return to Taitung again probably in the summer to explore more of its splendor and beauty. Looking forward to it! I love Taitung! : )

Red Oil Wonton (红油抄手)

2010-03-14T16:00:00.002+08:00

My current favorite food (and take-home evening snack) near our house along Dong-Hu Road... Large Red Oil Wonton (红油抄手)! Yummy-Yummy!

In Sichuan, semi-pentagonal wonton are known as "chao shou" (抄手 or crossed hands) since after initially folding the wonton skin into a right triangle, each end of the hypotenuse are pressed against the middle of opposite sides, creating an impression of crossed arms/hands. These are often served in a sesame paste and chili oil sauce as a dish called "red oil wonton" (红油抄手).

Whenever I go home late from work or church... I would probably stop by for a take-out. They also sell red oil wonton with noodles for just NT$65. : )

I love the spicy sourly flavor combination of their sauce coming from the red oil, vinegar, and sesame paste... and the wontons are big indeed. : )

Bon Appetit!

Here's a Chinese video showing how to make red oil wontons...

Here's a nice blog article I found on red oil wonton...
http://www.worldfoodieguide.com/index.php/how-to-make-sichuan-wontons/

Taitung CNY Winter Vacation - Part II

2010-03-08T22:20:00.002+08:00

Here is my second part of our Taitung winter family vacation during the CNY... after much delay. : )

On the second day of our vacation, we got our two rented Toyota Vios cars and drove to Taitung Forest Park (台東森林公園). This is Taitung's largest recreational park connecting to the Seaside Park and the best place to go biking for all ages. The park provides rentals for all kinds of bikes.

Taitung Forest Park is an urban oasis for the city's residents, young and old. Its natural scenery and relaxing ambiance provide a laid-back atmosphere, allowing visitors to easily find a moment of quietness and peace. By connecting the Taitung Forest Park with the greenery of Seaside Park, the Taitung County Government has turned the combined area into the largest recreation forest park in the city, with open green spaces and a complete ecological system within the surrounding waters. The park is painstakingly maintained and is open 24 hours throughout the year.

I will always remember Taitung Forest Park as the place my 1st-grader son finally learns how to balance and ride a bike. : )

Congratulations, John! We can now go biking together when we get back to Taipei at DaJia Riverside Park. : )

Inside Taitung's Forest Park is the famous Pipa Lake (琵琶湖). Formed by groundwater from the Beinan River, Pipa is the only natural lake in Taitung City. Adjacent to the lake is a wooden scenic lookout and a hiking trail. The Pipa Lake is a popular spot for bikers and hikers to stop by for a rest and take pictures.

After Forest Park, we head to Shan-Yuan seashore (杉原海洋生態社區) for some small fish feeding experience (and small fish biting your feet) but it started raining and the wind was a bit strong so we had to leave quickly.

We then proceeded to a very good seafood restaurant at nearby Fukang Harbor called Mei-O Seafood Restaurant (美娥海產餐廳). This restaurant is very popular and highly recommended by a colleague of my wife who lives in Taitung. My wife made an early reservation just to make sure we get a table.

The must try dishes are their fresh sashimi...

Their shrimps... so fresh, meaty, and sweet. : )

Stir-fried baby clams or "Hai-Gua-Zi (海瓜子)" or Lala clams...

Stir-fried oysters in black beans and green onions... goes very well with your bowl of white rice.

Clam soup with ginger and minced green onions...

Finally, this coconut milk drink house specialty... it is refreshing and good to drink! : )

Three families enjoying their time together in one big round table... We wished we had other friends with us if not only due to the hotels are difficult to book during CNY.

After a hearty and satisfying lunch, we headed towards Chu Lu Ranch (初鹿牧場), Taiwan's biggest dairy ranch. But it was sort of drizzling and foggy when we arrived there so it was tough luck. Our spirits were still alive though and we still appreciate the foggy view of the ranch. We're not sure if there were cows behind those fog. : )

OK... now we're sure there were no cows outside the ranch. At least, the fog finally disappeared. Noticed who has the biggest umbrella in our group... my little girl. : )

The kids managed to get a good spot for a picture using this poster background. Look at all those fat cows. : )

We finally found some real cows inside the ranch and our kids were having a great time feeding them...

Our kids were also happy to go inside the dairy store for some milk ice cream...

Another highlight of their fun inside the ranch on a wet and foggy afternoon is this 4-seater swing chair. Their challenge was not to hit the table in front of them while swinging. : )

For dinner, we went for all natural organic shabu-shabu at Yuan Sen botanical garden (原生應用植物園) which is very near the ranch. I run out of camera battery for the night so I tried using my phone camera.

I love this organic green salad and dressing very much... I didn't bother trying taking a photo of our shabu-shabu though. : )

Chu Lu Ranch and Yuan Sen Botanical Garden are both just less than 30 minutes drive to Naruwan hotel so we were glad to be back at our comfortable rooms after a whole-day's trip outside. : )

Next, the final and most exciting part of our vacation in Taitung, back at Chu Lu Ranch!... I'm just not sure when I can write and finish it. : )

Taitung CNY Winter Vacation - Part I

2010-02-26T23:00:00.006+08:00

Planning a family vacation during the Chinese New Year period is always a big headache for all people living in Taiwan. The hotel prices are very expensive and difficult to reserve while you also dread of having too many people in the place you're going. My wife has been wanting for us to explore Taitung (台東 or Eastern Taiwan) for the first time and I was convinced after doing research on the Internet and looking at many photos by bloggers taken in Taitung. So here is my journal of our 3-day winter vacation trip to beautiful scenic Taitung with some helpful travel information for those interested. : )

Taitung runs along the south east coast of Taiwan and is the third largest county on the island, nestled in the mountains and facing the sea. Taitung is also the longest county, owning 166 km of coastline, 2/5 of the total coastline of Taiwan. Taitung provides not only spectacular scenery but also an ocean breeze that makes this tropical city surprisingly comfortable. Taitung county, which has the largest aboriginal population in Taiwan, is a virtual smorgasbord of cultures and diversity. Here, visitors can enjoy a host of eco-tourism activities. Hiking through the valleys, relaxing by the coast, taking a boat out to go whale-watching, touring the outskirts of the island, soaking in hot springs, bike rides, savoring local seafood and wild vegetables--Taitung has it all. It is a beautiful place for enjoying the outdoors. The locals here call their home "Taiwan's backyard" and "the last pure land in Taiwan" and, with all the natural beauty, it's no wonder.

Trip Planning and Preparation:

1. First, we booked our hotel in Taitung through online travel websites like Startravel (燦星旅遊網) or ezTravel (易遊網). We booked our stay for 3 days at Naruwan Hotel which is a very good hotel and has convenient location. The hotel also includes outdoor swimming pool and spa as well as indoor sauna for you to relax after returning from your day tour trip.

2. Next, we booked our train tickets online at Taiwan Railways Administration website since I don't want to drive that far with the thought of added heavy traffic during CNY. Booking train tickets during the CNY holiday is always such a challenge with so many people going south to visit their family and also for vacation. To book the tickets, we first check the train schedules we want and write down the train code number for that schedule. Then we reserve our tickets using our Taiwan ID number (you can use your passport number if you don't have an ID) where you will be given a computer number. We then need to redeem our reserved tickets at the station within 24 hours. It takes more than 5 hours from Taipei to Taitung so we booked our departure around 7AM in the morning and arrived Taitung past 12PM in the afternoon.

3. Next, we rent a car in Taitung. You can reserve in advance through PONY Rent-a-Car (小馬租車) company which offers good service and can be found just inside the train station. They also have office near the Taitung local airport if you prefer to fly to Taitung. Renting a car is a must in order to explore the many beautiful places in Taitung. Good thing I brought my Garmin GPS portable navigation device so we were able to easily find our way to our desired destinations. : )

4. Finally, we prepare and list down the destinations we wanted to visit in Taitung. The must-see nearby places are Taitung Forest Park, Seaside Park, Xiaoyeliu, and Chu Lu Ranch. I am already planning a summer vacation back to Taitung to drive to Taimali Day Lily Mountain (太麻里金針山) and Sansiantai (Terrace of the Three Immortals). You can check out Taitung Tourism website or Taiwan (Taitung Page) Tourism for more places to see.

Day 1: Train Journey - Naruwan Hotel Check-in - Taitung's Famous Local Food - Seaside Park

Five-hour Train Journey from Taipei (Songshan) to Taitung:

I always wanted to travel by train and I love long train rides because I can just sit down and relax comfortably, do some meditating, and enjoy the many passing beautiful scenery outside. I missed my travel days so much in Europe especially my train journeys in Germany. On the way to Taitung, you get to see the scenic ocean view, mountains, bridges, grass and rice fields, colorful flower fields, trees and plantation. We even saw a SpongeBob SquarePants scarecrow in one of the flower fields. : )

You also get to sleep soundly or play freely inside the train without the fear and discomforts of plane passengers. : )

Upon arriving Taitung train station, you will be greeted with a big poster and the words "Makapahay" which means welcome or aloha by Taitung aboriginal tribe. The weather in Taitung was good and very much better than Taipei where it was raining and very cold during the new year.

Naruwan hotel offers free pick up shuttle bus from the train station to the hotel which is just a 10-minute drive away.

Outside beautiful Naruwan Hotel... only during the summer. : )

After checking in at Naruwan hotel, we took the taxi to nearby city for Taitung's famous 小吃 (small snack) - 老東台米苔目 (mi-tai-mu rice noodle) and 林家臭豆腐 (stinky tofu). We were shocked to see so many people lining up and we're quite disappointed because we were really so hungry. They said Taitung's stinky tofu is a must-eat so I forced myself to join the long standing line to order 3 plates of stinky tofu for all of us to try.

Well, I really couldn't say it was that good compared to those you get in Taipei... one big plate also costs NT$100 which is a bit expensive. But when you are hungry, everything is delicious!

We weren't able to taste this famous 50-year old "mi tai mu" rice noodle shop because there were too many people lining up. The more I look at this photo, the more I feel bad for myself. We will try again next time we visit Taitung.

After late lunch, we walk straight to Seaside Park which is not very far. Our kids went crazy when they saw these rented makeshift electric cars for only NT$10 per 5 minutes. Very cheap and these are hard to find in Taipei. : )

My little girl's first motorbike driving lesson... I had to keep shouting to her to step on the break. Really scary. Good thing no one was hurt. : )

Taitung's Seaside Park is famous for the many driftwood art display like this one which makes me think about Ferrero Rocher chocolate...

You wonder why there is this cute elephant slide at the park and the only one that is. Turns out this slide is a very very old slide and maintained till now. Kids surely enjoyed it! : )

Another interesting driftwood artwork...

The most famous wood art display is this National Geographic-like frame which has become the most taken picture by many at Seaside Park.

A nice place to go biking and kite flying...

Lastly, before we called taxi back to the hotel, we tried hard to take a group jump photo. : )

Too bad, I forgot to switch my camera to sports mode... this was taken using landscape mode. : )

To be continued... : )

Shangri-La's Golden Yuanbao Mooncakes (奶黃金元寶)

2010-02-17T11:43:00.006+08:00

I got a wonderful gift for CNY from my dear church brother working at Shangri-La's Far Eastern Plaza Hotel - "Golden Yuanbao Mooncakes (奶黃金元寶)"!

Many Chinese people celebrate the Chinese New Year by placing golden yuanbao (sycee or gold ingots) in their houses to bring wealth and prosperity...

Yuanbao or Sycee (Gold ingots) were originally used in ancient China as a currency, and we can say that in their roots they were somehow analogous to our nowadays gold bars. Gold ingots were originated by Chinese emperors in order to have a currency suitable for their dynasties' transactions. They used to have a shape comparable to a boat, being this symbolic of the richness transportation from one point or person to another.

Gold ingots symbolize wealth, abundance and prosperity. Actually, they are seen as the main prosperity and wealth symbolism objects. Therefore, whenever a person is looking for improving his income or his prosperity, gold ingots might be the best way to achieve it. By placing gold ingots in your house, you might attract wealth and prosperity to it as well as you might attract it directly to you if you carry them with your self.

For me though, my hope and trust is still on the Lord... so these delicious yuanbao mooncakes are just for satisfying my belly. : )

I love the yuanbao mooncake's gift box design. On top of the box is a round painting with dragons and the word "春" (Chun or spring) at the middle. And on the left and right of the round painting are calligraphic "Chunlian". During the new year, Chinese people always love to paste Chunlian (a form of duilian or couplet) on doors of their houses or decoration. The words written in Chunlian are often traditional and contains hopes for prosperity and happiness.

Let me try to explain the Chunlian written on the left side of box. You can try to memorize them and greet a Chinese person next time during the new year. : )

"萬事如意" (Wan-Shi-Ru-Yi) - a popular saying during the new year meaning may all things be according to one's wishes. We Christians love to say somewhat of a similar words in Romans 8:28, "萬事都互相效力" (all things God works for the good of those who love Him).

"福星高照" (Fu-Xing-Gao-Zhao) - to have the lucky star from high above fall on you and bring good luck... something like that, hehe. Christ is the Star of Bethlehem that brought peace and goodwill to mankind. : )

"年年有餘" (Nian-Nian-You-Yu) - it means that each year may bring you surplus and abundance. "The Lord is my Shepherd I shall not want... my cup overflows." (Psalm 23)

At the side of the outer gift box has the gold seal of the mooncake's product name, main ingredients, net weight, and nutritional information, hehe. It also says to refrigerate and consume them within 10 days. : P

One gift box contains 16 gold yuanbao mooncakes...

Golden seal mark of Shangri-La's Far Eastern Plaza Hotel Home Specialties...

The outer box says these lovely little mooncakes are best served when first preheated in the oven...

These lovely yuanbao mooncakes are not flaky and not oily... preheating them in the oven gives them a slightly crispiness on the outside and a sweetness moisture taste inside.

Beautiful golden paste filling inside made of egg yolk, milk, cheese, and butter. Delicious!

These yuanbao mooncakes are perfect for late breakfast or afternoon snack with coffee or tea... : )

My wife actually took these photos of her brewed coffee and mooncakes... nice shot of our Tommy Hilfiger mug as well. : )

Chinese Gold Yuanbao Mooncakes, only at Shangri-La's Far Eastern Plaza Hotel.

We will go to Taitung tomorrow for three days vacation. So 萬事如意 (Wan-Shi-Ru-Yi)! Hope the weather is better in Taitung and praying there will be not much rain as much as it is here in Taipei. The weather news said we will only see sun this Sunday. So wish us 萬事如意, 萬事如意!

A Lamb for an House

2010-02-15T16:42:00.026+08:00

I'm back to reading some books during this Chinese New Year holiday and while our kids spending two days at their grandparents. I would like to share again my readings on the book "Raising Your Children for Christ" by Andrew Murray.

The chapter (chapter 9) I just read is about Household Salvation based on the Old Testament book of Exodus Chapter 12. And my hope that all of you visiting this blog by chance would come to read this part and desire for you and your household to be saved by Christ. It is by knowing and teaching the meaning of "a lamb for an house."

"Take every man a lamb, according to the house of their fathers, a lamb for an house... When He seeth the blood... the Lord will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses." - Exodus 12:3, 23

It has often been pointed out that, of all Old Testament sacrifices, there is none that gives a clearer or richer revelation of the person and work of our Lord than the Passover. It has often escaped observation how the whole institution of the Paschal Lamb was aimed at deliverance, not of the individuals, but of families. This deliverance dealt not with the persons, but with the families.

What else is the meaning of the expression, "A lamb for an house?" The people were told to, "Take you a lamb according to your families" (Exodus 12:21). Furthermore, the blood of the lamb was to be put upon each house. (Exodus 12:7,22)

God lays down this fundamental law in the Passover and the blood-sprinkling: I deal with you, not as individuals, but as families. As I chose and blessed you, as the seed of your father Abraham, so I still bless every household through the believing father, who sprinkles blood in obedience to My command. The lamb and its blood are the consecration of the homes and the family relationships of My people. In the hands of the father, God thus places the destiny and the safety of the whole house.

Christ, our Passover, is slain for us. Christ, the Lamb of God, is still "a lamb for an house." His blood may still be sprinkled upon the door so that the destroyer cannot enter in. In the new covenant, and with the precious blood of Christ, the principle still holds good: it is the believing father's right and duty in faith to appropriate the blood for his whole house. The father's faith has the divine guarantee, and will be rewarded with the divine blessing.

As we think of the precious blood of Christ and seek to walk in the nearness to God which it gives, let us claim its cleansing power for our houses, as well as for ourselves. Every day there is sin in my house. Not only my own soul, but my house can daily be kept under the sprinkling and cleansing of the blood. Each time I enter my door, or think of Satan entering it, I can see it sprinkled with the blood of the Lamb. Parents and children together stand under the cover and protection of the blood: the Lord is our keeper.

To accomplish this I must notice carefully how God commanded the parents to teach these things to their children (Exodus 12:26,27; 13:14). The salvation which is secured for the child in redemption must be appropriated by him personally before it is made his own. This cannot happen without the child knowing it. The parent was to act not only as priest, but also as prophet and teacher. As he dealt for the child with God in the blood-sprinkling, so he was to deal for God in the instructions given to the child. Let us teach our children what the blood has done for them, to make them know and love the God who accepted them, even before they knew Him.

Every year the believing Israelite had to sprinkle the doorposts with blood. In this way he testified that it was only in the blood that he and his house could stand before God. He also had to write upon these same blood-sprinkled doorposts the words of God's law (Deuteronomy 6:7-9). In all the comings and goings of His children, they would see these words and be reminded that the freedom from Egypt's bondage was a freedom to serve God. God wants to be not only trusted but obeyed. We have been chosen "unto obedience and the sprinkling of the blood of Christ" (1 Peter 1:2).

I must train and educate my children to know, and love, and keep the commands of their God. "A lamb for an house." I must pray that God's Holy Spirit will reveal all the truths that cluster round this blessed word. It speaks of a father redeemed by the blood and his children through him partaking of the sprinkling. It speaks of the father as God's minister who must every year sprinkle the house. The father is also God's witness and messenger to the children to teach them of this precious blood and of the God it revels. Such is God's wonderful provision for getting full possession of His people and making the FAMILY the foundation of the Kingdom.

A Parent's Prayer

Blessed Lord Jesus, the Lamb of God, Your blood cleanses us from all sin. In humble faith I claim that blood for myself and my family and children. May my own experience of its cleansing power every day grow fuller and clearer. May I by Your Holy Spirit realize fully my right to claim it for my house. Gracious God, who gave this wonderful ordinance of a lamb for an house, I yield myself to You as the minister of Your covenant. Use me, my God, to save my children, to train them for You and You alone. I want my children to grow up to serve You. May our faith in the blood and surrender to Your will be as the two doorposts between which we daily go in and out. The Lord make it so. Amen.

If you are a Christian parent, this book is must-have!

Mister Donut Strawberry Season (草莓季)

2010-02-14T22:16:00.000+08:00

We love these new strawberry season flavors from Mister Donut. There are nine new strawberry flavors and we had our favorite Strawberry French Cruller, Strawberry Shell, and Pon de Strawberry Chocolate. So good!

Their hot caramel cafe latte is also great! : )

Happy Chinese Tiger New Year!

2010-02-13T23:16:00.011+08:00

I think I finally have some quality time to update my blog journal now that we started our Chinese New Year one-week holiday in Taiwan. So I thought of giving my blog a little bit of a facelift by changing the header photo with a nice evening shot of Taipei city. : )

First, a quick quote from Wiki about CNY:

Within China (and Taiwan), regional customs and traditions concerning the celebration of the Chinese new year vary widely. People will pour out their money to buy presents, decoration, material, food, and clothing. It is also the tradition that every family thoroughly cleans the house to sweep away any ill-fortune in hopes to make way for good incoming luck. Windows and doors will be decorated with red color paper-cuts and couplets with popular themes of 'happiness', 'wealth', and 'longevity'. On the Eve of Chinese New Year, supper is a feast with families. Food will include such items as pigs, ducks, chicken and sweet delicacies. The family will end the night with firecrackers. Early the next morning (or also on New Year's Eve), children will greet their parents by wishing them a healthy and happy new year, and receive money in red paper envelopes (hong pao).

So the first order of things at home before we go to my in-laws' house for Chinese New Year's eve dinner was to clean the house and sweep away those stuffs that are only taking space and not really much being used. One of those stuffs I wanted to get rid are called "TOYS". : )

Here's my son trying to sort his toy box on what toys to give or throw away and what toys are to stay. He is asking me where Woody and Buzz Lightyear are. I said I already returned them to Andy. : )

My kids made good of separating first their stuffed toys on top of our sofa which I would presume they still would like to keep in our house for the time being. That includes Simba, Zippy, Pompom, Teddy, Mumu, Winnie, Dora, and even Qiao-Hu (巧虎).

Some of John's favorite baby books that we will finally give away to a church friend...

My kids love Simba the lion and Teddy so much... they've been with us for years now. They are already a part of the family. : )

Lydia got a new white teddy bear from her grandma made by Shangri-La hotel Manila... welcome to the family, Shang-Bear!

Finally, Chinese New Year Eve's dinner at my in-laws' house... yummy! There's also my brother-in-law's cute little girl.

After dinner and red envelope exchanging, our kids went outside with their cousin and little aunts to play some sparklers...

It was really cold outside. I could only wish every year that Chinese New Year is not during this winter period. It is usually cold and wet in Taipei. I would have wanted it during the spring or summer.

Nevertheless, each year is still always a happy new year holiday. Happy Chinese New Year! Gong Xi Fa Chai! Gong Hei Fat Choi! A Prosperous New Year to all! May God shower us with blessings and prosperity!

Job 22:21 - "Submit to God and be at peace with Him; in this way prosperity will come to you."

Alleycat's Stone-Oven-Baked Pizza

2010-01-21T21:00:00.000+08:00

I am not much of a pizza lover in Taiwan probably because we would always get pizza only at Pizza Hut. I used to love pizza back in the Philippines where we prefer eating at Shakey's Pizza Parlor for their thin-crust pizzas or even Greenwich pizza.

My son loves Hawaiian pizza very much (only Hawaiian), so one time I took my family to Alleycat's Stone-Oven-Baked Pizza in Neihu which is raved by many food bloggers as having one of the best pizzas in Taipei. And I specially ordered this 12" Pizza Quattro Formaggi (Four Cheese Pizza) topped with large chunks of pineapples and savory chorizos. Freshly made hot, lots of cheese, nice aroma, and so delicious! Too bad I only captured them using my Nokia phone camera.

Alleycat's pizza in Neihu is located inside a very small alley just beside Yishang Garden Shanghai resto. I'm not sure if all their pizza stores are located inside small alleys.

Their Caesar Salads are a must-try mainly because your pizza might take some time to make. Crispy Romaine tossed in homemade Caesar salad sauce and served with croutons and fresh tomato. Very simple but good. My little girl likes fresh salad very much!

We also tried their bruschetta topped with ricotta and anchovies. Creamy ricotta and anchovies with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil and sprinkled with fresh grated parmesan. It was so good!

I will try to make this bruschetta (with ricotta and canned achovies) at home one day... : )

Their Quattro Formaggi pizza is probably the best pizza I've had in Taiwan ever. Four kinds of cheese (Mozzarella, Pecorino Romano, Parmesan, and Feta) stone-oven-baked on top of a crispy thin-crust pizza made of fresh hand-made dough. You can actually enjoy it without any toppings but I wanted to make a Hawaiian-like pizza for my kids so we added pineapples and chorizos. Perfect combination! We had to order an extra 10" one. : )

My son gave his thumbs-up approval. Highly recommended! : )

A week later, I ordered take-home... : )

This time we tried their Margherita with homemade Marinara sauce and Mozzarella. But I still love the Quattro Formaggi and dine-in instead of take out.

I prefer the Chorizo over Italian sausages if I have to choose one. Chorizos are less salty and pairs well with pineapple.

So delicious and yummy... I haven't craved pizza this much.

My little girl was very happy with her Caesar Salad... while her black kitten keeps watch over the pizza. : )

Check out AlleyCat's Pizza Website for more information:
http://www.alleycatspizza.com

Taiwan Oyster Omelette

2010-01-15T23:58:00.009+08:00

The first time I came to Taiwan years years ago, one of the food that I'm afraid to eat most is "oyster omelette" (stinky tofu only comes next). First, I don't like the way it is cooked and how it looks when I first saw it at the night market. Second, because of fear of getting Hepatitis which was popular in Taiwan and China during that time and commonly transmitted from eating at night markets where oyster omelettes are normally sold. Before the mid-90's, they still use re-washable plates and chopsticks instead of disposable wooden ones and Styrofoam plates (now they use non-washable plates covered in disposable plastic). If I remember right, oysters are also believed to transmit hepatitis if not cooked thoroughly. Well, those were the old times and me just a newcomer. Just like my wife, I am now a fan of oyster omelette. : )

Oyster Omelette or "ô-á-chian" (蚵仔煎) is cooked (pan-fried) by first mixing the egg batter with starch to give the egg wrap a thicker and elastic texture. You then put small oysters and green vegetables on top of the egg batter and cook it omelette style. The final ingredient is the savory sauce which is poured on top of the omelette to give it a strong taste.

According to a survey made by a local English newspaper in Taiwan two years ago, Oyster Omelette was selected as the nation's favorite and best snack to represent Taiwan. Pearl milk tea only comes second to the survey made. Wow! I'm sure you now want to try oyster omelette in Taiwan. : )

Oyster Omelette are now also found in basement food court of several shopping malls including Taipei 101 where I took my visiting cousin to try it last year. Delicious!

But I still don't like eating them at night markets... only because of how they cook it. Other than that, it is a must-try snack if you are in Taiwan.

You can try the Oyster Omelette posted here at:
A-Po Tien-bu-la (阿婆甜不辣)
台北市大安區光復南路180巷7號 (map)
02-2731-4488‎

Our Christmas in Taipei (2009)

2010-01-05T12:11:00.042+08:00

Happy New Year to everyone! I hope your Christmas holiday and New Year's celebration were fun and memorable. Taiwan may not be the best place to spend your holidays (there's no holiday actually because there's work and school even on Christmas Day), but surely one can still find ways to make Christmas merry and unforgettable. So close your eyes and let's go back to Christmas week.

One of our memorable time was taking a picture inside the huge Christmas snow dome at Mitsukoshi mall. My little girl saw it while we were still driving by and forced us to line up for almost one hour just to take a picture inside. : )

It is always Christmas for us when we see our kids sharing fun together. That is not a real snowman at the back but it looks real. : )

We also had a wonderful soft-serve ice cream experience at Mitsukoshi A8 mall B2 food court. No cold weather can stop our kids from screaming for this ice cream. : )

Prefere (French word for "Favourite") is definitely our favorite soft-serve ice cream from Korea. The ice cream is very smooth, creamy and dense. Must try is the chocolate-vanilla and strawberry.

Christmas day Friday night, we had a small gathering of church friends mostly Filipino-Chinese (or Chinese born in the Philippines) for our customary Christmas tradition called "Noche Buena" feast. Since most still have work and school on Christmas Day, we ordered Filipino food and desserts from a Filipino cuisine catering service.

The highlight of the feast was this "lechon de leche" or roasted suckling pig which is a very popular dish during Christmas in the Philippines. Crispy and delicious! : )

Other food I liked from our feast was this shrimp chopsuey (mixed vegetables) cooked by my good friend Cata whose family is also used to be in catering business in Manila.

One of my favorite Filipino food that I always love eating when I go to Manila is the Pancit Palabok. It is made of rice noodles smothered with thick golden orange shrimp sauce and topped with shrimps, grounded pork rind, sliced hard-boiled eggs, tinapa (smoked fish) flakes, and freshly minced green onion. I would always go to Jollibee Fastfood Chain for their yummy Palabok!

Another popular Christmas dish in the Philippines is their Pork Barbecue. But this catered ones (a bit salty) does not even come close to my sister's delicious homemade marinated barbecue back home in Manila. : (

A favorite of my wife is the Pinakbet (mixed vegetables in shrimp paste). But she still prefers my mom's pinakbet version.

Another popular Filipino-Chinese dish is the Lumpiang Shanghai. This type of fried lumpia is filled with a mixture of ground pork, minced onion, carrots, and spices folded in spring roll wrapping held together using egg white. Served with sweet and sour sauce.

We also had popular Filipino desserts like sweet ginataan (made of coconut milk) and leche flan (Filipino custard). Leche flan (literally milk flan) is heavier version of the Spanish flan made with more egg yolks and is usually steamed over an open flame or stove top.

After our dinner feast, we had some fun singing and dancing to the popular song, "Feliz Navidad". Many of us who came from the Philippines have been living in Taiwan for more than 15 years now. Wow! So it was wonderful gathering together for Christmas dinner. We are like one big family in church! But I missed spending Christmas in the Philippines very much with my relatives and family back home. I need to plan early this year for our Feliz Navidad. : )

Christmas Food Fair at Mitsukoshi

2009-12-24T11:59:00.034+08:00

Last Sunday afternoon after church, I took my family to Shin Kong Mitsukoshi in Xinyi shopping area for snack time... and some Christmas spirit atmosphere (not shopping).

And we were very happy to find a local food fair event outside Mitsukoshi A8 and A11 malls near Bellavita. It was a very cold day and the steaming food in display were just perfect! : )

Fried Squid Balls with some dash of ground pepper... so good!

Hot peanut soup, tangyuan soup, and almond tea... served in the old traditional way.

Pig's Blood Rice Cake (米血糕)... the one local food that I could not try because of Christians not allowed to eat blood.

Fried Taro Balls... everything that were formed in a ball, my kids would want me to buy. : |

Squid BBQ...

Black Pig Sausages (黑豬肉香腸)... wonderful!

How could I resist? Especially with a smiley on the cook's apron. : )

Hotdog waffles, quail eggs, and hot ginger tea...

Green Onion Pancakes (蔥油餅)! Not today though...

Sugar Cane Juice... definitely 100% pure extract. : )

Sugar coated strawberry and cherry tomatoes... my daughter wants it too! : |

The blend of crispy sugar coating and soft sourly strawberry and tomato is perfect.

Another art of stinky tofu - BBQ style (串燒臭豆腐)... not fried but sort of semi-boiled and stewed and then grilled in sticks.

My wife loves this better than the fried one... they are grilled outside but moist inside and they still put pickled cabbages on top. : )

Flavored Potato Fries cut in elongated twirls... they have a special machine at back to cut them. : )

Crackers in oh so many coated flavors...

Sesame Oil Chicken Soup (Ma-You-Ji or 麻油雞)... also my wife's favorite and most women especially after giving birth to replenish their lost energy. The owner asked my wife if she wanted to add chicken testicles for more nutrition. My wife said, "No thanks!" : )

Our last stop... tianbula (甜不辣 or battered fish paste) and fried stinky tofu! They offer tables so we went inside and ordered both.

I told the owner to make my tofu crispy so she needs to fry it just a little bit longer than the usual.

While my stinky tofu is being fried, we savor on the boiled tianbula (Taiwan's version of oden) and hot soup... one bowl served with a sweet sauce on top includes a big piece of rounded tianbula, fish balls, small pieces of tianbula, steamed triangle tofu, and daikon.

My son always wants three ingredients only for his order... the white round fish ball, the long tianbula brown pieces, and daikon with soup.

My kids are having a wonderful time even outside the cold weather. The food really keeps us warm and feeling good! : )

Here comes my fried stinky tofu. It was not as good and tasty as the ones in night markets. And it was not that stinky too. : )

Taiwan oranges... packed with Vitamin C for the cold winter.

Time to stroll around the shopping area after a hot and delightful snack treat. Sure was a lot of people during weekend. I will be visiting Bellavita again soon with their food court now opening.

Do you feel the Christmas now?

I will blog about this huge Christmas ball (snow dome) and our favorite soft-serve ice cream at Mitsukoshi next... to be continued. : )

Sing My Love

2009-12-20T18:41:00.017+08:00

I love this song rendition of Kim Walker very much and so is my daughter! We listen to the Chinese version by Joshua Band every day while driving our car and my little girl would singalong the chorus lines. This is what every Christian should be doing no matter what our situation is... sing our love and praise to Jesus! : )

I am always amazed how singing praise changes everything in you. If you are striving in prayer and find it futile sometimes, maybe God wants you to turn to praise instead! Where prayer is a battle, praise is victory! : )

(Verse 1)
Words could never say the way He says my name
He calls me lovely
No one ever sees the way He looks at me
He sees me holy
Words can never hold this love that burns my soul
Heaven holds me
Oh, heaven holds me

(Chorus)
Can't hold my love back on You
Can't hold my love back on You
I've gotta sing
I've gotta sing
Sing my love
To you Jesus yeah

(Verse 2)
You will not believe the way He touches me
He burns right through me
I could not forget every word He said
He always knew me
Earth could never hold this love that burns my soul
Heaven holds me
Oh, heaven holds me

(Chorus)

Oh, nothings gonna stand in the way
Nothing can get in the way of the love tonight

(Chorus 2)
Can't hold my praise back on You
Can't hold my praise back on You
I've gotta shout
I've gotta shout
Shout my praise (love)

Bridge:
Praise the Lord, Praise the Lord
My soul makes, makes its boast in the Lord

Here is the Chinese version.. 我不能停止去愛你 (約書亞樂團 Happy Day)

言語說不出祂如何形容我
稱我為被愛
沒有人像祂是這樣看我
看我是聖潔
言語容不下這愛焚燒我心
天堂環繞我喔天堂環繞我

我不能停止去愛你我不能停止去愛你
我要歌唱我要歌唱我愛你 (X2)

你不會相信祂觸摸我生命
祂挑旺我靈
我不會忘記祂所說一切
都穿透我心
全地容不下這愛焚燒我心
天堂環繞我喔天堂環繞我

來讚美主來讚美主
我的心稱頌主到永遠

我不能停止讚美你我不能停止讚美你
我要歡呼我要歡呼我愛你 (X2)

Sing Praises (from Watchman Nee devotional book)
"My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing, yea, I will sing praises." - Psalm 57:7

Our problems in life are in general of two kinds. The first kind is circumstantial, arising from the turn of events. This may be met and overcome by prayer. The other kind is more personal, the suffering of being hurt or humiliated by others. For such affronts and misunderstandings prayer does not seem to avail. I myself had prayed, and I know. It is futile to wrestle with such problems and to strive in prayer about them. I want to suggest that you should turn instead to praise.

You should bow your head and say to the Lord, 'Lord, I thank you. I receive this bad treatment as from Your hands and I praise you for it all.' By so doing you will find that everything is transcended. What the Lord has permitted to come to you cannot be wrong. Everything that He does is perfect. As you thus praise God, your spirit rises victorious over your problems and God Himself takes care of your hurt feelings.

Amen!

SALON DE THE de Joël Robuchon (Bellavita)

2009-12-12T01:44:00.008+08:00

Last week after we took our son for his doctor's checkup in the morning, we went to see the newly opened luxury mall in Xinyi district area (near Taipei 101 and Shin Kong Mitsukoshi) called BELLAVITA. This beautiful Euro-style architecture mall has a total floor space of 6,316 ping (20,879 square-meter) and houses nearly 20 international luxury brands including Bulgari, Hermes, Tod's and others.

Here's my son posting in front of Bellavita's grandiose facade.

Bellavita also features a restaurant and pastry bakery salon by world-renowned French chef and restaurateur Joël Robuchon who has won a total of 25 stars from the Michelin Guide, more than any chef in the world. The restaurant is called "L'Atelier de Joël Robuchon" found at the 5F of the mall and is the first restaurant in Taiwan operated by a Michelin star chef.

The pastry shop found at the 3F is called "SALON DE THE de Joël Robuchon". We were feeling so relaxed that weekday afternoon away from work and school so my wife convinced me to have coffee and some pastry inside. "My treat," she said. : )

Inside Bellavita is a very spacious lobby with palm trees and water fountain. If there was a clerk desk and sofa, you would thought you were in a hotel lobby. And I love going to malls on workdays as there's not much people so my kid can run around freely. : )

I was also amazed with the magnificent huge oval glass roof inside... a stark contrast with the rectangular facade of the building.

The view from the upper floor looking down the lobby... you will noticed the elegant floor art design. Their Christmas deco and Christmas tree is still not even half-finished and it is already December. : )

Beautiful wall architecture and lamps along the hallway... also loved the revolving door entrance.

I was really hesitant to try "SALON DE THE de Joël Robuchon" because I've read a Chinese blog about this very nice pastry salon and how much they've spent. Women really knows how to spend on places that men will only go to if it is free. : )

The theme deco of Joel Robuchon's restaurants are basically laid in striking red and black colors. I was just about to start taking photos inside the deco and pastries when the "bakery lady" (not FlavorField bakery) told me it is not allowed to take photos. What is it with all these fancy pastry bakeries not allowing photos to be taken as if we are spies. Next time, I'll wear a black and red T-shirt that says, "I'm a Michelin Guide Star Blogger!" (maybe in Mandarin words) and bring a DSLR camera.

This was the only photo I managed to take of their take-out pastries display inside. I wasn't able to take a photo of the tall glasses display full of colorful macaroons located at the entrance door. I will provide two Chinese blog links at the end of this blog featuring this pastry salon with lots of great photos. Lucky for them, they were not confronted by the bakery lady. : )

Leather menu in black and red... L'Atelier is the restaurant name found on the fifth floor where I probably can't afford to dine.

Their prices are not that dreadful as I thought but still expensive. For one order of fancy pastry and drink, you would need to spend around NT$400 at least.

Boulangerie Patisserie... French word for bakery, pastry, and cake shop. You go to this counter where they display the pastries shown on the menu. Beware approaching this counter because the temptation is hard to resist and you might end up ordering more than one kind of pastry.

Like I said, it was really hard to resist ordering just one pastry... the three of us ended up ordering all these varieties. But it was a delightful experience indeed.

Cherry Danish pastry with liquor... so irresistible! Golden crisp pastry crust, black cherries soaked in liquor and the custard filling are all so heavenly.

Danois Poire Marron... Danish pastry with peach, liquor, and custard filling.

I always love peach or mango topped danish pastry... magnifique! : )

French Macaron (chocolate flavor)... NT$80 each! I thought for two at least. Just one! It is hard not to try their colorful macarons because you see it everywhere in display inside. Click the Chinese blog links below to see the other colorful flavors.

Macarons (not macaroons) are sandwich-like French pastries made with two thin cookies and a cream or ganache between the cookies. Very soft and moist, it seems to melt together as one. : )

Mille-feuille a la Vanille... three layers of puff pastry alternating with vanilla cream fillings in between.

You will need the JR knife to slice the mille-feuille gently. : )

One of my favorite is the "Rouge"... red berries mousse cake. Recommended by the other bakery lady if you are feasting on many sweet pastries. To give your taste buds a bit of a sourly-sweet sensation. : )

Perfect mixed of sourly red berry mousse on top and sweet chocolate cake below. Love it!

Me and my wife both ordered a cup of "le café au lait" (coffee latte) while my son had "le chocolat chaud" (hot chocolate). We were quite disappointed the coffee cup was small like the coffee cups used in hotel restaurant buffets. They also don't provide complimentary water. A bottle of mineral water (Perrier or Vittel) costs NT$100. I recommend to order their tea in red pot with all the sweets you will eat.

"SALON DE THE de Joel Robuchon" definitely is a place girls and women will surely love meeting (or be taken on a date) and have an afternoon tea time together... but only once in a while probably. : )

Check out these Chinese blogs for more photos...
http://www.wretch.cc/blog/WretchFood/12635514
http://www.wretch.cc/blog/WretchFood/12625689

Coming soon to BELLAVITA is the Deluxe Food Hall at B2 floor. We'll look forward to it! : )

SALON DE THE de Joel Robuchon
Tea Salon, Pastry & Bakery
台北市信義區松仁路28號3樓 (BELLA VITA 三樓）
3F No. 28 Song Ren Road, Taipei (or take MRT to Taipei City Hall Station)
Tel: (02)8729-2626
Weekdays: 10:00-22:00　Weekend/Holiday: 10:00-22:30

Li-Zhang-Gui Dry Noodles (李掌櫃乾拌麵館)

2009-12-04T22:41:00.004+08:00

One weekday morning we took our kid to Chang Gung Taipei hospital (長庚紀念醫院) for his doctor's appointment. My son is suffering from so-called acute nasosinositis (鼻竇炎) and sometimes will have fever and headache. At the back of the hospital, we saw this recently opened noodle restaurant called Li-Zhang-Gui (李掌櫃) and their specialty is "gan-ban-mian" or dry mixed noodles (乾拌麵).

My son does not look like he is suffering at all because he is happy he was excused from school that day. Me and my wife also took the whole day off from work.

Their house specialty is this sesame sauce dry mixed noodles or ma-jian-mian (招牌麻醬乾拌麵) for just NT$55. Remember if you see the Chinese word "招牌" (zhao pai), it means the specialty of the restaurant. : )

It was just past 11am when we left the hospital so it was like brunch time and we were the first customer of the day. It was delightful to see all the side dishes they put out on display. One plate is NT$30.

One of my favorite noodle store side dish is this picked cabbage or "pao-tsai" (泡菜).

Their menu consists of dry mixed noodles, soup noodles, soup, rice (beef/pork/chicken), dumplings, and also cold noodles. Nearby office workers eating out will surely enjoy coming here with so many meals to choose from.

Ma-jiang-mian (麻醬麵) is one type of Chinese dry noodle where the sauce is mainly made from sesame paste with shredded pickles and thinly sliced scrambled egg on top. This is one of my favorite type of dry noodles. The sesame sauce is very fragrant and flavorful. And most of all, their noodles are really very 'Q'. One of the best made noodles. : )

Mixed them up with your chopstick until the sesame sauce covers the whole plate of noodles.

When eating ma-jiang-mian, one should always pair it with a light clear soup to balance the strong flavor of the sesame sauce. So I ordered this recommended chicken broth wonton soup (雞汁餛飩湯) for NT$50.

The soup and wonton is really delicious!

My wife ordered this spicy shrimp XO sauce dry mixed noodles (鮮蝦XO醬乾拌麵) for NT$85.

Looks delicious as well.

My son went with his usual favorite beef soup noodles (牛肉湯麵) for NT$75. He's a beef soup noodle lover. : )

Recommended! We'll be back for sure. Another addition to my fine restaurant name card collection. : )

Li-Zhang-Gui Dry Noodles (李掌櫃乾拌麵館)
台北市敦化北路199巷2弄11號
No.11, Alley 2, Lane 199, Dun Hua North Rd, Songshan District
Tel: (02) 27172113

VAIO L Series All-in-One Touchscreen PC

2009-12-03T12:18:00.012+08:00

Dear Santa,

All we want for Christmas is this SONY VAIO L series All-in-One Touchscreen PC. The Touchscreen PC that's also an HDTV. My kids will surely love it! : )

Innovation you can put your finger on. Access the internet, watch movies, listen to music and more with the VAIO® L Series all-in-on touchscreen PC/HDTV. A multimedia powerhouse, the L116FX is a high-definition PC with a stunning 24" multi-touch screen display. Watch and record live television programming including local and over-the-air HD channels with the built-in TV tuner, or enjoy your favorite high-definition movies on the Blu-ray Disc™ optical drive. You'll also experience robust computing and gaming thanks to the Intel® Core™ 2 Quad Q8400S processor, 6GB of RAM and NVIDIA graphics. Plus, a 500GB hard disk drive (HDD) offers ample storage for storing your photos, movies, games and more.

or this HP TouchSmart 600 PC is also nice. : )

I might put it on our bedroom instead. : )

Taiwan Street Mochi (古早味麻糬)

2009-11-29T20:33:00.002+08:00

Two weeks ago, we attended the 15th year birthday and sportsfest event of my son's elementary school. There's my son in blue and yellow uniform with his first grade classmates and teacher marching into the track field.

Inside the school premises, they also arrange a few food and drink stalls for visitors and students. One particular Taiwan local snack I noticed is this street mochi (麻糬) vendor cart (pronounced 'mua-ji' in Taiwanese dialect).

Cute flat shiny mochies without the peanut coating... they're like naked M&M's. : )

There are two flavors to choose in stuffing your mochi - peanut and sesame seed powder. Or you can buy mixed flavors in 5pcs (NT$30) or 10pcs (NT$50). The three Chinese words printed on top (古早味) means early or authentic local flavor. : )

The lady owner gets a piece of the flat mochi and stretches it.

Then she stuffs it inside with either the black sesame powder or the peanut powder with sugar and covers it.

Then she rolls the entire mochi over with peanut coating. Quick, simple, and very cheap.

So deliciously-Q (soft and chewy)! I love Taiwan local mochi over Japanese-style mochi! : )

Look at my son trying to impress (showing off) his girl classmate. >_<

My son is one of the tallest in their class and looks like he's off to a good start... Well, too bad the shorter and quicker guys from other section class won the race. I told my son to just switch to basketball next year and play center. : )

The school also were selling this Taiwan marble soda (彈珠汽水) or Ramune soda. I haven't had this drink for a very long time now. You won't get them at 7-11. : )

Here's a clip on how to open a marble soda in case you get one in Taiwan and don't know how to open it. : )

I ordered another box of mochi to take home after the sportsfest. : )

Korean Cuisine & BBQ (韓風館)

2009-11-27T00:42:00.005+08:00

I've been wanting to blog about Korean food but always come out empty because of the bad photos I took or because of the bad food or bad impression of the restaurants we tried. But at last, one cold Saturday night, my wife and I (minus our kids who went to their aunt's house) went roaming around ZhongXiao area for a new restaurant to try and found this Korean Cuisine & BBQ (韓風館) just along the same alley of Tu-Hsiao-Yeh and Yogurt Art.

I love kimchi as much as I love sushi... and their kimchi soup is a must! : )

We ordered the set course meal for 2 people which includes this beef barbecue and side semi-hotpot...

I love these 3-in-1 Korean barbecue sauce...

My wife and I also enjoyed very much all of these six Korean side dishes.

I prefer this semi-hotpot BBQ because it is easy to cook... and also cheaper. : )

Additional seafood and mushroom barbecue platter...

The set course meal also includes this hot bibimbap (stone bowl mixed rice)...

Just mixed it up while the stone pot is still hot... so good!

I was really slurping this kimchi soup during that cold night. Delicious!

The magazine Health named kimchi in its list of top five "World's Healthiest Foods" for being rich in vitamins, aiding digestion, and even possibly reducing cancer growth. But remember, too much of anything is also not good. : )

We ordered separately this seafood pancake (Pajeon)... always my favorite Korean dish.

One of the best Korean pancake I've tasted... a must-try! : )

And just right in front of our table looking at me is this poster of Kim Ah Joong. How can anyone forget this 200 Pounds Beauty movie star? : )

One of the funniest enjoyable Korean comedy film...

I am quite surprised I don't see any blogs even in Chinese about this restaurant because it is surely a good one. You could even see photos of celebrities including President Ma. The price is affordable and the lady owner is very friendly too. But don't expect the Korean part-timers to be that friendly and polite in serving you, as long as they don't ignore you. Highly recommended! The lady owner even asked me if my wife is Korean. : )

By MRT:
台北捷運忠孝敦化站3號出口
ZhongXiao DunHua Exit 3 (at the back of Ming Yao Department Store)

I'll end this blog with some YouTube of this funny movie... enjoy! : )
200 Pounds Beauty Trailer...

Beautiful Girl MV... : )

Bigtom Ice Cream

2009-11-17T10:20:00.003+08:00

One of the nicest big open square park in Taipei that I take my kids to for micro (kick) scooting is at National Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial (國立國父紀念館) where outside the park you get to enjoy a very nice magnificent view of nearby Taipei 101.

And just right at one side of the park along Guangfu Road is our favorite place to go for an afternoon ice cream and coffee break... Bigtom Eis Cafe (比湯姆美國冰淇淋文化館).

They serve one of the best ice cream waffles in town and an ice cream flavor named after the first African American President of the United States. : )

Sun Yat-sen Memorial is always a perfect place to go on a cloudy day where my two kids can enjoy kick-scooting or just running around.

The park also has lots of vendors (elderly women) selling kites and toys like this cute battery-operated bubble guns. : )

Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall is also one of the popular tour guide destinations aside from the bigger and more popular CKS Memorial Hall. If you want to know more about the person printed on the NT100 dollar bill and also the NT50 dollar coin, this is the place to visit. Other cultural shows and concerts are also performed here.

Also found secluded inside the square park with lots of green trees is a big garden fish pond where you will also see a lot of turtles which I believed were owned before by many Taipei residents. : )

And as you walk straight to the end of the garden pond you will see the beautiful outside porch seating of Bigtom overlooking the pond and trees. Bigtom also has lots of chairs and tables inside the dairy cow-themed store.

Bigtom is a perfect place to rest and unwind after playing or running around the park. Very kid friendly place. : )

One of the must try is their large waffle with 3 scoops of your picked ice cream flavor. I picked three of the top 5 flavors at Bigtom - Obama Chocolate Brownie, Exotic Vanilla Bean, and Oregon Strawberry. : )

Bigtom says their ice cream are "Healthy and All Natural, Less Fat, Less Sugar, Less Air Overrun."

Their waffles are one of the best tasting waffles I really like. They're freshly made and they're thick, soft, moist, and not so sweet. And their large waffle is really large.

I always order a cup of Cafe Latte which I think tastes richer and better than Starbucks. Their latte also goes perfect with their waffles and delicious cakes.

Their gourmet cakes, cookies and muffins are also very tempting...

I love Lindt Swiss chocolates very much. : )

My favorite is this chocolate mud cake... so rich and moist.

This Cherry Brandy Cheesecake is also good.

Our kids go crazy on this Chocolate Ice Cream Float...

OK kids, let's sing the Sharing song... "Sharing... sharing... one for me and one for you." : )

They're so sweet...

My daughter go moooo over Bigtom. : )

Thanks to Bigtom, I will always enjoy taking my kids to Sun Yat-sen Memorial anytime. A nice way to spend the weekend outside with your family and friends. : )

Bigtom Eis Cafe (http://www.bigtom.us)
National Dr. Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall
Address：No.306, Guangfu S. Rd., (opposite side) Taipei City
(or take the MRT blue line to Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall and walk 5 minutes along Guangfu road across McDonald's)
Tel：(02)2345-4213
Other stores - click here.

Happy 7 Birthday, John!

2009-11-12T13:47:00.004+08:00

A very busy and tiring November for me with lots of things at work, church, and family so I couldn't find time and energy to update my blog journal lately. Tuesday was the birthday of my 7-year son and he was very contented to just eat at home and have a small birthday cake celebration. He doesn't like buying toys anymore. Good boy! : )

Birthday cake bought from newly open bakery chain store near our house in Donghu... How Sweet Bakery. : )

You Are Special (Max Lucado)

2009-10-29T20:38:00.008+08:00

My son borrowed this nice book from their school library... You Are Special (你很特別) by Max Lucado. Highly recommended book for children and parents, too! : )

God Loves You Just the Way You Are!

The world tells kids, "You're special if... if you have the brains, the looks, the talent." God tells them, "You're special just because. No qualifications necessary." Only one of those messages will find its place in their hearts. That's why every child you know needs to hear this one, reassuring truth: "You are precious in His sight." Max Lucado's delightful, fully illustrated children's tale from the pages of Tell Me the Secrets will help you say it again and again... with love.

Every day the small wooden people called Wemmicks do the same thing: stick either gold stars or gray dots on one another. The pretty ones—those with smooth wood and fine paint—always get stars. The talented ones do, too. Others, though, who can do little or who have chipped paint, get ugly gray dots. Like Punchinello.

In this heartwarming children's tale from the best-selling pen of author Max Lucado, Eli the woodcarver helps Punchinello understand how special he is—no matter what other Wemmicks may think. It's a vital message for children everywhere: that regardless of how the world evaluates them, God cherishes each of them, just as they are.

In Cantonese, : )

Bitou Cape (鼻頭角)

2009-10-26T10:08:00.002+08:00

Yesterday Sunday afternoon we had our church couples group outing at Bitou Cape (鼻頭角) or Pitou-chiao, just a 40-minute drive from Taipei. Bitou Cape is one of the "Three Capes of Northern Taiwan". The other two are Fuguei Cape, the island's northernmost point, and Sandiau Cape, its easternmost point. We were very thankful to God our Creator for giving us a nice cloudy weather after having rainy days the past several days.

Bitou Cape has probably the most magnificent sea-eroded cliffs and ocean view I've seen in my life in Taiwan...

Let me take you along the Bitou Cape trail...

Bitou Cape occupies an area of about four to five square kilometers. Most of the sea-eroded landform types along the entire Northeast Coast can be found here, including sea cliffs, undercut bluffs, and platforms. The sea-eroded platforms are thick with mushroom-shaped rocks, honeycomb rocks, tofu (bean curd) rocks, and marine fossils. All of these make Bitou Cape an outstanding natural geological classroom.

A paved footpath leads off near the Bitou Elementary School and onto the cape, giving access to splendid vistas of sea and sky. The path terminates at the tip of the cape, where the Bitou Cape Lighthouse stands. The 120 meter tall lighthouse was first constructed in 1896 and was rebuilt in its present form after being destroyed by Allied bombing during the Second World War. From the lighthouse, visitors can see the waves of the East China Sea lapping against those of the Pacific Ocean.

Bitou Elementary School... also the entrance to the Bitou Cape trail.

Kids first had fun with the swings overlooking the ocean...

The kids thought we were taking them to play along the beach... but they appreciate the view. : )

Our trail destination...

Yep, you just follow that long trail to the end... : )

Along the trail overlooking the big Pacific Ocean, time suddenly slows down and you began appreciating nature's beauty and wonders...

Even the flowers growing on the other side of the trail...

I actually took this photo... using macro technology : )

My wife and son who usually doesn't like hiking managed to enjoy it finally. There was no sun but the sky was clear and the fresh cool wind blowing from the ocean feels great.

Parts of the trail can be very dangerous so make sure you hold on to your kids...

Every part of the trail lets you enjoy a different angle of the scenery...

You also can't help to be amazed at the grandiosity of the mountain side...

I just can't describe the feeling... it really set my spirit free! : )

Finally, we reached the lighthouse...

It wasn't the kind of tall lighthouse I was expecting and the gate was even close so you can just actually take photos outside the gate. But the white color of the lighthouse and the blue color of the sky and ocean makes the sight so wonderful.

Where you really really need to go once you reached the lighthouse is the observation platform...

A sight to behold and amaze how great and glorious is our Lord God Almighty...

One group picture before we leave.

There is another trail to return to the harbour entrance site but we needed to go back to the school.

Is that my little boy down there waving at me? You get back up here you young boy! : )

OK... so you want me to go down instead. Might as well take one photo. Time to return back to the entrance elementary school.

We finally gathered all together at the school's mini track and field for singing and praying... we are one family because of Jesus. : )

Some still had the energy to race the track... time for dinner children!

We finally walked back to the entrance below and proceeded to the nearby fishing harbour and restaurant... I took this photo of one church brother resting outside the restaurant. He was very tired for carrying his soon-to-be wife's handbag. The neighborhood dog didn't mind him at all. : )

I think this is the only visible restaurant but it is good! I recommend it. : )

I was not able to took photos of our dishes because my camera already run out of battery. But I managed to take these sashimi plate appetizer. : )

Bitou Cape will probably be one of the tourist destinations I will recommend not very far from Taipei if you want to discover our island's coastal wonders.

"A perfect place to get that postcard photo"... A nice read article by Chinapost on Bitou Cape and how to go there by bus!

More photos during the summer I think...
http://www.pse100i.idv.tw/n/bitou/bitou001.htm

Shabu-Sen Japanese Shabu Shabu

2009-10-18T00:08:00.004+08:00

Last week, we planned on going to the Pixar 20 Years exhibit at the Taipei Fine Arts Museum and we're looking first for lunch along the way to the museum. We came across this Japanese-style shabu shabu (hotpot) restaurant called Shabu-Sen (涮鮮日式火鍋). I always loved shabu-shabu (and sushi) and luckily there was parking nearby so we gave it a try.

Japanese-style prime rib beef (和風牛小排)...

Each order (meat or seafood) comes with a set of shabu-shabu vegetable ingredients and rice or noodles. They also offer different kinds of soup broth with extra charge. We just went for their standard broth.

The shabu-shabu bowl includes a large serving of cabbage (Taiwan cabbages are the best), green veggies like lettuce, enoki/mushrooms, tofu, quail egg, slices of pumpkin, tomatoes, winter melon, and also meat/shrimp/fish balls...

There is a height limit for each person so we needed to order one set for my son. We picked this kid's set with US bacon beef (培根牛肉). I loved the way they presented the meat on plate. Each table is also well lighted so the colors of all the food come alive. : )

My wife ordered this shabu-shabu combo set of lamb and seafood...

The oysters and cuttlefish paste (花枝漿) was a plenty. And very fresh, too. : )

My special sauce prepared and mixed by my wife... I always have trouble mixing my own shabu-shabu sauce.

Additional peanut sauce... a nice combination with my other sauce.

Nice color and texture...

I love putting all the ingredients into the pot to make the broth more flavorful. Then simply dipped the thinly sliced beef for a few seconds in the boiling pot and then into the sauces. Then you put it on top of your rice and swallow big. : )

They also provide complimentary ice cream as well as cold and hot drinks. They serve Mr. Brown coffee which is not bad. No fruits though.

Shabu-sen is a good shabu-shabu restaurant overall if you do not like all-you-can-eat ones. I am looking forward to returning here again this year as the weather gets colder. : )

Shabu-Sen Japanese style Shabu-Shabu Restaurant
Reservation：(02)2596-9568
Address：台北市民權東路一段63號1樓

We later ended not going to the Pixar exhibit after we saw so many many people lining up outside the museum entrance. Thank God, we at least had a wonderful shabu-shabu experience! : )

Gateway Worship: Reason I'm Alive

2009-10-11T21:11:00.009+08:00

Love this worship album and song...

Reason I'm Alive

VERSE 1
I used to be lost, but now I'm found in You
You showed me real love, and now I live for You
I wanna follow for all my days
I wanna live for the Creator of all the world

CHORUS
I am nothing without You, I'm breathing in with You
You are my source of life
I am saying I love You for everything You do
You are the reason I'm alive

VERSE 2
It used to be dark, but now Your light shines through
You're always with me, You never let me go
I'm completely amazed by You
And I'm never gonna be the same

CHORUS
I am nothing without You, I'm breathing in with You
You are my source of life
I am saying I love You for everything You do
You are the reason I'm alive

(Repeat Chorus)

BRIDGE
You've been so good to me
You're everything I dreamed, now I'm complete
My friend when my world crashes down
And now I know I'll never be, never gonna be alone

CHORUS
I am nothing without You, I'm breathing in with You
You are my source of life
I am saying I love You for everything You do
You are the reason I'm alive
I am nothing without You, I'm breathing in with You
You are my source of life
I am saying I love You for everything You do
You are the reason I'm alive

Ming Jih Vietnam Restaurant (Revisited)

2009-10-10T16:34:00.009+08:00

We had lunch one Saturday last month at our favorite Ming Jih Vietnam Restaurant. There were a lot of customers inside so we were asked if we wanted to eat outside. It was not that hot that day and their outside area is quite clean so we decided to enjoy the outside scenery.

My son likes this mango juice...

While we love this spring roll rice vermicelli salad...

A nice day to eat outside... Ming Jih also has lots of tables outside with lots of trees. : )

They also have a bamboo sofa and TV outside...

Mango juice brings a smile to my son.

His favorite... grilled pork chop with Vietnamese rice.

That's not the way it is eaten, son.

My wife and I both ordered the same spring roll rice vermicelli salad. Love the sweet sourly flavor of the salad and the crispiness aroma of the spring roll. : )

It was a big bowl and enough to fill your belly. Delicious!

For me, Ming Jih offers the most authentic Vietnamese food I've tasted in Taiwan. It is not located in downtown Taipei but it is surely worth your trip if you want to try it.

Ming Jih Vietnam Restaurant (銘記越南美食)
Address: 536-1, Kangning St, Sijhih City, Taipei County (台北縣汐止市康寧街536-1) Telephone: (02) 2692-7015
Open: Open daily from 11am to 9pm; closed Mondays
Average meal: NT$330
Details: Chinese, English and Vietnamese menu; credit cards accepted; reservation recommended for lunch or dinner

Thai Town Cuisine (瓦城泰國料理)

2009-10-06T15:13:00.003+08:00

Thai Town Cuisine at Miramar Mall! By far, my choice for best overall Thai resto with many branches around Taipei. Fantastic service, friendly staff, and great food! We made two visits on successive Fridays to offer you more photos. : )

My favorite is their chicken curry... the curry sauce is oh so flavorful.

While waiting for our seats outside the resto located at the 2F of Miramar, my little girl accidentally knocked her head on the floor while playing and running with her brother outside (they really won't listen). Thank God it was not that serious but my little girl still had a bump on her head and was still crying when we were seated. I was really impressed with their head waitress as she was very professional, friendly and helpful. She quickly offered us a bag of ice cubes for my little girl to apply to her head bump. I really wanted to commend the lady for her great service (I didn't get her name though).

My kids finally have learned by their mistakes and were obedient the second time we visited. : )

Thai town offers different kinds of set meals for 2 or more people but we still decided to go a la carte. You would probably save the money for the drink and dessert if you go for these set meals.

One of the first things they will serve you is this Thai chili sauce... to really perk up your appetite. : )

A usual Thai favorite... Spicy Fried Greens (water spinach) with Shrimp Paste (蝦醬空心菜) NT$180. My kids were eating vegetables! : )

Thai Seafood Salad (海鮮什蔬沙律) NT$300... always our favorite. Spicy and tangy!

Original Shrimp Pancake (原味月亮蝦餅) NT$320, it's been awhile that we order this but we want to give it a try at Thai Town... there should be 8 pieces but my son was quick to snatch one piece before I could take a photo. The shrimp cake is not any different from other Thai restos but I love their thick sauce. They also offer different shrimp cake flavors like spicy, lemon grass, and whole wheat. Not so sure about these flavors so we just went for the original flavor.

Grilled Pork with Thai Dip (嫩烤松阪豬) NT$380... for our kids! One is sour lemon sauce which is the same used for the steamed seabass. The other is a thick dip sauce which is a bit sweet. : )

They offer two types of white rice - Taiwan rice or Thai rice. The winner for now is Thai rice.

You will surely eat more rice with this delicious fragrant chicken curry (泰式咖哩雞) NT$300... smells very good and really inviting.

Side dip vinegar sauce for the chicken...

Shrimp Vermicelli Pot (冬粉鮮蝦煲) NT$450, we don't usually order this dish but it was recommended by the head waitress so we quickly obliged... a delicious '10-shrimp' alternative to your usual steamed seabass in lemon sauce order.

We enjoyed the vermicelli glass noodles very much... so are the shrimps! : )

Grilled Boneless Short Ribs With Thai Dip (叢林烤牛小排) NT$320... I prefer this over the grilled pork and my kids strongly agree! : )

My two kids ate most of the meat!

Thai town will surely be our regular dining destination at Miramar. Strongly recommended for all Thai food lovers.

瓦城泰國料理 THAI TOWN CUISINE (at Miramar 美麗華店)
http://www.thaitown.com.tw/index.html
Opens from: 11:00-22:00
Reservations is a must: (02)2175-3355
地址：敬業三路22號2樓(大直美麗華百樂園Young館)

Shangri-La's Gourmet Mooncakes

2009-10-03T02:15:00.011+08:00

Today Saturday is Mid-Autumn Festival (中秋節) or Moon Cake Festival where families and friends usually gather for mooncakes, pomelos (柚子), barbecue (烤肉 or kao-rou), and moon watching.

Each year my dear friend in church who works in Shangri-La's Far Eastern Plaza Hotel would send me mooncakes. The best mooncake I had years ago was the ice-cream mooncake (not Haagen-Dazs). Yesterday I was glad to receive this premium gourmet moon cakes. : )

[傳統珍味月餅] Gourmet Moon Cake Gift Box

Very elegant gift box with Chinese calligraphy writings which I didn't bother reading because I couldn't... : )

The best hotel in Taipei and the whole world... : )

Featuring six traditional flavors: Red Bean Paste with Pine Nuts and Longan, White Lotus Paste with Egg Yolk, Green Bean Paste with Red Beans, Red Bean Paste with Lotus Seeds, Osmanthus Red Date Paste with Walnuts, and Classic Mixed Dried Nuts.

My favorite mooncake (and maybe the only one) is those with egg yolk so I first took out the White Lotus Paste with Egg Yolk flavor...

(Photo taken with flash)

Ah... now I see the moon. Delicious! : )

Want more mooncakes? 12 Mooncakes you don't want to miss and 12 MORE mooncakes you don't want to miss.

Chao Ping Ji (潮品集)

2009-09-26T15:58:00.003+08:00

We had a wonderful Saturday last week with our kids starting off by having dim sum lunch at Chao Ping Ji (潮品集). Raved by many Taiwan food bloggers, this has to be one of the best dim sum I've had lately in Taipei. Aside from dim sum, Chao Ping Ji also offers Chaozhou or Teochew cuisine (潮州) famous for their braised or marinated goose (滷鵝).

Their shrimp dumpling or har-gow is to die for... : )

Chao Ping Ji offers a more subtle ambiance and family friendly dining compared to other popular dim sum resto. I loved their high sofa dining table which allows our kids to behave their normal annoying ways without really distracting other dining customers. As I said, as long as my two kids are together, me and wife couldn't really enjoy our time together in a food table. It is always play time even during meal time when we're eating out. : )

A must try is their turnip or radish cake with bits of chinese sausages, really good! I forgot to set the macro of my camera and my two kids were too quick to grab them by the fork. : )

Their Chaozhou specialty is this marinated goose slices with vinegar dipping sauce... a bit pricey at NT$400+ but a must try if it is your first time at Chao Ping Ji.

Crispy Spring Roll... I preferred my wife could have ordered a different dish instead like the steamed glutinous rice wrapped in lotus leaf. But it is good nevertheless. : )

Fried rice with anchovy and chicken... my son's favorite.

Steamed Pork and Crab Roe Dumpling... or shaomai. Delicious!

I grew up loving har-gow since I was a kid. I used to buy me this in the Philippines when I was helping my mom deliver goods to Kowloon House where they sell take-home dim sum. My reward for helping on our family business then. : )

Wish we could try more from their menu but all these are enough for my small family. But we will be back for sure for more dim sum experience.

Chao Ping Ji (潮品集)
San Want Hotel 2F
No. 172, Zhong Xiao East Rd., Sec. 4
(02) 2772-2687
http://www.sanwant.com/en/3-0.htm

Mister Donut Mini 5Q

2009-09-24T13:41:00.005+08:00

We went for coffee at Mister Donut one Sunday and bought our kids this new Mini 5Q (迷你5Q小巧登場) donuts...

Mini 5Q glazed donuts in a box for NT$50... honey, black sesame, strawberry chocolate, milk chocolate, and almond. : )

Yup! It's mini alright.

Get them at all Mister Donut stores (in Taiwan)... maybe they will sell Mini Pon De Rings next time.

Mövenpick Stracciatella Ice Cream

2009-09-21T00:14:00.009+08:00

I love Movenpick Stracciatella classics flavor... the art of Swiss ice cream.

Stracciatella Gelato is kind of like American chocolate chip ice cream, except completely different. Instead of the chips and sometimes chunks you find in American product, Stracciattella has fine bits of chocolate throughout, which results in a smooth texture with just the slightest crunch in every bite. This is achieved by drizzling in a thin stream of melted chocolate during the final stages of churning, which hardens on contact and gets broken up as it churns.

...and I love taking ice cream photos. : )

I like the take-home packaging of Movenpick...

No artificial additives or colours...

Stracciatella is a classic. The basis is white ice cream with dark chocolate chips. Sometimes liquid chocolate is poured into the cream during the freezing process.

Cheers?! : )

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs

2009-09-18T17:03:00.007+08:00

Get ready to be served! The animated movie for all food lovers... and food bloggers. : )

A scientist named Flint Lockwood (voiced by Bill Hader) has spent his entire life creating inventions that were unwanted or faulty, which doesn't help his struggle to try to see eye-to-eye with his dad (voiced by James Caan). When his hometown falls on hard times, forcing the citizens to eat nothing but sardines, he develops a method to directly convert water into food and releases the effects on the world. Hunger is eliminated as weather delivers food, but a problem of global proportions soon evolves when the food weather machine that Flint invented develops a mind of its own, rebels against its creator and starts wreaking havoc on the world. Flint is now saddled with the task of stopping his maniac invention to end the ensuing chaos and save the town of Chewandswallow and the world.

Rotten Tomatoes gave it a high score! Because sardines are super gross. : )