Taiwan Travelogue: Day 3 in Taipei 101, Dazzling Cafe, Ximending

Back to my Taiwan entires, leggo!

After spending the weekend in Taichung, we went back to Taipei and I finally had a good rest in the comfort of the bf's comfy bed because his bed is really too darn nice to sleep in.

So much that despite making plans with Lirong to meet her and her bf at around lunch, I actually woke up at 12pm O.O

Cannot really blame ah haha, too exhausted already!

Left home around 1pm and caught the bus to get to the mrt station.

Before that, as per our normal habit, we went to the Family Mart downstairs to buy drinks lol.

This green tea tastes pretty awesome for something that doesn't have sugar in it.

 I usually chug Pokka Green Tea like mad here in Singapore because the no sugar one taste like crap to me so anything with no sugar I just don't consume at all. Now this brand of green tea taste refreshing and light! I likey.

To highlight something for buses in Taiwan, you don't have to pay upon boarding immediately. Instead, check whether the driver wants you to pay upon boarding or alighting. They will indicate it, if not you can just ask the nice driver if you are unable to recognise Chinese words. Actually, just let others board first and see if they paid their fare or not la haha.

Darn mosquitoes bit me like siao!!!! *(!#&@*(&@)*(@!&*!(@&)!(

First stop was Taipei 101! We got off at 市政府 station and walked towards Taipei 101. You can do that or simply take the Red line to the Taipei 101 station.

Shinkong Mitsukoshi

The bf lives pretty near the area so this is naturally his family's first choice to go for food, entertainment, shopping etc. I have been here to regularly and I absolutely love coming here as well because the Xinyi Shopping District (信義區) has everything under the sun here!

Wanna buy makeup? Go to Shinkong Mitsukoshi.

Wanna buy atas bags? Go Taipei 101.

Wanna watch a movie? Go to Vieshow.

And the best thing is, they are all connected via overhead bridges lol, similar to how our Orchard Rd underground links work.

Taipei 101 for our lunch at this place in the basement foodcourt.

The bf said the sushi here is extremely delicious so I was really looking forward to it!

I had a very good meal that day haha! So if you want something reasonably priced, you can try searching for this sushi place at the foodcourt area in Taipei 101.

Starting my shopping there after lunch lol! Bought masks from this Taiwanese brand while waiting for Lirong to arrive. She was stuck somewhere due to the rain.

After she and her bf arrived, we proceeded to take pictures like tourists outside Taipei 101 ROFL.

Walked over to Shinkong Mitsukoshi A11 for Dazzling Cafe!

Original plan was to head to the outlet at Breeze Center but by chance I found this one at Shinkong Mitsukoshi on the way to Taipei 101 so I told Lirong to come over because we were on a tight schedule then haha.

Dazzling Cafe has dominated the IG-phere thanks to their awesome looking thick toasts! I really wanted to try it and since Lirong was also in Taipei then, of course I had to ask our favourite food blogger if she wanted to go with me.

Ask my bf go with me sure kena niam one cos he dislikes desserts haha. So ya, sorry Lirong you became my excuse lol!

You can check all the outlets in the picture above! We were at the one called Dazzling Cafe Sunshine hence the yellow theme rofl. Had to wait for awhile to get a table despite it being a weekday and late afternoon and the staff informed us that we had a 90 minute limit inside the cafe. Boo.

Decided to order a few items to share because all 4 of us were darn full from lunch still. Please also remember that there is a minimum order for each guest so we had to order 4 items in order to meet the quota D:

So much rules one this cafe -.-"

Truffle fries

My fruit tea

I didn't like the truffle fries because I prefer shoestring fries with truffle and the portion was quite pathetic for the price :/

The drink however I enjoyed because it was refreshing and light!

Now onto their star products - thick toasts!

Matcha thick toast

Strawberry thick toast

Lirong hard at 'work' lol

So the toasts looked like this inside actually. Did I like it? Not really lol.

Maybe because the cream was really overwhelming D: But the toast itself was toasted just nice and crisp. I think in future, I must have a food adventure in Taipei man. But it'll be difficult because my trips to Taipei are usually for visiting the bf's family. I don't really have much control over where I can go and the schedule is usually not fixed. Oh wells~

Surprised to see that they were selling macarons as well but didn't buy any because I knew I would end up being the only one munching on them (the bf hates them, too sweet he says) so passed on it. It didn't really look as appetising so NT420 saved!

Headed to Shida Night Market afterwards with the couple.

So so so so disappointing D:

The whole area shrank and just looked very tiny compared to its former times.

Met Jace and her friend there and even she who loved Shida Night Market was so upset that there were so little stalls left. Heard that it was due to complaints from the residents nearby that the authorities had to 'shut down' the night market. What is left are all proper stalls and pricing is not very cheap. So only go if you happen to have extra time I suppose. I wouldn't make a trip on purpose just to go to this particular night market.

Left and went back to Ximending with Lirong!

Introduced them to the bf and my favourite fried chicken - 繼光香香雞!

Upon exiting from Exit 6 towards the main shopping district, you will notice the store with the huge red banner on your right.

Look out for this store!

I love the fried chicken from this store! It's really fried and seasoned to perfection :P Ok, totally salivating here while typing this. I know that they opened a store at Tiong Bahru Plaza in Singapore but I still prefer going to Taiwan to eat this.

Went to buy Ah Zong Mee Sua as part of our dinner.

The store is located on your right when you walk down the main stretch, I think it is the first right junction. Anyhow you will spot alot of people outside the store eating the mee sua so ya lol.

Brought Lirong to ABC Mart (located at the building beside the Uniqlo in Ximending) to buy slippers :P

Gonna share this here with anyone reading this. I never buy Havianas slippers in Singapore because they are so over-priced! I usually get them on my trips to Taipei at this ABC store in Ximending because it is so much cheaper.

Sometime when I am very lucky, there are tons of designs. So depending on your luck, you can find some nice designs in your size at cheaper prices.

The slippers are usually sold in the range of NT500 to 800? Which in my opinion is bloody cheap compared to Singapore stores. Of course, Brazil is the cheapest la but since the airfare is gonna cost way more and the time taken to fly there, this is your next best bet la lol.

Didn't do much afterwards actually. Went back to check out Lirong's hotel lol and to take some things from Jace who was staying in the same hotel as Lirong then we cabbed home.

Was quite hungry so went to buy some cold noodles from the convenience store.

This is my favourite kind of noodles from the convenience store actually, not cup noodles lol! Actually in general, after meeting the bf, I have been introduced alot of different types of food that I typically would not even eat so it's good that I discovered my love for cold noodles haha!

Oh and that's Taiwan's version of Yakult by the way.

The green bottle is the matcha flavour with aloe vera inside. Tasted damn gross hahaha! Try at your own risk k hahaha!

End of my 3rd day in Taiwan hoho. Back again soon with more entries~