Back in the day when reasonably priced Western restaurants were few and far between, Grandma Nitti’s was already providing comfort food for forlorn Westerners who had had enough of beef noodle soup and potstickers. Nitti’s location off Shida Road has become a well-known gathering place, and while the food on offer has drawn reviews ranging from the wildly enthusiastic to the derisive, the restaurant’s appeal has never faded for expats longing for a taste of home.
My Sweetie Pie Bakery & Cafe, located almost directly opposite, looks like it might have been transplanted from Taipei’s up-market East District (東區), but is in fact an extension of the Grandma Nitti operation. Clean lines, whitewashed walls and abundant natural light generate an air of casual sophistication.
My Sweetie shares some elements of Grandma Nitti’s menu, but according to Rainbow Lin (林虹惠), the driving force behind both operations, her new project is restricted to smaller brunch and snack dishes. The reason for this is to highlight the cake selection, which is displayed in a way that seems to wink alluringly at passersby.
Priced at around NT$90 a slice, the large portions of American-style cakes fill a niche in a market dominated by elaborately decorated production-line sweets or chichi concoctions of French or Japanese-inspired patisseries. Offerings such as carrot cake (NT$90) and warm chocolate cake (NT$80) make an appealing pairing with a large mug of coffee (hot NT$100; iced NT$110), and the banana chocolate cake (NT$90) is recommended for its robust textures and fresh banana flavor. This is comfort food, but there is an admirable restraint in the use of sugar and fat, and the cakes are nicely presented without being drowned in whipped cream.
For more savory palates, there are a number of brunch variations on offer, such as poached eggs with pesto sauce, ham and toast (NT$180), or light lunch meals that include homemade beef lasagna (with homemade pasta, NT$270). The prices include regular coffee or tea. A slice of cake or pie can be added to all orders for an additional NT$60, making for a very reasonably priced meal.
Apart from the restaurant service, My Sweetie Pie also sells cakes to order. Four-inch (10cm), 6-inch (15cm) and 8-inch (20cm) sizes are available, with prices for an 8-inch cake around NT$800.
The usual range of coffees, slushies, smoothies and milk shakes are available. My Sweetie serves also Mighty Leaf specialty teas as an added attraction.
The large airy space, open kitchen with gleaming surfaces, comfortable sofas and side tables with individual table lamps make this a location equally suited to work or relaxation. The friendly service and free Wi-Fi are icing on the cake.
— IAN BARTHOLOMEW
It’s only half the size of its more famous counterpart in Taipei, but the Botanical Garden of the National Museum of Nature Science (NMNS, 國立自然科學博物館植物園) is surely one of urban Taiwan’s most inviting green spaces. Covering 4.5 hectares immediately northeast of the government-run museum in Taichung’s North District (北區), the garden features more than 700 plant species, many of which are labeled in Chinese but not in English. Since its establishment in 1999, the site’s managers have done their best to replicate a number of native ecosystems, dividing the site into eight areas. The name of the Coral Atoll Zone might
On Monday morning, in quick succession, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) released statements announcing “that the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and General Secretary Xi Jinping (習近平) have invited KMT Chairwoman Cheng Li-wun (鄭麗文) to lead a delegation on a visit to the mainland” as the KMT’s press release worded it. The KMT’s press release added “Chairwoman Cheng expressed her gratitude for the invitation and has gladly accepted it.” Beijing’s official Xinhua news release described Song Tao (宋濤), head of the Taiwan Work Office of the CCP Central Committee, as
Nuclear power is getting a second look in Southeast Asia as countries prepare to meet surging energy demand as they vie for artificial intelligence-focused data centers. Several Southeast Asian nations are reviving mothballed nuclear plans and setting ambitious targets and nearly half of the region could, if they pursue those goals, have nuclear energy in the 2030s. Even countries without current plans have signaled their interest. Southeast Asia has never produced a single watt of nuclear energy, despite long-held atomic ambitions. But that may soon change as pressure mounts to reduce emissions that contribute to climate change, while meeting growing power needs. The
The US war on Iran has illuminated the deep interdependence of Asia on flows of oil and related items as raw materials that become the basis of modern human civilization. Australians and New Zealanders had a wake up call. The crisis also emphasizes how the Philippines is a swatch of islands linked by jet fuel. These revelations have deep implications for an invasion of Taiwan. Much of the commentary on the Taiwan scenario has looked at the disruptions to world trade, which will be in the trillions. However, the Iran war offers additional specific lessons for a Taiwan scenario. An insightful
RSS