SIN: Taipei Café

Simple, but yummy braised pork intestines!

Craving for Taiwanese delights, but have no time to fly all the way to Taipei? Head down to Taipei Café near Bugis Junction, a humble eatery which offers a wide range of authentic Taiwanese dishes as recommended by many of my friends. When I first visited the eatery, I had the Xi Men Ding Pork Ribs Rice Set, priced at S$15.50. Each set offered comes with two side dishes (half servings), as well as a bowl of soup.

Xi Men Ding Pork Ribs Rice (Set Menu)

Taste: 8.5/10

Served in a bento box, the pork ribs were savoury and juicy without being greasy. The accompanying pickled carrots and cabbages were refreshingly sour, while the cooked vegetables were smooth and comforting. On top of that, the rice was fluffy, and it was indeed a delight to have a bit of braised pork belly on top of it.

Chilled Tofu with Century Eggs (Set Menu)

Taste: 8.5/10

Are, or were, century eggs prepared by soaking eggs in horse urine? I'm sorry for mentioning this in a food review, but it's just a myth haha... The delectable century eggs weren't overly pungent. The tofu slices, despite being tasteless, were silky smooth went well with the dark sauce comprising soy sauce as the main ingredient.

Braised Pork Intestines (Set Menu)

Taste: 8.5/10

It was indeed one of the rare occasions when I sampled the only type of internal organ I can eat. True enough, the ones I had the other day successfully cured my longing for them. Each slice was enjoyably chewy without having any repulsive smell, absorbing the sweet and slightly sour brown sauce well. 

Soup (Set Menu)

Taste: 6.5/10

There was nothing special with the soup which was very lightly seasoned with salt and pepper. However, it was definitely a welcomed addition to the set to help me wash down the rest of the food. It came with a bit of fish cakes, egg whites and spring onions.

Fish Balls with Roe S$6.90

Taste: 8/10

On a separate occasion, I went to the café again for snacks as my mouth felt itchy. I ordered fish balls which were nicely chewy, each having quite a generous amount of roe inside which was delectably creamy. It'd definitely be better if they were served hot though.

Japanese Green Tea Snow Ice S$5.50

Taste: 8/10

Perfect for a hot weather, the shaved snow ice had a nice green tea fragrant. Without being cloyingly sweet, it slowly melted in my mouth, giving rise to a milky sensation on the taste buds. It was complemented by azuki beans which were well-cooked to a soft consistency.

Taipei Bubble Tea S$2.60

Taste: 8/10

Putting the bubble tea into the acid test, I wasn't disappointed at all. The milk-infused tea was adequately thick, and it didn't grow heavy as I finished it. There were a lot of medium-sized bubbles which were nicely chewy without being sticky on the teeth. 

Melon's Rating

Taste: 8/10

Ambience: 7.5/10

Service: 7.5/10

Overall: 7.5/10

Do visit Taipei Café, and I'm pretty sure you'll be satisfied. Pika's advice: A lot of people have been giving thumbs up for the Special Stewed Beef Noodle. You may want to give it a try!

Taipei Café

470 North Bridge Road

#01-02 North Bridge Commercial Complex

Singapore
(Sun-Fri: 11.00am - 11.00pm; Sat: 12 noon - 12 midnight)

*Prices quoted are subject to 10% service charge.

Have a nice meal,

Cliff(y)