Travelogue: Beef Noodle 牛店 (Taiwan)

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I was so damn lucky because this famous and awesome beef noodle store was literally stone's throw distance from my guesthouse in Taipei! I was staying at Ximen Station, and it's at 111 Kunming Street and this store was just a few minutes walking distance. 

Usually the store opens at 11am and closes at about 8pm. Since we stay nearby, we always see queues anytime in the day. We managed to only eat it once (even though the boy wanted to eat it again before we go, we didn't had the chance to) and we had to wait for about 10 minutes before we were seated. To get yourself a seat, you need to write your name on a board hung around the handle of the door at the entrance. Once you're done, you wait to be called. (which I assume you can walk around then come back again but of course we just stood there and wait.) Being tourist, we asked how could we order and what to do so the staff told us to look at the board (no pictures at all) and select what we wanted to eat. Only give it to them upon being called for our turn.

Here it is! The signboard!

I think this is their special chilli which I didn't try because the original taste was awesome enough. Usually I take chilli in Singapore whenever the food doesn't taste good enough.

A simple harmless looking bowl of noodles which is god-damn-awesome.

For 1 big bowl and 1 small bowl, it's NT$370 (SGD$16)

The place is rather small and not spacious. We got a seat that we had to face the wall and with all our bags and heavy coats.. Aiyo, no space to even stretch my arms wide. But it was all worth it as the food was really good. I enjoy that bowl of noodles, very very much. That I'd definitely go back again in my future trips!

If you're a beef noodle lover, you ought to NOT miss this place! And I mean it. EAT.

***

Address:

台北市萬華區昆明街91號

Opening hours:

1100 to 2100 (but usually sold out by 2000)

Contact:

0223895577

Social Media:

Open Rice

Cafe: Rider's Cafe @ Bukit Timah

Rider's have been around for a long long time and finally... I made my way here thanks to M. We came over during lunch for a quick one so we didn't really get to enjoy the full ambiance.

M took a seat nearest to the stables and thankfully I was having a flu that day so the smell didn't really bother me.

It was a pretty sunny day so it was kind of humid.

Even though it's a weekday lunch time, it's pretty crowded as well. Better to reserve if you don't want to wait. We're lucky cause there's just 2 of us so it wasn't hard to find seats.

Lunch menu was alright. Decent enough with some selections. They have daily specials too at their door step, do check them out.

Riders Burger @ $19

The burger is good, even though I thought the presentation of the food could be better. I had a hard time trying to eat my burger because the plate was quite cramped with the fries and all so I had no space to cut my patty up. The fries were tad cold but it was still acceptable.

Bone-In Pork Chop @ $35

A little pricey in my opinion but it was good. Had a slice from M to try and she liked it very much as well.

Caramel Brioche @ $12

This is a total Caramel overload. Super duper sweet that even bought of us couldn't finish it. But I must say the honeycomb and brioche was good. Don't think about finishing it on your own unless you have a super sweet tooth ya. The portion for this price is really reasonable! I think for 4 to share 1 of this after the mains is just right!

A good place to dine over lunch with a smelly view (hahahahha) but the entire experience was good. I felt like I was in a getaway because of the surrounding for just 2 short hours.

M told me that the night time is even more beautiful. But the only setback is that it's really hard to get in, and especially at night the road can be pretty dark. Best to drive in! :)

Address: 

51 Fairways Drive

Singapore 286965

Bukit Timah Saddle Club

Opening hours: 

Sun to Thur 0800 - 2100

Fri to Sat 0800 - 2200

Closed on Monday

Reservations:

62276819

Social Media: 

Facebook | Website

Zhi Char: Two Chef Eating Place @ Commonwealth

I was so relieved that my friends reserved seats and were earlier then us because the queue was crazily long! Really, like barely 7pm and the queue was 15 people at least in queue!

Dishes were decided by my friends that came before so whatever we've ordered as the awesome ones you should try!

Drunken Cockles 醉蛤

Good appetizer which is fresh!

Herbal Chicken 药材鸡汤

I am not a fan of herbal chickens but this is good. You should give this a try. We had 10 people so we ordered 2 of this, 1 is good for 5.

Fried Shredded Yam香炒芋头

Honey Fried Chicken 蜜汁鸡

Another of my favourite!

Salted Egg Prawn (de-shelled) 咸蛋虾（去壳）

Usually doesn't come deshelled, you have to request for it if you want to.

Butter Ribs 牛油排骨

This is their popular dish which for me... I think it's okay but not something I would go super wow over but the concept is very interesting. Milk powder and pork? Hmmm. Anyway it's still good for you to try, and re-try!

Three Egg Vegetable 三蛋时菜

One of my favourite, there's alot eggs and vegetables in this!

Basically, a great zhi char place with affordable pricing, it's about $16 per pax for us (forgot the individual prices already). Definitely heading back again, and perhaps even try out the other outlet at Sin Ming - and my friend actually told me there is even better then Commonwealth's. So I shall try and let you know!

Address: 

Commonwealth Outlet:

116 Commonwealth Crescent #01-129

Singapore 140116

Sin Ming Outlet:

409 Sin Ming Avenue #02-01

Singapore 507409

Opening hours: 

Commonwealth Outlet:

Mon 1700 - 2330

Tue - Sun 1130 - 1430

Tue - Sun 1700 - 2330

Closed on Every Last Mon of the Month

Sin Ming Outlet:

Daily 1100 - 2230

Reservations:

6472 5361 (Commonwealth)

6451 3812 (Sin Ming)

Social Media: 

Facebook | Website

Cafe: Mamashop @ Pearl Hill Terrance

So I have been wanting to check out a cafe that our local celebrities opened up just a while ago. It was kind of inconvenient but we decided to go anyway for our mini Christmas celebration last year. Took a long walk from Chinatown MRT before reaching the cafe.

Well.. Maybe I got my hopes too high and didn't read enough reviews because I was tad disappointed when we were there that day. There was literally no shop front. Tables and chairs were just placed infront of the kitchen. Minimal fans and.. thankfully it was drizzling that day so it wasn't exactly humid. So if it had been a blazing hot day... I think I will probably die there.

There... Really, small. 

Sora Ma's fans were gathered there that day as they had a celebration later at night which we were pretty lucky to have witnessed.

Cute menu which I like. But the menu was really limited and the portion is really small too. We had to each order a main plus sides.

Total we had 3 drinks, 1 to share, 3 mains, 2 desserts and because that day was pre-dong zi (which in chinese it's like pre "winter") so they gave us free rice balls too.

Italian Peach Soda @ $3.90

Okaasan Waffle @ $4.90

Unfortunately.. the best amongst all we have ordered. Seaweed chicken and waffles plus bonito flakes, can't go wrong I guess?

Messy Messy Nice Nice Mama Burger @ $10.90

Supposedly their signature but... it wasn't up to what I expected. Dry and.. yeah.

Happy Peppy Seafood Burger @ $16.90

Not worth the price tag, it was just average..

Salted Caramel Cake @ $7.90

This was tad slightly better then the rainbow cake below, but... just don't waste calories.

Rainbow Cake @ $8.90

Probably the worst I've ever eaten and plus, it was so hard and dry like it was left out open for days. Really disappointed to have paid $8.90 for this. We didn't finish any of the cakes.

I guess the only consolation apart from the long walk, the not-so-good food and cramped seats.. was seeing Sora Ma live. We didn't go up to interrupt their celebration but I could understand why Sora's fan club is willing to do so much for her. She's really pretty not just on TV, and she's really close with her fans.

Can you spot Sora helping?

I like Sora in her shows even though I'm not a die-hard fan. But... this cafe, you should skip it unless you're here to solely show you support. 

Just my honest opinions. You could have different ones. :)

Address: 

Old Police Operational Headquarters

195 Pearl Hill Terrace

Singapore 168976

Opening hours: 

Daily 1200 - 2200

Fri & Sat 2300

Reservations:

Walk-ins

Social Media: 

Facebook

Cafe: Tian Kee @ Dakota

The one reason that I wanted to come here was because of their beautiful rainbow cheesecake. Really, that was the one and only reason enough to make me move my ass all the way to Dakota. I must say there is nothing, absolutely nothing else surrounding Tian Kee but the cafe. The entire estate is so peaceful that I wondered if any residents were staying there.

It was about 8 minutes slow walk from Dakota MRT without any shelter till Tian Kee cafe which has no air-con. On a super hot day, I think I'd go crazy but thankfully that Saturday while we were there, god was tad nice to make it cloudy with bits of raindrop - I mean light drizzle for like 10 minutes hahaha.

While I was earlier then my date for that day, I took some shots of the place and... I'm so silly to have left the place without taking the shopfront. Sorry, but I think a lot of people would have already taken it hahahaha.

Anyway, they don't take reservations and the entire cafe is pretty small. No more than 35 seats I suppose? Gotta try your luck while you're there.

Don't know if anyone really does any exchanges but it's loaded with books.

Decent variety on the menu for you to pick.

There, a peaceful Saturday afternoon. Breezy and cloudy. 

French Vanilla with Rose $5 a mini kettle. I thought the presentation was rather cute and refreshing.

Very Berry (Ribena with Fresh Milk) $6 looks normal but actually was pretty good.

Tian Kee Eggs Beauregard $14.90 

Tian Kee Eggs Royale $14.90

I totally love the cheese sauce on top. Even though it wasn't poached eggs but it was good enough.

The legendary rainbow cheesecake that I was tad disappointed when the plate came with crumbles. :( 

Good for sharing among 2! $6.50

Toffee Salted caramel Cheesecake which was equally good but of course, if you only have one choice, you know what to choose. $6.50

I had a really hard time deciding what I want to order for mains even though the menu wasn't that extensive. I am definitely looking at going back to try out their big breakfast and another slice of rainbow to spice up my day.

 ***

Address: 

12 Dakota Crescent
Singapore 390012

Opening hours: 

Closed on Mondays
Weekdays noon to 1900/ 2100 (Friday)
Weekends 1000 to 2100 (Saturday) /2000 (Sunday)

Reservations:

Doesn't take any

Social Media: 

Facebook