Fifi Taipei

Since last week I have wanted to try out Fifi after it was recommended by a friend I just got to know in Taipei. Finally dragged Kennut along after he'd arrived from KL last night. We got a taxi to Fifi on:

Address: 2F, 15 Renai Rd, Sec 4, Taipei (臺北市仁愛路四段15號2樓)

Telephone: (02) 2721 1970; for reservations in English call (0939) 834 845



The restaurant is situated on the 2nd floor. It wasnt very full when we got there but maybe because it was a Sunday. The reviews stated that it can sometimes be packed.

My first impression - amazing deco. Modern yet comfy, classy and definitely fine dining style.

We started off with the sliced chicken and cucumber topped with something that tasted like peanut sauce. Very interesting but u can't have too much of it or risk not being able to finish you main course before getting overly stuffed.

A very guai lo dish - the Shanghai ribs. Sweet and sour flavours but very juicy and tender boneless ribs. Yums!

Every complete meal has to have vegetables in it. We opted for the long beans. What can I say - totally delicious with strong black pepper flavouring to it. I could not stop ...

When I googled Fifi for it's address, I saw that their Hunan Eggs come strongly recommended. I concur that! Very different than what I've ever tasted and yummy, no doubt.

After dinner, which should cost approximately NTD 500-600 pp (RM50-60 pp), we adjourned to their bar on the 3rd floor. Only upon settling the bill did I realize that there was a minimum surchage of NTD550. Not sure if it was for 2 person or something like that but yet, we had a total of 3 beers.

It's one of those chillout places and good for a quiet Saturday night with a reasonably good selection of alcohol.

I had this funny tasting passion fruit beer 3.6% alcohol called Floris from Belgium. It's a very fruity and girly drink that costs about NTD250 in the bar.

Overall, I loved the Fifi experience and apart from the typical Taiwanese street food and hotpot that I have been having for the past 2 weeks, this has got to be my favourite joint in Taipei so far. Second time? Definitely!

Taipei -2nd weekend

I can't understand why I am still in such a lazy mood to do anything. I think age is seriously catching up with me.

Saturday night. Just chilling in my hotel room and trying to upload pictures from my weekend so far.

My activities in Taipei this weekend before my new audit assignment commences next week.
1) Freeloading the hot spring facilities in the hotel where my colleague checked into. Broadway Hot Spring Hotel in Beitou after work on a Friday.
2) Luxy (one of Taipei's hottest nightspot) at night when another colleague comes into town to celebrate his birthday. Before that, doing a little shopping and on the lookout for the perfect gift for my colleague, Kenneth who graciously reminded me that he'll be spending his birthday with me in Taipei when he gets in tomorrow.
3) Hot spring and massage on a Saturday morning. The best feeling ever when you need to get alcohol out of your system and in dire need of a good back massage
4)Taipei Zoo for a relaxing stroll and looking for the famous pandas.
5) Skinkeng for dinner with the client before proceeding to some very secluded area to watch fireflies.
6) Bumming around in my hotel room on a Saturday night as I need to rejuvenate before my new audit commences this Monday.

The public hot spring across colleague's room. Entry fee only NTD20 (RM2). I won't ever try it cause the place is literally swarmed with people at all times of the day.

Our very hopsitable client will also be taking us to YangMingShan for some 'wild vege' meal and a little sightsee tomorrow.

Right now, I'm gonna lie back on my chair after blogging and watch some TVB series.

More pics will be posted soon enough when the lazy hands and brain is ready to get back into action

XoXo. Goodnight

Yuse Spa

I gotta tell you - going into the hot and cold spring, enjoying the steam bath and having a great massage on a Sunday evening, letting your mind wander and linger to those awesome, beautiful memories of the past has got to be the best feeling in the world! Really, nothing beats that! Plus point, what more if the spa is overlooking lush greeneries!

For the first time in my life, I experienced the hot spring in Yuse Spa. Well, if you ask me how great it is, I am not exactly the best person to judge cause after all, my virgin trip ma..but I guess it's kinda cool for a first timer for about Taiwan Dollah 200.

And you get to enjoy a scrumptious (well not exactly) Japanese meal after.

In total I spent about 1 hr plus in the hot/cold spring + steam room and about 50 minutes of massage ( of course you have to seperately pay for the massage but the masseuse was fantastic although a bit pricey for 50 mins NTD1000 for extra strenght on ur pressure points). Sheer bliss I tell u!

Just something I found from trip advisor on how to get there by public transport. Being the road and direction dummy me, I purely relied on my colleague to get me there.

From MRT Shihpai Station, take Bus 508, 535 or 536; alight at "Shing Yi Rd. 3"; from Shing Yi Rd., turn into Lane 300; Yuse Spa is a 3-min. walk from there. It's located in Beitou.

Will I try it again? Definitely. But maybe try a different place. I'm not too sure, but cleanliness wise, I wasn't too impressed loh, but experience wise - thumbs up all the way!

Hua Lien and Taroko Gorge, Taiwan

Yesterday, the colleague and I went on a day trip to Hua Lien, which is situated on the East of Taiwan and approximately 2 1/2 hours from Taipei Train Station.

We arrived in Hua Lien at around 11 and was immediately whisked away by the bus driver/ cum tour guide to start our day tour.

Our first stop was to the chi sing tan beach. Somehow, in the past couple of weeks, I've seen so many lovely beaches (Costa Del Sol in Spain and Casablanca in Morocco), but never had the chance to stay long enough to enjoy the sea breeze and clear waters! This one is no exception.

This one had no sandy beaches but all rocks. But yesterday's weather, after all that rain in Taipei was just awesome for a day trip!

After spending about 1/2 hour at the beach, cam whoring, taking pictures of the surroundings, we made our way to lunch as a small little restaurant nearby the Taroko National Park (太魯閣國家公園), which will be the highlight of this trip. It was originally established, (the gorge i mean) in 1937 by the Governor General of Taiwan and till this day remains one of the most famous tourist spots.

After a very healthy lunch of 'wild' vegetables and meat/fish/ eggs, we left for the gorge at 1pm.

We were told that this place, the entrance into the gorge, is the perfect spot for pics, yeah, so u go, picture taking again.

Haha, it gets kinda scary when you see signs like this all over!

Amongst famous sights we visited were tunnel of 9 turns and swallow's mouth.

After a while, all that walk actually becomes a bit tiring and the sights get a bit boring. Nevertheless, it's a good experience and worth all that travel to get some fresh air, away from the busy city and be close to nature.

EZ Tour had some promotion going about and we paid about NTD2500 (RM250) for two people, which is kind of like a buy 1 free 1 for weekends! Great deal eh!

Oh well, it's 10 am on a Sunday morning and here I am in the mood for a little blogging. Thinking of today's plan for now..adios!

Taipei - 3 whole weeks!

In case ur wondering, no, I'm not dead yet. The lack of posts is simply because I have been so tired after Europe I virtually did nothing except unpacking and then packing for my 3 weeks job stint in Taipei. Tried out Daikanyama twice in the past week and absolutely loved it. Yeah, no photos this time around as I was , well just too lazy! Also tried out No Black Tie over the weekend and it was a great jazzy experience.

Anyway, I'm pretty stressed out in Taipei atm and bogged down with work, therefore won't be blogging until sometime later in the week. Down with the flu bug due to the sudden change in temperature AGAIN. I'm trying my best not to overstuff myself with the ever-s0-famous Taiwanese snacks. So guess what my biggest motivation will be!

Will be making a day trip to the beautiful Taroko Gorge over the weekend. Found a really cheap package. Hopefully it's all worth it!

Adios!

Day 4 - Siem Reap (Tonle Sap & Dinner at FCC)

On our 2nd last day we made a trip 10km away from Old Town to the Tonle Sap lake.
My first reaction of the river leading to the lake when I arrived ,' OMG...so dirty and muddy'

After paying USD10 pp, we hopped on a little boat that took us right to the lake.

..and check out the cigarettes sold by the street peddlars...Alan Delon ..hmm I always thought was some clothing line..

During the entire trip, I felt a bit ripped off, cause i was expecting some floating village like Bangkok's floating market, but we only made one stop to this floating 'farm' where we could feed the catfish (just like 2 miserable ponds) and see some crocodiles (even the little croc farm which can be seen from KC's hotel room - re: day 1 had more crocs). Check out the satelite dish for the farm!!!...

here's me at the top deck...

..and here's a very brave KC holding on to the snake at the floating 'farm'..

..where the children study..their school..

...and a floating church..

..here's our young boat boy playing with the water in the lake..

After the Tonle Sap lake visit, our guide Rottana, took us to the nunnery where he grew up after fleeing his village during the civil war where he lost touch with his mom for 12 years!

...our last stop for the day was to the Silk Farm..where we observed how silkworm were bred, fed and how silk comes about...

..feeding the worms with Mulberry leaves..

...after the 4th day and 3 meals daily, we have had enough of Cambodian Amok, Lok Lak...so we opted for Western food for our last dinner in Siem Reap. FCC - a restaurant famous those days for the French journalists. Something like fine dining in Siem Reap...

Very good ambience, a bit on the pricey side...service- average. Be prepared to pay approximately USD15 without wine at this fancy restaurant.

they serve superb appetizers....this is the crab cake we ordered..

and...dumplings....

..ending my meal with a lovely coconut creme brulee

So yeah folks..that sums up my Siem Reap trip...

Enjoy your last minute shopping this weekend before Chinese New Year!!!