Save on food - Spend on shopping

In Taiwan, saving money on food doesn't mean you have to put up with crappy food or force yourself to go hungry. Breakfast at breakfast shops, lunch at 7-eleven and dinner at night markets. Perfect way to settle your meal in less than NTD300! You can even make it NTD200 or less!


Breakfast shops 早餐店 - selling cheap, wholesome and filling breakfast that can last you to a good midday. Many shops available and lots of franchises of different brands (美而美 etc), most serving the same good selection of Egg Crepe, Sandwiches, Burgers, Carrot Cakes and Noodles etc. My favourite has got to be the Egg Crepe that comes in a wide selection of fillings such as Ham, Bacon, Corn Salad, Tuna Salad, and many many more! There is also an interesting sauce served together with the food that apparently is a different rendition of soy sauce.
Thicker, more starchy and sweeter, I was unable to accept the taste the first time I had it but now I can't eat the Egg Crepes without it! On average, breakfast costs about NTD25 without drinks. With drinks it will sum up to about NTD40-50. The milk tea served in breakfast shops have a different taste that is hard to describe. Might take a few sips to get used to, but overall it is good too. Otherwise, just get your beverage elsewhere.


Local markets 市场 - The best of affordable and delicious local food. While maybe not all are delicious, it is a good experience to walk along their local markets. Google and search what markets are near your hotel. Depending on the region you are staying, the food available differs. The locals might be a little more boisterous (older generations tend not to be too restrictive with their actions), the whole experience is pretty good as vendors tend to be very friendly. I was simply taking a photo of a mini pineapple and the vendor immediately picked it up and posed for me saying, you can't tell how small it is just taking a photo, you need to make a comparison! So Mr Friendly Pineapple Vendor, here you are in my blog! XP

First time in Taiwan, I wasn't too fond of Oysters so I passed up on the Oyster Mee Sua that my friend ordered. In the end, the stall vendor gave me half a bowl for free without the oysters and even recommended the different types of vinegars she used. There were only 4 tables in front of her cart stall so she was able to provide very personal service. Once you get used to the loudness and open-ness of the locals, you will start to appreciate their friendly ways. Of course, do not expect everyone to be friendly. Cost about NTD25?

In Singapore we call these Butterfly, in Taiwan, they call them Twins (双胞胎 shuang bao tai). Tastes just as good and there are even sugar donuts and sesame balls sold. Basically, all these items are fried dough. Twins are fried with a little bit of sesame sprinkled on top and lightly sprinkled with sugar. The dough is not too compact so is quite light but at the same time quite filling. Average cost is about NTD10-15.



7-Eleven - How can you not love this convenient store that really brings convenient to a whole new level. Apparently here the 7-elevens offer photocopying services, postal services and such. Like WOW~
And their adorable Mascots - Open chan and friends are just THE MOST ADORABLE!!! The mascots even have their own themed shopped to get a full range of merchandises! Cups, towels, travel pack items, clocks and what not. (I have a 2013 diary, travel chopsticks set, travel toothbrush set, a mini cup and a postage set of post cards and stamps - obsession I know). Aside from the great range of merchandises, most 7-eleven, if not all, have a City Cafe in the little store that sells pretty good coffee for affordable prices! Choose your flavour and the staff will ask how many syrup packets do you need (and they add it for you! so don't need to be nervous about making a mess while adding sugar). The coffee is good enough that I don't add sugar when drinking latte. Mini sandwiches sold here are quite yummy but not as filling compared to those breakfast shops. There are also mini size cereal with milk that while convenient, does nothing much in fulling your tummy.
I love the microwavable pasta (Creamy Chicken~~) and they sell bentos and others such as cold noodles, cup noodles, salad etc. Some larger outlets even have the Tea Eggs (茶叶蛋) and loklok (assorted ingredients on satay sticks boiled in delicious broth). A meal cost about NTD40-60 excluding drinks. Drinks range from NTD 20-30 for bottled drinks and City Cafe cost about NTD30-50. (Compared to a hot latte from McCafe that costs S$3.50)


Stir Fry 100 热炒100 - This is similar concept to Singapore's ZhiChar 煮炒, except that the dishes are almost all only NTD100! And the best thing is, cheaper ingredients like Vegetables are LESS THAN NTD100! Like WOWx10! I have always been impressed by this concept and finally had a chance to try. Being this cheap kind of make you over order. There are many brands as usual, these are not restaurants so do not expect websites or advertisements. Unless you have a local friend that can recommend their usual haunt, just go at random and feast! Needless to say the taste of food and portioning etc vary according to shops. But still, NTD100 is really tempting! This caters to the middle-to-low income locals so do understand if the place must get a little noisy. People usually gather after work for a good cheap meal and they tend to drink so if you are uncomfortable with such environment, you might want to have your dinner early. As I wasn't too fussy, I simply chose a place that was not too crowded (taking a chance with the taste of food), and luckily the food turned out pretty awesome! Long queue does not mean nice food and no queue does not mean lousy food ya? A wide variety of chicken, fish, vegetables, soup etc and cheap beer. Definitely something that I will want to go again. Average cost depends on the number of people eating and number of dishes (DUH?!) but on a whole, considered yummy and affordable dinner option, though you might go over the daily food budget.


I will not go into detail for Night Markets as lots of details can be found online, also because not being local, night markets stalls can change anytime and I will not be able to provide updated information. However, this is the cheapest option for dinner/supper that is both wallet friendly and taste bud friendly!

Taiwan Night Market Games

While we obviously are not locals who grew up in Taiwan, you can always 'relive their childhood' and try your hands at the night market games. Don't worry if you can't do as well as the locals cause practice makes perfect.

Shooting Games - I'm sure you have seen vendors with bags of mini balloons and a counter with 2- 3 guns 'securedly' attached to the table and a bowl of mini pallets while you were snacking along the bigger night markets. There are quite a few vendors so choose one that has soft toy prizes that you like before you start a game. Though you might not win, but still, you'll never know! There are many variations to shooting games, most vendors uses guns, but there are also some who try to stand out and use bow and arrow. And for the targets, there are balloons, balloons on rotating boards, mini figurines, cans and boards that have to flip over.

Shooting the red boards - Relatively difficult compared to balloons that burst on touch. These boards have to be shot at an angle to flip over and since the boards are quite heavy, the pallets do little damage.

Shooting the balloons - The most simple of the shooting game since guns are used and targets are fixed.

Shooting the balloons (archery) - This is pretty hard as rarely do people have any experience in archery. (There are shooting games in arcade using guns so...) In fact this is hard enough that the vendor offers a mini prize as long as you hit just one balloon. I managed to and got a mini bubble solution. Yay?

Slide the beer 推推乐 - Of course it is not real beer you are sliding across the table. This is difficult as table is usually wet and slippery. Relatively addictive game.

Pick a prize 抽红包 - Not exactly a game, more of a simple luck thing. Grab a ring and pull it up. The vendor will assist you to picking the red packet and offer you the prize in the packet. Usually some cheap stuff but then no big prize was promised in the first place.

Drive out of the maze - You will be given a remote controlled car and your car will have to start from the red arrow. Drive throw the maze and choose which number you wish to park at. Hidden behind the number is small, medium or big prize, so try your luck!

Pinballs - Put in some coins, and a pile of little metal balls will roll out. Use the metal balls to lock down how many rounds you wish to go. There is a payout light on the machine and you have to press the button on the left, bottom corner to stop the light (2, 4, 6, 8 etc). The number represents the number of balls you will get if you win the game. So if you put 3 metal balls and your payout is 6, you get to play 3 rounds on game set 6. The higher the payout, the lesser and harder it is to win as the pinball have lesser options to pass through to be considered a win. Another addictive game! Buy some fried chicken and wintermelon tea and sit in front of a machine and waste your night away~

Whack the hole 洞洞乐 - Pick a hole and use the wooden hammer to break the cute paper cover. A small prize is hidden inside. Mine was a mini handkerchief.

Shoot the rings - You will be given hoop rings to throw onto the mini figurines. Each level represents different points and the total points earned can be used to change for a prize.

Match the mahjong - I am not too sure about the rules for this games but I think it is some matching game.

Sparklers - While this cannot be considered a game, still this is pretty interesting. Some are similar to those sold in Singapore. Whistling sparklers etc, but sold here are also mini fireworks that shoot a short distance into the sky. I was at Hualien and the night market near to the beach sold this. People go to the beach and set of these mini fireworks and sparklers.

Different regions and different night markets have different games available, including basketball (which the ball is so dirty at the end of the game my hand was black), fishing and many others! I think it is a good experience to try a round or two of some games. But just don't get hooked as one game is about the prize of a cheap milk tea! Two games can buy you fried chicken!! Still, no harm trying your hand at the games!

Cafes of Taipei 台北の咖啡馆

While Taiwan is all about yummy and affordable street foods, they have many interesting cafes that are not as wallet-friendly but still worth a visit!

Sonnentor Cafe 日光大道健康厨坊 - https://www.facebook.com/sonnentor.tw

The Fujin outlet I visited (富錦店) is super out of the way, about 5-10 minutes drive from Songshan Airport. There are other locations to visit so feel free to choose to visit the others. I am not sure if their interior design is similar for all outlets but the Fujin outlet is very well done. Their toilet is very well hidden along the walls that, without a sharp eye, you might be walking around the shop twice before giving up and asking the staff. (I noticed the little toilet sign in the middle of the wall because I was busy taking photos of their interior). My friends wanted to try this cafe because of their homemade bread, however to me the coffee and bread are nice but nothing to rave about.



Strawberry Creme Brulee - This item left me with the strongest impression. In the custard base was a generous amount of Strawberry puree and on top of the caramel was supposed to be fresh strawberries but as I was there only at the end of the day, they were out and replaced the strawberry toppings with dried berries, which was equally yummy.

Carbonara Fettucine with Bacon - The pastas served there are really good too as the pasta itself was really well cooked. Not sure if it is handmade pasta but the texture was springy and the noodles did not require much sauce to make it tasty. The carbonara was not overly gelard and bacon was tasty (duh?!).
- last visited March 2014






Cavaralli Cafe 卡瓦利意大利咖啡馆 - https://www.facebook.com/Cavaralli
With no food selection available and almost close to none desserts (cookies, cheesecake, bread and tiramisu on weekends), this cafe is strictly for the coffee lovers to sit down and enjoy your cuppa. The smell of fresh roasted coffee lingers in the air as you get cosy in the wooden chairs and gossip with your pals or plan out your itinerary for the day. Otherwise, head down to the famous Din Tai Fung nearby and queue for a number before heading over to this cafe to wait for your turn. Bread is served warm and has some nuts in it.
- last visited March 2014






















The Coffee Alley 咖啡弄 - http://www.coffee-alley.com/


This cafe has a wide selection of desserts to choose from and the menu uses a lot of fresh fruits. My impression of this cafe is just average and since it was quite costly too, I remember leaving the cafe without the urge to make a second visit.

Fresh Fruits and Mango Ice Cream Waffle (鲜果冰淇淋松饼)

The waffles were soft and egg-y. Mango ice cream was refreshing and blueberry jam was the perfect mix of sour and sweet. The mango puree in the mini jar was overly sweet.

Strawberry Mille-feuille (法式草莓千层派)

The mille-feuille was quite bland and the strawberries were sour. 

White Chocolate Mocha (白巧克力摩卡咖啡)

The white chocolate is served separately so you can add according to your preference.

The Coffee Alley has outlets in Hong Kong as well!
- last visited October 2012

Agnes B Cafe - http://www.agnesb-lepaingrille.com/tw/index.html

The cakes here are really pretty and pretty good in terms of taste. Do expect it to be costly. The cafe sells a variety of chocolates too and other merchandises to bring home. They even sell birthday cakes that you can pre-order online.

Valerie - Chestnut Sponge Cake

Passion Fruit Sponge Cake(No longer in the menu)

The sponge cake is once again soft and sponge-y and the infused passion fruit taste was not overly sweet. On a whole, this cake is light and delicious. Sadly, it is off the menu.

Delices - Chocolate Cake (the pyramid shaped one)

Lucie - Marble Cheesecake

- last visited October 2012

Zhou Zhuang - A Romantic Water Town

Singapore to Shanghai Pudong Airport - 4.5hours
Shanghai Pudong Airport to Kunshan Station ( 昆山航站楼 ) - 2 hours
Kunshan to Zhouzhuang (周庄) - 1 hour

I was in China for 2 days and 2 nights before I went over to Taipei. Having only visited China once (Shen Zhen), my impression of the country was less than positive: overcrowded, dirty toilets and oily food. However, this visit to Kunshan, Shanghai has left me intrigued with the beauty of China. Kunshan is a city in Shanghai and I had the opportunity to visit a town called Zhouzhuang in Kunshan. It is about an hour drive from Kunshan Station, and definitely worth the time spent travelling. I apologise again for not being able to advise on public transport as I have friends here so my friends were driving me around.

In Kunshan, I stayed at Hanting Express 汉庭连锁酒店. Rooms were clean and small, perfect for budget travellers, though somehow the hotel does not provide tissue box. It is convenient to walk around Kunshan and the streets did not feel dangerous or even dirty (except for spits, and don't let your guard down just because you are indoors!)

Food is considered cheap in Singapore standards and they have really good Xiao Long Baos 小龙包~~ I think a plate of ten is less than S$4? And sometimes you have to order food by weight, so don't be shocked when the shop owner asks you 'ni yao ji jin' 你要几斤？Basically one jin 斤 is 500 grams. And I am sure you can't actually imagine how big a portion 500 grams is, so just go for ban jin 半斤. If it is good, go back and get more! Otherwise just save space to try other delicacies.

Anyway, moving on to Zhouzhuang~~ There is an entrance fee of ￥50 and from the ticket counter, you have to walk quite a distance to get to the official entrance area to get into the tourist area for the water town. The whole town has a really romantic setting, with lots of rivers running parallel along the streets, stone bridges and olden mansions with wooden roofs.

In Zhouzhuang, there are many attractions, souvenir shops and restaurants. There is even a Starbucks and a cafe that I would really want to visit the next time I have a chance to revist called Zuo Shou Hou Yuan 左手后院 literally means a Lefthander's backyard. It is a cafe owned by a couple that loves travelling, didn't have the chance to sit and bask in the atmosphere of this quaint little cafe but if anyone did have an opportunity to try this place out, please drop a comment to let me know if it is worth visiting!

纸箱动物园 Cardboard Zoo - made by a group of really 'crafty' people using only cardboard and glue. There is a mini zoo section and huge ones that are the size of a human. Tigers, pigs, wild boars, monkeys, alpaca and sheeps and you can even buy the cardboard with the shape cut out for you to bring home and get crafty! My favourite cardboard animal is the monkeys, hanging off trees and even carrying their babies. Just so realistic!

陈逸飞之家 Chen Yih Fei's Humble Abode - Compared to the other mansions opened for viewing, Mr Chen's house is considered much, much smaller. Mr Chen is the artist that drew the Double Bridge of Zhouzhuang that made Zhouzhuang famous overseas. The inside of his home is decorated with art pieces and old editions of Vogue magazines.


沈家 Home of the Shen Family - This has to be the largest mansion opened for viewing. Mr Shen was a businessman, helping the government to open up the Chinese market overseas. Copper murals are decorated along the walls of his house describing his life story and how his life was not simply a bed of roses.

 游船 Rowboats - There are different rates charged for different routes. Maximum of 6 adults on a boat so if you are only two, you can join another group to split the cost. Most boats are rowed by women of Zhouzhuang. The lady that rowed the boat asked if we would like to add on ￥30 to have her sing and introduce the attractions. The Chinese people bargained and finally she agreed to sing at ￥15. It was kind of sad as she is obviously tired and thirsty from rowing under the hot sun (though the weather was still cool around that season), but an opportunity to earn extra bucks should not be given up so easily! Go lady! I like how the little baby girl that I shared the boat with was so fascinated by the lady.
Row, row, row your boat~
The boat ride brings you along the many streams of Zhouzhuang and at some point reaches the part of town where the locals actually lives in. There, they have fish nets to catch river fishes and prawns. According to the boat lady, the locals do not poop or pee in the rivers (i bet you were asking this question in your head). I am not sure which route I took but the boat ride was pretty short. Even so, I recommend this attraction!

I did not get much souvenirs though I did buy the sesame biscuits because of the old school chinese style wrapping (as seen on the left). Still have not tried the biscuit.. And another thing I recommend is to drink tea at any of the cafes or food establishment along the river. Tea is really fragrant and scenery is so peaceful.

All in all, I felt that Zhouzhuang is a really pretty place and I highly recommend this place to anyone who are in Shanghai or Kunshan. I spent about 5 hours there but that is only because I had a wedding dinner to attend at night so I could not stay too long. More information can be found at their official website, which I think is really pretty too. Do feel free to give your feedback on Zhouzhuang in the comments box below! http://www.zhouzhuang.com/