A highly popular Japanese-style old house café with panini and single-origin coffee for a delightful afternoon!

Text and photos by /Lao K

I went to Er-Tiao-Tong · Green Island Serenade with Mei-Ji during the 228 holiday, but I completely forgot to write about it XD. I just happened to rediscover it these days and had to share it with everyone right away.

This café is located on the first floor of a building right behind Xinyi Boulevard, near the intersection where it’s quite bustling. Once you step inside, you’ll notice how uniquely charming it is. The place gives off a strong sense of history, which instantly slows down your pace.

The interior is pretty dim when you first walk in XD, but the entire wooden design has a lot of character. The wood looks like it’s full of historical traces, which helps slow your pace down.

Is this a wishing tree?

The cold drip coffee machine next to the counter looks so impressive!

Of course, you come here for the coffee. There’s a handwritten menu for single-origin coffees, while the other two pages feature other coffee options.

The panini here is said to be quite delicious.

Friends who don’t drink coffee can choose tea or cocoa.

Of course, you can also go for juice, milkshakes, or smoothies.

For dessert after a meal or afternoon tea, you can check out the options here.

No service charge here. Free Wi-Fi is available. The minimum spend is 120 NTD. Dining time is limited to 2 hours on holidays, but no time limit on weekdays. You can even bring pets here too. After placing your order, during a break in the action,
I asked the staff if we could go upstairs to take a look, and they said yes.

You can go up the stairs next to the kitchen.

Turns out the second floor is an architectural design firm. That’s really interesting XD. It’s good that it was closed for the 228 holiday—I wonder if we’d be allowed up here on a regular day?

Just as the guests by the window left, we quickly moved here XD. Sitting by the window for lunch is so relaxing!

Our lunch arrived.

Oregon Green Sauce Chicken Panini (230 NTD)
The panini bread comes in three types: Mexican tortilla, thick-slice milk toast, and slipper bread. Mei-Ji chose the thick-slice milk toast. For an additional 90 NTD, you can upgrade to a set meal, choosing either salad or fries, and an Americano or black tea (you can swap other drinks with a 120 NTD discount—if it exceeds, you pay the difference). We both upgraded our meals. Mei-Ji picked the salad, and her drink was a Uji Matcha Latte (with extra payment). We all opted to have our drinks served after the meal. The Oregon Green Sauce Chicken Panini uses thick-slice toast, so it’s crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. Paired with green sauce, cheese, sweet peppers, and chicken, it has a refreshing taste—perfect for hot weather like now. It’s really delicious.

Italian Tomato Sauce Roast Beef Panini (250 NTD)
Since Lao K chose the slipper bread, the texture is completely different from the thick-slice toast—it’s crunchier on the outside with some bite. Lao K really liked it. The Italian Tomato Sauce Roast Beef Panini tastes a bit like tomato pasta, with a strong tomato flavor mixed with cheese and beef slices—it’s a bit like pizza XD. Lao K thought it was a bit heavy on the flavor, but he still really enjoyed it.

Let’s try both flavors together XD.

Forgot what flavor the fries were XD, but I remember they were okay!

Time for coffee.

Kenya Dormans Hope Dachiacha (180 NTD for single, 120 NTD discount for set)
This coffee has such a long name XD. It has a fruity acidity with a stronger sourness than bitterness, and the aroma is quite rich. Drinking it by the window adds even more charm XD. Sipping coffee and zoning out is truly a lovely thing.

Uji Matcha Latte (140 NTD for single, 120 NTD discount for set)
Meiji said it was pretty good to drink, Old K didn’t express any opinion because he didn’t dare to drink XD But the color does look quite nice.

K’s little reminder: No wonder this coffee shop... the atmosphere here really is quite relaxing and cozy. The coffee tastes not bad either. If you haven’t found a relaxing place to go after work, you might want to check out how serene this place is in the evening. “What kind of friends would come to a coffee shop without coffee, right?” Remember to bring your own mug next time.



K’s private review (out of 10, higher is better)
Taste: 8.2 points
Value for money: 6 points
Dining environment: 8 points
Price: 6 points

Er Tiao Tong．Green Island Serenade
Fan page:https://www.facebook.com/theisland33
Address: No. 1, Lane 33, Section 1, Zhongshan North Road, Zhongshan District, Taipei City
Phone: 02-2531-4594
Business hours: 12:00–21:30

Old K
Keep the relay going, Old K !

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