A quirky little shop tucked away in the alleys—replacing burgers with croissants, this is a refreshing parsley beef burger.

Text & Photos /Xiaohu’s Dream-Net

Someone asked me how I decide the order in which I write about shops. My usual answer is “whim”—whatever I feel like sharing that day, aside from overdue articles XD. But I don’t recall ever writing about a place so quickly (ate yesterday, wrote today) just because I love a certain street, or rather, alleyway. Its name is “Chifeng Street.”

It must have been three or four years ago. I’ll always remember that the first shop I wrote about on Chifeng Street was 【Shuanglian】 Nagoya Daidokoro. Even back then, I felt this was an alleyway with character that would gain more attention over time. Later, another of my favorite spots, 【Shuanglian Station】 Miss V Bakery, also took root and thrived here. Three years have passed, and although this alleyway (formerly known as Iron Street) has grown more slowly than I expected, its development is gradually becoming noticeable.

That day, I had originally planned to take a few friends to my latest favorite afternoon tea spot, 【Taipei MRT Food Map】【Zhongshan Elementary School Station】 Lion Desserts (Line Up Dessert), but the shop was unexpectedly closed for rushing Mother’s Day cakes. So I thought of checking out this new shop on Chifeng Street, but it wasn’t open either...

Although there aren’t too few dessert shops in this alleyway, and there’s no shortage of coffee shops either, brunch options have been relatively rare in my memory—aside from the next one, 【45-Degree Upper Right Food Diary】【Zhongshan Station】 Rooster Coffee. A pure brunch spot like this is quite pioneering on Chifeng Street, but I can also foresee more brunch joints moving into this alleyway. That’s also the main reason I’m writing about this shop so quickly.

As soon as I walked in, I was drawn to the open kitchen on the right. The inconveniently placed electrical box has become a highlight thanks to this rustic, deco-style decor.

The shop isn’t very large and is long and narrow. On a regular weekday afternoon, quite a few female customers were here reading or writing, and the business seemed pretty good. The atmosphere was fairly tranquil, and from time to time, you could see chatty aunties outside the window or grandpas taking their grandkids for a stroll.

This page is the drink menu. Coffee and black tea are the basics, but the “main output” seems to be freshly squeezed juices and milk suitable for brunch.

Breakfast plates, sandwiches, and salads all follow a light and fresh food concept, and the prices are reasonable for Taipei.

Apple YogurtIt’s quite good, but it’s just like the usual kind you’d expect—except it’s freshly made.

Sweet Potato and Brown Sugar MilkHonestly, it’s pretty tasty, though the sweet potato flavor doesn’t quite stand up to the brown sugar and milk. Aside from the bits of sweet potato you can bite into, the sweet potato taste isn’t very strong. But purely in terms of flavor, it’s good—not overly sweet either.

My friend insisted on ordering a kiwi + orange combination that wasn’t even on the DM. The result was a lose-lose combo—the flavors of both were diluted and didn’t create any new spark... She quickly explained she usually adds apple at home... but she didn’t dare say so in case the shop thought she was complaining (lol).

French-Marinated Chicken and Grape SaladThe seemingly casual plating still lets you glimpse the richness of the ingredients. The seasoning isn’t too fancy—the focus is on the freshness of the ingredients.

Apart from the fresh grapes, the more flavorfully creative element is this chicken, which is marinated then pan-fried. It has a nice aroma and oiliness, though the meat is slightly on the dry side. Sprinkled with some spices and paired with juicy veggies and fruit, it’s still refreshingly delicious—perfect for a “late-rising” literary girl who doesn’t want anything greasy but still craves some meat.

Argentinian Parsley Beef BurgerReplacing the traditional bun with a croissant adds a lovely crispy charm. The texture of the bread is softer, and the contrast with the beef is even more delightful. The bottom layer of “mashed potatoes” adds a slight emulsified effect after chewing. There are also tiny bits of fruit that lend a faint hint of fruity acidity. The overall texture is excellent.

There’s also a small clump of scrambled egg on the side of the plate. The doneness of the egg suits my taste, though the rosemary flakes are a bit excessive and slightly overpower the “egg aroma.”

The first bite of this beef burger is delicious—both in flavor and in its moist, tender texture. But after the first third, you gradually notice a faint “parsley” flavor and something else hiding within the meat (not fishy). Slowly, you realize this beef burger has an increasing “powdery” mouthfeel. We wondered on the spot if it contained some kind of “liver” or other organ meat. But after checking the recipe for this dish, it doesn’t seem to include organ meats. Then we guessed maybe the meat used is slightly closer to organ-like cuts, such as the diaphragm.

The Goods Brunch:
No. 26-2, Chifeng Street, Datong District, Taipei City
Phone: Not available.
Business Hours: 09:00–21:00
 

"Xiaohu’s Dream-Net
If “eating” is just about filling your stomach, then “food” would be far too boring~~~"