A café with an expiration date? Enjoy afternoon tea in a presale property

Text and photos byOld K

5senses cafe is a fairly new coffee shop that has only been around for about a year, but it’s already quite popular. However, it may close soon due to its limited operating period.

By chance, we discovered with Mei Ji that it’s actually located right behind the Neihu MRT Station, and it’s even situated within a presale property development by Heifei Pavilion. I remember there was a similar coffee shop near the Nanshihjiao MRT Station before. If you’re someone who gets motion sickness from riding the train often, you might prefer this spot. And yes, it does have coffee with a limited availability period.

There aren’t many seats inside, but luckily Mei Ji and Sister Old K arrived early and secured spots.

The menu is displayed on the wall, mainly featuring drinks, along with some light meals to choose from.

There are also cakes available.

After ordering, Old K went upstairs to check out the presale property (can’t afford to buy a house, haha XD). The restroom is also upstairs (you’ll need to ask the sales staff).

The view from the second floor feels quite different.

Americano (NT$110), Classic Latte (NT$130)
These are the drinks ordered by Mei Ji and Sister Old K. Old K’s drink hadn’t arrived yet. The Americano was quite smooth and not very bitter, though Old K thought it was a bit weak.

The latte had a beautiful latte art. Mei Ji and Sister Old K both said it tasted pretty good.

Peanut Butter Banana Chocolate (NT$160)
This is the Peanut Butter Banana Chocolate (not part of the pancake series).

Why isn’t it considered a pancake? Old K asked the staff because it’s not made with pancake mix, but rather with flour and glutinous rice flour. As a result, the outer layer is crispy, but the inside doesn’t have the soft texture of a pancake—it’s more dense and slightly chewy. Paired with peanut butter, chocolate, and bananas (the three best friends), it’s a great combination. Old K really liked it. However, those who don’t like peanut butter as much as Mei Ji might not enjoy it as much. This one is on the sweeter side.

If you feel the chocolate isn’t strong enough, you can drizzle on a bit more—awesome, XD.

The side salad comes with a Japanese-style yuzu dressing, which is tangy, sweet, appetizing, and delicious.

The corn chips were a bit too soft for Old K’s liking.

Single Origin (NT$150)
Everyone else had finished their drinks by the time Old K’s single origin arrived XD. This time, there was only one type of coffee bean available, so it’s the same as what’s used for the Americano—Ethiopian, if I remember correctly (a bit fuzzy). The pour-over method offers a richer flavor profile, with a more pronounced acidity and reduced bitterness, making it quite enjoyable. However, the difference in taste when it gets cold isn’t that significant.


Little reminders from K:
The coffee here is quite fresh, considering it’s in a presale property. The Peanut Butter Banana Chocolate is pretty tasty, and the coffee is good too. However, since the space is small, there aren’t as many options as at other branches—which is a bit of a shame. Maybe they’ll add more in the future. Friends living in Neihu should definitely come try it out. If you don’t live in Neihu, you can visit other branches, but if you want to enjoy coffee in a presale property, this is the only place to do it XD.

K’s personal rating (out of 10, higher is better)
Taste: 8
Value for money: 7
Dining environment: 6.5
Price: 6

Single Origin
Address: No. 76, Lane 161, Section 1, Dunhua South Road, Da’an District, Taipei City
Phone: 02-8771-6808
Business hours: 13:00–22:00 (Closed on Mondays)

Old K
Keep the relay going, Old K！

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