Authentic Hong Kong-style old shop opens in Taiwan！ Signature melted ice pineapple bun and dry fried beef chow fun

Text and photos byOld K

I discovered this shop last time when I went to Da Lao Er Char Siu for turnip cake. Since it had been a while since I visited that street, I noticed quite a few new shops had opened up！ Their color scheme was very unique, so I snapped a photo first. At first glance at the name, I thought it was an ice cream shop XD. After looking it up online, I found out it's a Hong Kong-style cha chaan teng^that just opened this year, so I came here to eat.

The color of their signage is probably something many girls would love！ There were also flower baskets outside—it really looks like a brand-new opening！ There seemed to be quite a crowd inside！

The lighting inside gives off a pretty cozy vibe.

They're still in soft opening phase, so the menu isn’t very extensive yet. Old K did some online research beforehand and originally wanted to try the French toast, but it’s not available yet—such a pity.

Later I grabbed a handwritten menu, so today there were only these set meals. Old K went with the dry fried beef chow fun set, chose iced lemon tea as the drink, and added a side of deep-fried chicken leg with fries.

There are seasonings on the table—pepper, salt, sugar, and chili oil—which Old K didn’t end up using.

Iced lemon tea (single 70 NT$, 50 NT$ extra for set)
The drink isn’t very big, and it basically tastes like lemon black tea XD. The tea isn’t too astringent, but it is pretty sweet. Once the ice melted a bit, it wasn’t as sweet and tasted more average. If ordered separately, it’s a bit pricey.

Dry fried beef chow fun (120 NT$)
The beef slices are quite generous, and the chow fun has a nice chewy texture. Paired with crunchy bean sprouts and some scallions for flavor, it’s pretty good. Old K thought it was a bit on the salty side, but it’s less greasy than other beef chows he’s had before.

Deep-fried chicken leg with fries (80 NT$)
Originally, Old K just wanted to order the fried chicken leg, but they don’t offer it à la carte—you can only get it with fries or salad. Of course, he went with fries XD. For the price, it’s pretty decent because you get quite a lot of fries！

Their fries are cut quite thin. Eating two or three at a time, they’re fluffy on the inside with a slightly crispy exterior—pretty tasty, though a bit oily. It’d be better if they drained the oil a bit more.

The shape of the chicken leg looked a bit odd. When flipped over, it turned out to be a boneless chicken leg！ And they even provide a knife and fork, which makes it pretty convenient to eat！

Cutting into it, you can feel the juice about to drip out—it’s super juicy. One bite and it’s really tender！ The chicken leg must’ve been marinated beforehand, giving it a unique aromatic spice flavor. The edges of the skin are a little tough, but overall it’s pretty good. He was almost sad it was all gone. Then he spotted the ice fire pineapple bun on the menu. Thinking he didn’t get the French toast, having a pineapple bun would be good too, so he asked the staff if they had ice fire pineapple buns. They said yes, and Old K said he’d like one. The staff asked if he wanted it for takeout or dine-in. Feeling a bit awkward, he said dine-in XD

After ordering, you’ll get a breakdown of your order—that’s what Old K had today！

Ice fire pineapple bun (35 NT$)
The pineapple bun was warm when picked up. When opened, the melted butter inside looked super tempting！

Maybe Old K took the photo a bit too long, because the butter wasn’t really cold. But the outer crust of the pineapple bun was super crispy, paired with the smooth butter inside—it was pretty delicious. And for this price, it’s quite affordable！


K’s little tips:

Old K thought the food here was pretty good. One person who seemed like the shop owner came over to ask how the meal was. Old K mentioned the beef chow fun was a bit salty, and he said they’re still adjusting the flavors based on customer feedback. Old K thinks that for a cha chaan teng^in this area, it’s pretty good value. It’s not much more expensive than regular eateries, just around 50 NT$ more. The ice fire pineapple bun is quite cheap and also quite tasty. Once it officially opens, there will probably be more dishes to choose from—he’ll come back to try more then. Fans of cha chaan teng^food, if you’re in Hong Kong, definitely check it out！

K’s personal rating (out of 10, higher is better)
Taste: 7.8 points
Value for money: 6.5 points
Dining environment: 6 points
Price: 6 points

Wanfang Diner
Fan Page:https://www.facebook.com/manfongcafe
Address: No. 16, Lane 66, Section 5, Nanjing East Road, Songshan District, Taipei City
Phone: 02-2749-4069
Business Hours: 11:00–14:00, 17:30–19:30 (During trial operation period)
 

Old K
Keep the chain going, Old K！

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