A cozy little shop in the Shida shopping district serving rich and layered risotto with a smooth texture

Text & Photos /Pingzi

Visiting the Shida shopping district and looking for brunch? Pingzi recommends Cafe’ a’ la mode tucked away in a lane on Yunhe Street. The café features a modern minimalist white design with transparent glass as its façade—just looking at it gives off a high-end vibe. Inside, you’ll find brunch options, coffee, and other ingredients, making it a great spot for friends to gather in Shida.

Just looking at this modern design, it’s exactly the kind of stylish, high-quality eatery Pingzi would want to dine in.

The intricately designed store logo at the entrance is really creative.

There’s a signboard at the entrance clearly indicating that from Monday to Friday between 11:30 AM and 2:00 PM, they offer special limited-time romantic lunch date discounts. Visiting Cafe a la mode during this time means you can enjoy their business lunch specials. The business lunch menu includes options like pasta, risotto, egg rolls, and fresh fruit yogurt salad priced between $170 and $180. For an additional $50, you can opt for freshly squeezed juice (cranberry, kiwi, banana milkshake) or a chef’s salad.

The entrance also features specially arranged floral arrangements and potted plants, bringing a slower pace of life and lifting your mood.

Upon entering, the open bar counter facing the entrance immediately makes guests feel welcomed. The all-white interior gives the space a more spacious visual feel, and the simple, clean design is very comforting.

Inside, you’ll see a minimalist design with wooden furnishings, combining wooden tables and chairs to create a cozy atmosphere—perfect for having afternoon tea with good friends. The high-end vibe often leads to a full house as soon as the doors open.

The café has over 40 seating areas and is quite spacious, with bright lighting so you don’t have to worry about dimness indoors. Located in the Shida area, it’s common to see many international students dining here.

The window seats are brightly lit, and the corner features a sofa area that feels like your own living room, allowing you to relax while eating and chatting.

The shop is meticulously decorated, with many unique little items around that are intriguing.

A thoughtful touch: upon being seated, you’re given a basket to place your bag, making your seating more comfortable.

On the day we visited, we were seated by the bookshelf. The shelves are adorned with decorative items and books, giving off a literary vibe and the feel of a personal study.

The menu is designed with leather, giving it a premium feel, with the café’s brand name embossed on it. The inner pages are categorized food listings, with a wide variety of options presented clearly.

The business lunch section is separately highlighted as a lunchtime special. From Monday to Friday between 11:30 AM and 2:00 PM, they offer special limited-time romantic lunch date discounts. Visiting Cafe a la mode during this time means you can enjoy their business lunch specials. The business lunch menu includes options like pasta, risotto, egg rolls, and fresh fruit yogurt salad priced between $170 and $180. For an additional $50, you can opt for freshly squeezed juice (cranberry, kiwi, banana milkshake) or a chef’s salad.

The menu is illustrated, making it easy to choose. There are brunch options, Omelette rolls, pasta, risotto, French toast pudding, and other light meals, as well as fresh juices, coffee, and other beverages that women love.

After viewing the “Exhibition: Asian Poster Trilogy Viva Graphic ! Shida Dequn Art Gallery Exhibition,” we came for lunch during the business lunch hours, and we both chose risotto. The risotto here uses Taiwan No. 9 rice.

First, a glass of water was served in a square, round-mouthed glass.

My best friend had the Italian Beef Mushrooms Wild Mushroom Risotto for 240 NT$, topped with two slices of king oyster mushrooms as decoration. It’s made with a blend of onions and various mushrooms, such as king oyster mushrooms, shiitake, and maitake, slow-cooked for 6–7 hours into a beef liver mushroom sauce.

Pingzi had the mildly spicy New Orleans Risotto for 230 NT$, plus a 10% service charge. This risotto is delicious—smooth yet distinct in texture—mainly due to the cooking technique: partially cooking the rice before simmering it, giving the grains different layers of texture that are perfectly balanced, which is why this risotto is so well-loved.

Nowadays, Taiwan No. 9 rice is used, suiting Taiwanese tastes. Normally, risotto tends to be overly sticky and thick, making it feel greasy, but here, the combination of mushrooms and rice gives the dish just the right consistency, making it very flavorful.

Wi-Fi is available, but it’s limited to 2 hours on weekends, while there’s no time limit on weekdays. Visiting on a weekday allows you to enjoy discounted prices, making for a satisfying meal. That’s how Pingzi and her friends enjoyed a wonderful lunch during the weekday lunch hour.
 

upssmile Pingzi (up’s smile 向上微笑)!
She’s a designer and also the photographer behind the Up’s Smile Travel, Food, Design & Film series.
Passionate about “travel,” “food,” “design,” “film,” and cinema.
Blogger:http://upssmile.com/