Cozy little shops in the alleys – “Seesaw House” is full of joy and surprises

Photos and text byMit

Seesaw House is located in the alleys near Xihu MRT Station. It’s a newly opened, cozy and cheerful multi-concept restaurant brimming with delightful surprises. I’ve been looking forward to trying their food for what feels like forever—literally, an entire lifetime. ((Waiting is always tough, but no need to overreact XD)).

Finally, I came to see if this visually appetizing restaurant lives up to its photos—and the result was quite satisfying indeed. Not only are the portions generous, the prices are also very reasonable. The beef in the burgers is super juicy, and the service is delightful. Allow me to sneakily add it to everyone’s hidden must-visit list!

Although Seesaw House is close to both Xihu MRT Station and bus stops, its location is a bit tucked away. It’s a good idea to take a quick look at a map before heading over to save time searching. For those on scooters, it’s much more convenient—the shop even has a whole row of scooter parking spaces just to the right of the entrance. I was genuinely surprised—it’s super handy!

The floor-to-ceiling glass windows make the space feel more expansive, and there's a cute little figure sitting alone on a seesaw outside, as if inviting passersby to join in.

As you enter, the right side is the counter where you place your order. Seesaw House operates on a semi-self-service model—you order and pay at the counter first, then find a seat and wait for your food.
To the left are higher bar-style seats. Although I really like these seats, it can feel a bit awkward having to face the counter the whole time :P

Yep, the first thing I thought when I saw the outlets was, “Quick, grab the charger—my phone’s about to die!!!” Aside from power outlets, the café also offers free Wi-Fi. If you’re someone who likes to blog or work remotely with a not-so-great laptop, this could be a pretty great spot. Writers and bloggers who love mobile offices, better jot this down!

The interior decoration mainly features wooden tones. The warm color scheme reminds me of my childhood room—there’s a strong sense of familiarity. There are lots of cute little plush toys on the shelves, giving off an IKEA kids' room vibe. Especially amusing is the bookshelf shaped like a wooden seesaw!

Under the coffee cups at Seesaw House is a little window where your food comes out. Hungry friends, keep your eyes on that window—you might just quench your appetite by staring at the food first ((or just the idea of it :P)).

Also, there's a unique hidden pop-up stall “Playful Girls” embedded in the wall, created by a friend of the owner, Xiao Ru. Interested visitors can ask the staff about it—the quality of the leather goods is really impressive!

A corner of the dining area at Seesaw House
The seating isn’t super spacious, but it’s not cramped either.

The combination of green and wood tones is absolutely perfect, creating a fresh and comfortable vibe.
I especially prefer the bench seats along the wall—they come with pillows to lean on and space for your bag, which is quite convenient.
The ceiling is also divided with wooden slats, adding to the sense of space.

Adorable little pillows I couldn’t stop touching

The menu is quite extensive, featuring salads, burgers, sandwiches, wraps, udon noodles, set meals, afternoon tea, coffee, and tea drinks. It’s truly a well-rounded multi-concept eatery. Prices range between NT$100–200 for meals and around NT$100 for drinks.

All the beef used is imported from Australia. Food is made fresh upon ordering, so you may have to wait a little—perfect for chatting with friends or taking a turn on the seesaw while you wait.

The owner, Xiao Ru, is really dedicated. I had previously mentioned that the soup and drink that came with the set meals felt too basic and affected the overall quality. Turns out, the owner had already thought of that. The new menu will offer sides and drinks à la carte, which should definitely elevate the quality. I can’t wait for my second visit!!!

%? Ultimate Sea & Land Platter – NT$300 per serving
This fried platter includes five different items: crispy potatoes, onion rings, fish nuggets, pork cutlet, and karaage chicken nuggets. It also comes with tartar sauce, honey mustard, and a chef’s special meat sauce for dipping.

The special meat sauce has a rather unique, slightly saltier flavor, while the other two sauces are sweeter, balancing out the greasiness of the fried items. My favorite is the karaage chicken nuggets—juicy and aromatic, incredibly satisfying without being dry or greasy. The pork cutlet is tender too.

If you’re hanging out with a few friends for drinks and snacks, the Ultimate Sea & Land Platter plus a few drinks can easily fill an entire afternoon. The portion size is quite generous. But if you’ve already ordered several main dishes, the amount of fries might be too much—take some home for a late-night snack instead. ((wink))

%? Mixed Seafood Salad – NT$180 per serving　
This salad is almost comparable in portion to the one at Jue Lu in Neihu Science Park—except the plate here isn’t quite big enough. Boss, go get a bigger plate already ((hey~))
You can choose between Japanese-style or Caesar dressing. Truly a mixed seafood salad, it’s packed with fresh, crunchy vegetables. The smoked salmon is perfectly cooked—not overly fishy at all—and the sweet crab sticks are absolutely unforgettable.
But the flavor of the Caesar sauce is slightly on the sweet side.

%? Seesaw招牌唐扬鸡腿堡 230元/份 (New menu price is 200元 but sides are extra)
The moment the burger was placed on the table — what the heck, is this chicken leg just way too huge? Are you messing with me!?
Plus there’s a drink and soup — this meal is way too lavish.

Just seeing the Seesaw Shack’s signature crispy fried chicken leg on the menu was enough to fill me up. Super crispy lettuce crunching under the chicken leg, juicy tender meat inside, the crunchy exterior coated with their special sweet honey mustard sauce, topped with a small slice of tomato, seaweed shreds, and a strip of cheese. Even though it looked absolutely delicious, figuring out how to actually eat it was a huge dilemma — I never struggled this much even when I had a Jus Burger before XD

After quickly snapping some photos, I handed the burger back to the server — no, not to take it away, but to ask them to cut it in half for me. And sure enough, when they sliced it open, you could see the true face of that crispy fried chicken leg!!!

When eating a Seesaw Shack burger, you’ve gotta go all in. Just pick up half the burger, chomp down without holding back!

%? Worcester Chicken Wrap Special 150元/份
It’s such a pity this option isn’t on the new menu. If you’re craving a wrap, you can try the “Smoked Salmon Mexican Wrap.”

Just looking at the cross-section of the wrap shows the boss didn’t cut any corners — it’s packed with fillings. The wrap has a hint of curry aroma. For those who don’t want to eat too heavily, the wrap is also a good choice, with a pretty well-balanced portion size.

%? Signature Seesaw Milk Tea 70元/杯
It’s not mind-blowingly amazing, but it’s a tasty cup of milk tea~ >.^

%? Tropical Fruit Blend Tea 100元/杯
I only ordered it on a whim to try, but unexpectedly, this one became my favorite. The mix of sour and sweet flavors danced on my short, chubby taste buds, almost like I was really standing barefoot on a Hawaiian beach with two coconuts, acting silly with the waves~

You can also add some apple chunks — so happy, like a kid ♥

%? Apricot Banana Milk 100元/杯
I actually forgot to take a photo of my favorite drink — the apricot banana milk... I owe you an apology!! I’ll make it up next time I go.
Why is this drink name so awkward? We really need to get the owner, Xiao Ru, to come forward and explain — was it intentional!?
But honestly, this drink truly lives up to its name: it’s apricot, banana, and milk, blending Taiwan’s trendiest fruit “banana,” dairy richness, and imported 1883 apricot peach fruit syrup (( is that too technical?!
It’s definitely more unmissable than the Tropical Fruit Blend Tea or even the Signature Seesaw Milk Tea!!
Even though it looks plain in its white color, the perfect balance of apricot and banana fragrance slowly spreads in your mouth — oh my god, I’m about to float away!

Once it’s mealtime, the place is almost fully packed — it’s really popular!
The burger the boy at the next table ordered was super eye-catching. I really wanted to ask to take a picture, but I’m too shy, so I just took a sneaky shot from afar ((covering my face OMG I wish I had thicker skin!!!!
This burger is apparently the Seesaw Shack’s ultimate challenge item — the “Land Sea Air Supreme Burger”!
A 9-liang boneless thigh, Japanese tonkatsu, a thick 200g pure beef patty, premium cod strips, plus a slice of smoked salmon. Even if your mouth is big enough to fit it all in, your stomach might not be able to handle it XD

%? Special Tiramisu 30元/Tryout Price (Regular price is 70元 per serving, probably not this portion size)
To be honest, it’s a bit too sweet, overly rich, but it’s a bit different from regular tiramisu — it’s softer, melts in your mouth without needing to chew, so no jaw workout needed~ great job!

The three of us girls ordered one salad, one wrap, one burger, one fried platter, and three drinks — and we actually couldn’t finish it. We were so hungry and confident that we could easily polish it all off.

The Seesaw Shack’s takeout service doesn’t slack off either — you can bring it to work for lunch tomorrow. Just take the whole box with you. Boss Xiao Ru, I swear we really thought we could finish it all, we weren’t trying to take leftovers home on purpose!! Orz

Speaking of work, the Seesaw Shack is located in the alleys of Xihu Market, where many Neike (Internal Medicine) folks hang out. For those looking for a new lunch spot in the area, here's another great option!!

After eating our fill, we started fooling around in the dining area. The adorable pillow characters lifted our spirits, and we even played in the seesaw house little theater of emotions >.^
The relaxing atmosphere here really makes it easy to lose track of time—just like the saying goes, “Time flies when you’re in the mountains.”

I’d actually love to suggest that Owner Xiao Ru install a real seesaw in the shop so everyone can have some fun. That way, we wouldn’t have to pose so hard for photos~

I really like the vibe of the Seesaw House—it’s so approachable. Not only are the part-time staff friendly and enthusiastic, but the owner is also super warm with a big smile. Owner Xiao Ru, just like Mite, has a huge passion for food. The only difference is that Mite eats and writes, while all his cooking skills were left with the teachers at Shih Chien University’s Department of Hospitality Management ((just kidding~

The Seesaw House is actually Xiao Ru’s third child (or shop). It’s his never-give-up spirit that brought this restaurant to life. ((And the best part is it’s in Neihu, super close—score for me XD!). The menu changes from time to time, helping the restaurant improve day by day. But no matter what kind of restaurant it is, what Xiao Ru wants to create is an atmosphere, a sense of interaction between the restaurant and its customers, and the idea that food knows no borders. I think that’s why we love the service industry. I also really enjoy sharing little stories like this or creating that heartwarming feeling for guests ♥

>>>This article was originally published on: Mite’s “Taste, Play, and Continue” Blog

【Restaurant Info】
Seesaw House
Business Hours: 11:30 AM to 9:30 PM
Phone: (02) 2627-1482
Address: No. 7, Lane 59, Alley 285, Section 1, Neihu Road, Neihu District, Taipei City