The Double 2 Café offers a diverse menu — it even sells “savory fried chicken”!

Text & Photos byOrange Dog Loves Sweets

On New Year’s Eve 2013, we had no plans at all, but then on a whim, I went with colleagues to Yuanlin, Changhua. I’d always thought of Yuanlin as just a small town on par with Xinhua in Tainan in terms of development, but was surprised to find branches of Wang Steaks’ Pintian Ranch and Genki Yaki here, and that the famous Karuizawa shabu-shabu also originated here.

Not to mention that the flagship store of the nationwide-famous Sanma Stinky Tofu is also located in Yuanlin. I can only say I really underestimated this place. In fact, it’s the second most populous area in Changhua County, the county’s largest town, and also the most populated of Taiwan’s 41 towns — no wonder it’s so lively.

What drew me here this time was [Double 2 Café]. I was curious to see such a design-oriented café in this area.


The area around Sanmin Street and Zhongzheng Road where it’s located is a pretty bustling street — a busy little road. Finding Double 2 isn’t hard; just locate Yuanlin’s post office, and you’ll find Sanmin Street right in front of it. It’s actually not far from the train station either — according to the map, it should take about ten minutes on foot. In Yuanlin, old houses can be seen everywhere along the streets.

The less urbanized a place is, the more you can find these historic-feeling old buildings. But Double 2 Café chose not to retain the old-house look, but instead renovated it into a modern, design-forward café.

With its large floor-to-ceiling transparent windows, the lighting design here is always a delight to the eye. The small wooden sign that reads “Double 2” is actually because the owner, Eason, used to sell savory fried chicken in Yuanlin under the same name. Later, when considering transforming into a more diverse café, he kept the name.


As you push open the door and step inside, it feels like a café, yet also like a restaurant or a little bistro. The decor isn’t elaborate, but the touches are just right, delicately adorning the cyan-blue walls.


I didn’t take a photo of the entire restaurant, but every seating spot has quite a unique vibe. I especially love the kitchenware decoration on that wall, and inside there’s a somewhat eye-catching yet harmonious Chinese-style shop sign plaque.


Its presence gives the place a bit more of a Hong Kong-style shop atmosphere. The counter is actually the part I found most special, as it connects to the open kitchen.

Normally, cooking smells easily fill enclosed spaces, but the shop’s ventilation design is very good. I sat there for nearly three hours and barely noticed any cooking odors.


The counter is lined with jars of jam from the UK’s Wilkin & Sons Ltd. My colleague loved this jam — apparently, when you order bagels or French toast, they give you a small jar to use as a spread. I love the honey in it. If you’re a fan of this brand too, I think those two items are definitely worth trying.


Although it’s a small eatery, they don’t serve beer here, but they do offer cocktails, as well as specialty coffee drinks. Compared to lattes, I’ve been more into coffee with alcohol these past couple of years — it really brings out the richness of the coffee. I highly recommend giving it a try.

And then there’s the owner’s wife? (I heard she’s the one who takes care of things quietly and attentively?) She’s surprisingly young...


Looking at the menu kind of shocked me — for a café, the variety of food options is overwhelming. From risotto, pasta, sandwiches, salads to American-style fried snacks and desserts, it’s really more like a small restaurant.


But the prices aren’t too expensive. For an extra 69 NT$, you can upgrade to one of three combo meal sets: A, B, or C.

The set includes a choice among black tea, soup, and salad. We just picked one main dish and added the combo. Then it was time for the food to arrive — Up！


First up, let’s look at Combo A: salad + soup. The presentation style is quite rustic, served in what looks like a mini enamel pot.


The simple wooden plate gives the whole combination a warm yet refreshing feel. The salad is paired with a light vinaigrette — the flavor isn’t heavy and the original taste of the greens still comes through.

The soup has plenty of egg, plus corn and grilled bread cubes. The taste is decent.


[Caesar Chicken Leg Salad in a Pot / 230 NT$] — although the price is a bit high for a salad, this might be the most substantial salad bowl I’ve ever seen. At least six to seven types of greens (spinach, romaine, etc.) are stacked in a vibrant green pile in the bowl, with bright red beef tomatoes lined up neatly.


Although the top layer is arranged more loosely, the bottom is packed with solid layers of greens, plus a halved boiled egg.

Topped with garlicky Caesar dressing — and you can ask for more if it’s not enough.

 
It also comes with a crispy boneless chicken leg cutlet. The crunchy skin gives way to juicy, tender meat inside. This dish really left a deep impression on me and felt like great value.


[Creamy Seafood & Wild Mushroom Risotto / 240 NT$] — the visual impact of this dish is incredibly rich and abundant. Aside from the clams, shrimp, and squid seafood, the base of white sauce is sprinkled generously with cheese like falling snow, then topped with another slice of cheese, an organic yellow egg, beef mushroom sauce, a slice of lemon, and grilled bread.

When eating, you let the decadent yolk slowly ooze into the rice, then stir to mix the cheese and mushroom sauce evenly. In addition to the silky richness of the yolk, there’s also the deep umami of the mushroom sauce, while the rice grains have a slightly firm center. I’m told they use Hualien-Taitung rice — not as firm as Italian rice, but still.


But they try to strike a balance between authentic and localized texture — that slightly firm grain paired with the multi-layered flavors. I really love this risotto. As for the grilled bread? Well, you can’t let the leftover sauce go to waste — it’s perfect for dipping！


[Spicy Chicken Leg Cutlet Pasta / 220 NTD], featuring crispy boneless chicken leg cutlets topped with a hint of peanut butter. The pasta itself is coated in a tomato-based sauce—inspired by American burger joints from a few years back, where peanut butter started playfully appearing in various savory dishes.

Interestingly, the rich sweetness pairs surprisingly well with the saltiness or spiciness, adding a playful twist to the flavor profile while slightly tempering the pasta’s bold heat.


The flat wide noodles are cooked to perfection—chewy, firm, and delightfully resilient—with a tangy-spicy taste that’s really satisfying.


[Fried Pork Cutlet Sandwich / 210 NTD]. Traditional pork cutlet sandwiches usually feature thin, flat cutlets that just make you think, “Oh, there’s pork.”

But this one uses thick, tender pork loin cutlets like those at Shirokiya, with finely breaded coating that’s crispy yet juicy. Biting into the hearty chunks of meat feels indulgent and fulfilling, accompanied by lettuce, beef tomatoes, a semi-soft egg, and perfectly grilled toast.


[Seasonal Strawberry Pancake / 190 NTD]. Strawberries are at their peak right now, and this comes with six plump, vibrant red berries.


The moment you bite in, their juicy sweetness bursts forth.

A drizzle of condensed milk doubles the sweetness, while the pancake itself is baked to a fluffy, fragrant finish.


Of course, it’s also slathered with plenty of honey, adding a rich, sweet aroma that complements the pancake’s golden crisp.


It’s peak strawberry season—definitely grab one while you can！

[Assorted Crispy Chicken / 160 NTD / Complimentary]. Ever thought you’d get crispy chicken at a café? LOL. I know there’s a stylish fried chicken shop in Yunlin, but this café serves it too—since Shuangshuang originally started as a crispy chicken business, they’ve added their signature snack to the menu.

I ran into an old friend who works here while eating—their coffee is all made by her—so I got this dish as a complimentary treat. It was a lovely surprise, though I was already pretty full. It came with both crispy chicken and fish cakes.


The chicken is marinated in a traditional Chinese herbal sauce before being battered and fried, giving it incredible flavor—the aroma of the herbs really comes through when you bite in, reminding me of the herbal-flavored crispy chicken from Xinhua. That said, the saltiness is a bit much due to the generous sprinkling of seasoned salt.


[Irish Brown Cappuccino / Mild Alcohol / 160 NTD / Iced]. A blend of coffee and Baileys, topped with what I first mistook for caramelized sugar—but it’s actually brown sugar. The initial sip is smooth, sweet, and creamy, with hints of milk and liquor gliding over your taste buds like tiramisu.

The grains of brown sugar peek through the coffee’s slight bitterness. I usually prefer hot liquor-coffee cocktails because the warmth enhances the aroma, but the staff says the iced version has more layered flavors.


[Hazelnut Latte / Hot / 130 NTD]. It’s a pretty big cup, with a mild hazelnut sweetness. The top has smooth milk foam—I didn’t order it, and compared to the other two drinks (the specialty cappuccino and milkshake), this one felt a bit less impressive, haha！

[Peanut Matcha Milkshake / 160 NTD]. Despite being called a milkshake, the texture feels more like a refreshing granita. Since it’s freezing cold outside in winter, why not have ice cream?! It’s packed with crushed peanuts and matcha aroma. After the initial cool melt, there’s a nutty fragrance that almost tastes like it has milk tea mixed in.


So no worries about it being overly sweet—the sweetness is light but delicious, reminding me of the peanut slush I had at Shuifen 2 in Taipei’s Neihu district.


We ordered way too many dishes looking at that colorful spread—celebrating New Year’s got us a little crazy. But honestly, finishing all these dishes among three people was a bit of a challenge, lol. Still, the biggest surprise was finding such urban-style Italian cuisine in Yuanlin.

Especially the risotto—the chewy texture of the rice center is no small feat to achieve in Taiwan. Every dish and drink shows real care, with excellent plating and presentation. And getting crispy chicken at a café? That’s just too fun. Highly recommended if you’re curious！



【Shuangshuang Café DOUBLE2】

Address： No. 39-1, Sanmin St., Yuanlin Town, Changhua County
Contact Number：04-8334999
Business Hours： 10:30 AM～12:00 AM (8:00 AM on holidays)
Reminder： Open every day, about a 10-minute walk from Yuanlin Railway Station
=========================================
Orange Dog Loves Candy Blog 　 Orange Dog Loves Candy Facebook Fan Page