The cozy afternoon tea with a rich aroma – “The Attic Savory Treats Shop” in Taichung

Text and photos by /Orange Dog Loves Candy

Recently, the hottest event in Taichung has been the Teddy Bear Festival. A hundred teddy bears are hidden around the city, and Qianmei Greenway, which was already quite popular, has seen an even greater influx of visitors due to this event. Nearby, in a quiet alley on Zhongxing Street, a new commercial district has quietly emerged.

It’s a small business revitalizing the old residences of the former water company, called the “Fantastic Special Green Light Project”. The combination of the old buildings and new designs actually makes for a great photo spot, and there’s quite a variety of shops here – including cafes, dessert shops, and bookstores.

This article will introduce the first shop I tried at the Green Light Project – [URARA The Attic Savory Treats Shop]. I came here last time during the day, but this time it was at night, and I discovered that it’s even more beautiful at night than during the day.


The shops here are spread across two floors, as the Green Light Project is a two-story commercial complex. Most of the businesses here are cultural and creative-style shops, but I think I noticed “The Attic Savory Treats Shop”.

I think it might be because of its display layout. Later, when I chatted with the owner, I learned that almost everything inside the shop (except for the system cabinets) was made and arranged by the two of them themselves.


Even the painting, which is such a labor-intensive task, was done by them. The light and airy style of the potted plants and little daily items gives the whole little house a warm, homey feel, even though the space isn’t very big...


But the simplicity of the old building, plus the tranquility within the alley, actually has a unique charm at night.


A soft glow shines through the windows in the darkness, and the small interior feels like a cozy Japanese-style room you’d only see in magazines.

Its entrance is very small, and the sign is small too, so I’ve come here three times, and each time I see people stopping at the doorway, peering in, seemingly unsure if this is really a shop, hesitant to step in but curious.


The music playing inside has a lyric that goes “URARA”, but it’s very soothing background music – though I forgot to ask who sings it.


Plus, there’s occasionally the aroma of freshly baked pies, and free Wi-Fi, so you could easily lose track of time here.

However, since this area hasn’t officially opened yet, you’ll still sometimes see them hard at work setting things up.


And since it’s called The Attic Savory Treats Shop, they naturally serve savory pies and other savory snacks. Currently, they offer four types, and I’ve basically tried them all – though I don’t necessarily have photos of them, XD...

Prices vary depending on the ingredients used, so make sure to check before ordering. They also serve coffee and tea, and one particularly special item is their daily limited-edition dessert, which changes – so far, I’ve had a nut tofu cake, cherry pie, brownie, and two others I haven’t tried yet...

The first thing I want to share is the [Limited Edition Smoked Chicken Herbal Instant Noodle Set / 120 NT]... Hahaha. “Herbal” is what the shop owner calls it, because it has a lot of vegetables in it. I remember the first time I came here, I arrived too early, so they hadn’t started selling anything yet.

At that time, an employee happened to order stir-fried instant noodles – the kind only Green Light Project staff can order – so I was lucky enough to get a serving too, and I even shared it with others.


Later, I heard that many customers had been asking about it, so they recently decided to officially launch this dish. They use Wei Lih fried sauce noodles, with plenty of finely chopped vegetables added in, along with ham and smoked chicken, plus a half-boiled egg.

As for the taste of Wei Lih fried sauce – well, there’s no need to explain; I’m sure everyone is familiar with it. Just hearing those words probably makes your mouth water already...


And the portion of noodles they give you is quite generous too. The springy, chewy texture of the instant noodles, plus the richness of the yolk, the spicy and savory sauce... it’s a pretty substantial meal. I was really full after just one serving, and they also give you a bowl of seaweed soup.


There’s also homemade sweet pickled tomatoes included. The whole set feels very Japanese-style, but the shop owner told me it’s only available during meal hours, if I remember correctly, from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM and 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM!!

[Cauliflower and Potato Savory Pie / 120 NT] – it has a slightly greenish hue on the surface and a roasted, toasty aroma. Cauliflower itself has a distinctive flavor, which you can definitely taste in the pie. But it’s not overly strong; rather, it leaves a lingering taste on your tongue. The crust is a bit harder on the outside... while the filling is rich with cheese and also has the softness of potatoes.


[Vegetarian Savory Pie / 110 NT] – the taste of sweet peppers is noticeable but not overpowering. Inside there are potato chunks and wild mushrooms, among other things, but the cheese flavor is quite strong and prominent. I actually felt it kind of overshadowed what should have been the star of the dish – the veggies.


It’s still not bad, but I prefer the previous one a bit more.


But the last time I also had the [Smoked Chicken Savory Pie / 140 NT], which is actually probably my favorite. The flavor is a bit stronger, and the pieces of smoked chicken aren’t very big, but you can taste the chicken in every bite. I think this one is probably the most likely to be a hit with most people.

This is the [Chocolati Brownie / 60 NTD / daily special], which appears on a rotating basis, so I’m not sure what they’ll have each day. The cherry pie from last time was pretty good, but I really liked today’s brownie. Each bite had a rich, solid texture paired with just the right amount of deep bitterness, complemented by the sweetness of a bit of cherry jam. I quite enjoyed it, though at 60 NTD, maybe a slightly bigger size would be even better.


[Nutty Tofu Cube / Complimentary], this doesn’t seem to be the regular portion size—I remember the usual serving has three pieces arranged together and is a bit larger than this one. It’s filled with a nutty red bean paste, and the initial burst of sweet flavor is quite strong. But what surprised me was the tofu cake part—it had a slightly moist and chewy-Q texture, and I really liked the cake itself. As I was chewing, I could even detect a sweet, soy milk-like flavor!? It’s really quite delicious.


Finally, there’s the [Plain Cold-Brewed Apple Tea / Hot / 160 NTD]. A subtle apple aroma drifts out with the steam from the tea, and a gentle fruity acidity dances lightly on the taste buds. It’s a very light and comforting hot tea.


(The lighting in the photos above varies... because I went several times and the conditions were different between daytime and nighttime.)

Right now, not many people come to this area as part of the Green Light Project, so you can stroll around and take photos very relaxedly in the evening. It’s rare to find a quiet old house space in the middle of a bustling city. Whether it’s day or night, if you’re walking around this neighborhood, you can head up to the second floor to URARA for some simple desserts and hot tea. There are tables and chairs in the rooftop outdoor courtyard, so it’s actually quite relaxing to sit and chat over food and drinks under the moonlight. Just sharing my simple thoughts for everyone’s reference—Up!!


[Savory Snacks Shop on URARA’s Rooftop]

Address: 2F, No. 22, Lane 1, Zhongxing St., West District, Taichung City
Contact Number:0912-892568
Business Hours:11:00Am-09:00Pm
Consumption Reminder: Closed on Mondays. The fried instant noodle set is available only during limited hours.
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