Creative ambiance and dishes: Xinzhuang Sky Tree, the new brunch powerhouse

Photos & Text byXiao Hu’s Dream Food Blog

Recently, the dining scene in Xinzhuang has been thriving, showing no signs of the economic downturn—though maybe that’s just what a friend said: “People have it tough these days, so eating has become the simplest and easiest happiness to come by, even if it’s brief.”

If you’re a night owl like Xiao Hu, you might’ve also noticed that stepping out of Taipei—the ultimate battleground—Xinzhuang has become a prime hotspot for New Taipei City’s dining scene. Some might even say “Xinzhuang” has surpassed certain areas in Taipei when it comes to food, such as “brunch.”


The Sky Tree is located behind Far Eastern Department Store, making it pretty easy to find. It’s also close to another brunch spot I really like—Merci Cafe. Speaking of which, when I arrived, I kept wondering whether the owner named it “Sky Tree” because of Tokyo’s Skytree, or because of the big tree at the entrance? Or perhaps a bit of both?


Before I came, Tinker Bell kept telling me how photogenic the Sky Tree is—and she wasn’t wrong. It’s the kind of place that makes you want to sit down with a cup of tea or coffee and enjoy a nice brunch or afternoon tea.


Inside and outside the shop, even at the ordering counter, there are menus featuring the Sky Tree’s signature dishes. They all seem thoughtfully designed, making you want to sigh and say, “This is so comforting.”


I don’t know since when, but I’ve started liking to take pictures of door handles—but this cat-paw print is just too cute!


As soon as you push open the door, there’s a little corner by the counter with a hipster vibe—animal photos, crayons, rubber stamps, and even some retro trinkets that make you want to snap photos nonstop.


I heard these stamps are made by the staff themselves and can be customized according to customer requests. At that moment, I really wanted to order a few “tiger” stamps—maybe tiger paw prints or my own “tiger face” design...


I think this must be the ordering counter. I don’t know why, but I absolutely love it—at least from this angle, it has such a great vibe. Though I can’t quite put my finger on what that vibe is.


Under the counter, there’s a tea rack with test tubes and two wooden fish nearby that also caught the 6D camera’s attention =)


The next few photos are of the dining space at the Sky Tree, which I really like. The cozy sofa area has bamboo curtains that you can pull open, making you want to stretch and soak up the sunlight.


The long dining space is cleverly divided into three main sections, offering Chinese, Japanese, and Western flavors, so guests can choose their preferred dining atmosphere.


No matter which section you’re in, I found them all very bright, thanks to natural lighting. It’s great for the environment and for comfort—I really like the atmosphere here.


At first, I categorized the Sky Tree as a “brunch” spot, but it’s actually more of a multi-concept café. Whether it’s brunch, lunch/dinner set meals, or even afternoon tea and desserts, they have it all. And many places now serve brunch all day—in the Sky Tree, that’s definitely the case. Out of the five brunch options, I picked the “Showa Sesame Egg Roll,” though I was actually more in the mood for the “French Toast,” which is my all-time brunch favorite.

The lunch set meals at the Sky Tree are also one of the shop’s highlights. They’re divided into four categories: pork, chicken, fish, and beef. Both brunch and set meals come with a simple drink, but you can upgrade to other beverages for an additional charge. You can also add 80 NT to get their popular “Walking Sweets.”


Even though I’m no spring chicken, seeing this omelet still made me go, “Aww, so cute!” It came with a cup of “soup” and some sesame sauce.


I’m not sure if it’s because I was late and the tomato soup had gone cold, but aside from the sweet and tangy flavor of the tomatoes, there was this lingering canned-taste that I couldn’t shake. But according to Tinker Bell, who drank it while it was hot, this wasn’t an issue.

Is this tomato-sauce-drawn face supposed to be a cartoon character? Otherwise, why does it look so familiar?


This omelet was cooked nicely, especially with good control over the egg aroma. The texture and thickness of the egg might’ve been affected since it cooled down by the time I ate it—it didn’t flow much—but it was still tender and delicious in the mouth. The seasoning was just a little too salty for my taste.


The sesame sauce (which is similar to House’s) helped balance the saltiness a bit, so it didn’t feel as overly salty. It also added a nice emulsified texture.


I didn’t eat much of the fruit salad, but it was very refreshing, both visually and in taste—definitely a top-notch dish. I think girls would really like this.

The fries I got were cold by the time I ate them, so they were soft instead of crispy—which makes me think they must’ve been pretty crunchy when hot. The bread that came with it was very soft, but a bit dry on its own. There was no butter or jam, so it was best enjoyed with a drink.


This is the “Peanut Butter Sandwich” that Tinker Bell highly recommended. Just looking at it, I could tell it’d be a light and refreshing meal. Along with the sandwich, they also provided cookies and fries as little snacks.


The first bite let me feel the perfectly chewy texture of the bread—which was still friendly even for someone with not-so-great teeth. After a bite or two, the aroma of the bread faded, and then the peanut butter scent and sweetness came through—without being overpowering or greasy.

The sandwich’s lettuce and meat played their roles well, providing various tasty elements before and after each bite. It’s truly delicious and refreshing. It’s not overloaded with peanut butter flavor, but takes a lighter approach—peanut butter is used just enough.


This drink is probably a sea salt mocha. The sea salt isn’t mixed into the mocha but is applied to the rim of the cup like in a cocktail. But be careful not to take too big a sip at once, or you’ll get a mouthful of salt—it’s super salty. But if you do it right, in moderation, this mocha really becomes tastier and more unique because of the sea salt. It’s definitely worth trying—at the very least, it’s quite special.


The shop also offers small marshmallow jars like this one that you can add to your coffee, giving it a slightly lighter finish—chewing, sipping, and nibbling on the marshmallows adds a fun texture (top left photo); Xiaoding didn’t say which tea drink she ordered (top right photo).


From the tea rack, tea trays, tea sets, tea strainers, teacups, even that golden teaspoon—everything is incredibly elegant and beautiful, perfect for ladies to come in, order a pot, and enjoy a leisurely, refined afternoon.


This is the “Happy Pancake” that Xiaohu mentioned earlier—you can add it for an extra 80 NT whether you’re ordering lunch or brunch—but it’s actually just a slightly thinner Japanese-style pancake, topped with chocolate sauce, candy, marshmallows, and a bit of peanut butter.

It looks colorful and appealing, but in terms of texture, I found it a bit dry. Thankfully, the chocolate sauce saves the day. That said, I think it would be even better with ice cream—first, it would look even nicer, and second, it would add a creamy, smooth mouthfeel to balance the pancake, along with a nice contrast of hot and cold flavors.


This molten lava chocolate cake, named “Heart Too Soft,” was the biggest surprise of the day. At first, I thought it was just a plain chocolate soufflé, but it turned out to be something completely different.


With just a light press of the spoon, the thin chocolate crust cracked open, and chocolate lava erupted like a volcano (yep, definitely “Heart Too Soft”). The aroma of the rising chocolate sauce alone was enough to make you inhale sharply.

When I took a bite, the chocolate flavor was much richer than I expected, but the sweetness was much lighter. After melting in my mouth, it left a pleasant bitterness that I enjoyed. The way the cake and chocolate sauce blended in my mouth, clinging to my lips and tongue, was delightful—it’s a fantastic dessert, even for someone like me who isn’t a big fan of chocolate treats.

The traditional way to eat it is to dip the included marshmallows in the warm chocolate sauce, adding another layer of texture that’s incredibly charming. It does get a bit sweeter, though, so those who are wary of sugar should just have a small taste.


Finally, the shop also gave us a Meiji mint popsicle. To be honest, this hot-and-cold contrast is exactly why I suggested adding ice cream to the pancake earlier—the interplay of cold and hot in your mouth is fascinating and fun. The combination of mint and chocolate flavors is also quite fresh and delightful.


The Skytree’s special taiyaki—seeing this, some of you might ask how it compares to Xiaohu’s favorite Wakaharu Taiyaki. But I think both are different in terms of appearance, texture, and flavor.

However, they share one idea and concept: sticking a wooden stick at the fish’s tail so customers can enjoy it while walking around. It’s the same idea as the white, chewy taiyaki ice pop from Wakaharu that I absolutely love.


Its texture is, simply put, closer to Japanese sponge cake, but perhaps because it uses less butter, it’s a bit on the dry side—or rather, not very moist. Thankfully, you can choose different sauces to pair with it and complement the flavors.

That day, we had chestnut and peanut butter. The chestnut wasn’t particularly outstanding, and it lacked the overly sweet taste of chestnut paste—I didn’t feel much about it. But the peanut butter stood out a lot more, both in texture and flavor. That said, if the peanut butter could be more mature, making it a bit smoother, it would not only improve the emulsification effect but also enhance its visual and photographic appeal =)


Earlier, I mentioned the dryness issue when eating it plain, but adding whipped cream solved that. Still, if possible, I’d prefer ice cream—or even chilled whipped cream—to add a bit more variety in texture, on top of the emulsification effect.


Finally, they also gave us a Meiji round popsicle. I’m not sure if every dessert comes with one? This chocolate ice cream popsicle is really delicious =)


Also, the shop occasionally has fresh bread, which Xiaoding says is very tasty. What I’d like to mention is that even the packaging is very Japanese-style—so cute~~~.




【Skytree】
Address:No. 1, Xinmin Street, Banqiao District, New Taipei City (near Yuanhwa Department Store & Jieshou Park)
Contact Number:02 2957 2881
Business Hours:9 AM to 9 PM (Closed on Mondays)

Xiaohu’s Food Dream Network
If “eating” is just about filling your stomach, then “food” would be far too boring~~~.