The alleyway's "Waffo Gato" — a whimsical little space

Photos and text byMite

Waffo Gato is a quaint and charming coffee, lunch, and tea restaurant,
Of course, it doesn’t just serve great drinks—it also has delicious food, making it perfect for a relaxing afternoon get-together with friends or family.
This playful and childlike Waffo Gato is tucked away in an alley on Section 1 of Neihu Road,
As someone with a strong attachment to Neihu, how could I not follow the latest café trends around here, right!?
I had actually been searching for this cute spot for a while but never managed to visit,
So I felt incredibly lucky to finally get the chance to dine at Waffo Gato this time.

Although the location isn’t too hard to find—whether you take the MRT to Xihu Station and walk over, or ride a bike or drive—
Parking nearby can be a bit tricky. It’s faster to go to the underground parking lot next to Xihu Park at the back entrance of Xihu Ningjing Building.
The entire storefront spans three connected spaces—all part of Waffo Gato.
The ordering counter is located near the second-floor space with the black roof on the far left, but I personally found the seating area under the red roof on the right to be more comfortable, with better natural light.

Counter and food preparation area

%? First floor of Waffo Gato's main store
On the first floor, aside from the ordering counter and food prep area, there are also two tables for seating.

%? Second floor of Waffo Gato's main store
The dining space on the second floor is a bit cramped—I’m a bit on the heavier side, so squeezing in with everyone wasn’t really for me XD
But the seats by the window are amazing. You can enjoy your coffee while soaking up some sunlight—it’s pure bliss.

%? Jumping to the adjacent space
The styles of the two Waffo Gato spaces are quite different.
The main store has a more minimalist and modern vibe, while this side leans into a playful and fresh aesthetic. I personally prefer the latter.
The space here is also relatively more spacious.

In addition to walls painted in cheerful sky blue and cute wallpaper,
There are also several paintings and puzzles that help you momentarily forget the worries of adulthood and return to the joyful simplicity of childhood—making it a pleasure to enjoy a meal.
Including some of my favorite works by Jimmy Liao ♥

Although the staff don’t usually come through this area except to deliver food, and you have to walk next door to order,
There’s no service charge for dining here, and the atmosphere might feel more relaxing for some people.
Most importantly, the natural light here is fantastic—I almost wanted to run home, grab my laptop, and blog by the window. I probably wouldn’t even get hungry :p

Dining at Waffle Café is semi-self-service, and there is no service charge.
See the little blue box?
All the utensils, condiments, and ice water you need are hidden in this column—remember to help yourself by getting up for them.
(But until the server brought our food without any utensils, we didn’t realize how it worked. It would be better if they could give a reminder when ordering though :)

The two tables on the left are high stools for six people, ((I always think four seats would be more fitting
Although the high stools are a bit uncomfortable for Mite, who’s not very tall,
the setup that allows you to put your bag and belongings under the table is quite thoughtful,
so you don’t have to stuff your bag onto the small chair and worry about it falling off.

There are also very cute little pillow backrests on the high stools—I really want to sneak this set of table and chairs home!!!! (((No swearing here...
The white chairs look fresh, but unfortunately, they’re already a bit dirty.
Remember the composite restaurant nearby, [Seesaw Cottage], also has cute chair backrests. Backrest lovers can go find your favorite pillows there >.^

There’s rose salt, black pepper, and napkins on the table.

%? Waffle Café Menu MENU

There are many food options—you can find breakfast, lunch, dinner, desserts, or afternoon tea all here.

After ordering at the main store, you’ll get a number stand to place on the table, and the staff will bring your food over later.

In addition to the set meals provided as part of the collaboration, we also ordered an extra Nordic Premium Salmon Platter.
Right now, Waffle Café has a buy-one-get-one-free promotion on set meals—it’s quite a good deal.

%? Coconut Black Mocha 145 NTD
Dad also playfully ordered the Coconut Black Mocha, which has a rather unique name,
but to be honest, the coconut flavor isn’t very strong—you might even think you ordered the wrong drink at first sip XD
But this coffee is great for those who don’t like bitter coffee.
Even Mite, who’s not usually into coffee, enjoyed it immensely and didn’t want to give it back to my dad.
The taste is quite unique—not bitter, not overly sweet, and the aroma of coffee still lingers,
the only thing missing is the coconut flavor. Maybe the sweetness of the coconut tones down the bitterness of the coffee,
giving it the feeling of a child who’s been thoroughly spoiled by their parents ♥ ((Though Mite already is one, haha

Just looking at it makes you feel like it has depth.

%? Blood Orange Iced Tea 130 NTD
Seeing so many drink options on the menu but not being a big coffee fan, I tried the Blood Orange Iced Tea, which has a rather unique name.
Mom always thought the name of this drink was a bit too risqué, but it just so happens that Mite loves that kind of thing—seeing the words “blood orange” excited him like he’d seen a zombie.
This iced tea is made with a green tea base mixed with orange to create a refreshing tea flavor. I opted for half sugar to avoid too many calories, and it turned out to suit my taste perfectly ♥
And this huge pot of iced tea is only 130 NT dollars — it’s really such a great deal!

%?Angus Natural Ribeye Eye of Rib  Grilled Ribeye  899 NT dollars     Currently buy one get one free
A white plate that looks a bit like a shallow flowerpot immediately caught my eye as it was served — it looked quite delicate, though the plate wasn’t very easy to move around.
The Waffle Crisp especially serves the fries in a small iron pan separately, so they won’t get soggy from the sauce of the steak — really thoughtful and clever.
Although this ribeye steak comes with a hefty price tag, it’s actually a generous 10 oz portion, so it’s quite worth it.
Paired with the special dipping sauce, a refreshing salad that cuts through the richness, and fries that were surprisingly crisp and delicious — even crispier and tastier than crackers,
Although the texture of the ribs was a bit tough due to being slightly overcooked, it was still quite satisfying.

After the meal is served, the server will light a candle to melt the seasoning on top.
But to be honest, I prefer the original flavor of the ribs — the taste of the meat itself is already enough,
Although the seasoning adds a fragrant aroma to the ribs, it also makes them a bit more greasy.

%?Nordic Premium Salmon Special Meal  220 NT dollars
This dish should probably be called Nordic Premium Salmon Salad,
Perfect for friends who want to eat greens and get fiber — it’s loaded with salad and a runny egg, definitely satisfying your cravings.
But Mite doesn’t really like vinaigrette-style salad dressings, so I was a little disappointed — it would’ve been perfect with some Caesar dressing!
But I have to say, the salmon at Waffle Crisp is really fresh, with no hint of fishiness, and the skin has a slight crispness,
Paired with the unassuming but surprisingly excellent grilled bread,
That wonderful taste still lingers on my taste buds. (Does that mean I didn’t brush my teeth? XD)

%?Spanish Red Prawn Tomato Pasta  260 NT dollars
The presentation of this Spanish red prawn tomato pasta is a bit of a letdown — it could look a little better,
But hey, food is all about taste~~~~ What good is looks if it doesn’t deliver?
But honestly, it’s super delicious!!!!!!!!!!!
Just the three huge, oversized red prawns taking up so much space on the plate are already jaw-dropping,
Peel off the shell, take a big bite — the tender white shrimp meat is so springy, the freshness is truly on par with the seafood from Guihou Fishing Port!
This really made me feel both puzzled and pleasantly surprised ♥
The pasta at Waffle Crisp had the perfect texture and firmness, with a tomato aroma mixed with rich creaminess — another devilishly delicious dish.

Just look at how big these red prawns are!!!!!!! No joke!!!!!!!!

%?Matcha Ice Cream  (Steak meal dessert)
Today I also have to rush to Taoyuan Daxi to visit Heping Old Street, so I could only try the ice cream dessert from the steak meal,
And unfortunately, it’s the matcha flavor, which I don’t dare to eat — such a bummer Orz
But the desserts on the menu look so tempting!! Next time I must come back just for afternoon tea and the desserts and ice cream!!!!!!

%? Free WiFi wireless internet
Oh yeah, friends who don’t have unlimited data don’t have to worry when you come here,
Just turn on your WiFi and search for "waffo gato," then share photos of the delicious food here with your friends to make them jealous XD
This is the first time the new HTC One phone has met everyone, but it’s already been three months

I’ve been really busy lately, busy with work, busy doing unpaid work—don’t say I’m living the easy life anymore, it’s so frustrating every time I hear that Orz
Finally got a little free time to have a nice meal with my parents. My mom and dad were super satisfied with the food, except the high chairs were a bit hard for the elderly to sit in and they weren’t very comfortable XD

Waffogato, honestly I’m not sure whether to classify this place as a café or a restaurant,
The menu options are diverse, and both the main dishes and drinks perform excellently—the desserts also look insanely indulgent!!
Overall, aside from the space being a bit narrow and the seats being too close to the door (the constant opening and closing almost made me roast alive), which is a slight downside,
and the doneness of the meat dishes could be adjusted a bit more,
this Waffo gato Wowo Island tasting experience was pretty enjoyable, especially the pasta and drinks, which I was particularly happy with,
The prices are also very reasonable, and there are often irregular promotional events too!!

I got really lucky with great weather this time,
Sitting on the high chair,
Bathed in warm light with a sky-blue, childlike space all around,
And just like that, my parents and I had our first relaxing encounter with Waffogato.

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>>>This article was originally published on: Mit, Weidai Xu blog  

【Restaurant Info】
Waffogato
Phone: 02-8797-7965
Address: 1F & 2F, No. 12, Lane 411, Section 1, Neihu Rd., Neihu District, Taipei City & (right side of the entrance to the serene West Lake)
Business Hours: 11:00–22:00
Closed: None
Payment Method: Minimum spend of NT$100 per person, no service charge, cash only
Facilities: Free WiFi, power outlets, 50 seats, private room available
Suitable for: Dates, family meals, chatting, laptop users, business discussions, studying, taking a break, photography, finding inspiration