Completely Hidden Gem!"A Cat Lover's Italian Food Paradise

Photos & Text /Mite

The long-awaited happy birthday date has finally arrived—today is the first time that Zhiyuan, Xiaozhi, and Mite have all appeared together after planning it for so long！
Thanks to Zhiyuan, one of Neihu’s local insiders, for the tip-off, which gave us the chance to tryMiao Mia Ousui Italian Kitchen, hidden away in the alleys near Neihu MRT Station.
In addition to pasta and risotto, they also serve coffee and afternoon tea—so it’s not just an Italian restaurant, but a café too！
There are several lively and adorable little cats in the restaurant, making the dining atmosphere even cozier and more relaxing. ♥

Calling Miaou a hidden food and coffee gem in Neihu is absolutely well-deserved！
Although the restaurant is just near Neihu MRT Station, you have to turn into an alley off the Holiday Inn lane,
and then go even further down a small alley next to Hot Pot Dynasty—it’s really hard to find, even though the owner has put up a sign right next to Hot Pot Dynasty. Orz
First-timers will definitely think, “What kind of bizarre lane-within-a-lane is this?” This fat guy Mite is totally trying to scam us into being sold off!!??
No scamming here—there are actually lots of other shops hidden along this alley too.
The storefront looks super cozy, and there’s a sign at the entrance with info on current promotions, plus the most important note: “Cats inside!”

The warm yellow-red lighting creates a vibe that makes you feel like you could just fall asleep and go home as soon as you walk in,
So if you want to take photos, please bring your own props, XD
The restaurant also has novels, magazines, and other books, and Miao offers free Wi-Fi and power outlets,
making it another perfect spot for people who never want to leave！　
Mom, I’m not coming home today ((Hey!!

Originally, Zhiyuan picked a small square table in the middle near the entrance, hoping to give me more chances to interact with the cats in the restaurant,
but I had no idea why and just felt awkward sitting in the middle, so I ended up asking to move to a side table by the wall. Someone please kill my clumsiness！！
Learn from my mistake, cat lovers planning to visit Miao Mia Ousui Italian Kitchen—opt for the middle seats, no doubt about it！
But honestly, the cats here are super friendly. No matter where you sit, they might just come cuddle up to your feet at any time.

The kitchen at Miaou is somewhat open-concept,
so you can see the boss, the boss’s wife, and part-timers bustling about. Occasionally we even chatted across the room,
and since there’s no service charge and only one or two staff members, sometimes you have to wait a bit—but they’ll always ask if you’re okay with waiting first.

There’s detailed business hours and the latest promotions posted above the counter,
So remember to bring your phone when you come eat—you can get free garlic bread!!!

The counter at Miao has some jars filled with cute homemade cookies,
If I remember correctly, I think I also saw some cat-themed cookies there too!
Next time I can buy some to bring back for Wulong ((dogs can eat cat treats, right~~

When reaching for a business card, I suddenly spotted these two postcards that said “Adopt, Don’t Shop; Neuter, Don’t Kill.” ((I think other restaurants in Neihu might have similar campaigns too!
This is also a流浪 animal issue that has garnered quite a bit of attention recently.
The restaurant donates the income from the postcards to help neuter stray cats, and everyone is encouraged to support the shelter and TRN as well!!
I really have to praise the cat-loving owner and his wife—they’re so full of love ♥ ((And everyone, don’t forget to care for dogs too XDD

The cats’ food and water are placed under the counter table,
Just by looking at these bowls, you can tell how many cats Miao has.
When the owner Joey feeds the cats, it’s like a feeding show—the sight is super adorable and eye-catching,
Please, if you love cats, you absolutely must not miss this, or you’ll regret it!!!!

The wall next to us is covered with Polaroid photos—memories from previous visits by the owner’s friends and birthday celebrations for patrons.
Actually, every time I go to any restaurant and see Polaroids on the wall, I’m always curious,
How can we take a photo and have it displayed here?
But I also feel too shy to ask XD
By the way, the month we dined was also the birthday month for both me and Zhiyuan,
But we booked too late—apparently, if you book two days in advance, you get a special handmade cake from Miao. What a bummer!

A corner of Mia Eu Sui Yi Kitchen

After changing seats, we moved to the seats on the left just inside the entrance,
The wooden bench against the wall has leopard-print cushions,
But I just wanted to quietly tell the café owner Joey that these cushions tend to shift and puff up unevenly k8, but it’s no big deal XD ((What’s there to worry about over a meal anyway

Ta-da!
Because it was our first time at Mia Eu Sui Yi Kitchen, Mite didn’t initially expect there to be free Wi-Fi,
Which allowed me to share this place with everyone right away—it’s really~ exactly what I wanted!!

The glass water bottle on the table

If you’re also into stationery or stickers, you’ll definitely love Miao Restaurant’s super cute and colorful menu~
It’s made with a simple photo album, decorated with some craft paper cutouts, adorable cat illustrations, and a really charming handwritten menu!
At first, I was silly enough to think each one was handwritten—I totally forgot about photocopiers =　＝　
And they all clearly list the ingredients in each dish, which is really thoughtful—you don’t have to worry about accidentally ordering something you can’t eat.
But do note that the serving times for dishes vary, and the menu is updated irregularly～

P.S. The May menu has been updated, please refer to Miao’s Facebook page for details

%?Side dish: handmade garlic bread
Whether you ordered the side bread or got it as a check-in gift, this is what it looks like!
The bread arrives freshly baked and super fragrant — totally mouthwatering.
It might not look that impressive at first glance, but once you take a bite, you’ll realize it’s packed with flavor.
The outer layer is thin, crispy, and flaky; the second bite reveals a soft interior. Paired with the tempting garlic aroma, I’d gladly risk being garlic-breathed by my friends while waiting!

%?Side salad Salad dressing: Caesar / Yogurt
The small bowl of salad is adorable and dainty, yet it’s clear the ingredients are quite varied and fresh.
It includes cucumber, tomato, lettuce, raisins, corn chips, plus almond slices and walnuts.
The sweet yogurt dressing complements it perfectly!

%?Cheese meat sauce penne 170 TWD
It has some colorful peppers, king oyster mushrooms, and other ingredients inside.
This portion was small — I only had a little — but there wasn’t much cheese flavor. It might’ve been overpowered by the meat sauce, which is a bit of a shame.

%?Bacon cream egg yolk spaghetti 180 TWD
The spaghetti that Zhiyuan ordered looks quite impressive — the golden, translucent egg yolk in the center makes you just want to take a bite.

Zhiyuan said the egg yolk made the creaminess of the sauce even smoother, and the bacon was nicely smoky. Darn, I wish I’d snuck a bite before he ate it!
But with H7N9 in Taiwan recently, it’s better to eat fully cooked eggs when possible!

%?Spicy bell pepper beef Mexican tortilla 200 TWD
Yay, finally it’s time to introduce the Mexican tortilla Miao ordered!!! !!!!!!
So delicious — this one is seriously super うまい (tasty).
The sour and spicy flavors are just amazingly good!
Miao’s spicy bell pepper beef tortilla is sprinkled with some spices and then drizzled with red wine vinegar sauce — the unique tanginess is unforgettable.
The crispy outer shell is seriously addictive, almost like it’s been fried.
Inside the tortilla are bell peppers, beef, onions, black olives, and more, offering lots of texture layers.
But it’s best to eat it quickly, otherwise the shell softens and gets harder to handle, and the filling might fall out or get a bit soupy.

%?Side drink: milk tea
All I can say is — so creamy and milky!! You can add sugar yourself if you want, so it won’t be too sweet~

%?Miao, the owner of Mia Yio’s Casual Kitchen　
The first time I saw Joey, I thought, haha, this owner is really something — such a lively vibe just radiates from him.
Later I chatted a bit with him about opening the shop, entrepreneurship, and his journey.
Every time I hear these small business owners’ stories, I find them so endearing, moving, and admirable. From decor, equipment, menu items, to marketing — they have to do everything themselves.
Opening a shop is truly not an easy thing to talk about, and it’s even more difficult to actually do.
Joey’s original main job was actually as a bartender. I heard that many friends reacted the same way I did when they heard that: “Then just turn Miao into a little bar at night!!!”
To be honest, it’s not that we want to kill you, we just really want to have a drink of the cocktails you make XDDD
【Sharing makes life better】 is the core philosophy of Miao Mia Eu Sui Yi Kitchen. Sharing food, sharing the love of adoption, sharing a warm dining environment,it also fulfilled one of Joey’s dreams, and I got to share in the joy of the owners realizing their dream of opening a shop.

The little one was so busy playing with the cats, the kitties are really super lively ♥♥

Mitt found that the cats in this restaurant all really love playing like this — friends with cameras can play with them like this too XD

Miao’s owner Joey said these little cats really love it when people play with them using their fingers, and indeed it’s true!!

This is Daddy Da Mao!! His charming sleeping pose is really captivating~ ((he’s clearly a boy~~
Da Mao just got neutered, so he needs more rest

The owner once introduced the cats’ names, but I still can’t quite remember them Orz
But this little guy is super cute, always being teased by the little one with a cat teaser.

Ni Kan Kan, Da Mao, you’re really too useless, looking all drowsy at this hour!!

k8k8, what are you guys doing!!!

The little kittens are all tired out too

Actually, they’re probably all pretty tired, since customers keep trying to play with them XD

Can’t miss their adorable sleeping faces either, totally like little stars.

Although most of our time during this little date with Ka Xin was spent playing with the cats,
it also helped us get to know each other better, Zhi Yuan is really such an emotional person.
By the way, this place is highly recommended for small gatherings of friends or for coming to study with your laptop!!
The space here is a bit smaller, but the restaurant is quite quiet inside, with comfortable music, and if you’re tired you can play with the cats.

%?Join Mitt, Wei Dai Xu’s fan page, and keep up with the latest info on good food and fun activities anytime.

>>>This article was originally published on: Mitt, Wei Dai Xu’s blog  

【Restaurant Info】
MiAO Mia Eu Sui Yi Kitchen
Business hours: Tuesday to Friday 11:00–21:00; Saturday, Sunday, and holidays 09:00–21:00
Closed: Monday
Phone: 02-8792-5349
Address: No. 17, Lane 28, Alley 30, Section 4, Chenggong Road, Neihu District, Taipei City
E-mail：joey546565@gmail.com
Payment method: Cash only
Minimum spend: 60 RMB per person
Promotion: When you visit and take any related photo, upload it to the Miao fan page and check in. You’ll receive one handmade garlic bread (one comment = one bread). Each month, three comments will be selected to receive a free pancake with your visit (notified via FB message).
Student discount: Show your student ID to exchange for a cup of black tea or milk tea
Birthday discount: Birthday celebrants that week can make a reservation in advance to receive a complimentary handmade 6T birthday cake (ID required and reservation must be made at least two days in advance)
Note: As the menu and promotions often change, it’s recommended to call ahead before visiting
Brunch is served on weekends from 09:00 to 11:50 — arrive early if you want to dine