Savor the taste of Taiwan ! Heartwarming Taipei cafes & limited-edition strawberry pancakes for the Lunar New Year

Text & Photos /A Man’s Daily Life
(Text by Man E. Photography by Man J)

The hybrid concept store-cafés that have long been popular in Tokyo and Korea have recently made a retro comeback in Taipei. Opened just last September, Café Cǎoní (草泥Cafe) boasts a bold and playful name — “Cǎoní” (草泥) is a homophone of a vulgar Taiwanese Hokkien phrase, chosen by the owner to encourage a light-hearted attitude toward life’s hardships. The café expresses its spirit through humorous use of local Taiwanese dialects, offering a unique vibe. Within its 80-ping space, you can enjoy light meals, coffee, and pancakes while also experiencing the charm of the brand’s curated goods and custom home furnishings.

%RadishGas Café is located near the increasingly popular Liuzhangli Station — just a five-minute walk will bring you to the café’s unpretentious entrance, with its cute little window and high stools, likely designed for takeout customers.

%The large glass windows and high stools might be for takeout, but they also give a peek into the space. The café’s spatial partner, rkdesign37.com, fills the expansive area with novel lifestyle decor and one-of-a-kind custom furniture. It serves as both a home furnishing concept store and a designer’s studio.

%The 80-ping space is divided into two parts — the left half is Café Cǎoní, spacious and bright, with sunlight pouring in through its glass doors and windows. As soon as we stepped inside, the two of us were captivated by the cozy atmosphere. Every corner subtly reveals the owner’s ingenuity, featuring creative Weed on Mud illustrations, as well as greenery and dried flowers that decorate the space.

%Besides sipping on their signature drinks, we also tried their food menu.

%The café’s owner once shared, “I hope art isn’t something only so-called artists can participate in, but an activity where everyone has a chance to step on stage and win applause.” That’s also the original idea behind the café’s unique private music hall. Inside the music hall, there’s an elegant piano and walls adorned with works by independent artists. The space hosts irregular DIY workshops and exhibitions, and recently even held an opera discussion event. They hope and plan to share more beauty in this small space.

In addition to drinks, Café Cǎoní also offers light meals such as paninis, salads, and pasta, as well as American-style fried snacks that pair well with beer. Currently, the menu isn’t extensive, and most ingredients are carefully selected from local Taiwanese small-scale farms — fresh milk comes from the Taitung Chuluhu brand, tea is chosen from Taiwan Tea King’s Fengcha, and beer is sourced from uniquely flavored Taiwanese craft brands with cute bottle designs.

Salad

%Vegetarian option available (lacto-ovo vegetarian)

The salad at Café Cǎoní comes in a wooden bowl filled with zucchini, eggplant, bell peppers, romaine lettuce, olives, cherry tomatoes, and grilled bread cubes. The zucchini, eggplant, and bell peppers are first pan-fried, then marinated in olive oil, and combined with other fresh vegetables, all drizzled with a special small-farm Lala Mountain peach vinaigrette. Though a bit oily, the variety of colorful vegetables makes it very appetizing, and the sweet-and-sour dressing enhances the freshness of the greens.

Spaghetti

Green Pesto Chicken Thigh Pasta — NT$250 (comes with vinaigrette salad and soup of the day)

The homemade green pesto at Café Cǎoní is rich and pleasantly sweet, the chicken thigh is tender and generously portioned, and the pasta nicely absorbs the sauce. However, toward the end, the bottom noodles seemed a bit oily and heavy. Overall, though, I enjoyed the pesto flavor.

The soup of the day was a vegetable tomato soup, with a generous serving of napa cabbage and a well-balanced tomato flavor. The vinaigrette salad is small, but if you’re dining alone and can’t order a salad separately, getting the pasta main will still let you enjoy some greens — which is a nice touch.

Panini

%Avocado Toast — NT$220 (can be made lacto-ovo vegetarian or fully vegetarian)

Salad dressing options (choose one): homemade Lala Mountain peach vinaigrette, Hsinchu Guanxi kumquat dressing, Italian Caesar (with meat), or Greek yogurt dressing.

Café Cǎoní’s toast is layered with fresh avocado, tomato, basil, boiled egg, cucumber, and peanut butter. One bite delivers the rich, sweet flavor of ripe avocado, paired with the milder taste of peanut butter. The toast is crispy and has a pleasant texture, and the side of mashed potato and apple is smooth yet with a refreshing crunch — absolutely delicious.

Smothie

Left %Photo width 180
One of Café Cǎoní’s signature drinks, decorated with fresh kiwi slices and offering a pure, sweet kiwi flavor.

Special
Right %Japanese-style matcha latte — NT$150

Made with Japanese Shizuoka matcha powder, it has a subtle matcha aroma and balanced milk flavor, making for a comforting drink.

Waffle
Christmas & Lunar New Year Special — “Trudging Through Snow for Berries” — NT$220 (limited-time only)

Winter is strawberry season, and Café Cǎoní’s pre-Christmas special “Trudging Through Snow for Berries” presents fresh strawberries shaped like a Christmas snowman. The pancake is soft and fluffy, with a delicate batter aroma, topped with honey syrup. The overall sweetness is just right, though the flavor is somewhat plain without much wow factor. It’s fairly average, but the matcha whipped cream on top is refreshing, mildly sweet, and fragrant — a delightful touch.

Coffee

Left %Black coffee — NT$110 (slightly bitter with coffee aroma)

Right %Brown sugar latte — NT$140

The black sugar’s sweetness blends perfectly with the bold bitterness of the latte, making for a better-flavored coffee than the Americano. Aside from brown sugar, Café Cǎoní also offers caramel, vanilla, and macadamia nut latte flavors.

Postscript

I still remember that afternoon when we visited Cao Ni Cafe. It was overcast, with a cool breeze reminiscent of the autumn equinox, and the residential neighborhood felt unusually quiet. The scene before our eyes seemed gray, but as we opened the door and stepped inside, it was a relief — the space was warm-toned. The lunchtime crowd had dispersed, leaving only guests quietly engrossed in their computer screens. We felt a secret delight in having the entire beautiful space to ourselves. Cao Ni Cafe is a rare tranquil coffee shop, serving vegetarian sandwiches with a Taiwanese flair.

Cao Ni Cafe
Address: 1F, No. 17, Le Ye Street, Da’an District, Taipei City
Business Hours: Closed on Mondays (Not closed in January 2017)
Tues–Fri: 11:30–20:00
Sat–Sun: 10:00–19:00
Tel: 02-27362567
FB:Cao Ni Cafe
Minimum charge: one drink or meal / self-service style, no service fee
Free WiFi, power outlets, balcony smoking area, pets allowed

Two men from Taipei
One thinks with the left brain, the other with the right.
Man E is the rational free spirit; Man J is the stubbornly spontaneous one.
When life is not crazy, it is not life.
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