Melt your girly heart with Taichung’s animal-shaped ice cream crepes!

Text & Photos byOrange Dog Loves Candy

Taiwan’s earliest crepe trend created a globally unique texture by transforming the typically soft and tender French-style crepe into a crispy one. So after getting used to the original crispy texture, during a trip to Sapporo’s Tanukikoji, I spotted a famous Tokyo-based crepe shop. My friends, eager to join in, bought a few to try. In the end, I was the only one who preferred the soft and tender texture of the French-style crepe.

But I think it’s similar to how Japanese ramen was first introduced to Taiwan. Over the years, as people have been exposed to more international cuisines—whether it’s the rich broth of Japanese ramen or the soft crepes of Japanese-style desserts—they’ve become quite popular among Taiwanese. This article introduces 【FUN TOWER Japanese Crepes】 near Taichung University of Education. It built a great reputation starting from Tainan and has been operating in Taichung for nearly a year. This summer, they launched new adorable ice cream crepes that are really eye-catching!

When it comes to Japanese crepes, the first place that comes to mind is Takeshita Street. There’s also a crepe shop here that almost every tourist visits as a must. Although I know crepes are popular in Japan, I never imagined they could remain so beloved for so many years. When you approach ANGEL HEART, you’ll find not only tourists in line but also many locals. It’s a must for selfies and check-ins—a landmark of sorts, proving you’ve been to Takeshita Street if you’ve taken a photo with a crepe, XD.

This crepe shop from Tainan, 【FUN TOWER Japanese Crepes】, is just as popular. Its bright pink, eye-catching signboard stands out—it’s especially unique to set up shop near Taichung University of Education, which isn’t a typical tourist area. Shortly after opening at 2 PM, customers started coming in on their own.

I really like the vibe of the decor here—it feels bright and comfortable. The front entrance has large floor-to-ceiling windows that let in plenty of light. Inside, aside from posters hanging on either side, there aren’t too many elaborate decorations. There are seats in the middle and along the walls. Although it mainly serves takeout crepes, the staff still recommends dining in for the best taste experience.

The same is true in Japan—even though it’s a takeout-style shop, Japanese people don’t usually eat while walking or shopping, so you’ll see crowds standing outside crepe shops eating their freshly made crepes, taking photos and enjoying them happily. Another section of FUN TOWER is the counter (which also doubles as the kitchen)—you go straight there when you enter to order or ask questions.

The staff give very detailed explanations and will ask about your taste preferences beforehand—whether you like sweet or sour flavors—and recommend suitable options. The crepe-making area is separated by transparent glass, so you can watch the meticulous and elegant process of making the crepes.

Actually, watching food being made is also a way to build anticipation for the deliciousness. In Japan, you can’t see anything behind the counter T_T—from baking the crepe to the careful assembly—you can see it all clearly (photos are okay, but no videos!). So every kid who comes here stares eagerly through the window and squeals with delight when they see what toppings are added, XD.

I also love their ‘service attitude.’ Besides taking orders and serving, they’ll ask in advance if you want to take photos. They wait until you’re done taking pictures before rolling down the outer paper for easier eating, and they even chat with you occasionally during the process.

Or they’ll offer you a napkin and ask if you need it, etc.—it all feels very thoughtful. Even though it’s a takeout dessert, it feels more comfortable to sit and eat here. However, there aren’t many seats, so you might have to wait patiently if it’s full!

But I think many people have probably already tried FUN TOWER’s crepes, so I won’t go too deep into the flavors. The price of a crepe is about the same as a dessert at a cake shop—usually just over 100 NT. It’s not too expensive. Flavors are divided into sweet (with more variety) and savory, and sometimes seasonal fruit flavors are offered.

For example, in the summer, there’s mango, and now they’ve also launched a new blueberry cheesecake flavor. The ever-popular strawberry flavor is also delicious. But I think their savory crepes are even better than those in Japan because the ingredients are very hearty—I wasn’t too impressed with the ones in Japan, XD.

The most recommended is the snow crab and lobster salad flavor, and there’s also a new rice crepe. They’ve been quietly developing new products all the time. But I came here this time specifically for the newly launched 【adorable animal-shaped ice cream crepes】 (just like many others). It’s similar to the rabbit ice cream from Korea’s Jeju Island “Chi Chi-pong,” but here you’ll find even more random animal shapes!

If you already have a crepe with ice cream, they can turn it into an animal-shaped ice cream crepe for free. But if your crepe doesn’t come with ice cream, you’ll need to pay extra to upgrade—Mövenpick ice cream is 59 NT per scoop, and Meiji is 25 NT.

【Strawberry Lotus Custard | Banana Brownie | Blueberry Cheesecake | Some ice cream flavors available for an additional charge】

This is the cute animal-shaped ice cream crepe—combining Korean creativity with Japanese crepes is pretty fun. And unlike Chi Chi-pong, which only has rabbit shapes, they randomly create various animal shapes on the crepes. Aside from the blueberry (in the middle), no ice cream is included by default, so you have to pay extra to choose Mövenpick or Meiji ice cream.

But the staff will also suggest which ice cream flavor pairs best with which crepe flavor, so the tastes don’t clash. It depends on the staff’s creativity to come up with which adorable animal-shaped ice cream crepe they’ll make for you Up. Right now, it’s only available at FUN TOWER. But making this does take a little more time, so if it’s crowded, please be patient and wait a bit Up!

When I came here, it happened to be summer vacation, so a lot of people had come with their friends to take photos and check in. Most of them were here for these animal-shaped crepes. Not only do they look cute, but they taste great too. But if your crepe doesn’t come with ice cream, you’ll need to pay extra to upgrade—Mövenpick ice cream is 59 NT per scoop, and Meiji is 25 NT.

【Strawberry Lotus Custard Crepe | Fruity and Sweet | 130 NT】

Since it’s currently past strawberry season, imported strawberries are used, which have a slightly sharper acidity (though I didn’t find it too sour). It’s mixed with French fresh cream, caramel sauce, sliced strawberries, and the Belgian lotus biscuits often paired with coffee in cafés. The lotus biscuits are fragrant and also a bit sweeter, balancing well with the acidity of the imported strawberries. Combined with the rich yet not overly heavy taste of the French fresh cream, biting into the soft crepe is very satisfying. Highly recommended to try. But I think strawberry crepes will always be a classic, unbeatable flavor. Even if it’s a bit sour, I still want to eat it!

【Banana Brownie Crepe | Slightly Sweet | 110 NT】

This is arguably the most loved flavor among netizens based on online posts—though it’s not my personal favorite XD. But honestly, any combination of banana and chocolate is always a crowd-pleaser in any dessert. It also includes fresh cream and chocolate sauce. Fans of this dessert should definitely try this well-loved flavor. (But note that the brownie contains chopped nuts, so be cautious if you have nut allergies Up.) Also, their brownies and crepes are available à la carte—especially the crepes, which are made in collaboration with Taichung’s Rova Bakery. Rova’s crepes are highly praised. If you’re interested, I also recommend trying the strawberry and crepe combination!

【Blueberry Cheesecake Crepe | 130 NT | New Flavor Recommendation】

A new summer flavor, packed with cream cheese, blueberry sauce, vanilla ice cream, fresh cream, and fresh blueberries. It may sound acidic, but it’s actually refreshing and rich with a contrasting flavor. The richness from the cream cheese and fresh cream blends well, but when you bite into the fresh blueberries, their juicy sweetness bursts out, preventing any greasiness. It’s very enjoyable. Even as summer gets hotter, it doesn’t feel too heavy or overly sweet. Highly recommended for blueberry lovers. This one already comes with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, so you don’t need to pay extra to make it into an animal-shaped ice cream crepe.

【Cheese Beef Rice Crepe | 140 NT | New Savory Flavor Recommendation】

The outer layer is, of course, a crepe, but unlike other savory crepes, it’s wrapped like a spring roll. Inside is shrimp fried rice (I originally thought it was kimchi fried rice XD), topped with generous slices of Australian beef and lettuce. The lettuce is fresh and clean, plus diced tomatoes and Parmesan cheese. The filling is very hearty.

One big bite of the soft egg crepe reveals stir-fried rice with a natural tomato tanginess, along with cheese-infused aroma and tender beef. I found it quite filling, and the flavors aren’t heavy or overwhelming at all—actually, they’re really quite good!

【Mango Brown Sugar Sundae Crepe 110 TWD │ Snow Crab & Lobster Salad Crepe 130 TWD】

This one is very appealing just by looking at it, and the real thing matches the poster 100%. Every time it’s made, only quality ingredients are used. Granted, it’s not possible to use fresh snow crab meat (it’s only 130 TWD after all), but the snow crab sticks are actually pretty tasty. It’s packed with crisp green lettuce and also includes lobster salad, so even though it’s savory, it feels refreshingly cool in the summer. Almost every friend I’ve introduced it to has fallen in love with the flavor after just one try—it’s seriously not something you can get tired of eating. Also, their seasonal mango flavor comes with fresh mango slices and a scoop of mango ice cream on top. The kids absolutely refuse to share this one XD—even if you just want to take a bite to taste it, she’ll get upset XD

Fresh mango chunks paired with cool, authentic mango-flavored ice cream, with a hint of brown sugar aroma—no wonder the kids love it so much!

【Drinks │ Highland Green Tea │ Highland Black Tea │ 35 TWD】

The portions are actually quite generous, I think. They use tea leaves sourced from Nantou in Taiwan to make the tea bags, so there’s no overly astringent taste like you often get with cheap black teas. There’s no added sugar either, so the tea flavor is natural and smooth.

Originating from Tainan and Kaohsiung, FUN TOWER Japanese-style crepes now have branches all over Taipei and Taichung. Though these seemingly simple crepes radiate girlish charm, they’re made with careful preparation and a commitment to using only genuine ingredients. No wonder you’ll find yourself craving them again and again. Highly recommended to gather some friends and give it a try. The service is extremely friendly and attentive, and when dining in, you can comfortably enjoy your meal in the air-conditioned space. Even kids will have a great time eating here!

FUNTOWER Japanese (Soft) Crepe Specialty Shop
◎ Address: No. 6, Wuquan Rd., West District, Taichung City (near O’Shea Café)
◎ Phone: 04-22230220
◎ Business Hours: 2:00 PM – 8:30 PM
◎ Note: Closed on Tuesdays. Offers delivery service within a 3 km radius (minimum order of 8 crepes required).

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