Like an upgraded version of Starbucks, a famous coffee shop from Kaohsiung makes its first debut in Taichung

Text and photos byFeitian Xuan

"Caffaina Taichung Store" is making quite an entrance. Since its establishment in Kaohsiung in 2012, it has continuously opened many branches. When I chatted with Zhuanjiao that day and asked if she had tried Caffaina, her review seemed pretty positive, so I became quite interested...

April 16th (Saturday) was the opening day of Caffaina Taichung Store. In the morning, I asked Kevin if he wanted to go try it out. Surprisingly, he said yes, so on our way back to my parents' place, we stopped by for lunch. It's been rare for us to rush to a restaurant on its very first day since having kids, let alone on a weekend. But with Dad around today, I felt quite reassured... ^^

Caffaina French Pastry is located on Huizhong Road in the Seventh District, right next to Siqu Coffee. The parking in this area is pretty decent...

After parking, when we walked to the entrance, we found the shop was already flooded with diners. Probably because it was a weekend and the weather was nice, many families came out together...

There’s also an outdoor seating area. The overall decor creates an exotic street-style atmosphere, and the black-and-white building exterior gives off a very high-quality vibe, leaving a great first impression...

There are little lambs on the grass outside too, so cute and adorable. Just being outdoors feels like you're in an art gallery.

On this opening day, there were really a lot of people. Unless you got here right when it opened, you’d have to wait a long time for a table. If you don’t mind, you can sit in the outdoor area to avoid the wait...

The ordering process is similar to Starbucks — you order directly at the counter, then wait nearby for your food, and then find a seat with your order... But as mentioned earlier, there were just so many people today that we split up. Kevin took Little Cherry to find a seat first, while Xuan handled the ordering... Guess how long I waited in line based on the crowd? The answer is: one hour... seriously crazy.

There’s a big English store name “CAFFAINA” on the ceiling...

While waiting in line, you’ll see a "menu" display box on the right-hand wall, which you can pick up and browse... Might as well look at the menu while waiting, since aside from scrolling your phone, that’s all you can do. XD

Actually, besides coffee and desserts, Caffaina also sells bread. The bread is freshly baked and placed directly on shelves — they looked pretty delicious... I originally wanted to take some bread home, but as I was the only one in line, juggling bread and drinks seemed a bit troublesome, so I’ll come back another day if I get the chance...

Phew — finally my turn.

First, let’s take a look at the pastries in the display case. The prices are not expensive, all around $100 TWD, and they all look super cute and aesthetically pleasing. Sugar addicts will definitely go wild.

Don’t think you’re done after ordering. Waiting at the pick-up counter for desserts and drinks took another 10 minutes... After getting the desserts and drinks, we brought them back to the seating area first. The rest of the meal would be picked up when the bell rang for the table.

The seating area on the first floor is limited, so it filled up quickly.

The most distinctive and eye-catching feature of the entire decor is probably the circular structure in the middle of the restaurant.

Once you walk inside, you’ll see the floor is made of glass, with coffee beans underneath.

Looking up, there’s a tree that stretches all the way to the second floor — a very thoughtful and clever design, clearly a high-budget effort.

Walk up the stairs to the second floor.

Walking around upstairs kind of feels like stepping into a Harry Potter scene... XD

Looking down at the first floor from the stairs.

The second floor is also completely packed.

World map... It seems Caffaina has quite ambitious plans. So do they aim to slowly expand globally like 85°C in the future?

I also really like the second-floor decor. It’s very stylish and high-quality, and the table spacing is quite spacious.

Took some photos, now heading downstairs.

There are some products displayed on the shelves, including insulated cups and shopping bags.

On the other side, the shelves were filled with books…

This is the dinner bell—when it rings, it means your food is ready. Hurry to the serving counter and get it yourself!

Mille-feuille — this wasn’t what we ordered

We spotted it at the serving counter and snapped a quick photo… It’s huge—bigger than Xiaoying’s face…

Black Forest Adventure — $105 NTD

It’s a chocolate cake base with chocolate chips on top, and it’s quite moist… Also, because the filling includes berries, there’s a slight tanginess to it…

Lemon cake / Banana tart — $？？ NTD

We added these on the spot after seeing them displayed on the counter. I remember neither was over $50 NTD… Both desserts turned out pretty good, and they’re really not expensive—we liked them… After finishing the meal, we waited another half hour before the dinner bell finally rang… (So touching…)

Ye Fu’s Supreme Panini — $210 NTD

Since we hadn’t had breakfast yet, we ordered a savory dish, thinking at least Kevin would have something to eat…

It had mushrooms, bacon, smoked chicken, vegetables, and cheese—it was still steaming when served. The outside was crispy, and even Kevin, who’s lactose intolerant, could eat it… Then we waited another half hour, and our dinner bell rang again… This time, we were truly, deeply moved. Why? Because as noon approached, more people crowded in, many eyeing our table hungrily, probably thinking, “Why are they still here after finishing their meal!?!” We were wrongly accused—we were just waiting for our food, which took way longer than expected…

Classic Fauchon Soufflé — $200 NTD

As soon as the dinner bell rang, I sprinted to the serving counter, only to find the soufflé wasn’t ready yet—I had to wait a bit more… After about two minutes, the long-awaited soufflé finally appeared… Though it was a little deflated—I’d expected it to be puffy, so I was a bit disappointed… When I asked the staff, she said, “This is how it usually is…” (Really?) Aside from the original flavor, which is available daily, each soufflé flavor is only offered once per day!

The soufflés at “Café Na” aren’t the light, melt-in-your-mouth kind… They’re denser and differ from the typical soufflé you’d expect. To me, the taste was okay, but it might not suit everyone’s palate…

Peach & Strawberry Soda — $100 NTD

It’s a sparkling drink, sweet and tangy—a nice choice for summer…

Nati (Hot) — $120 NTD

A plain coffee—probably because we’d been waiting so long and were so thirsty, I finished it in no time…

When we were leaving, the place was even more crowded. Judging by the crowd, you’d need to wait at least two hours to get a seat… Overall… “Café Na” has a spacious and comfortable environment and decor. The prices aren’t too steep, and “for this price range,” the flavors are decent—it’s like a premium version of Starbucks, but cheaper. No wonder it attracted huge crowds on its first day…

There are opening promotions: 20% off from 4/16–4/25, 10% off from 4/26–5/2. But the place was pretty chaotic due to the crowd that day, so those planning to go are advised to arrive early in the morning or visit during the quieter evening hours!

Café Na French Pastries
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Address: No. 45, Section 2, Huizhong Road, West District, Taichung City
Phone: (04)2259-8025
Business Hours: AM9:00–PM24:00
Website:http://www.caffaina.com/  

Feitianxuan
I record my life’s eats, drinks, joys, and sorrows in a lighthearted tone"锛br /> Blog、FB