Ethnic-style coffee shop: handmade pound cake glazed with orange marmalade

Text & Photos /Paperclip ‘Food Photography Joy’

The short Yan Shou Street stretches from the intersection of Xin Dong Street in the east all the way to near Minsheng Park in the west. Including nearby alleyways, within this distance of less than one kilometer, there are actually over ten coffee shops — more than you’d find in convenience stores. In mid-January 2016, another coffee shop opened near Le Le Coffee, considered the pioneer of Yan Shou Street...Le Le Coffee…and this new one is technically a branch but also has its own distinct character, called “Cocoon Wraps. Cafe Yu’er.”

As for Cocoon Wraps, I first came across them on Pinkoi. One day while browsing the site, I stumbled upon their shop. Cocoon Wraps advocates for fair trade. Their products — ranging from clothing, jewelry, accessories, to tableware and home décor — carry a strong ethnic vibe, and many are handmade crafts by women from Myanmar, India, and Nepal. I later followed their Facebook fan page and found out in real-time that they were preparing to open a café in Minsheng Community. I just didn’t expect it to be right next to Le Le Coffee. The Yu’er Coffee storefront isn’t very large, but the entrance made of old window frames is quite eye-catching.

Upon entering, the space is divided into two sides: one side is the café, and the other is the fair trade goods sales area, though there are also some seats in the sales section. The spatial arrangement feels a bit cramped, and aside from the large table near the counter (though when I was there, someone had left their laptop on it), the other seats are mostly laid-back sofas — not very convenient if you want to use a laptop, even though they provide plenty of extension cords and power outlets.

There are also a few seats outside the shop. The coffee served here is, of course, fair trade coffee. Aside from single-origin options, they also have various espresso-based drinks. One unique item is their homemade cakes.

On the day I visited, I tried only the orange pound cake. At first, I was worried it might be dry, but luckily they had added their own hand-made orange marmalade, which soaked into the cake. Both the texture and flavor were refreshingly delightful.

As for the café’s style, I personally don’t particularly like the feel of Yu’er — it felt too cramped and cluttered, and the air was filled with an ethnic incense scent that gave me a slight headache after a while. But everyone has their own taste, so I’m sure there are people who enjoy this kind of café atmosphere.

Cocoon Wraps X Yu’er Coffee
https://www.facebook.com/twinestudio/
No. 113, Yan Shou Street, Songshan District, Taipei City
02-27616179
12:00~22:00

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