A vintage literary-style brunch spot—handmade Japanese bread in a historic building

Text and photos by /Mika

I’ve often heard of the Taichung Broadcasting Bureau, but I’d never actually been here. On this rainy afternoon, I met up with a friend for tea and a chat to kill time—what else is there to do in the rain, right? It was my first visit, and because of the heavy rain, I only managed to take a couple of quick photos of the exterior, which is a bit of a pity. Next time, I’ll come back to properly document it. "Harumaru" is another brand under the Terakawa Restaurant group, known mainly for its bread. It’s famous for its handmade Japanese-style bread and homemade jams. The Taichung Broadcasting Bureau building is 80 years old. Inside, it’s quite spacious, and besides Harumaru, there are also art exhibitions and heritage introductions. The place was originally a library, so it has a strong scholarly vibe, giving off a very literary and retro feel.

The building has the characteristics of a Western-style structure—this kind of architecture is also pretty common in Tainan. Eighty years is truly no small span of time.

Don’t you think older buildings have more artistic beauty? The window sills and carvings are all very delicate and refined, so they still look timeless even years later.

The decor at Harumaru Broadcasting Bureau is simple and elegant.

There aren’t many seats inside, and one area is specially set aside for Artqpie, which takes up quite a bit of space and displays independently published books.

There are windowsills on all four sides of the restaurant—the density is really high.

The minimum spend is NT$90 per person.

Apart from this long table, there are only two or three other small tables and chairs. It can probably fit around ten people max.

Another seating area is over here—it’s been claimed by Xiao Pangtao.

Xiao Pangtao is super cute—luckily there was no one else, or Xiao Pangtao would’ve been too noisy...

They mainly sell bread and drinks. The bread comes in both savory and sweet flavors. For the menu, please click:https://goo.gl/lnAsBz(Some photos are fromFeitian Xuan)

Set A – NT$130
NT$45 for bread + small bowl salad + drink (you can choose your bread, pay extra if you want something beyond the selection)
Set C – NT$180
Xi-flavor bread + two small bowls of food + egg, hot dog

For brunch, their prices aren’t expensive, and the food quality is quite good. The bread is really delicious. Black tea with milk and hot black tea are also recommended drinks.

The salad and cheese are fresh and refreshing. If you’re in the mood for something indulgent, this brunch spot isn’t bad—but not if you’re just looking to fill up. If you want a literary-style brunch experience, I’d definitely recommend this place.

Harumaru Broadcasting Bureau
Official website:http://goo.gl/lzrE13
Facebook:https://goo.gl/WGeSdO
Address: No. 1 Radio Station Street, North District, Taichung City
Phone: (04)2220-0708
Business hours: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM

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