East meets West: Dairy Queen!

Year by year as I continue to live in Taipei, I see it changing from a traditional Chinese culture to a western culture. As the more western pockets that i see pop up the harder it is for me to leave. Everyone living abroad will eventually start to miss the comforts of home. So, Taipei, in another effort to keep me in Asia has imported the Dairy Queen brand. And not just the products, but it's very own store. Right in my own backyard in Tianmu! Located a stone's throw north of Tianmu square on zhongshan north road section 7. The Dairy Queen wasn't even this conveniently close when I lived in California. Walking in, they have the same decor and the same menu. Although it is a trimmed menu. They are unfortunately missing the hot foods and the eclectic toppings bar. But they do have the two main Dairy Queen staples, which are the chocolate dipped soft serve and the Blizzards. The Blizzards have over 15 taste selections. In addition, they have the DQ smoothies, DQ ice cream cakes, Dilly bars and Moolattes. I love taipei! Bring more. Bring In-and-Out, Bring Five Guys Burgers, Bring Target! Why move home, home will come to me. Time for a Blizzard, see you next post.

#29 ZhongShan North Road Section 7, Shilin District
台北市士林區中山北路七段29號
02-2871-0810

Bakery 49

There's nothing like the comforts of home. So as a friend and I roam around the global mall for a quick bite, my periphery sees a sign that says CLAM CHOWDER. We stop and walk over to Bakery 49. Bakery 49 turns out to be a quaint restaurant specializing in northern and southern California cuisine. It was started by a group of friends that have relocated from San Francisco. Walking in, the atmosphere reminds me of Napa valley. A row of wine fridges line the back framed by a brown and white stone hearth. Because the restaurant is located in what global mall calls the outdoor seating restaurants, it has both indoor and outdoor seating as well. However the indoor seating is the one with the view. Continuing to the food. I only tried the clam chowder. It's reasonable priced at $150NT, +$30NT for the sourdough bread bowl. The clam chowder was nice. I tasted house made and creamy with bits of bacon on top. I forget which disappointing restaurant I went to before that had clam chowder, but I was pretty sure it was straight from a Campbell's can. Bakery 49's clam chowder is so far the best clam chowder i've had to resembles what you get at Fisherman's Warf. I do wish it was a bit creamier and more chunky. It did have a few good sized calms in there, but no potatoes were added. I would have paid a little more for a larger size too. I guess they do still have to localize it. It's definitely a smaller size compared to a real SF bread bowl. Some of the other things I noticed on the menu: chicken and waffles, kobe burger, pastrami reuben sandwich, shepard's pie, fried calamari and Cioppino. They also have a pretty nice assortment of California wine from the likes of Duckhorn and Stag's Leap. Looking on their website, they have two other locations in Dunhua and Mistukoshi A8 near the 101. Their other two locations seem to be larger too. One with a full sized bakery and wine bar. Check them out at www.bakery49.com. I will be returning to my SF away from SF.

DunHua location

台北市松山區敦化北路222巷6號

Mitsukoshi A8 location

台北市信義區松高路12號B2

Banqiao Global Mall location
新北市板橋區縣民大道二段7號2F