Coffee Crush Taipei! Simple Kaffa Cake & Chuan Coffee Pudding

February 5-12 2025

Taipei Taiwan

SIMPLE KAFFA 

No. 27, Sec. 2, Zhongxiao East. Rd., 

Zhongzheng Dist., Taipei 

SIMPLA KAFFA was founded by Wu Zelin, graduated from the Institute of Electronics at National Taiwan University. By supporting a mate in Copenhagen, Wu determined his passion toward coffee and participated as a newbie at the WBC World Coffee Competition in 2009. After various home experiences, Wu won the Taiwan Coffee Masters Championship in 2013, and stood atop the WBC World Coffee Championship for Taiwan in 2016.

 

Introduced by my friends encountering at Venice Film Festival in September 2023, we have our table at SIMPLE KAFFA Huashan Flagship, and I love how Earl Grey tea infused with hot latte lingering the refreshed sense on my taste buds. The homemade sponge cake delivers both airy and soft texture, the vanilla, lemon and egg mixed perfectly in between with lean milk, the top crust is covered with the organic honey thin layer, more of a Taiwanese version of Nagasaki cake.

CHUAN COFFEE 

Lane 236, Zhongzheng Road, 

Shilin District, Taipei 

Discovered on the local map, CHUAN COFFEE becomes we college mates’ new favourite chit chat spot near the Shin-Lin Metro Station. Operated by only two staff at the moment, Chuan Coffee provides less indoor 20 seats, while offers the most delicious seasonal pudding and hand-brewed coffee in the neighbourhood. 

Based on full milk, cream cooked with egg yolk, the Chuan Coffee pudding presents a rather rich crème anglaise to fill éclairs, pouring the Canadian syrup and complete with a cute cherry on top, it tastes a bit like a lightly sweetened crème brûlée without the crunchy top while at the same time delivers a similar comforting feel to warm milk with a touch of sugar and vanilla, and a slight wobble that adds to the enjoyable mouthfeel, definitely the best to accompany with a full cup of red hot Oolong latte. 

Special Thanks: Tsung, Yihan, Jill & Ping

Fashion Fun Taipei! Vivienne Westwood Knitwear, Zara Mom’s Fit Jeans, Celiné Cat Eye Sunglasses & Chloé Calfskin Loafers at Huashan 1914

Chinese New Year 2025 

Huashan 1914 Creative Park

妳好臺北！農曆蛇年假期陽光普照，人來人往，買氣旺盛，朝氣蓬勃。放晴的日子當然不能錯過和相談甚歡的親朋好友們一期一會，吃吃喝喝，大談暢聊。相識於2023年威尼斯影展爾後又於赫爾辛基相見歡，我們一行三人先在忠孝新生站附近的興波咖啡 SIMPLE KAFFA大啖特調與蛋糕，再沿路散步至華山1914文創公園，邊看邊聊，隨手拍照。

Opened in 1914, originally a privately owned winery that produced sake and ginseng wines, alongside bred moth orchids during Japanese Empire Era, HUASHAN 1914 CREATIVE PARK was sold to the government until 1922. After World War II, it was taken over by the Nationalist Government and renamed into Taiwan Provincial Monopoly Bureau Taipei Liquor Factory. Being idle for decades, Huashan 1914 transformed into an individual organization in 1999, now acts an important venue for arts exhibitions and cultural performances in Taipei City.

How to wear casual and cultural outfits to enjoy around the boutiques, café and cinema at creative park? VIVIENNE WESTWOOD V-neck knitwear with 65% cotton and 15% cashmere with embroidery iconic colourful Saturn logo is my newfound casual piece at 40% off from HANSHIN Vivienne Westwood Kaohsiung boutique; together with Chanel SS20 cardigan size L with 54% wool and 46% cotton has been performing my daily favourite since 2022. 

New Year New Outfits conducts our traditional belief of good luck toward the coming year, therefore I only carry a single pair of Calvin Klein Mom’s Fit ribbed jeans and wish to gain a new familiar with dark grey tone, unfortunately I reach no luck at CK outlet, but discover a bargain in layering greyish hue with 98% denim and 2% elastane at ZARA Taipei. 

As for accessories, CELINÉ Cat Eye sandy ivory acetate sunglasses in dark green shade offer category 3 lens filter, which, slightly far from the polarized function still efficiently hold for the city walk. This pair in bridge size 20mm and earpiece length 140mm suits oriental facial features quite perfectly, especially I naturally own rather high cheek bones. Another surprise deal hunt at GLORIA OUTLETS is CHLOÉ embellished black calfskin leather loafers with copper logo atop. Made in Italy, their rather hardcase outer soles enable to walk at slight snowy day and no doubt to mix and match with either with casual jeans or mini skirt. 

CHANEL Pearl Crush WOC is my delicate collection. Made in France, with supple lambskin, 100% fully cotton linen, in size width 12.3, length 19,2 and thickness 3,5cm, this 2022 cruise collection in pastel pink, carrying the exactly same interior design as any Chanel classic WOC; still, the most genius gadget is le même globe-shape padlock, embossed with the logo of La Mansion in brass, from where the strap can be adjustable at any length while simply by pressing the interlocked CC. Therefore, I wrap around the extra length of the chain on my waist as yet alternative leather metallic belt to match Zara Mom’s Fit grey tone. 

CHANEL SS19 pearl earrings with separated CAH & NEL can be worn as mere pearl style or whole set. The tiny yet shining Swarovski crystals array in Chanel interwined CC logo on pearl give out the cute yet prominent craftsmanship of the House of Chanel. 

For photography, Huashan 1914 Creative Park stand various styles of old winery factories to indicate the tradition of Taiwanese architecture, the perfect backdrop to contrast outfits of the day of rather black and grey expressions. 

Let's discover the Creative Park!

TOP TIP 1 Rolled up 2 folds the jeans to expose slight parts of ankles will make the silhouette both chic and slim

TOP TIP 2 Wrap around the extra length of WOC chain not only style up the whole look while a good idea from the possible robbery while travelling abroad 

Special Thanks: Miffy & YiHan