Carole Terwilliger Meyers's Blog, page 31

Good Eats: Koneko, NYC

Koneko   26 Clinton St./Houston St., Lower East Side, (646) 370-5699.  This cat cafe is a branch of one in Japan.  It is appropriate that it is named “Koneko,” which means “kitten” in Japanese.  The coffee is Stumptown, and the pastries, which include many Japanese izakaya classics, come from Patisserie Tomoko in Williamsburg (the seafood and pork belly okonomiyaki sell out every day).  You can sit in the cafe and observe the kitties through a large window, or you can take your order into the cattery room and visit with them for an hour (the fee is $15, and a reservation is required at busy times).  An upstairs room with an outside “catio” is also available.  You will need to take your shoes off when you enter the cattery and will be provided with slippers to use.  All cats are available for adoption, and all proceeds benefit the cats.  


exterior of Koneko cat cafe in NYC

interior of Koneko cat cafe in NYC

menu board at Koneko cat cafe in NYC

cattery room at Koneko cat cafe in NYC
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Good Eats: Dageeli Tribe House Restaurant, Hualien, Taiwan

Dageeli Tribe House Restaurant  03-862-1033.  That the owner of this restaurant featuring creative traditional Truku cuisine is an artist is apparent.  His art work is displayed throughout and for sale.  Also, his rustic wood pieces are used for tables and benches in the restaurant, where the expansive dining room opens to a view of the not-too-distant ocean.  Special aboriginal foods on the menu include wild vegetables, bracken, cinnamon pig, and bamboo rice that is cooked in a covered tube of bamboo that is popped opened by noisily whacking it against a post.  Pieces of delicious roasted chicken with skin is memorable.  Cats have free roam, and are quick to dispense with leftovers on abandoned plates.  Several gift shops sell works by the artist owner as well as by a weaver who demonstrates her skills on the spot.

entrance to Dageeli Tribe House Restaurant in Hualien, Taiwan
gift shop at Dageeli Tribe House Restaurant in Hualien, Taiwan
kitchen at Dageeli Tribe House Restaurant in Hualien, Taiwan
appetizer at Dageeli Tribe House Restaurant in Hualien, Taiwan
leaf-covered rice at Dageeli Tribe House Restaurant in Hualien, Taiwan
bamboo rice at Dageeli Tribe House Restaurant in Hualien, Taiwan
cat at Dageeli Tribe House Restaurant in Hualien, Taiwan
weaver at Dageeli Tribe House Restaurant in Hualien, Taiwan

In this video, restaurant personnel lead a song about appreciating the beauty of nature that everyone in Taiwan learns in elementary school.




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images and video ©2016 Carole Terwilliger Meyers
 

Sights to See: Taroko Gorge National Park, Hualien, Taiwan

The seaside town of Hualien on Taiwan’s East Coast is backed by mountains and known for producing mochi.  One of Taiwan’s most scenic spots is Taroko Gorge National Park.  This beautiful park is famous for its abundant supply of marble (it is nicknamed "The Marble Gorge").  A serene river runs through it, and spectacular scenery and trails abound, including the Eternal Spring Shrine/Changchun Shrine . This memorial temple is located just above Changchun Falls, which is reputed never to dry up. 

entrance stone at Taroko Gorge National Park in Hualien, Taiwan
visitor center aboriginal house exhibit at Taroko Gorge National Park in Hualien, Taiwan
scenery outside visitor center at Taroko Gorge National Park in Hualien, Taiwan
nature trail near visitor center at Taroko Gorge National Park in Hualien, Taiwan
Eternal Spring Shrine/Changchun Shrine at Taroko Gorge National Park in Hualien, Taiwan




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images and video ©2016 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

Great Sleeps + Good Eats: Hotel Wales + Sarabeth's Upper East Side, NYC

Hotel Wales   1295 Madison Ave./E. 92nd St., Upper East Side, (866) 925-3746, (212) 876-6000; .  90 rooms.  Room service from Sarabeth’s.  Fitness room.  Pet- and family-friendly.  Valet parking/$52 per day.  Situated in Manhattan’s Carnegie Hill area and surrounded by historic mansions, this small European-style hotel is as removed from Manhattan’s pulse as the country Wales is from frenetic London’s.  It is as quiet a neighborhood as you’ll find in NYC.  At 10 p.m. the streets are almost car-less, and only a few pedestrians are out.  Still, you don’t need an alarm clock to wake up at around 7 a.m. because that’s when the honking, garbage trucks, and jackhammers start, making it very clear that you’re in the Big Apple.  Noise aside (it is inescapable in NYC), this small hotel built in 1902 is one of the city’s oldest and has original oak-wood molding, high ceilings, and decorative fireplaces.  Complimentary cookies and hot drinks, including cappuccino, are available around the clock in the large Pied Piper Room named for the classic fairy tale, and an adjacent reading room features framed vintage illustrations from children’s books on its walls.

exterior of Hotel Wales in NYC
lobby of Hotel Wales in NYC
Sarabeth’s Upper East Side ((212) 410-7335.  B-L-D daily, SunBr; $$.  is downstairs off the hotel lobby.  The kitchen serves up fabulous breakfasts, including eggs Benedict and a cheese omelette with gruyere that are especially delicious, and lunches are good, too.  Pastries are scrumptious—I love the light but tall English muffin, though most recently it was disappointing.  This place is famous even on the West Coast for their delicious jams (don’t miss the peach-apricot and plum-cherry).  The upstairs loft area has appeared in TV’s “Housewives of New York City,” but I prefer sitting in the airy main dining room downstairs.  Most recently, the whole experience here has been a little rough around the gilded edges in the form of boring presentations and slow service.  Still, it is worth a meal here, even if you don’t stay in the hotel, or at one of the other locations around town.  Another Sarabeth’s is in Tribeca.  

 

dining room at Sarabeth's Upper East Side in NYC
scone at Sarabeth's Upper East Side in NYC
vegetarian eggs Benedict at Sarabeth's Upper East Side in NYC
cheese omelette at Sarabeth's Upper East Side in NYC
jams to go at Sarabeth's Upper East Side in NYC

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images ©2016 Carole Terwilliger Meyers
 

Sights to See: National Palace Museum, Taipei, Taiwan

National Palace Museum  Sun-Thur 8:30am-5:30pm, F-Sat 8:30am-9pm; NT$250.  Garden:  Tu-Sun 8:30am-5:30pm; NT$20; free with museum admission.  Built like a fortress, this fully modernized museum has a massive concrete courtyard surrounded by trees.  The collection spans China’s 5,000-year-history and is the world’s largest of Chinese art.  Some of the 696,000 pieces in the permanent collection date back 10,000 years to the Neolithic age, and only 3,000 pieces are on display.  The museum was founded in 1925 in the Forbidden City in Beijing, China, from which it derives its name, and it was then part of the Chinese emperor’s collection.  Items were moved to Taiwan in 1933 to escape war damage.  Additional precious objects were sent here during the civil war in China in 1948.  The tourists come in droves, so arrive early on a weekday if you can.  There is both a ticket line and a security line.  Backpacks must be checked, and no photos are permitted.  An audio tour is recommended but not always available.  Most signs are written in both traditional Chinese and English.  Most group tours move through the museum’s three floors quickly, but if on your own allow three to four hours.  The museum’s crown jewel is a piece of carved jade in the shape of a Chinese cabbage, with details like tiny carved insects on its leaf.  The other must-see item is the revered “Meat-Shaped Stone,” a 200-year-old sculpture carved from jasper stone into the shape of Dongpo pork.  It reminded me of a hunk of bacon.  Be forewarned.  Both of these items are very small, about the size of a fist, and the lines to see them are very long.  Three restaurants are on site.  Note that this museum is away from downtown Taipei and not directly accessible by the subway.


entrance to National Palace Museum in Taipei, Taiwan
Meat-Shaped Stone souvenir at National Palace Museum in Taipei, Taiwan   
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Great Sleeps: Regent Taipei, Taipei, Taiwan

Regent Taipei   No. 3, Ln. 39, Sec. 2 ZhongShan N. Rd., Taipei 104, +886-2-2523-8000.  5-stars; 530+ rooms.  Heated rooftop pool; fitness center; full-service spa.  8 restaurants.  Well-situated at the heart of town amid vibrant cultural, entertainment, and shopping areas, this luxury hotel has its own Regent Galleria shopping mall, which is home to 50-plus luxury designer boutiques.  Guest rooms are spacious and luxurious, each with a comfortable pressure-relieving mattress and selection of pillows as well as a marble bathroom with a deep bathtub and separate shower.  Lovely orchid arrangements enhance the sleek public decor.  The high-ceilinged breakfast room and expansive buffet are extraordinary, with something to please everyone.  


orchids in lobby at Regent Taipei in Taiwan

marble bathroom at Regent Taipei in Taiwan

view 1 from guest room at Regent Taipei in Taiwan

view 2 from guest room at Regent Taipei in Taiwan

breakfast room at Regent Taipei in Taiwan

egg station at breakfast buffet at Regent Taipei in Taiwan

Berliners at breakfast buffet at Regent Taipei in Taiwan

breakfast buffet plate 1 at Regent Taipei in Taiwan

breakfast buffet plate 2 at Regent Taipei in Taiwan

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images ©2016 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

Good Eats: Yu Shan Ge, Taipei, Taiwan

Yu Shan Ge   1F, No. 14, Beiping E Rd, 02-2394-5155.  Beautifully appointed and decorated, this upscale restaurant aims for perfection in serving an accomplished and lovely vegetarian Kaiseki Cuisine.  Dairy and egg products can be eliminated upon request.  Black satin tablecloths and matching bibs are provided, probably because the well-to-do people who come here want to protect their expensive clothes.  Presentations are stellar, with some items being enhanced by flowers, plants, or burl-wood platters.  
ordering from menu at Yu Shan Ge in Taipei, Taiwan
In the interest of good health, no alcohol is served.  For my drink, I chose orange juice.

My set meal, which cost approximately US$65 and included nine courses,

began with a finger bowl that looked good enough to eat,

and continued with:
1-creamy chestnut and red dates soup with truffle



2-elaborate cold appetizer plate decorated with konjac sashimi, yam, perilla, gingko berries, and various vegetable delicacies


3-white sesame cashew balls with crispy lotus root batter


4-stewed green bamboo horn covered in miso sauce and fresh pine nuts


5-cup of vintage rice drinking vinegar mixed with herbs and red date

6-hericium mushroom filet (grilled, then baked) served with curry sauce, fresh seasonal vegetables, and boiled corn


7-rice ball with red yeast


8-herbal soup broth with fresh mushrooms, bamboo sprouts, and red dates


9-dessert with fresh fruit


Someone in my group commented about how we were served too much food.  I felt we were presented just the right amount and was impressed that such a refined vegetarian meal could be so filling, especially with no bread or alcohol.  Overall, this was a divine dinner in lovely surroundings. 


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Good Eats: Noodle House, Taipei, Taiwan

Noodle House (phonetic name:  Tian Xia San Jue)  No. 3, Lane 27, Section 4, Ren Ai Rd.  This sleek spot features Swarovski crystal light fixtures and serves an extraordinary version of daily Taiwanese food.  It is one of the most expensive restaurants in town for beef noodle soup, and one of the best.  Normally a bowl of soup would cost TD200/US$7, but here it is TD500/US$18 and described by a local as “the most delicious fresh noodles in the world.”  This local told me that the cooks here put their love and passion into making the noodles and other dishes, and that he loves the noodle soup in this shop “very, very much.”  Bowls of soup come as a package that includes a platter of marinated foods—including seaweed, tofu, and eggs—and a glass of red wine.  

exterior of Noodle House in Taipei, Taiwan
interior of Noodle House in Taipei, Taiwan
Swarovski crystal light fixture at Noodle House in Taipei, Taiwan
kitchen at Noodle House in Taipei, Taiwan
appetizer plate at Noodle House in Taipei, Taiwan
appetizer plate at Noodle House in Taipei, Taiwan
beef noodle soup at Noodle House in Taipei, Taiwan
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images ©2016 Carole Terwilliger Meyers
 

Great Sleeps: The Sherwood Taipei, Taipei, Taiwan

The Sherwood Taipei   No.111, Sec.3, Min Sheng East Road, +886-2-2718-1188.  4 restaurants; 1 bar.  Fitness room with pool and sauna; full-service spa.  This well-situated 5-star luxury boutique hotel features an English flair, with posh rooms, comfy beds, and marble bathrooms.  You get the full Japanese toilet experience with a heated seat, a huge deep bathtub, and a scale covered with a cozy—a first for me!  Though the breakfast buffet occurs in a subterranean room without windows, it is brightly lit, nicely decorated, and provides an impressive spread—including what just might be the best chocolate croissants in Taiwan.

lobby floral arrangement at The Sherwood Taipei in Taiwan

view from guest room at The Sherwood Taipei in Taiwan
 
bathroom at The Sherwood Taipei in Taiwan

scale in cozy at The Sherwood Taipei in Taiwan

breakfast room buffet at The Sherwood Taipei in Taiwan

honeycomb display in breakfast room at The Sherwood Taipei in Taiwan
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images ©2016 Carole Terwilliger Meyers
 

Good Eats: Arunee Thai, NYC--Queens--Jackson Heights

Arunee Thai   78-23 37th Ave., (718) 205-5559.  Dressed in weathered wood and colorful fabrics, this new kid on the block presents a fresh food face in the neighborhood for Thai cuisine.  Standard lunch specials are available as well as a lunch box (sort of like a big bento box), which includes smaller portions but more variety.  The unusual Mussamun curry with coconut milk, avocado, onions, roasted peanuts, and zucchini is a popular dish, but don’t miss the tasty pra ram rong soang (broccoli with peanut sauce), pad see eiw (flat rice noodles with egg and broccoli), pad kra praow (spicy basil with chili and garlic), tom yum soup (with lemongrass and mushrooms), and Panang curry (with coconut milk, basil, and string beans).  For many items you can choose either a meat or vegetarian tofu option.  Cocktails are on the menu along with my preferred fresh coconut juice or Thai iced tea in a trendy Mason jar, and they are the perfect accompaniment.  


interior of Arunee Thai in Jackson Heights, Queens, NYC

salad and Thai iced tea at Arunee Thai in Jackson Heights, Queens, NYC

tom yum soup at Arunee Thai in Jackson Heights, Queens, NYC

pra ram rong soang (broccoli with peanut sauce) at Arunee Thai in Jackson Heights, Queens, NYC

pad see eiw (flat rice noodles)

pad kra praow (spicy basil with chili and garlic) at Arunee Thai in Jackson Heights, Queens, NYC

Panang curry with tofu at Arunee Thai in Jackson Heights, Queens, NYC

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images ©2016 Carole Terwilliger Meyers