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ITALIAN FOOD
AUTHENTIC Italian Cuisine Restaurants & Cafes in Taipei
Lavazza Espresso Point 老咖啡館
I Highly Recommend ☆☆☆☆☆
Taipei coffee shop offering: Italian Coffee, Caffè & Espresso Based Coffee / Frappe / Tea / Milk Tea / Juice & Tea / Cake / Quiche / Spaghetti / Lasagna
☝ (Click link above for more details)
Address & Phone:
Fl.2, No.228, Sec.1, Dunhua South Rd., Da'an Dist., Taipei City 106
台北市敦化南路一段228號2樓
(02) 2721-4909
Last Reviewed: 12 March 2012
Lavazza is an Italian internationally known coffee bean and coffee maker company. Odds are when you see a Lavazza sign outside a cafe, their coffee is going to be good. The Lavazza Espresso Point in Da'an not only offers an authentic Italian espresso (caffè), but a huge delicious cake selection, and a chilled, dimly lit atmosphere that suits solo or group outings. KEEP IN MIND THAT THE FOOD IS NOTHING CLOSE TO BEING AUTHENTIC ITALIAN FOOD. This cafe is in the authentic Italian section because of the caffè they serve.
My friend comes here often to sip on an espresso while he studies his Mandarin lessons. He brought me here one night with another friend for a chat over coffee and cake. When you find a place that has top-notch coffee, dessert, and atmosphere, you know you have found something special. This is one of those special places.
Items I tried:
Espresso (Caffè) (NT$90): An authentic, delicious Italian espresso.
Latte (NT$140): As I said, an espresso based coffee made from Lavazza beans is usually good, and this was no exception.
Cake: Instead of going into each cake, I will just state that I tried a lot of different pieces of cake and they were all delicious.
Vegetarian Lasagna (NT$160): Bland and greatly lacking in taste. I don't recommend their lasagna. I didn't try their spaghetti, but after eating the lasagna, I would be very hesitant to try it. I'll stick with what they do best here.
My friend comes here often to sip on an espresso while he studies his Mandarin lessons. He brought me here one night with another friend for a chat over coffee and cake. When you find a place that has top-notch coffee, dessert, and atmosphere, you know you have found something special. This is one of those special places.
Items I tried:
Espresso (Caffè) (NT$90): An authentic, delicious Italian espresso.
Latte (NT$140): As I said, an espresso based coffee made from Lavazza beans is usually good, and this was no exception.
Cake: Instead of going into each cake, I will just state that I tried a lot of different pieces of cake and they were all delicious.
Vegetarian Lasagna (NT$160): Bland and greatly lacking in taste. I don't recommend their lasagna. I didn't try their spaghetti, but after eating the lasagna, I would be very hesitant to try it. I'll stick with what they do best here.
*CLOSED* PaPa Gio' 喬爸爸義大利美食餐廳
I Highly Recommend ☆☆☆☆☆
Taipei Italian restaurant offering: Italian Food / Pasta / Pizza / Lasagna / Steak / Seafood / Risotto / Dessert / Wine
☝ (Click link above for more details)
Address & Phone:
No.22, Aly.6, Ln.170, Sec.4, Zhongxiao E. Rd., Da'an Dist., Taipei City 106
台北市忠孝東路四段170巷6弄22號
(02) 2711-8720
Last Reviewed: March 4, 2012
I heard about this place from a friend who said her two Italian friends said it was the closest thing you can get to authentic spaghetti in Taipei. After eating there, I completely agree. Not only was their pasta excellent, but the lasagna was too. The pizza was very satisfying as well. They have an excellent wine selection. The chef, Matteo, is Italian and studied cooking for five years in Verona, Italy. No wonder it tastes authentic. This is the place to go for Italian pasta in Taipei.
I tried the Insalata di Cesare (Caesar Salad), Posciutto Crudo con Melone Dolce Scaglie di Permigiano ed Insalatina Mista (Ham with Sweet Melon, Parmesan Cheese, and Green Salad), Spaghetti alla Bolognese, Linguine alla Pescatora (Seafood Linguine), Spaghetti alle Vongole (Clam Spaghetti in White Wine Sauce), Linguine al Nero di Seppia (Black Ink Seafood Linguine), Lasagna alla Bolognese, Risotto ai Porcini (Mushroom Risotto), Diavola Pizza (Spicy Salami), Petto D'anatra in Salsa D'arancia (Duck Breast in Orange Sauce), Tiramisu, Original Cheese Cake, a bottle of Sicily's Negro Red Wine, and a bottle of Veneto's Tommasi Villa Fontana Bardolino.
In short, all the spaghetti was excellent because the spaghetti wasn't cooked too long and the sauces contained the right, different herbs. Pasta in Taipei is usually not that great because they cook the spaghetti too long, making it a little mushy, and they have no idea what herbs to add, making the sauce too bland or just not correct. The lasagna was also authentically delicious with very flavorful tomato sauce and cheese. The pizza was great with quality cheese and powerful salami with a slight spiciness. The roasted duck in the orange sauce was tender and really went well with that orange sauce. The Caesar Salad was fresh and had an excellent Caesar dressing. The Ham with Sweet Melon, which can be found under cold appetizers on the menu, was a perfect combination of meat with sweet fruit and was completely delicious. I didn't try the Risotto ai Porcini but could see that the portion for it was really small and was expensive. My friend who ordered it was very shocked as was I. This is the only thing that I wouldn't order at PaPa Gio'.
Both desserts, but especially the Tiramisu were excellent; one of the best Tiramisu' that I've had in Taipei. Both wines were quality and exquisite Italian wines. The Negro (NT$1,400) is more bold and the Bardolino (NT$1,300) is quite smooth for a red wine. If you don't want to spend this much on a bottle of wine, you can order a bottle of the Italian house wine for NT$700. Even Italian house wine is great.
When I want authentic Italian, delicious pasta in Taipei, I will go to PaPa Gio' from now on!
I tried the Insalata di Cesare (Caesar Salad), Posciutto Crudo con Melone Dolce Scaglie di Permigiano ed Insalatina Mista (Ham with Sweet Melon, Parmesan Cheese, and Green Salad), Spaghetti alla Bolognese, Linguine alla Pescatora (Seafood Linguine), Spaghetti alle Vongole (Clam Spaghetti in White Wine Sauce), Linguine al Nero di Seppia (Black Ink Seafood Linguine), Lasagna alla Bolognese, Risotto ai Porcini (Mushroom Risotto), Diavola Pizza (Spicy Salami), Petto D'anatra in Salsa D'arancia (Duck Breast in Orange Sauce), Tiramisu, Original Cheese Cake, a bottle of Sicily's Negro Red Wine, and a bottle of Veneto's Tommasi Villa Fontana Bardolino.
In short, all the spaghetti was excellent because the spaghetti wasn't cooked too long and the sauces contained the right, different herbs. Pasta in Taipei is usually not that great because they cook the spaghetti too long, making it a little mushy, and they have no idea what herbs to add, making the sauce too bland or just not correct. The lasagna was also authentically delicious with very flavorful tomato sauce and cheese. The pizza was great with quality cheese and powerful salami with a slight spiciness. The roasted duck in the orange sauce was tender and really went well with that orange sauce. The Caesar Salad was fresh and had an excellent Caesar dressing. The Ham with Sweet Melon, which can be found under cold appetizers on the menu, was a perfect combination of meat with sweet fruit and was completely delicious. I didn't try the Risotto ai Porcini but could see that the portion for it was really small and was expensive. My friend who ordered it was very shocked as was I. This is the only thing that I wouldn't order at PaPa Gio'.
Both desserts, but especially the Tiramisu were excellent; one of the best Tiramisu' that I've had in Taipei. Both wines were quality and exquisite Italian wines. The Negro (NT$1,400) is more bold and the Bardolino (NT$1,300) is quite smooth for a red wine. If you don't want to spend this much on a bottle of wine, you can order a bottle of the Italian house wine for NT$700. Even Italian house wine is great.
When I want authentic Italian, delicious pasta in Taipei, I will go to PaPa Gio' from now on!
Zoca Pizzeria 佐佧義式窯烤披薩 -- I Highly Recommend ☆☆☆☆☆
Taipei Italian restaurant / cafe offering: Italian Food / Pizza / Lasagna / Calzone / Homemade Dessert / Coffee & Tea / Wine & Beer
☝ (Click link above for more details)
Address & Phone:
No.149, Linjiang St., Da'an Dist., Taipei City 106
台北市大安區臨江街149號
(02) 2707-2212
Last Reviewed: 17 March 2012
The Italian owner and chef, Federico Zocatelli, was schooled in the art of pizza and dessert making in his home country. I didn't think it was possible to find authentic Italian pizza in Taipei until I visited Zoca Pizzeria Caffetteria. The pizza is cooked in a kiln oven and the dough texture is Italian style, which all other Italian pizza places in Taipei I've visited failed to produce; they just make it thin crust and call it Italian style. The desserts are homemade as well. When you step into Zoca, you might as well be stepping into Italy and leaving Taiwan behind because every dish is authentic and completely exquisite.
I tried the Margherita pizza, Estate pizza, Trentina pizza, Mari e Monti (half pizza half calzone), Lasagna, Focaccia bread, Panna Cotta, Ricotta Cheese Cake, Tiramisu, Semifreddo Amaretto, Homemade Limoncello liquor shot, Antica Osteria Red Wine, and a Cafe Latte. The Margherita pizza didn't come with basil, but since the crust was made and cooked perfectly in that Italian style with the perfect texture (as all the pizza crusts were), the pizza sauce was fresh and flavorful, and topped with quality cheese, it really didn't matter and pervade an art of simplicity. The Estate pizza was absolutely delicious. It was topped with the perfect mix of fresh pesto sauce, tomato sauce, cheese, and fresh tomato slices. The Trentina pizza was under the special pizza section on the menu. I was skeptical at first, but found it scrumptious when I tasted the mix of apple, brie and cheese. The Mari e Monti was a unique half pizza, half calzone creation. The mixed seafood was quality and the ricotta cheese hidden in the pizza crust on the calzone side made my taste buds jump for joy.
The Lasagna was vegetarian with pumpkin instead of beef. It was easily the best lasagna I've had in Taipei. The Focaccia bread looked pretty plane and I thought that I was finally going to find a selection on the menu that wasn't superb, but that idea quickly subsided when I took my first bite and tasted the flavorful mix of olive oil and rosemary. So simple, yet so satisfying.
The homemade desserts were of the finest quality and beat any expensive, pretentious, fufu dessert place in taste and affordability. The Semifreddo Amaretto was my favorite. It tasted like a mix of ice cream and muffin; refreshingly sweet with a unique texture. If you're going to get one dessert, I strongly recommend this selection. The Panna Cotta and Tiramisu were equally as enticing and satisfying. The Ricotta Cheese Cake was the only thing that didn't work for me. It was not sweet or cheesy enough and tasted too much like bland bread cake.
Instead of going for the house wine for NT$650 a bottle, we went with a bottle of mostly Cabernet Sauvignon mixed red wine by Antica Osteria for NT$800 that was not bitter at all and went perfectly with all the tomato sauce dishes. This is a good price for such a smooth, simple, good Italian wine given that the import tax and selection of wines in Taiwan definitely don't work in a wine enthusiasts favor. The Homemade Limoncello liquor was a refreshing delight after finishing all the desserts. The Cafe Latte was a good mix of espresso and milk, making this a good location for your caffeine fix.
A lot of international cuisine restaurants claim that you don't have to go all the way to their country to taste the real thing, but almost always this ends up being a lie. However, at Zoca Pizzeria Caffeteria, you not only get Italian authenticity, but top shelf cuisine compared to other restaurants residing in Italy itself. You simply must visit this rare culinary experience in Taipei and see for yourself.
I tried the Margherita pizza, Estate pizza, Trentina pizza, Mari e Monti (half pizza half calzone), Lasagna, Focaccia bread, Panna Cotta, Ricotta Cheese Cake, Tiramisu, Semifreddo Amaretto, Homemade Limoncello liquor shot, Antica Osteria Red Wine, and a Cafe Latte. The Margherita pizza didn't come with basil, but since the crust was made and cooked perfectly in that Italian style with the perfect texture (as all the pizza crusts were), the pizza sauce was fresh and flavorful, and topped with quality cheese, it really didn't matter and pervade an art of simplicity. The Estate pizza was absolutely delicious. It was topped with the perfect mix of fresh pesto sauce, tomato sauce, cheese, and fresh tomato slices. The Trentina pizza was under the special pizza section on the menu. I was skeptical at first, but found it scrumptious when I tasted the mix of apple, brie and cheese. The Mari e Monti was a unique half pizza, half calzone creation. The mixed seafood was quality and the ricotta cheese hidden in the pizza crust on the calzone side made my taste buds jump for joy.
The Lasagna was vegetarian with pumpkin instead of beef. It was easily the best lasagna I've had in Taipei. The Focaccia bread looked pretty plane and I thought that I was finally going to find a selection on the menu that wasn't superb, but that idea quickly subsided when I took my first bite and tasted the flavorful mix of olive oil and rosemary. So simple, yet so satisfying.
The homemade desserts were of the finest quality and beat any expensive, pretentious, fufu dessert place in taste and affordability. The Semifreddo Amaretto was my favorite. It tasted like a mix of ice cream and muffin; refreshingly sweet with a unique texture. If you're going to get one dessert, I strongly recommend this selection. The Panna Cotta and Tiramisu were equally as enticing and satisfying. The Ricotta Cheese Cake was the only thing that didn't work for me. It was not sweet or cheesy enough and tasted too much like bland bread cake.
Instead of going for the house wine for NT$650 a bottle, we went with a bottle of mostly Cabernet Sauvignon mixed red wine by Antica Osteria for NT$800 that was not bitter at all and went perfectly with all the tomato sauce dishes. This is a good price for such a smooth, simple, good Italian wine given that the import tax and selection of wines in Taiwan definitely don't work in a wine enthusiasts favor. The Homemade Limoncello liquor was a refreshing delight after finishing all the desserts. The Cafe Latte was a good mix of espresso and milk, making this a good location for your caffeine fix.
A lot of international cuisine restaurants claim that you don't have to go all the way to their country to taste the real thing, but almost always this ends up being a lie. However, at Zoca Pizzeria Caffeteria, you not only get Italian authenticity, but top shelf cuisine compared to other restaurants residing in Italy itself. You simply must visit this rare culinary experience in Taipei and see for yourself.
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