Village Cafe 村落餐廳

As we always go to Nanlioa Harbor for seafood. We always pass by to this restaurant from appearance outside the restaurant it doesn't seem to be inviting and offer a good food. Some saying said 'Don't judge the book by its cover.' We stopped to this restaurant last Mother's day since all the restaurants in  this area are full. Me and my husband are very hungry and its over 2 p.m and haven't eat anything. I guess we missed the lunch time. We were greeted with a women holding a baby I assumed is the owner of the restaurant. We were seated at second floor, after we place our order. We were doubt that maybe the food is not that delicious than we expect. When the food was served were so surprised by how good everything was! It was of the best Spanish restaurant in Hsinchu. And the next weekend, we went back to this restaurant together with my 2 kids.

As for the decor: Village Cafe is a two-story restaurant with simple wooden table and chairs with artistic decoration on the wall of candy bird. You will be surprised where you can find art? There was even a short wine list you can buy in a shop for a whole bottle or a glass of wine to match your dish.

Lemon granita  I am not a big 'cold icy drink' fan, but these were very good, and will be a great addition for a hot summer very refreshing.

Tortilla had reasonable texture was a comforting blend of egg and potato pieces.

And I love the chorizo with chickpeas has deep with a sweetness smoky taste of paprika and coriander.

The calamari it takes me back home, it has the same taste and flavor of squid adobo simply cooked in vinegar, garlic, onion and black pepper. It very fresh and tender without chewiness.

The garlic shrimp the most fresh shrimp tapas we ever had.

The beef stew serve with mashed potato, superbly tender and juicy in some simple mustard and red wine sauce.

They serve a nice and freshly bake warm bread to dip the sauce with other tapas dishes.

As for the main course; Personally we intended and opted to go for Paella called Paella Valenciana. I called this paella de marisco. I was told from someone in Spain paella Valencia is cooked in chicken with green vegetable like green beans and that is for sure. I always cooked pealla at home for my family. And this seafood paella was delicious very impressive chef who ever cook this paella dish.

Squid paella cooked in squid-ink. This rice was cooked entirely in squid-ink, and the saltiness comes from the ink itself a very natural flavour, but I still felt it was a bit over salty for me. However, its really good! 

Clams in pasta its really good to taste the clam sauce infused so deeply in the pasta.

And for the dessert, they only serve cake roll nothing to be Spanish, I am not a fan of just cake and cream. However it was moist and strong in flavor of raspberry. Overall: Discovered that Village Cafe is an epicure's delight featuring everything from tapas to paella pans. I would recommend to try this restaurant if you are visiting Nanlioa.

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Village Cafe 村落餐廳
新竹市南寮街199號
No.199, Nanliao St. Hsinchu City
Tel No: 03-5366672
Website: http://www.villagecafe.com.tw/

Tapas-1 Bar & Restaurant

Tapas -1 is definitely on the up, foodwise, apart from the buzzing street food scene. The food is wildly colourful very authentic Spanish cuisine perfect addition to any Spanish food adventurer. The restaurant offers  varieties of tapas, which are snacks or appetizers served Spanish style. We decided to plunge ahead regardless, ordering the lobster. So we choose the NT$3999 set course meal for 4. We shared 14 dishes compliments with drinks and sangria. Their sangria is tasty a little low on the wine content.

The restaurant décor is modern was relaxing, pleasant, casual wide open space featuring wooden tables and chairs, with a bar and a semi-open kitchen and surprisingly quiet despite the close proximity to the main road.

For the tapas or starters, a fried fish with olives, peppers and relish, an egg yolk shaped mango mousse, it pop up in the center and melt in the mouth.

I believe this is a menudo tripas that made of cow or pork intestine it was thick and tender tripe and tastes like caldereta, very delicious and my kind of comfort food.

Spicy paprika chicken with mushrooms, I thought this tapas was so fantastic and very tasty dish.

We were served a gambas al ajillo or shrimp in garlic was an epicurean delight, savory and satisfying.

The assortment of dry cured meats, comprised 4 slices each of spicy chorizo sausages, ham, salami, prosciutto and melon balls.

Tapas crostini was a lightly toasted bread topped with fried eggs, roasted bacon, cucumber with olive pate as garnish on the plate.

Tapas pimiento asado's, these sweet, tangy and slighty spicy was a good side dish. I wish had more garlic and olive oil.

Breaking the rules of tapas menu. We had a baked escargot with crostini, arrived at our table with great promise.

 Next up we were served each cup of pumpkin soup and cream soup. By this time we had asked  the staff stop the food coming every minute. Until we told them don't serve our main course so soon! So we were able to finish our appetizers. 

And a riot of a vegetables salad or caesar salad.

For the main course was a arroz caldo bogavante serve for four is a restaurant specialty was a slightly soupy rice dish with Boston lobster mixed through the rice. This is undoubtedly one of the most delicious rice dishes we ever had. It was fresh and delicious, the rice was properly al tende each grain separate from the other and redolent with the colour and had so much of saffron flavor.

An extra order of paella to share , again! The paella we chose was enjoyable had some fresh seafood loaded with shrimps, mussels, clams and small lobster and lots of flavour. The portion could probably stretch to accommodate pour people. Nevertheless the best paella dish we ever had and better than my paella.

They offered us dessert on the house which was a panna cotta I guess compliments with drinks of your choice. It wasn't spectacular. Overall the service was prompt, attentive and knowledgeable of all menu. The food was delicious, I definitely recommend Tapas-1.

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Tapas-1西班牙料理餐廳
No.273-1, Sec. 2, Gongyi Rd., Nantun District, Taichung City.
台中市南屯區公益路二段273-1號
Tel No:04-2259-9829
Website:
http://www.tapasone.com.tw/index.html

Bacco Tapas

Located within the Far Eastern shopping center side alley. The Bacco Tapas is decorated mainly in red, plus a little baroque style of decoration, the beautiful atmosphere of subtle and restrained and decent ambience.

We went here on last Saturday for lunch. And we've been looking for a nice authentic Spanish meals. And found this place on our first visit in Teppan Izakaya. The moment you enter the restaurant you feel the vibrant walls are decorated with beautifully striking portraits and collective photos of the owner who lives and learned to cook the Spanish cuisine. After we were seated, we were presented with some free pickle tiny cucumber, olives and onion, nicely spiced and a great start to a wonderful meal. We ordered some tapas and paella to share.

Tapas over bread: Smoked salmon in yogurt honey sauce with red wine vinegar was probably what blew us away, very fresh and delicious! I recommend to try this tapas on your table but each piece is worth NT$ 100.

Shrimp with asparagus was garlicky in a saucily sauce.

Meat balls are my favorite in this restaurant were airy at once, and dressed just enough in that same sweet rich tomato sauce, with garlic aioli and was lacking of flavor.

Deep fried spicy chicken are coated with a tempura like light batter with a touch of pepper, then served with a honey mustard sauce. Giving the right balance of slightly sweet and slightly spicy taste.

We tried the deep fried calamari, but it taste like Taiwanese flavor.

After our tapas the soups was arrived and is good to share with 2 people. The fisherman's soup was fragrant and delicious, with sweet vegetables, fresh seafood clearly remain in the taste buds though it needed to add more salt.

Pumpkin soup with scallops was fairly creamy.

Traditional Paella with big shrimps, fresh mussels, clams, squids, chicken meat and sausage, is for the main course. This is the medium size serving that's meant for 4 people. When you order the paella, the waitress will ask if you want it to be cooked a bit longer. We choose to cooked not too soft or hard and is not raw just balanced the firmness of the rice. The paella was excellent and cooked in browned coloured, as far as I know the traditional seafood paella it suppose to be golden yellow colored of saffron, paprika or a few sliced of tomato, green peas and bell peppers. I just though maybe been forgotten to add the other ingredients but delicious nonetheless.

Traditional Spanish Flan-leche flan was light in sugar, nice and creamy, topped with caramel, a dollop of ice cream.

Warm chocolate cake, inside a thin yet firm fondant shell, and drizzle with red cherry sauce and a scoop of ice cream. This was beyond amazing! Absolutely the best way to end an incredible meals.

Espresso coffee serve with Moorish almond meringue.

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Overall, it's a nice restaurant with a variety of tapas to choose from. The services were good, but the food was a bit pricey though! but delicious. This is definitely the best Spanish restaurant in Taipei. Ole! lo que una buena comida, recomiendo este restaurante para aquellos que buscan una comida auténtica español. I can't believe I speak Spanish XD. I was so happy at this point and great food does that to me.

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Bacco Tapas

265 Tun Hwa-Dunhua South Road Lane 7, Taipei City

106台北市大安區敦化南路二段265巷7號

Contact No: 02-2739-1128

Gusto

This rather the Spanish style restaurant, the menu itself had a wonderful array of both authentic items to choose from. However, those items that stretched the definition of “Spanish cuisine” first impressions were good, the decor is impressive and the service was above average with very polite staff.  Unfortunately the food was a complete and utter let-down. The paella was so poor, as it seemed they just cook the rice then arrange on paella pan and topped with all ingredients. We feel that on our second order. The arroz negra was a thing of beauty, squid ink paella with fish, shrimp and squid, mussels, the seafood it was cold.  I'd though this is not the way we cooked our "paella" I'm sorry to say!  We also had a combo dish  that feature  grilled chicken, beef, a large size of scallops, and mushroom that comes to the table on a long skewer that is drenched with bacardi rum, set a fire and served with spicy and fruit dipping sauces, but still it was tasteless, taught and chewy.

The gazpacho very refreshing, the desserts it was nice, the bacalao is crunchy but lovely and we enjoy it. The Portugal style chicken is undone we can eat rare beef but not the chicken we request to the waitress just  to cook the chicken again. It maybe this is our first and last to dine here. I prefer Hestia more than Gusto but I'd like the decor of the restaurant with real Spanish atmosphere. They must improve their Paella and cooked in real traditional Spanish way.

Gazpacho

Spanish ham

Seafood combo salad

Bacalao fried cod

Black rice paella

Paella Valenciana

Portugal style chicken

Crema Catalana

Baked banana with caramel rum

Spanish ice coffee

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Gusto Tapas Beer Spanish Restaurant

No.23, Alley 5, Lane 107, FuXing S Rd, Sec 1 Taipei City

 Website

http://tw.myblog.yahoo.com/gusto-tapa