8 Degrees Taiwanese Bistro

Date patronised: 21st Nov'13

Spent: S$24

No. of pax: 2 adults 1 toddler

My friend shared about this bistro for a few weeks. I've always wanted to try but thinking of the parking on weekends, I just get lazy. Last night, my friend and I brought my son along, we walked there. If you are taking public transports, you can walk here from Serangoon MRT Station actually.

I had high anticipation, as my son loved the food we had in Taiwan. So I hope he could find the food here nice, and eat more.

The bistro was very quiet, probably because it was a weekday.

Prices are within reasonable range, but we were disappointed by the food. Perhaps, just perhaps we didn't order the right food.

My son didn't take more than 5 spoons of the stewed pork belly rice. And asked for durian instead.

BBT is something I would recommend. This place can definitely be a good yumcha place.



Interior




Fruit beer - sure try next time




Yummy BBT  @ S$3.80 each - we even packed another cup




Stewed Pork Belly Rice at S$3.80 - my son didn't like it




Weekly special at S$8.80

 Note: they have high chairs if you need it for your kids.


More details:

Website: http://www.8dtb.com/

Address: 37 Teck Chye Terrace (S)545734

Tel: 6284 8226

Sato Castle Motel, in Taipei

Date of stay: 10th Jun 2013
Duration: 2 nights
Booking agent: Agoda
Paid: S$229.82 (we redeemed Agoda points of U$25, original price S$260.62)
Wifi: Free
Breakfast: Local

Going there:

We took E-go from Misty Villa in CingJing to Taichung High Speed Railway (HSR) and transfer to Taipei HSR Station and then got a cab to send us to the hotel.

The Hotel:

I was fascinated by the different themes in the hotel when I booked it. Usual check-in time is 10pm, but on Agoda, it was 6pm. I thought 10pm is crazy.

When we arrived at the entrance, it was about 5pm. A lady staff approached us from the carpark entrance. To our dismay, she took care of our luggage from there, and so I asked if there was no reception? She replied that the carpark entrance was the reception and she would take care of our luggage till we went back at 6pm. We were puzzled.. no reception for such a posh looking hotel?

Sato Castle from afar

At night

The car park entrance

The pathetic yet so posh looking "reception"

When you step out of the lift to the floor your room is situated, you'll see quite a dark area. Each room has a car porch. Upon our arrival, most of the rooms' shutters were down.

That's our room!

The car porch, do you see the opened door, that's the door to our room, the shutter could be brought down

When we entered our room, we were wowed. I was wowed by the decoration, and the Castle like room.


The Royal highness bed



Really posh looking



LCD TV from the bed

 The control panel on the bedside table - to create ambience you wish

The ceiling above the bed

I was even more wowed by the huge jacuzzi tub with LCD screen to play TV / Music / Radio and could play with the lightings to create ambience you wish, yes, another control panel! The bathroom also served as the steam-room aka sauna room.  



Huge jacuzzi tub!

Romantic

The dressing table

With a small LCD screen embedded in the mirror to show you all the themes available in Sato Castle, all of them are "WOW"



Complete toiletries - with facial cleansing milk, lotion, even panty liner! How's that!

  

Shower cum steam room



The mini garden at the back



The one minus point about the room, if you're travelling with young children is the steps.. from the bedroom to the bathroom, from the bed to the landing.

In general, we were really satisfied with the suite ;-) If only we were on honeymoon.

Well recommended for honeymooners!

Footnote: On a sidenote, our Taiwanese friend shared with us that car/garrage-hotel/motedl (read hotels with car porch, driveway all the way to your room) is getting really popular in Taiwan. It is very convenient for rendezvous affair (you know what I mean, boss-and-secretary-into-a-hotel type of relationship.. oops!). That is why you'll find all kind of weird check-in (2200 or 0001 hours kind) timing and super reasonable price. It's alarming that these hotels are growing like mushrooms, and they are very posh with very reasonable price! Guess us, the travelers get to gain from these eh? Hmm.. he recommended Wego Hotel, it's 6-7 STARS, I can't remember. You may want to consider them.. hehe!

Attractions Nearby:

The hotel is situated in Zhongshan District. Just a shy 10mins walk in front of Sato Castle, you could find Miramar Entertainment Park (cum shopping). In there are middle to higher class brands. Opposite Miramar would be a

Miramar from afar in the day

Miramar in the night

Opposite Miramar

On the right side from Sato Castle would be a Carrefour with a Daiso and some shops.

Generally you'll find Sato Castle very convenient. It is also a shy 10 mins walk to the Jiannan Metro Station.

This metro lines would bring you all the way to Taipei Zoo too

For more details:

Website: http://www.sato-castle.com/

Address: No. 75, Jìngyè 2nd Rd, Zhongshan District  Taipei City, Taiwan 1046

Tel: +886285027585

All about our Taiwan trip:
Part 1: Taiwan: Taichung (6~7 Jun'13)
Part 2: Taiwan: Sun Moon Lake (7~8 Jun'13)
Part 3: Taiwan: CingJing (8~10 Jun'13)
Part 4: Taiwan: Taipei (10~12 Jun'13)

Misty Villa, in CingJing Farm

Date of stay: 8th Jun 2013
Duration: 2 nights
Booking agent: Direct
Paid: NT5100 (about S$221.74)
Wifi: Free
Breakfast: Local

Going there:

We had the choice to either take E-go bus from Sun Moon Lake (SML) to Cingjing or "bao-che" (means charter a private car). E-go bus would cost about NT450 per person for sharing with others, "bao-che" cost about NT2200 door to door (NT1800 if we were to make our way to a designated pick-up point). I know, I sound stupid to chose the latter! I do not know why either, probably coz I didn't know E-go bus was equivalent comfortable. The only downside by taking E-go bus was only 2 timings, 12pm or 4.30pm. We chose to leave at 2.30pm.. but adjourned to 4pm due to the Formosan Aboriginal Cultural Village in SML. Journey was nearly 2 hours, the road up the mountain, was "challenging".

Husband had terrible car sick as he couldn't sleep in the car. The driver (we reckoned to be the brother/relative of the minsu owner) kept talking to husband. He was very friendly, but I guess husband is a bad traveler. He threw up just a few minutes before we reached the villa. Mr. Hung was very nice to drive us up to almost our room doorstep.

Almost our doorstep, our room is on 2nd floor from this picture, but our room was on the 3rd floor of the villa

Huge room, but we found the bed a bit too shaky to our liking, as if it was about to collapse, cannot imagine if our son jumps on it.. @-@

R&R

Big couch for us - red in contrast of green

Hot and cold water dispenser IN the room

The view from our balcony

We paid NT2100 deposit through Paypal, and due to pay the balance upon check-in. Enough of rest later, we went down to the reception to pay up. The reception was also the bar in the dining area. There was no proper reception area.

Outside our room at the common corridor

Heading downstairs

I really liked it when we opened the door to the dining area, we would be greeted by fresh lilies scent. Fresh lilies were everywhere in the set-up.

The reception aka dining area

The unique built-up

Alfresco dining too - we chose to have our breakfast out here everyday, overseeing moutains

Lilies everywhere

There was a parrat, but I didn't get a shot of it

"Fireplace"

Fresh lily scent in the room

Lady boss shot a mouthful of instructions as on where to go, how to go, etc. Husband thought she overfed us with information, upon ARRIVAL. I thought she was just helpful.

Stay there was pleasant, although we had to climb nearly 100 steps everyday, back to our room on the 3rd floor. Yes, I counted the steps!

A portion of the stairs we had to take

On the last evening there, we decided to dine-in. For NT300 per person, villa could provide us with a full meal, to our surprise, 5 dishes and 1 soup! How sumptuous! We had steamed fish, chicken, ground pork wrapped with lettuce, cabbage, steamed egg with angelica herbs and pumpkin+corn soup which was yummylicious and the portion was really generous!

My super favorite dish for the night! I am going to google for its recipe (I hope it's available!)

Even our son had his fair share, he liked Taiwanese food!

Atrractions Nearby:

Where Carton King and Small Swiss Garden are relative to hotel - walking distance, to 7-11(s), MOS Burger and Starbucks too!

Green Green Grassland too - there's a bus service :-)

Villa helped us to book E-go bus to Taichung HSR Station - NT450 each adult (we shared with 2 other people)

Personal Touch:

On the hindsight: I was quite disappointed by the Villa. Staying in homestay means get homely touch right? It was my husband's birthday when we checked-in, but there was not even a birthday greeting from the lady boss. I would be VERY disappointed if it was my birthday. @-@

To be fair, we did feel some personal touch during our stay though. Dear son was asleep in my arms when we climbed the hills up to the villa. Upon seeing us, lady boss offered to give us a buggy ride to our room. ;-)


For details:

Website: http://www.misting.com.tw/

Email: misty.villa@livemail.tw (they are very prompt in replying mails)

Address: No. 9, Rongguang Lane, Ren'ai Township, Nantou County, Taiwan, 54641

Tel: +886492801493


All about our Taiwan trip:
Part 1: Taiwan: Taichung (6~7 Jun'13)
Part 2: Taiwan: Sun Moon Lake (7~8 Jun'13)
Part 3: Taiwan: CingJing (8~10 Jun'13)
Part 4: Taiwan: Taipei (10~12 Jun'13)