Afternoon Tea @ Shinkong Mitsukoshi

Kay came back to Taipei with Carol, Eva, Emily.  We met up for tea.  There's a prevalent idea of 貴婦 or "expensive lady" in Taiwan.  Expensive ladies would drink expensive tea out expensive cups while eating expensive cakes served by good-looking waiters/waitresses in cute uniforms in an elegant setting.  The idea is that the expensive ladies enjoy the finer things in life.  But in reality, it doesn't really work out that way.  Often it becomes appearance over substance, obsession with glamour, a romanticized fantasy.  All that being said, It's kind of fun to play out the fantasy.  I suppose we would be "faux expensive ladies" (假貴婦) for an afternoon.


This time, we went to Afternoon Tea at Shinkong Mitsukoshi.  Afternoon Tea is well-know Japanese chain that also sell tea sets and dining wares.  After waiting in line for half an hour we got seated.  

We ordered pasta followed by cakes and tea.  Neither were good.  I took one bite from my pasta and was immediately disappointed.  The pasta was wayyyyy too soft.  Taiwanese tend to like soft noodles, but at $380 ntd a plate, it's unforgivable to overcooked them!  The tea was served in pot with tea cozy, but when I peered inside the teapot... there was no tea leaves (not even tea bags) in it!  Are they afraid of people adding hot water?  The cakes were average at best.  Overall, this place blows big time.  I would not go back or recommended anyone going.

All appearance and no substance....  yet there are lots of people waiting for a table....  sigh...