喜馬拉雅珈琲 Himalaya Cafe 【新北 林口店】 — Restaurant in New Taipei

My laptop and I visit a lot of cafes. As an author, I’m always looking for good places not only to eat and drink but to sit and write for hours. As a teacher, I believe in scoring according to various criteria. With that in mind, these are my opinions about this one.

Food: ** I had the croissant, which turned out to be a sandwich involving peanut butter, grilled cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and onions. The flavor combo with the peanut butter was a bit startling, but I thought it was surprisingly tasty, and it gave the sandwich a nice creamy consistency. (The picture on the menu seems to indicate there should be an egg involved but my croissant had none.) Later I ordered the curry rice. It came with steamed broccoli, fried egg, potatoes, carrots, and onions. The broccoli had no flavor, but the whole thing wasn’t bad when I mixed it all together. Drinks: ** I had the cafe mocha, which looked truly spectacular (see my photo). It was good, but maybe not quite as amazing as it looked. Then again, it would take a lot for a drink to live up to an appearance like that! They gave me a choice of cocoa powder or cinnamon, and I chose cocoa powder, because it didn’t sound like a mocha otherwise. In retrospect, I think it would still have involved chocolate, but the cinnamon would just have been sprinkled on top. I’ll probably try that next time. Prices: ** Variety of Menu Options Available: ** They have a few baked snacks in a glass case, but the actual menu is pretty sparse. There’s curry on rice, the croissant sandwich I had, what looks like a panini, something they described as “like McDonald’s breakfast burger” and toast with a few topping options. Everything is vegetarian (though not vegan). Variety of Non-Coffee Drink Options: ** Just a few tea choices (their masala chai sounds good, though - I’ll have to try that another time). English Menu? The drinks menu is bilingual, but the food menu is only in Chinese. (See the picture of my Google Translated version.) There are little pictures that give clues, though. Wi-Fi/Charging Ports Available? Wi-Fi, yes. No charging ports, but I saw an outlet by at least one table. Pleasant Environment/Comfortable to Write In: * The chairs are not very supportive to the back, and their arms are too high for them to fit under the tables. That means it’s hard to sit close enough to the table to comfortably type on a laptop unless you perch on the front of the chair. Sitting on one of the stools at the counter might work better, though of course those don’t have any back support. Customer Service: * The staff are friendly and helpful. At least one speaks some English. Hours: 11:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. (closed Mondays) What was the Restroom Like? Small but clean. It smelled strongly of incense. Additional Comments: The front of this cafe is set up as a temple and smells of incense. You have to walk past the idols to the back, where you order by the kitchen. There are a couple of tables and some tall stools at two separate counters back there, if you prefer to sit in an area that looks (and smells) more like a coffee shop...

Nestled in the heart of the Lin Kou, my visit to Himalaya Coffee was a delightful experience. The cafe offered a haven for café hoppers with its decent brews and cake selections. What set it apart was the thoughtful interior design that beautifully reflected Tibetan culture, creating a serene ambiance. Sipping on my coffee surrounded by these cultural elements added a unique charm to the experience, making them a standout spot for those seeking a simple yet culturally rich...

If ever there was a business that deserved 5 stars, it’s this one. Everything is perfect. The service is so welcoming, the drinks and food are delicious, and it has the best atmosphere/ decor of anywhere I’ve ever...