Melange Café — Restaurant in Zhongshan District

We came all the way to Zhongshan just to sample the signature waffles from Melange Cafe, which is purported to be the best in Taipei.

When the waffle finally presented itself to us in all its glory, we were unable to to withhold ourselves from its beauty any longer and dived in zealously.

So how would we describe it? Well you know how your parents promised to take you to see Mickey Mouse at Disneyland as a kid?

And when the day finally came, you felt that your lil body was gonna literally explode from all the anticipation and excitement thinking how much fun you'll have.

........but your parents brought you to Mcdonald's instead......where you were greeted by Ronald and his friends......

Oh the lies and deception! We thought we'd get to taste a bit of heaven.....but all we got was a sad excuse of a waffle which felt more like a beat-up piece of tyre, dense, tough and chewy. Aside from the sweetness from the sugar, it was just one dimensional, with no aroma or flavour on its own.

Total and utter disappointment. Even the accompaniments...

[TIP]Call ahead for reservation after 5pm to avoid the line!

This is one busy cafe! I was impressed by the fact it was founded in 1997, given how competitive Taipei's food scene is! As other reviews have noted, prepare to queue up on weekends as this is a local establishment widely featured in media / travel guide books. Great selection of single-origin coffee, cold drip coffee, French/ British & American tea (per menu categories). The masala milk tea was delicious, properly made on stovetops (boiled with real cinnamon and spices, authentic Indian style) and served in super cute glazed tea cups! Waffles were freshly made and pretty tasty, great value at NT170 and enough for two people to share. There's a single page menu with salad and sandwiches for those craving a savoury snack, but you should really visit Melange for their sweets!

Note of caution -- this is a busy cafe, so you won't necessarily have a "relaxing" afternoon tea here, and there's a 1.5hour time limit...

NO CREDIT CARDS ACCEPTED. Waffle portions are large and its not a bad deal given the price, but don't expect to be blown away by the taste, which isn't anything special. Drinks are hit and miss. The hot chocolate service is good, but they don't give you something to heat it with, so it gets lumpy if you don't drink it quickly. They use "branded" teas, but the tea service is nothing special. Coffee is decent, but also not served with the same care as the hot chocolate. Other than the waffles, the food is pretty forgettable. The pricing is pretty fair, which is a plus, but honestly, its just over-hyped. The place is always crowded (even on weekdays), and it really detracts from the atmosphere and service levels. Dining room is pretty attractive, but since turnover is high, its starting to show some wear. Maybe part of the appeal is just letting people know you got in the door, but you can get similar or better waffles and drinks elsewhere,...