Gastro Monkey // 美食家

Folks, the main reason Noodle in a Haystack caught my eye was their clam ramen that they had their first year of business (while I have come to love their other ramen offerings, I was still sad about the one that got away). I am happy to report back that I have finally tried it and it was fantastic. I am a huge clam fan and can put away a few pounds of clams in one sitting (it's all shell weight, anyway). Tried as I might, I could not get a reservation while they served that original clam ramen. When I heard that it was going to make a comeback, I cleared what I could of my July in anticipation of that weekend that I would head out to the Bay to get some. Thankfully my schedule worked out with the last Sunday of July! In case you missed it, I have posted about Clint and Yoko's ramen in detail here: Noodle in a Haystack Shio Ramen Then, there's this post also: Noodle in a Haystack Duck Shoyu and Foie Gras This post will focus on the July seating of their shio bu...

One of my favorite places in Taiwan is Tea Mountain (茶山). Since my aunt lives in Chiayi, she is relatively close and makes a lot of random trips up the mountains. So, while everyone is rushing up Alishan, she is  out exploring the neighboring mountains. While I do feel that everyone visiting Taiwan should see Alishan at least once, there are other places that are worth visiting too, such as Tea Mountain. There are a few homestays available, and they are primarily in Chinese. If you have someone who can read/write/speak Chinese, life will be much easier if you wish to come here. Of course, you won't be denied if you only speak English, it just makes it easier to communicate with everyone.  If you can get past that first hurdle of booking a weekend at one of the homestays on Tea Mountain, the rest is just relaxation and a fun weekend. Food is included, along with being brought around to partake in some fun outdoor activities. One of the lunches we had - under that bamb...