Taiwan Organism Coffee King

---By Alice Wu Translated by Belle Cheng

508, MinQuan Rd
(04) 2203-3215
Hours:10 am-9 pm
(closed Sundays)
Credit cards not accepted. No service charge.
Smoking section outside.

Let's play the word association game! What comes to mind when I say "coffee"? Many would say "tea", which is perfectly understandable. But what if I were to tell you that another perfectly legitimate answer would be "perfume"? Not exactly a natural response but, in the case of this coffee/tea shop, aptly named Taiwan Organism Coffee King, the two go hand in hand. Why? Because Taiwan Coffee owner, Jade (Hsu Tsui Hwa), also operates Floris, a perfume boutique originating in England and carrying the Prince of Wales' seal of approval.

But no need to worry; perfume-flavored coffee is not their specialty. Instead, Taiwan Organism Coffee King (Taiwan Coffee for short) specializes in -- you guessed it -- homegrown Taiwanese coffee beans straight from the backyard of their Chiayi farm. The owner first opened Floris, but a year ago decided to put the family-grown beans to work and proceeded to open up Taiwan Coffee. The result? An original, refreshing and unorthodox arena for sipping a cup of java. The open-air seating and "plant-iful" surroundings create a comfortable and relaxing atmosphere despite the fact that traffic moves mere steps away. Plus, there is seating available inside the perfume boutique for those who want to give their noses a new experience.

At the shop, different coffees begin at a mere NT$40, and that's for a big cup. But coffee is not the only beverage from which to choose. They also have a variety of teas (NT$20 and up), slushies (NT$60) and snacks. This writer highly recommends the incredibly juicy Fruit Tea (not on the menu), or the whip-cream-laden Mocha blend, both priced at just NT$50. Most drinks can be ordered hot or cold, and if you have the munchies, they also provide toast and waffles (NT$30-60) in different flavors for nibbling. So, for a welcome change of "scent"ery, why not try Taiwan Coffee and see what they have to offer?