By Debbie Ho

A visit to Taichung without a drop-by in Sugar & Spice is like a Taichung trip without a visit to the National Museum of Natural Science, a New York trip without seeing the Statue of Liberty. A loss.  And a great one. Thirty varieties of delicate cakes, ten or so assorted chocolate, genuine French bread, sandwiches and pasta. No wonder it's regarded as Taichung's No. 1 bakery café.

Friends who've been to Sugar & Spice have all told me "the fine, unique cakes there will beckon you back thousands of times". True! With a spoonful of creamy Tiramisu and a sip of aromatic Espresso, I feel as if I were in Paris, in Rome, in a world-class dessert heaven. Its self-service counter produces many gourmands hovering around the display counter, assessing their choices before they struggle to reach the final decision. If only I could take a bite of every cake before my tiny buy.

Ladies with a picky mouth and an anxious thought of keeping-in-shape, low-calorie green tea cheese or yogurt cherry mousse cake is highly recommended. For those with no fear of fat, macadamia nut or tiramisu cake is a must-try. If you still can't decide, flip through the free picture brochure on the counter. According to the horoscope cake descriptions in the back of the booklet, you can give a try to your destined flavor. The cakes there will never let you down.

Gentlemen without sweet teeth can make their choices among set meals, sandwiches or pasta. Most come with soup, salad or bread with a price of NT$200 or so.

Want to please your female dates? Want to savor hearty lasagna or sandwiches? Want to temporarily avert yourself from your homesick low mood? This is a place you mustn't miss.