THE LAST SANDWICH
SANDWICH NEWS
The Tulip Time Out Cafe' has Burgers and Hot Dogs in several weight classes (think small, medium, and large). And, they all have some Danish flavor added to them, which is reflected in the Denmark flags hanging from the 2nd floor.
As much as I love the unique Danish flavor added to traditional style hot dogs (relish, onion, mustard), sometimes a regular hot dog is the only thing one craves. So, if that's what you want, make it clear when ordering. Otherwise, you will be eating a Danish Dog instead of a Classic Dog.
Great Customer Service
In terms of customer service, I would have to give it 5 out of 5 stars. The owner is friendly, and they are willing to make the food in anyway requested. For example, I love to have the Dog sliced in the middle and grilled, with only the traditional Hot Dog toppings. They were more than willing to accommodate that request.
Last Sandwich Question
As always, we face the eternal question, if one was on a deserted isle and this going to be our last sandwich, would this be one that we choose.
Would I choose this as my last sandwich? They had great customer service and we like the food, but the answer would have to be... No.
However, it's a great place to go on a weekday afternoon to meet a couple of friends before going shopping (it's right next to the Ximen MRT). Also, it's nice to have a Classic Style Hot Dog or Hamburger in Taiwan once in a while.
One day, while walking down the street in Taipei City, a particular shop's sign caught my eye... Toast Man. Rarely do you see a shop street name be so direct in their product's description, they sell "toast, man". It was so clever, and hat's off to whoever came up with such a straight-forward name.
There have only been two other instances where we have seen this before. The first is that movie from a decade ago, Snakes on a Plane (everyone loved that title). The second is a shop in Taipei called Women's Wig and Man's Toupee. After reading that sign, what more do you need to know? It's as plain as day.
Give Me Toast, Man!
So, when I saw Toast Man, I kept thinking... oh my god, that's the perfect name. But, then I realized that all the workers at the shop were women, and there was a single male worker. It seemed to go against everything that their name suggested.
Also, when I looked at the menu, half the items were either burgers, eggs, or tortilla wraps. When visiting that kind of shop, one would expect most the menu to be about Toast. So, yes, the name is a little misleading.
However, they did have some Toast Sandwiches, and customer service was extremely friendly. When I asked the worker for something with everything, she gave me a Toast Man Sandwich with Bacon, Egg, Ham, Cheese, and lots of sauce. For 3 Dollars USD (99 NT), it was really a full-size Toast Sandwich.
Decision Making Time
So, here is the big question... would I eat this as my Last Sandwich?
The answer is... No. I would not eat this as my last sandwich. There was way too much sauce, too much meat, too much of everything. I took one bite and just thought to myself, this is not something for me.
Now, if you like Big Sandwiches with lots of grease, then this is perfect for you. Below I added some pictures, as well as links to their Facebook pages.
Side Note: If you search Facebook, there is a Taichung branch of the shop. It's quite interesting how the menu items Toast Man in Taipei is 10 NT to 20 NT more expensive than Taichung. Possibly, due to the cost of living being cheaper in Taichung.
On April 24th, I went to a place called the Queen's Time Cafe', located nearby Keelung, Taiwan by an ocean harbor. As you looked outside the restaurant windows, you could see the ocean and the night lights of Jiufen, a small tourist town located high in the mountains. It's a very scenic area.
Diamond In The Rough
As we looked through the menu, something caught my eye. It was called the Harbor Shrimp Burger, and basically, the picture showed a bunch cooked shrimp, with some lettuce thrown between two toasted hamburger buns. The simplicity of it amazed me.
So, naturally, that's what I ordered, and wouldn't you know it, the sandwich tasted pretty good. On a scale of 1 to 10, I would say it was a 6, but that's only because it was too simple to give it a higher rating. But, I have to say, it really added to my dining experience that day, I really enjoyed it.
The Eternal Question
So, here is the question that everyone was waiting for.
Would I eat this as my Last Sandwich?
The answer is very borderline, but I would have to say... No. Yet, it was very close because I love shrimp, and it was something really different. I would DEFINITELY GO HERE AGAIN. The service was friendly, and it was next to the ocean, so the atmosphere was wonderful. Below are some pictures of the menu, location, and the actual sandwich.
