Café ASTORIA Bakery：classic western-style pastries that are worth driving four hours for
It was a rainy afternoon I walked into Café ASTORIA Bakery. To my surprise there was a flock of customers waiting. Two apprentices brought a tray of cream puffs (40) and powder sugar coated donuts (40) to the counter. Everyone uncontrollably tried to cut in line to place their order. With determination a woman in her 40s said, “I drove for almost two hours to get here, coming from Taichung. I am not leaving until I get a dozen of cream puffs and donuts.”
Apparently incidents like this happen in ASTORIA everyday for almost sixty years. I wonder what it is about ASTORIA that keeps out-of-town customers driving four hours roundtrip only for a bag of pastries.
Recently enthusiastic international filmmakers became interested in making a movie about Café ASTORIA Bakery for it is a legend. In 1949 Archiybold Chien met Russian Jew George Elsner in Taipei. The two of them along with three other Russian migrants began a bakery business together and Café Astoria Bakery was born.
Being the first establishment to provide western bakery goodies, ASTORIA became an instant hit in Taiwan. From government officials to university professors to writers to housewives to working class to students, ASTORIA served customers from all walks of lives. And it still remains as everyone’s favorite confectionary of all time.
Just to name a few my personal favorites, Mazuka walnut cakes (55 per slice) are made of raisins、walnuts and longan, are perfect to go with coffee or tea as snack. Russian Marshmallow candies (small 150 / large280) are best after storing in the freezer and then eat it frozen. It becomes chewy and the walnut filling tastes crunchy.
Above the bakery there is ASTORIA restaurant where you can order a cup of coffee to go with your newly purchased pastries. On the menu there is ASTORIA Hot Borscht (300), the most popular item ever since the restaurant opened in 1950. Following the traditional recipe provided by Russian founder George Elsner sixty years ago, hot borscht requires two hours stewing on the stove before serving. If you’re a big eater Chicken Quesadillas (360) with spicy salsa will hit the spot.
It will take thousands of pages to tell the story of ASTORIA. I highly encourage you to visit ASTORIA and find out what it takes to remain on top for sixty years!
Café ASTORIA Bakery
No.7 Wu-Chang Street Section 1, Taipei
Tel: 02-2331-7370
Website: http://astoria-cafe.com.tw
Open Everyday from 8:30 AM to 8:30 PM all year round
明星西點麵包廠：值得你大老遠開四個小時車程來買的經典西點糕餅
在一個陰雨綿綿的上班日午後，我一走進明星西點麵包廠，就被眼前的景象震驚！兩個學徒協力把一大盤的泡芙(40)和帶著糖粉的甜甜圈(40)扛到櫃台上，早已按捺不住的男女老少爭先恐後的對著店員叫喊。一個四十多歲的婦女很堅決的說：「我遠從台中開了兩個小時的車趕來這裡，沒有買到一打的泡芙和甜甜圈我決不離開。」
在明星，這樣的畫面天天都在上演，而且演了快一甲子之久。我很好奇明星到底有什麼魅力，讓遠居外地的客人心甘情願的開上來回四個小時的車程，只為買西點。
最近來自國際的電影製片想把明星的歷史拍成電影，因為明星的故事是個傳奇。西元1949年簡錦錐在台北認識白俄猶太人喬治艾斯尼，兩人連同其他三個白俄人一起創立西式糕餅店，明星西點麵包廠從此誕生。
明星西點麵包廠成為台灣第一個提供正統西點的糕餅店，立即造成轟動。明星的顧客從政府官員、大學教授、作家、到家庭主婦、勞工階級和學生， 直到現在明星還是眾多消費者心目中永遠的最愛。
我個人的最愛有核桃糕（單片55)是由進口核桃、葡萄乾和桂圓製成，搭配咖啡或熱茶是絕佳的點心；俄羅斯軟糖（小包150；大包280)要在冷凍庫冰過之後最好吃，口感QQ，尤其核桃香脆的很！
在麵包廠的樓上有明星咖啡館，點一杯咖啡搭配在樓下買的甜點。或是點一份羅宋湯（300)，六十年來最受歡迎的餐點仍然按照當年白俄人的食譜熬煮。胃口大的點個雞肉起士薄餅(360) 配上莎莎醬就很飽足。
明星的故事需要一千零一夜才說的完，你不妨自己走一趟，從經典西點糕餅中尋找六十年來屹立不搖的原因！
明星西點麵包廠
地址：台北市武昌街一段七號
電話：02-2331-7370
網址：http://astoria-cafe.com.tw
營業時間：早上八點半到晚上八點半；全年無休
