There are few traditional bakeries in the city like Olympia (世運食品). The Ximending area shop, which has been in business since 1950, boasts on its Web site about its award-winning pineapple cakes and Japanese-style ham sandwiches.
Both are good and fairly unique for your run-of-the-mill Taiwanese bakery, but Tidbits holds a special appreciation for Olympia for its deli, which is stocked with sushi rolls, a wide variety of Taiwanese luwei (滷味, savory meats, vegetables or tofu braised in a soy sauce broth) and classic dim sum dishes.
The steamed dumplings are one of our personal favorites for a quick meal. There’s nearly a dozen to choose from — from the standard shrimp xiao-mai and fish dumplings to scallop and pork dumplings. The turnip cakes (luobogao, 蘿蔔糕) are also good and other traditional foods such as zongzi (粽子, glutinous rice wrapped in bamboo leaves) are also available. And if you miss the deep-fried eggrolls that are common in Chinese restaurants in the US and not so easy to find here, Olympia is your place. Prices range from NT$13 to NT$25 per piece, and you pick and choose whatever you want buffet-style.
Photo: David Chen, Taipei Times
Olympia Bakery is located near Zhongshan Hall (中山堂) on 103 Boai Rd, Taipei City (台北市博愛路103號), Tel: (02) 2331-0729
Photo: David Chen, Taipei Times
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