Taipei City, the capital of Taiwan, is famous for its vibrant and diverse businesses, as well as numerous communities that represent Taiwanese culture. In the heart of Taipei lies Zhongshan District which is home to department stores, religious temples, and hundreds of small businesses. Taiwan’s small businesses span from technology to clothing to food, with food being the most prominent.
Songjiang Road, located within the Zhongshan District, contains numerous different lanes, the most eminent being Lane 330.
Liang Su Shiang Hao (良粟商號), Summer Savage, and 拾参Bistro are the three most well-known businesses on Lane 330. Each business specializes in serving unique items that cater to their specialty. At 8 a.m., Lane 330 is bustling with people who are buying their sandwiches from Liang Su Shiang Hao, getting their morning coffee fix from Summer Savage. Later in the day, they return for some delicious fried finger food from 拾参Bistro. These three small businesses are the light in the Songjiang community, providing a haven for people from all walks of life to meet and share their stories.
Liang Su Shiang Hao (良粟商號), is a breakfast store that serves a unique pork, runny egg yolk, and peanut butter sandwich. Despite being a small hole-in-the-wall store, it gained a lot of popularity through social media and food review websites. It is located on the corner of Lane 330 on Songjiang Road, and it attracts customers from all over Taipei, not just the locals of Zhongshan. With numerous people from all over Zhongshan District riding the metro, motorcycle, or traveling by foot, they provide a location for friends or individuals to have breakfast accompanied by the view out the window, peering directly towards Summer Savage, the neighborhood coffee shop.
Summer Savage attracts those who enjoy locations appealing to the eye or someone craving their well-known brown sugar latte. Opened in 2018, Summer Savage soon became a staple in the community. The business owner Hank, recognizes the familiar faces that pass by and makes the effort to create a conversation. His employees are close friends, resembling the close-knit connection they all share.
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- Brown Sugar Latte
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- Outdoor seating located in front of Summer Savage
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- Hank and Summer Savage Employees (Left to Right)
The process of creating a brown sugar latte is an art form. It involves grinding the beans, torching the brown sugar, and executing each step with care and precision. The result is a delicious drink made with love. Outside Summer Savage, customers can sit down and enjoy their drinks while chatting with friends or crossing paths with new people. Summer Savage has become a key component on Lane 330, branching out and pulling in different communities.
Liang Su Shiang Hao (良粟商號) and Summer Savage clock out as the day progresses and the evening approaches. The food supply truck makes its way to 拾参Bistro where fresh items are being unloaded for the opening.
拾参Bistro is a restaurant run by Mr. Yang, serving traditional kushiage and kushikatsu. The restaurant has unique opening hours from 4:30 pm to 10:30 pm, while other restaurants are open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. In English, 拾参Bistro translates to 13 Bistro shows the significance behind the name. The Chinese character for “Yang,” needs 13 strokes to be created, which inspired the restaurant name
拾参Bistro is the only business that stays open late into the night, illuminating Lane 330 with its presence and the aroma of fresh Taiwanese fried finger food. It provides a place for people of all ages to enjoy a midnight snack, where friends gather at the indoor and outdoor seating to converse about their day over a can of Taiwanese Beer. 拾参Bistro has been a staple in the Songjiang community to bring people together through fresh and affordable food.
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- Outside of 拾参Bistro
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- Mr. Yang’s nephew preparing to fry fresh chicken.
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- Taiwanese students enjoying a midnight snack inside 拾参Bistro.
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- Mr. Yang’s nephew and Mr. Yang (left to right)
“When people visit our store, they all end up loving our food,” stated Mr. Yang. “They will come back the next day which allows me to build a connection with the customers.”
Located on Songjiang Road, Lane 330 is much more than just a residential space. It has become a hub that attracts people from diverse backgrounds, with businesses like Summer Savage and 拾参Bistro serving foods that are created with passion and creativity. The sense of community that has developed in this area has brought together people from different backgrounds. Songjiang Road, Lane 330 will continue to shine as a beacon of hope in the Zhongshan District.
