CitySky Cafe at Minsheng East Rd. Sec. 3, Lane 130, Alley 18 #4 is a good lunch place for its daily specials & interesting sandwiches ($120-160). Cross Minsheng E Rd at the Sherwood Hotel intersection, walk 2 blocks down and turn right at the laundry store. You’ll see the sign. Phone #2718-9237. Also deliveries and catering for meetings and parties. Ask for Vickie who speaks English and Japanese. The menu is a mix and match of east & west cooking and the lunch specials change on a weekly basis. 
Is this the place located in the public housing complex, along Xing-an Street? If it is that restaurant on Xing-an, I must say I had lunch there once and it was pretty typical “Taiwanesed” western food, i.e. a chicken sandwich where they hadn’t even bothered to remove the bones or gristle, and the portions were small for the price as well. The bread for the sandwich was old and hard as well. The problem with most of these places is that, if you as a foreigner complain, they’ll just say “Oh, he’s not used to our way of cooking,” and go right on doing it. Well, good luck.
[color=blue]The outlet on Xing-An Street is one of CitySky’s outlets but is actually scheduled to close this month. Besides, Lunch Specials are offered only at the Minsheng Store, so the menu listed here is available only at Minsheng. The Xing-An Store does have all the fixed menu items and the sandwiches. Come and give it a try.
The chicken used in the sandwich at CitySky Cafe is a marinated boneless leg/thigh portion of the chicken grilled with the skin on. Why? Because most Taiwanese/Chinese prefer it that way - they don’t like the boneless chicken breast meat - too dry for their taste. Which bread did you choose? The sandwich is heated in a panini toaster - was it too well done for your taste? The sandwich alone is NT$80 - the set with salad and soup or drink is NT$120. More than what you pay at McDonald’s or 7-11, but the food is freshly made. The boss at CitySky is American and is sensitive to the voice of the foreign community, but the majority or the customers are Taiwanese/Chinese, so their wishes take preference. Do give the store - the one at Minsheng - another try. Try the Cuban roast pork sandwich or the grilled steak gyro next time, or if you want the chicken, let them know in advance you want the skin off. [/color]
So, Just like ICRT, the “English”-language newspapers, and all of the other so-called “Western” establishments here, you feel the need to cater to the majority of Taiwanese tastes while maintaining the fashionable veneer of Westernized content – after all, that’s where the money’s at, right? As I said, good luck.
Poagao, it sounds like they’re pretty flexible, if only you’re careful enough to ask for what you want (something I’ve only recently learned to do). Did you actually tell them there was a problem with the sandwich?
You didn’t read what vwu wrote, did you? Or else, you’re quoting out of context. Let me help you. TIP: read slowly
What vwu is saying is that they DO know how to cook Chicken breast meat.
Paogao, you seem to have issues with restaurants in Taiwan that serve Western food but adjust them to the market they are in. You are very idealistic.
I grew up in Brooklyn, NY, and had uncles and relatives who worked in Chinese restaurants in Chinatown. When my family would go for tea on Sundays, we never ordered from the “menu” that was printed. It was always Uncle’s surprise or some other off menu item. Later on in college, my buddies and I would laugh at newspaper reviews that touted the ‘authenticity’ of so-and-so Chinese restaurant. They had no idea.
My point: adjusting to the local market is not only good business, but should be expected – in Taiwan or anywhere else for that matter. But if you know the cook, your chances of getting what you really want increase.
Sounds to me like you will enjoy the local Golden Arches when you crave Western food. McDonald’s is famous/notorious for insisting on fanatical adherence to its recipes and preparation. 
This restaurant has chosen to go after the 5-odd million people in Taipei, and “risk” alienating the picky few Western food purists. Good luck needed, indeed.
Yeah, I did, and they pretty much gave me the same answer: “Taiwanese people like it this way”. I don’t have a problem with going after what you see as a larger market, just don’t expect to pass it off as western food. I made the mistake of going there with that in mind, and I’m just trying to spread some info to others who might have the same idea. Most of the time I eat fried rice or dry noodles from roadside stands near my house, but when I want western food I’ll probably go to someplace like Subway, not the likes of Citysky.
Oh come on. Sure its a bit on the dry side, but I think a lot of the Byzantine stuff in Instanbul is very tasteful indeed.
As for City Sky? Bleh! Supposed to be a “mix and match of east and west?” Nonsense! Its pure Taiwanese, masquerading as supposedly “Western.”
I love Taiwanese food and I love Western food, in fact I love pretty much ALL food. The one thing I cannot abide is “Fake Western.”
[color=darkblue]This is a note to keep the record straight about CitySky Cafe. It is NOT a “western” restaurant, never claimed to be one, and definitely NOT a Taiwanese restaurant masquerading as one. The best way to describe it is a “mix and match” of east and west cooking reflecting the “mix and match” culinary tastes and lifestyle background of the owner-chef who spent some 20+ years in Japan and another 20+ years in New York City. It is only in the last 4 years that she has relocated to Taiwan and opened the cafeand is still learning about the local restaurants. Vickie thanks her many supporters, and promises to listen to constructive criticisms on how to improve the cafe If you meet with any problems in the future, just bring them to her attention at the Minsheng store, and she promises to resolve them promptly.
CitySky Cafe also thanks one of the founders of Forumosa who invited the cafe to post its weekly lunch menu at this site. This is not meant to be a cheeky advertisement, but a service to customers. If the moderators of this site should take exception, please let vwu know.[/color]
I’ve been to city sky and I thought their food was pretty good, at least they make their own bread and don’t put sugar in it.
I know this is a food forum and folks should feel free to criticise the things they don’t like…but don’t you feel some of the opinions were a wee bit too…vicious?..Then there is the whole “thanks for the warning, I won’t go there thing”…kinda smacks of western elitism?.. living in a glass bubble maybe.
God forbid we should have folks telling us what to eat and think, but make up your own minds and try places for yourself. Continue to give your honest opinion and so shall I.[sits back waiting for a boot up the arse from sandman et al]
mr. sausage, keep in mind you are digging up a thread from SEVEN years ago.
A lot of things change over time.
sandman has mellowed out a lot since then, although I have no idea about the restaurant.
met vicky a while ago and she told me she got a new one ripped for her on forumosa…so i dug it up and …damn! she was not exaggerating. Just goes to show, I’ll watch what I write as it may come back to bite me on the bum in time to come.
[quote=“mr. sausage”]I know this is a food forum and folks should feel free to criticise the things they don’t like…but don’t you feel some of the opinions were a wee bit too…vicious?..Then there is the whole “thanks for the warning, I won’t go there thing”…kinda smacks of western elitism?.. living in a glass bubble maybe.
God forbid we should have folks telling us what to eat and think, but make up your own minds and try places for yourself. Continue to give your honest opinion and so shall I.[sits back waiting for a boot up the arse from sandman et al][/quote]
Bad day at work?
No boot here but I respect the news about restaurants that I get from my friends. If someone I trust says to avoid the place then I most likely will.
Elitism?
Word of mouth is the best advertising per dollar/pound/yen that you can find.
[color=#0000FF]I never expected this thread to be resurrected after all these years. I must thank Mr. Sausage for that. In any case, CitySky Cafe is still in business, but in a new location. We must be doing something right if customers still want us around. The menu has changed a bit since we first started, but everything is still made on site, and I am in charge of all the food preparation, including the baked goods. The food can be described as “mom’s=Vickie’s slow cooking” served quickly for busy people. We cater to mostly a lunch and afternoon tea crowd, and smokers are welcome since we do have an outside sitting area. If you missed an opportunity to try us seven years ago, do give us another try. We are open M-F, 11:30-7. Prices for main dishes range between NT$100-NT$200, and we do have a few vegetarian selections. Here is the address:
NanJing East Road Section 2, #139, 1st floor (inside the Fubon Bank Building, between HSBC on the corner of NanJing and JianGuo and Union Bank on the corner of NanJing and YiTong) Walk into the bank building, and we are located next to the elevators in the back.
南京東路二段139號一樓富邦大樓內 Tel: 2516-0960[/color]
are there still cuban sandwiches or gyros? curious…
[color=#0040BF]Thank you for your interest. We now have Cuban Chicken which is boneless chicken marinated in lemon juice and orange juice, then braised in tomato sauce and white wine with sweet potatoes, red bell peppers, raisins, olives, and capers. The dish is served with rice. We also have a beef & vegetable roll, which is a rolled sandwich of marinated beef sauteed with onions and green and red peppers, then rolled into a sandwich with lettuce and tomatoes. The dressing used is a mustard-mayonnaise dressing. Both selections are quite popular with our customers.[/color]
[quote=“mr. sausage”]I’ve been to city sky and I thought their food was pretty good, at least they make their own bread and don’t put sugar in it.
I know this is a food forum and folks should feel free to criticise the things they don’t like…but don’t you feel some of the opinions were a wee bit too…vicious?..Then there is the whole “thanks for the warning, I won’t go there thing”…kinda smacks of western elitism?.. living in a glass bubble maybe.
God forbid we should have folks telling us what to eat and think, but make up your own minds and try places for yourself. Continue to give your honest opinion and so shall I.[sits back waiting for a boot up the arse from sandman et al][/quote]
You’re right, I really need to get out of this glass bubble I live in and experience Taiwan. Who knows, I might even learn a Chinese word or two along the way.
Seriously, though, I’m sure not only has the cafe changed in the last seven years, my tastes have as well. I’m hardly ever around that part of town these days, however, so I probably won’t get around to eating there again any time soon.