Coffee connoisseur's paradise at DoRo

472-5, MinQuan Road
(04) 2208-1189
Hours:11 am-10 pm
(closed Sundays)
Credit cards not accepted.

---By Alice Wu Translated by Ann Lee

Let's face it, Taiwan is not known for its coffee and, for those who love their cup of java, it's difficult to find a taste that suits one's need. Enter DoRo, Taichung's answer to caffeine cravings, and a rebellion against all that is Starbucks.
Located near the corner of JianXing and MinQuan roads, DoRo is unique in the fact that it caters to specific tastes. At any given time, the cafe is able to provide 20-plus different take-home varieties of beans from which to choose. Mind you, these need to be ordered in advance as the beans are all imported.

All kudos should be directed towards owner Mr. Liao who, during a trip to Italy, became so taken with that country's cafes that he decided to pay homage to them by opening up an emulation right here in Taichung. For a man with 18 years of experience importing Costadoro products, it certainly seems the perfect path to open up a coffee shop serving the same.

At DoRo, one can both order fresh beans to go, or simply grab a cup and sip at his or her own leisure. The sit-down menu is not extensive, but everything offered on it is made with meticulous precision and care. Nothing comes out of a dispensing machine. Try the Mocha Latte (NT$90) or Cappuccino (NT$80), both which come highly recommended from two coffee fiends and are available in hot or cold varieties. However, this writer is hooked on DoRo's pot of milk tea (NT$100), which takes over 10 minutes to prepare but is worth absolutely every millisecond. As far as snacks go, DoRo's scrumptious waffles (NT$70 and up) definitely take the cake.

So if you're hankering for a wake-me-up and don't own a percolator, the next best idea would be to head to DoRo and sample a coffee or two, all the while soothing your java-deprived senses with the invigorating aroma present within its doors.