Claire Ariela Shen, 西區美村路一段133巷16號, Taichung (2026)

Q: What is the address?

西區美村路一段133巷16號

24/04/2026

Random midnight photo dump of some of the most delicious/inspiring dishes I had in Taiwan. (There are tons more, but these were so memorable). Was just looking for inspiration as we plan a new menu for the shophouse.

Yes, we did have one or two Michelin escapades on the visit, but street food, cultural dishes, and heritage flavours will always have my heart.

Is there something I might have missed trying?

I have to head back that way again one of these days. 💌

13/04/2026

Translated:
"Victory is won by steadiness and composure;
Defeat comes of haste and agitation.
Success is built on diligence and self-reflection;
Failure grows from laziness and arrogance."

23/11/2025

It's a stormy night outside the shophouse. I'm just waiting for the banana loaves to cool before I call it a night. Taking this time to imagine the customer experience of watching the happenings of our open concept kitchen as well. Looks like there is still some upgrading and reorganisation to do.

There has been a lot of thought that was put into what was urgent to invest in at this point of time and what was less so. It's a little strange as it might seem like the shophouse isn't as glitzy as the new Katong Chagee outlet a few doors down, and sometimes I wonder if this is a little... disgraceful (?) to not have a super pretty typical 200K-investment sort of newly renovated place. But I suppose that'd be the wrong mindset to have.

A critical factor of entrepreneurship (amongst other things) is prudence and wisdom in keeping things financially sustainable. And if that means we don't get our fancy pastry counter till after CNY, and that we try to improve things one step at a time on day at a time, so be it.

Dona Manis is in a new season.
Sometimes it feels as if the business (and customer expectations) are moving faster than I can keep up though. Everyday there is some new challenge that needs to be solved. It takes a lot of energy and emotional stamina, but there is a purpose to all of this.

I am thankful.
I'm choosing to see this as a season of learning and of adventure. Im looking forward to the journeys ahead.

Onward and upward. :)

11/11/2025

After the whole saga, along with the nasty rumours, I suppose the part that stung the most were the false stories being shared, and worse, believed.

From accusations of being "big bakery", to rumours that my family were from money, or that we don't know anything about pastry... it was frustrating for me in part because I felt like these untruths stole from all the efforts of my team. I asked myself, "Isn't it obvious how much hard work goes into what we do?" "Why are there people online saying things about my family when they don't actually know us?", "Do I really have to share about how much sacrifice goes into keeping all this alive?"

Then there are nights like these. Nights where I find myself alone, again, just working on a different problem... tonight it's painting a random unfinished wall. Quiet reflections to realize that no one is going to praise you for this work, but you choose to do it anyway - because you know who you are and why it matters to you. Moments that you realize all these random negative voices online that believe fictitious rumours don't actually know who you are and what you stand for.

I took this video because it was just another humbling moment I wanted to remember. As I watched part of it whilst editing, and noticed the oven scars and sugar burns, I am reminded that none of these voices really matter. They don't know my story. They don't know the decades I spent in this industry. They don't have my memories of cleaning flooded toilets, or the many nights (even as a little girl) folding boxes or decorating sugarpaste wedding cakes, or making kuehs or pastries. They don't know the scary seasons of industry bullies and tackling saboteurs, of fighting through financial collapses, or SARS, gangsters, or covid. They don't know the fights, the tears, and the occasional darkness and the wrestle to find light in those seasons. They don't know my nights alone like these.

"If you live for the praises of men, you will die by their criticisms."

There is wisdom in simply choosing to live as a "good and faithful servant" unto God. If there is praise I would like, perhaps it's best from the highest authority.

10/11/2025

Full heart of gratitude tonight...

A few weeks ago, even up till this afternoon, I kept worrying. I kept thinking of how things should be perfect before we open, considering what this person or that group of people might think. But now, after taking time to consider how this place looked just two days ago (a dark black-walled and black ceiling, dimly lit bar), and the people who have been making efforts to put things together, and what a blessing this was to even find this place...

We won't start of "perfect" footing, but I am thankful.

We won't start with all the pieces in place..(goodness knows if we will even have our signboard up when we open, and my pastry counter will def take a few weeks..) but I am grateful.

This is the journey of entrepreneurship after all I suppose. Nothing is going to ever be totally perfect, but we will just take things one day at a time, and do what we can one step at a time.

Looking forward to the days ahead.
It's another small step toward a new journey ahead for us.

01/11/2025

Nurturing a creative block for the new menu, I've plucked myself out of Singapore to find peace and inspiration. For many decades of my life I've been on a never-ending quest of sorts and those stress levels and overwhelm shows - in massive communication delays, missed important days of friends and loved ones, an unfortunate cortisol belly (a far cry from my competitive fencing and dragonboating days), and a general apathy toward life in general. After tasting and seeing so many things in different parts of the world over my few decades of life so far, it feels like nothing much impresses me anymore...If anything I've become more critical of everything, including my own work. In this season it feels as if everything falls short - all seem like feeble attempts to an unattainable goal of an inspiring excellence.

I suppose it only makes sense that in times like these, it's ever more important to slow down (or stop), and find gratefulness and wonder in even the smallest things.

I did not know what to expect coming to Minimal this morning. I was however, delightfully surprised to see the choice of ingredients in their selection... (of Angelica root, longan flowers and other beautiful under-appreciated ingredients), as well as the relatively minimalistic space they had created. It is in these spaces (away from the otherwise bludgeoning noises in the world outside) that I suppose creativity can thrive, and life and ingredients can be appreciated a little more.

It's my first proper day here, and I hope to find my peace over this short time here to create a menu and experience that will be both honourable and delightful.

04/09/2025

As these few weeks in Singapore have brought with them several announcements of brands closing down, I needed a space to manage the cognitive dissonance as I'm also due to soon announce the closure of the last brick and mortar outlet of one of our heritage brands as well.

Today I find my solace in a memory of Taiwan - as I was walking down one of their heritage streets and chanced upon a rare heritage pastry tools shop in a shophouse corner. As I stepped into this cluttered trove of spatulas, moulds, cutters, and piping tips, I excitedly greeted the older lady seated hunched behind an old wooden counter and asked her if she had any heritage moulds. She nonchalantly waved me to a small alley of sorts in the shop, and I quietly scuttled over - the aunties had a slight aura of an aunt that would scrunch up her face and unforgivingly take a jab at your intelligence if you didn't move fast enough, and I didn't want any of that drama. 😅

In the corner was an old rusty looking drawer, of which I simply had to take a peek. As I gingerly pulled out the rickety drawer, I was surprised to find drawers of carved ink moulds - the heritage ones often made to serve the purpose of finishing traditional pastries with a mark which usually carried a blessing to the receiver. Usually these were marked in red - a blessing of good fortune, prosperity, and protection.

As I reflect on my life and career, I guess this is what I want to be - a small blessing to others in some way. At the end of the day, I accept that I'm not perfect, I accept that there are many parts of me I have yet to smooth out, and that life is unforgiving in some ways, but every day I'm still going to choose to do what I can to make it a positive finish at the end. I'm going to choose to live as a blessing to myself and others in whatever way I can.

Today my purpose might be in business, tomorrow it might be something else. Your business doesn't define you - your choices, even in the smallest things, do. I only hope that the words I choose and the choices I make everyday fruit something greater than myself at the end of my life as a blessing to others in some small way.

Claire Ariela Shen

24/04/2026

13/04/2026

23/11/2025

11/11/2025

10/11/2025

01/11/2025

04/09/2025

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