Here’s something that any traveler who likes to eat should have in his or her arsenal: if you want to order at a restaurant that has no English menu (which is extremely common in Taiwan), and there’s no food near the order-taker for you to point at, you’re not sunk yet.
If you want a breathtaking view of Taipei, you’ve gotta do the Xiangshan Trail (also known as Elephant Mountain).
Bonus: it’s right in the middle of the city and easily accessible via the subway, so it’s a very low-effort hike to get to.