Restaurants of the week

By Chang Ju-ping
STAFF REPORTER
Friday, Dec 01, 2000, Page 10

Enjoy chicken in a pot in a cozy, rustic setting. PHOTO: CHANG JU-PING

Cat Restaurant and Public Bar (布貓餐廳)

23, Lane 177, Tunhua S. Rd., Sec. 1, Taipei (北市敦化南路177巷23號); tel: 2773-3211. Average meal: NT$180 (lunch); NT$ 280 (dinner). Noon to 11pm. English menu. Credit cards not accepted.

Tucked in a quiet alley, this restaurant has an age-old mystic feel to it. The house is full of dark wood antique furniture imported from overseas. The tables are of all different shapes and sizes. Owner Johnson Wu (吳敏睿) and his wife are both under 30. Wu's wife was originally an antiques buyer, but later turned to restaurant management. After they married, Wu began to take care of the restaurant, which takes its name from their five cats.

The food is home-style Chinese food, with lots of strong flavors and in ample servings ideal for those with a big stomach to fill. There are 10 lunch and dinner set menus as well as a la carte selections. The most popular dishes are cod with fried bean crumbs (豆酥雪魚) -- which Wu said is served slightly sweeter than in other establishments -- chicken in a pot (茄香雞堡) and the spicy house's specialty tofu (布貓豆腐), a dish similar to traditional ma-po tofu (麻婆豆腐).

Brace yourself for delicious Hakka-style stir fry. PHOTO: CHANG JU-PING

Happy falls between 9pm to 11pm, when drinks are three for the price of two. There is also a list of cocktails created by the restaurant team, with names associated with cats such as Jealous Cat, Evil Cat, and Cat's Whisper -- an extremely popular drink which is similar to a frappucino with a touch of alcohol.

Stewed beef is one of Mother's best treats. PHOTO: CHANG JU-PING

Meinung Noodle Place (美濃粄條)

72, Lane 187, Tunhua S. Rd., Sec. 1, Taipei (北市敦化南路一段187巷72號); tel: 2741-1910. Average meal: NT$250. 11:30am - 2pm; 5pm - 11pm. English menu. Credit cards accepted.

Named the southern Taiwan Hakka town and with the feel of a country tavern, Meinung features Hakka food. Immerse yourself in an old fashioned southern town as you walk in. Listen to songs from the 1950s as you sit yourself on a rustic wooden bench to enjoy your meal. There's a variety of a la carte dishes to choose from. A popular item is spicy dried rice noodles (麻辣乾拌粄條). The house specialty, fried intestines with shredded ginger (薑絲炒大朝腸), is worth trying if you dare. The restaurant also recommends eggplant with flavored vegetables (客式九層塔茄子) and Hakka-style stir fry (客家小炒), a mix of celery, shredded pork, dried tofu and squid. There is a short list on the table that tells what dishes are popular to help those unfamiliar

with the foods. Soups are available to accompany the dishes.

Mother's Hands (老媽的菜)

1F, 23, Lane 187, Tunhua S. Rd., Sec. 1, Taipei (台北市敦化南路一段187巷23號1F); tel: 2711-9396. Average meal: NT$180 (lunch); NT$300 (dinner). 11:30am - 3pm; 5:30pm - 10:30pm. Credit cards accepted.

When Joy Lin (林詩樵) opened this restaurant 10 years ago and found herself in need of a chef, she decided to bring her 60-year-old mother into the venture. It was the right decision. Some of the best food is to be found at stalls or noisy traditional Chinese restaurants -- Mother's Hands retains the local flavors, but serves the food in a Mediterranean-style interior of white sandstone. This enhances the ambiance without sacrificing the quality of the food. Momma Lin's homey, tasty dishes, encompassing all regional flavors, such as Taiwanese, Hakka, and Sichuan (四川菜) have made this restaurant endure competition over the years. Standard dishes such as stewed beef (紅燒牛腩) and home-style bean curd (家常豆腐) are frequently requested here. Lin says for the home-style bean curd they use soft tofu and mix it with shredded pork, red pepper and green onion. This simple recipe has proved wildly popular. Fried cod and cabbage seasoned with bacon (培根高麗菜) is also popular. In case you don't know what to order, there are set meals for one, three and up to 12 people. Tea is served free. Beer, wine and coffee are available too.