Hollywood Underground, in the basement of the Far Easter Plaza Hotel, is now one of many haunts with an American theme that now draws a mixed clientele of well-heeled expatriates and locals.
Most strongly recommended at Hollywood Underground is probably the happy hour that stretches from 5:30pm to 8:30pm (buy one get one free on beers and cocktails), an ideal venue for getting lubricated for a night out in the busy Anho Road bar district.
The heavy furnishings, dim lights and the friendly staff make Hollywood Underground a great escape from the summer heat and also offers the option of both an extensive ala carte menu with all the usual favorites such as quesadillas, BBQ ribs, rib eye steaks and buffalo wings. These are well prepared but offer no surprises either.
Downstairs there is the Pasta Mia buffet where a solid lunch will put you back just NT$380 and you can really tuck in for the dinner buffet at NT$450. In addition to a selection of four types of pasta and six different toppings, there is a huge display of appetizers including the standard smoked salmon and tuna salad as well as a rather unexpected Thai chicken. All this can be helped down with the offerings of the well-stocked bar.
To add variety, Hollywood Underground offers regular special menus created by its top-class team of chefs. This month, the exotic cuisine on offer is Cajun -- a style that has proved popular with many hotel restaurants recently. The dishes on offer have the same solid qualities of the main Hollywood Underground menu, with the most outstanding dish being the Seafood Gumbo Ya Ya with Andouille Sausage, which is filling without being heavy.
For something a little heartier, the New Orleans-style braised rice with chicken is a good foundation on which to add a few shots of bourbon. An interesting option is the pan-fried cat fish, an interesting variation on the night market staple of cat fish soup.
What is lacking is the New Orleans atmosphere. Hollywood Underground suffers slightly from being a hotel restaurant on this score. While service is friendly and efficient, this is not the kind of place you talk loud, drink hard and throw the crab shells on the floor. This is Cajun with refinement, and if you feel that you need a safe haven to down a few beers, watch a World Wrestling Federation match on TV, and get yourself a solid feed, you could do much worse than spend a couple of hours at Hollywood Undergound.
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