Wowow Restaurant

Residents of Tienmu deserve no sympathy. Not only do they enjoy a quiet

residential area near downtown and one of Taipei's few tree-lined boulevards, they also have Wowow, a distinctly different little cafe serving vegetarian hamburgers and sandwiches, gourmet coffees and fruit drinks.

"Vegetarian hamburgers?" you might ask. Yes, and they're delicious. Through a process seemingly involving as much scientific know-how as culinary skill, vegetables are made to not only look something like a hamburger patty, but taste something like it, too -- albeit without the grease. Unlike a traditional hamburger, however, much of the taste comes from the accouterments: avocados, lentils, sprouts and the like. Burgers can be ordered alone, or as a meal set that includes a salad and choice of soup of the day or tea.

"Ground beef" isn't the only thing on the menu. If you don't trust a vegetable posing as beef, you can also try Wowow's smoked chicken burger (NT$180), their black-pepper pork chop burger (NT$200) or black-pepper steak sandwich (NT$210), a shrimp burger (NT$200) or even a Mexican fish burger (NT$200), none of which contain a jot of the chicken, pork or fish in their names.

French-bread sandwiches are also available: bacon, ham and mixed vegetable (NT$180). As with the burgers, each comes with salad and a choice of soup-of-the-day or tea. The salads alone are worth a visit. An ordinary mix of fresh iceberg lettuce, greens, sprouts and tomatoes is transformed when topped with a delicious creamy orange dressing. The only thing missing are raisins.

It must be said, though, that ordering the mixed vegetable sandwich as a meal set is akin to ordering a salad twice; first in a bowl, then on a bun.

The management also has an annoying habit of cutting the French bread diagonally, causing half the sandwich fall out of the bread with the first bite.

Wowow's spaghetti (NT$130) is also quite tasty, as is their "hot dog burger" (NT$65), which is actually a hot dog, not a burger, albeit a vegetarian one.

Lastly, though certainly not least, Wowow fulfills its obligations as a cafe by serving a variety of gourmet coffees. Blue Mountain (NT$130), Brazilian (NT$120) and Mandeling (NT$120) coffees are not only ground fresh when you order them, but priced quite a bit less than other cafes.

Don't like coffee? Try one of the fruit or vegetable drinks. Avocado milk, kiwi, watermelon, orange and a variety of others are available seasonally.

The drinks are made considerably nicer -- and Wowow's cafe credentials are enhanced -- by a tree-filled park adjacent the restaurant that's clearly visible through large windows. Get your coffee to go, then go park yourself on a shaded bench next door.