A friend recently suggested having dinner at this Thai eatery in Gongguan District. It's been there 26 years -- and looks it -- but neither of us had ever eaten there before.
Afterwards we picked our teeth with satay skewers and started wondering aloud what meals either of us had eaten in Thailand that were better. I could think of only one and it had come after a sauna and massage while propped on pillows and with a view of Ko Pha Ngan in the distance. Who knew such a good Thai meal could be had in Taipei?
PHOTO: DAVID MOMPHARD, TAIPEI TIMES
Lots of people, apparently. Curious to know if the Taipei Times ever reviewed it, I asked a colleague if he knew of the place.
"I just had dinner there," he said. "Their pad thai is awesome."
In fact, more than a few people I checked with have frequented the place for some time. Apologies, then, to anyone whose best-kept secret this might be giving away.
It seems most of the folks familiar with this little wood-paneled wonder have not only been going there for years, they have strong ideas as to what the best dishes are.
When you sit down, you're given a clipboard that lists everything on offer. If you find it difficult to figure out what kinds of Thai dishes this list is describing in Chinese don't fret; you're also given an album filled with unpleasant photos of each of the dishes with their names scribbled beneath. Match the photos to the items on the list if you can, or just point. Keep in mind that the dishes taste far better than they look in the photographs.
Everything I've tried in my three visits has been delicious. Go with several friends and order an array of items. The dishes tantalize and your chopsticks want to leap from noodle to chicken to pork to fish. Get a Coke or a Taiwan Beer to douse the fire that's sure to engulf your taste buds.
And keep your eyes on the food. The place is decorated like a travel agency you wouldn't trust. Images of elephants, gods and the Thai king have been taped and tacked slapdash to fake wood paneling that looks recycled from a trailer park. During my most recent visit I had view of a fish tank in desperate need of a cleaning and a faded blue poster taped over a hole in the wall. "Thailand -- Amazing Shopping Paradise," it read.
But so what if you can't see Ko Pha Ngan in the distance; you can still taste Thailand in Taipei.
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