There is a distinctly homemade quality about KGB, a new burger joint that has set up in a tiny alley off Shida Road near the Guting MRT station, across from the Wellcome (頂好超市) supermarket. This goes not just for food, but for the decor as well. The stripped down interior has a couple of nice touches — a small corner sofa is remarkably popular, and the two outdoor tables are likely to be in considerable demand.
The burgers themselves are homemade, in the best possible way. The beef patty tastes of meat (rather than salt, which is the dominant flavor at many burger establishments), and the blue cheese burger (NT$255) had a pleasantly robust savor of blue cheese. The bun does not stick to the roof of your mouth and the fries are crisp. The presentation is the opposite of slick, and you’re not quite sure that you’re getting value for money until you take your first bite.
There’s a selection of chicken burgers, with the option of having the chicken grilled or crumbed and deep-fried. The C4 Heaven (a chicken burger with soft cheese and cranberry sauce, NT$280) is simple and the cranberry sauce tasted fresh and tart. The chicken breast was firm and juicy and utterly devoid of the super-saturated succulence that is so popular among Japanese influenced deep-fried outlets in Taiwan.
PHOTO: IAN BARTHOLOMEW, TAIPEI TIMES
For really hearty eaters, there’s the aptly named Double Happy (NT$330), with two patties, bacon and Colby cheese. And the full horrors of antipodean cuisine are boldly presented with the Kiwi Mate’s (NT$230) fried egg, beetroot and pineapple.
The effort that has gone into KBG can also be seen in small things like the side salad, which goes beyond the usual iceberg lettuce. (The side salad can be swapped for a serving of fries.)
For those who really want to ditch the meat, there are two salads entrees, in addition to two vegetarian burger options — one with a walnut and lentil patty served with lettuce, tomato, onion and a yogurt sauce (NT$200); the other a straight-up vegetable burger with eggplant, mushroom and zucchini served with various green leaves and a ginger lime aioli (NT$260).
KGB scores highly with its unusual selection of beer. Apart from brews such as VB, which are aimed squarely at the antipodean crowd, local beer is represented by the fine products of Northern Taiwan Brewing (北台灣麥酒) — a private local brewery that makes handcrafted beer — and there is also a range of boutique Monteith beers from New Zealand. Once again, these are stylish choices that show KGB wants to do its own thing, not just follow the herd.
KGB opened just a month ago and is clearly still finding its feet, but what it lacks in slickness is made up for by the relaxed atmosphere and the solid food.
When the South Vietnamese capital of Saigon fell to the North Vietnamese forces 50 years ago this week, it prompted a mass exodus of some 2 million people — hundreds of thousands fleeing perilously on small boats across open water to escape the communist regime. Many ultimately settled in Southern California’s Orange County in an area now known as “Little Saigon,” not far from Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, where the first refugees were airlifted upon reaching the US. The diaspora now also has significant populations in Virginia, Texas and Washington state, as well as in countries including France and Australia.
On April 17, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) launched a bold campaign to revive and revitalize the KMT base by calling for an impromptu rally at the Taipei prosecutor’s offices to protest recent arrests of KMT recall campaigners over allegations of forgery and fraud involving signatures of dead voters. The protest had no time to apply for permits and was illegal, but that played into the sense of opposition grievance at alleged weaponization of the judiciary by the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) to “annihilate” the opposition parties. Blamed for faltering recall campaigns and faced with a KMT chair
Article 2 of the Additional Articles of the Constitution of the Republic of China (中華民國憲法增修條文) stipulates that upon a vote of no confidence in the premier, the president can dissolve the legislature within 10 days. If the legislature is dissolved, a new legislative election must be held within 60 days, and the legislators’ terms will then be reckoned from that election. Two weeks ago Taipei Mayor Chiang Wan-an (蔣萬安) of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) proposed that the legislature hold a vote of no confidence in the premier and dare the president to dissolve the legislature. The legislature is currently controlled
As we live longer, our risk of cognitive impairment is increasing. How can we delay the onset of symptoms? Do we have to give up every indulgence or can small changes make a difference? We asked neurologists for tips on how to keep our brains healthy for life. TAKE CARE OF YOUR HEALTH “All of the sensible things that apply to bodily health apply to brain health,” says Suzanne O’Sullivan, a consultant in neurology at the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery in London, and the author of The Age of Diagnosis. “When you’re 20, you can get away with absolute
RSS