Chiachia Seafood Hakka Restaurant 家家海鮮客家餐廳
Address: 10, Ln 2, Yongkang St, Taipei City (台北市永康街2巷10號)
Telephone: (02) 2392-3130
Open: Lunch 11am to 2pm, dinner 5pm to 9pm
Average meal: NT$200 to NT$300
Details: Chinese menu, credit cards accepted
Chiachia Hakka Restaurant’s (家家海鮮客家餐廳) classic dishes and original creations feature the complex yet well-balanced mixture of flavors of Hakka cuisine, which is known for its liberal use of piquant ingredients like garlic, ginger, scallions and chili peppers.
Take the restaurant’s signature stinky tofu (臭豆腐, NT$220). The humble night market snack is the only item on Chiachia’s menu marked with the words “can’t miss” (非吃不可), which turned out to be true. Chunks of tofu and century eggs (皮蛋) are flash fried with plenty of diced garlic, scallions and red chili peppers, then topped with a few sprigs of cilantro. As you bite into each piece of tofu, the crunchy surface gives way to the buttery soft inside and a pungent steam wafts over your tongue. The century eggs lend an unexpected contrast.
Make sure to show up at Chiachia with an empty stomach and plenty of hungry friends to take advantage of its very large menu.
— Catherine Shu
Du Hsiaw Uyea Taiwan Seafood Cuisine 渡小月蘭陽時尚料理
Address: 58, Fusing Rd Sec 3, Yilan City (宜蘭市復興路三段58號)
Telephone: (03) 9314-688
Open: Noon to 2pm and 5pm to 9pm
Average meal: NT$500
Details: No menu, credit cards accepted
On the Net: www.yilando.com
The first thing that needs to be said about Du Hsiaw Uyea Taiwan Seafood Cuisine (渡小月蘭陽時尚料理), located in Yilan City, is that it is not the same restaurant as Jerry’s Chinese Kitchen (祥瑞渡小月), located in Luodong Township (羅東鎮), Yilan County, which has a similar Chinese name. Nor is it Tu Hsiao Yueh Noodle Shop (渡小月擔仔麵), which originated in Tainan and now has branches in Taipei.
Du Hsiaw Uyea is famous for a number of Yilan specialties, but the lack of a menu or clearly marked price list can be intimidating for anyone unfamiliar with the cuisine. It is usually best to order a set menu, which starts at NT$600 for a table of two, or NT$3,500 and up for a table of 10. The steamed shrimp, which contains at least a whole head of garlic and copious quantities of rice wine, is to be recommended. The shockingly black chicken in xian cao (仙草), or grass jelly, might look a little like a chicken stuck in an oil slick, but it has subtle herbal flavors that make it highly memorable. A passion for ornate and often inappropriate plastic plate decorations makes the presentation appear kitsch for some dishes, but this in no way undermines the mixture of innovation and the firm grasp of the many, often labor-intensive, processes involved in the preparation of famous Yilan specialties.
— Ian Bartholomew
Galerie Bistro
Address: 2, Ln 25, Nanjing W Rd, Taipei City (台北市南京西路25巷2號)
Telephone: (02) 2558-0096
Open: 11:45am to 9pm Tuesday through Friday and Sundays, 11:45am to 10:30pm on Saturdays, closed on Mondays
Average meal: NT$500 to NT$1,200 per person
Details: Credit cards accepted; located near Zhongshan MRT Station (中山捷運站)
On the Net: www.galeriebistro.com
There is no shortage of restaurants serving overpriced lunches on Nanjing West Road around Zhongshan MRT Station (中山捷運站), but Galerie Bistro is one of the few that justifies its higher-than-average prices. The restaurant offers a chic decor and a well-executed menu of classic French, Italian and American dishes.
The savory crepes are popular. Choices include the andouille, (NT$320), which is filled with Emmental (Swiss) cheese, mushrooms and pork sausage, and a simple but delicious spinach, egg and cheese crepe (NT$360).
The restaurant’s panini sandwiches are much better than what you’ll find at Taipei’s fanciest cafes. Go for the classic Burgundy ham and Emmental cheese panini (NT$390).
The “Galerie burger experience de lux 8oz” is also worth trying, in spite of the NT$500 price tag. Galerie Bistro gets its burger right in many ways. There is a good balance of fat and meat in the patty, on top of which sits oozing, melted cheese. And the bun is perfect: soft on the inside, slightly crispy on top and not a hint of sweetness. The restaurant, located in a three-story mansion that dates back to the Japanese occupation, offers an idyllic garden patio well suited for afternoon tea.
Galerie Bistro’s all-white interior suits ladies who lunch, but will do for a dinner date. Set menu prices run from NT$680 for ravioli with tomato sauce to NT$1,480 for an 8oz cut of US prime rib eye. Also available are Fine de Claire oysters imported from France, which cost NT$260 for one, NT$1,500 for six and NT$2,980 for a dozen.
— David Chen
Ji Yuan 薺元小館
Address: 489 Fujin St, Taipei City (台北市富錦街489號)
Telephone: (02) 2747-5886
Open: 11:30am to 2pm and 5:30pm to 8:30pm
Average meal: NT$700
Details: Chinese menu, credit cards accepted
On the Net: www.jiyuan.tw
Ji Yuan sports an extensive menu of Jiangzhe cuisine (江浙菜), but what makes it special is the unassuming vegetable called shepherd’s purse, or jicai (薺菜), which is used as the key ingredient in the establishment’s signature dishes and is hard to find anywhere else in Taipei. The plant is commonly used as food in Shanghai and neighboring areas, and its healing qualities have long been touted in China, Japan and South Korea. Popular dishes include Ji Yuan tofu (薺元招牌豆腐, NT$200), jicai pork dumplings (薺菜上肉水餃, NT$100 for 10) and the san cha yue (招牌三叉月, NT$350), or braised beef tendon.
Among the city’s plentiful Jiangzhe restaurants, Ji Yuan scores highly in every regard: a well-kept interior, efficient service and quality food at a wallet-friendly price.
— Ho Yi
Kitchen Pucci 葡吉小廚
Address: 1 Nanjing W Rd, Taipei City (台北市南京西路1號) and 59-61 Zhongxiao E Rd Sec 4, Taipei City (台北市忠孝東路四段59之61號)
Telephone: Nanjing West Road: (02) 2563-2787 and Zhongxiao East Road: (02) 2771-1948
Open: Nanjing West Road: Saturday to Thursday from 11:30am to 9:30pm, Fridays 11am to 9:30pm. Zhongxiao East Road: Mondays to Fridays from 11:30am to 9:30pm, Saturdays and Sundays 11:30am to 10pm (kitchen closes at 9:30pm)
Average meal: NT$200 to NT$300
On the Net: www.kitchenpucci.com.tw
Details: Chinese, English and Japanese menu. Credit cards accepted
Kitchen Pucci’s (葡吉小廚) two locations offer Shanghai-style food, Hong Kong-style dim sum and quick service. The restaurants’ steamed Shanghai juicy dumplings (上海小籠包, NT$180 for 12) are rich, savory and indeed juicy. Other good picks include a small serving of “Szechuan-style” steamed spareribs (川味粉蒸排骨, NT$80), which are served on top of steamed yam chunks and covered in ground rice flavored with spices and lots of pepper. The tender meat slips off the bone upon contact with your chopsticks.
Kitchen Pucci’s noodle dishes come in “thin noodles” or chunky knife-shaved noodles (刀削麵) that are sliced directly from the dough into thick strips before being boiled. The knife-shaved noodles have a satisfyingly al dente texture without any unpleasant graininess on the inside. We liked them best in the Shanghai-style scallion mixed noodles (上海蔥開乾拌麵, NT$80) because the scallions, cooked several different ways (the green leaves fried until crispy, the white stalks boiled until soft), offered an unexpected melange of textures.
— Catherine Shu
Oola Mexican Grill
Address: 3, Alley 1, Ln 136, Roosevelt Rd Sec 4, Taipei City (台北市羅斯福路四段136巷1弄3號)
Telephone: (02) 2363-1111
Open: Sundays to Thursdays 11:30am to 9:30pm, Fridays and Saturdays 11:30am to 10:30pm
Average meal: NT$150
Details: Chinese and English menu, credit cards not accepted
When I first reviewed Oola Mexican Grill, located close to Gongguan MRT Station (公館捷運站) Exit 1, I wrote that the restaurant’s belly-busting portions of tasty, fresh and inexpensive food might become habit forming. It did. Since then, not a month goes by that I don’t find myself at Oola gobbling up a burrito or tucking into a taco. Ordering at Oola is easy: First choose from a list of Mexican standards (burrito, fajita, burrito bowl, tacos or salad), then pick your protein (chicken (NT$130), steak (NT$150), carnitas (NT$130) or barbacoa (NT$135)). A vegetarian option is available.
Everything is served with generous amounts of lime and spice-infused long-grain rice. Finally, decide on any or all of these toppings: mild salsa, green-chili salsa (medium), red-chili salsa (hot), corn salsa, sour cream, shredded cheese and lettuce. Though I’ve tried most of the menu, I keep coming back to the barbacoa for its robust chipotle tang.
— Noah Buchan
Shanghai Kitchen 上海鄉村
Address: B1, 17, Renai Rd Sec 1, Taipei City (台北市仁愛路一段17號B1)
Telephone: (02) 2396-5154
Open: Daily from 11:30am to 2pm and
5:30pm to 9pm
Average meal: NT$400
Details: Chinese and English menu,
credit cards accepted
On the Net: www.shanghaikitchen.com.tw
Hidden in the basement level of the Y17 Youth Activity Center (Y17青少年育樂中心) on Renai Road Section 1 (仁愛路一段) opposite the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, Shanghai Kitchen might easily be ignored as just another banquet restaurant serving up bits of over-seasoned meat or fish in starch-laden sauces. Despite its unimaginative setting — the chintzy easy-stack chairs and a space designed for functionality rather than elegance — Shanghai Kitchen is a delight, and not just because of the quality of the food.
Possibly because Y17 caters to the sporting and entertainment needs of families, the restaurant is not only well equipped with a good supply of highchairs and children’s utensils, but the staff also seems particularly adept and understanding. Over numerous visits, the staff has proven able to give thorough explanations of the food to ensure that orders are suitable to both the youngest and oldest members of large parties.
But this solicitude would be insufficient to recommend this basement restaurant if it were not for the quality of the food, which is often outstanding, and in general very reasonably priced.
Both a regular and a picture menu are available, and the illustrated version is a perfect introduction for those unfamiliar with Shanghai cuisine. Classic dishes such as braised Dongpo pork (鄉村烤方, NT$420) and stewed meat balls in soy sauce (紅燒獅子頭, NT$320) are well prepared, and there are also plenty of vegetarian options. A fine choice for a special family meal.
— Ian Bartholomew
Trader Vic’s
Address: 7F, 135, Minsheng E Rd Sec 3, Taipei City (台北市民生東路135號7樓)
Telephone: (02) 2545-9999
Open: 11am to 11pm, bar closes at 1am, Sunday brunch is from 11am to 2pm
Average meal: NT$800 to NT$1,000 per person, Sunday brunch is NT$780 per person. Service charge is 10 percent
Details: Credit cards accepted
On the Net: www.tradervics.com/rest-taipei.html
Don’t let the Hawaiian kitsch put you off. The teak paneled walls and rattan furniture are as comforting as the pan-Asian cuisine and American steakhouse fare at Trader Vic’s, an American chain that started out as a tropical-themed restaurant near San Francisco in the 1930s. The restaurant is often credited with popularizing crab Rangoon: deep-fried wonton dumplings filled with cream cheese and crabmeat (NT$230). You can also try this crispy treat at the Sunday brunch buffet, which is worth the NT$780 for its excellent spread.
The buffet’s main courses include beef prime rib, rack of lamb, pork ribs and salmon, all of which are slow-roasted in the restaurant’s “Chinese smoke oven.” This impressively large barrel-shaped kiln is placed behind a glass wall so patrons can have a peek.
Trader Vic’s claims its founder, Victor “The Trader” Bergeron, invented the Mai Tai (NT$290), a must for Elvis Presley fans — the rum and citrus drink enjoyed popular exposure after the 1950s rock icon starred in the film Blue Hawaii. One of the restaurant’s biggest strengths is not the cruise ship vibe, but the competent and well-trained waitstaff, who pay close attention to the tables without being overbearing.
— David Chen
Tsubaki 椿
Address: 46-1 Yongkang St, Taipei City
(台北市永康街46-1號)
Telephone: (02) 2358-7377
Open: Mondays to Saturdays from 6pm to midnight
Average meal: NT$600
Details: Chinese menu, credit cards not accepted
The food served at Tsubaki might not be the most palate-thrilling in Taipei, but the snug Japanese bar is all about setting the right mood with a leisurely ambiance and an intimate environment. Dining at Tsubaki is like being invited to a friend’s home where you and your laid-back host enjoy a quiet evening with a few drinks. The restaurant’s selection of simple Japanese fare is scrawled on a couple of blackboards and includes grilled meats and seafood, stews, salads, cold appetizers and sashimi. And now is a great time to dine at Tsubaki: There is nothing more gratifying than watching your food grilled over a charcoal fire in the bar’s small sand pit during the cold, damp days of winter.
— Ho Yi
Yue Yuan 越苑
Address: 8, Ln 103, Dunhua S Rd Sec 2, Taipei City (台北市敦化南路二段103巷8號) and 12, Ln 155, Dunhua N Rd, Taipei City (台北市敦化北路155巷12號)
Telephone: Dunhua South Road: (02) 2701-2523; Dunhua North Road: (02) 2718-0660
Open: Mondays to Fridays 11:30am to 3pm and 5:30pm to 9pm, Saturdays and Sundays 11:30am to 9pm
Details: English and Chinese menu, credit cards not accepted, reservations recommended
Average meal: NT$150
Yue Yuan (越苑) has gained a kind of cult following for its beef pho, or Vietnamese beef noodle soup, and bahn mi, or baguette sandwiches, since opening its first location off Dunhua North Road (敦化北路) and a second location between The Diner and Carnegie’s. The rare steak pho (NT$140/NT$170) consists of a nest of rice noodles topped with slices of rare lean beef and shaved onion. Served with fresh basil, bean sprouts, lime, cilantro and sliced chili peppers, which arrive on a separate plate, the combination of the robust beef broth and sweet, sour and spicy accompaniments results in a complex and satisfying flavor. Equally gratifying is the chicken baguette sandwich (NT$120, beef and pork versions are also available). Generous portions of grilled chicken are nestled inside the warm crusty baguette. Sprigs of cilantro enliven an already delicious combination of julienned pickled carrot and radish and just the right amount of mayo and cracked pepper. Netizens are going nuts over this hoagie and after one bite you’ll understand why.
— Noah Buchan
Last week Joseph Nye, the well-known China scholar, wrote on the Australian Strategic Policy Institute’s website about how war over Taiwan might be averted. He noted that years ago he was on a team that met with then-president Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁), “whose previous ‘unofficial’ visit to the US had caused a crisis in which China fired missiles into the sea and the US deployed carriers off the coast of Taiwan.” Yes, that’s right, mighty Chen caused that crisis all by himself. Neither the US nor the People’s Republic of China (PRC) exercised any agency. Nye then nostalgically invoked the comical specter
April 15 to April 21 Yang Kui (楊逵) was horrified as he drove past trucks, oxcarts and trolleys loaded with coffins on his way to Tuntzechiao (屯子腳), which he heard had been completely destroyed. The friend he came to check on was safe, but most residents were suffering in the town hit the hardest by the 7.1-magnitude Hsinchu-Taichung Earthquake on April 21, 1935. It remains the deadliest in Taiwan’s recorded history, claiming around 3,300 lives and injuring nearly 12,000. The disaster completely flattened roughly 18,000 houses and damaged countless more. The social activist and
Over the course of former President Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) 11-day trip to China that included a meeting with Chinese Communist Party (CCP) leader Xi Jinping (習近平) a surprising number of people commented that the former president was now “irrelevant.” Upon reflection, it became apparent that these comments were coming from pro-Taiwan, pan-green supporters and they were expressing what they hoped was the case, rather than the reality. Ma’s ideology is so pro-China (read: deep blue) and controversial that many in his own Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) hope he retires quickly, or at least refrains from speaking on some subjects. Regardless
Approaching her mid-30s, Xiong Yidan reckons that most of her friends are on to their second or even third babies. But Xiong has more than a dozen. There is Lucky, the street dog from Bangkok who jumped into a taxi with her and never left. There is Sophie and Ben, sibling geese, who honk from morning to night. Boop and Pan, both goats, are romantically involved. Dumpling the hedgehog enjoys a belly rub from time to time. The list goes on. Xiong nurtures her brood from her 8,000 square meter farm in Chiang Dao, a mountainous district in northern Thailand’s