Bierwursts and beers will be abundant this evening at Der Lowe Bavarian restaurant in Taipei. Not to mention pork knuckle and chicken schnitzels. No, it’s not Oktoberfest quite yet, but the Austrian-Taipei Society will be throwing their monthly stammtisch at the restaurant and it promises to be a hearty feast.
The stammtisch — German for “regulars’ table,” but is normally used to describe a regular, informal gathering of friends at a local restaurant — is an integral part of Austro-German culture, and it’s something that the Austrian-Taipei Society wishes to share with the larger expat community.
“Food and the drinks are very important as they are a reminder of home, but they are also a good start for anybody else wanting to learn about our culture,” says Michael Geier, a long-time Taipei resident and filmmaker, speaking on behalf of the Austrian-Taipei Society.
Photo courtesy of Austrian-Taipei Society
WARNING: Excessive consumption
of alcohol can damage your health.
Held on the third Friday of every month, the stammtisch is meant to be a lively, family-friendly affair where beer and sausage lovers come to meet like-minded foodies. It certainly helps that Der Lowe’s is laid out like a traditional beer garden with rows of long wooden tables designed to encourage conversation.
Geier says that they’ve modified the traditional stammtisch to better fit the vibe in Taiwan. In a traditional stammtisch held in Austria or Germany, regulars would have their own table at a small local restaurant and topics or themes might be decided upon beforehand.
“Usually, they even have their own mugs with their names,” Geier says.
By contrast, the ones that the Austrian-Taipei Society have been organizing over the past couple of years have focused mainly on helping Austrian, German and Swiss expats ease into life in Taiwan, while also providing an opportunity in a laid-back environment for people from all over the world to meet and bond over food and drinks.
“People are easier to talk and chat to once they’ve had some good food and drinks,” Geier says half-jokingly.
Since taking the reins of organizing the stammtisch two years ago, he says that he’s met people from almost all six continents at these gatherings.
“Cultural exchange is as important to us as the food,” Geier adds.
In addition to the stammtisch, the Austrian-Taipei society also holds other frequent events such as short film screenings of Austrian and German films, football games and outdoor concerts.
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