Near the intersection of Taipei's Yenping North Road and Minsheng West Road, Bolero restaurant is a reflection of the once-vibrant Tataocheng (
Bolero enjoys a huge reputation; when Taipei residents are asked about the restaurant, most have heard of it and some remember it as a matchmaking hub.
But like the character Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard, Bolero and Tataocheng's heydays have passed.
PHOTO: CHIANG YING-YING, TAIPEI TIMES
The Bolero restaurant opened in 1934, and it was the top western-style diner in the 1950s and 1960s. But no one would recommend it as a top-class place to go anymore, although the restaurant still does good business.
"Twenty-five years ago, Bolero was still the leading restaurant in Taipei, doing even better than five-star hotels. There was no competition," restaurant manager Liao Tsung-chi (廖聰麒), who has worked there since 1967, said proudly.
"Bolero was not a restaurant for ordinary folks because of the prices, and people who came were always well-dressed and talked in low voices. Restaurants in major hotels would also send their people to us to learn about the business," he said.
Liao said that the restaurant used to host top businessmen, such as Formosa Plastics Group chairman Wang Yung-ching (王永慶).
"He doesn't come here anymore since it's difficult for a famous person to show up in a public place and not be recognized and bothered by others. But his third wife still dines here every now and then," Liao said.
Shipping tycoon Chang Yung-fa (
Even the so-called tang wai ("outside the party,"
Liao said that Huang Hsin-chieh (
"But of course these days young people have other choices, and the restaurant has become more a place for reminiscing," Liao said.
Indeed, with its slightly weathered exterior, plain white-and-blue billboard and unstylish blue sofa, Bolero has no visible glam to attract the young anymore.
Liao said that the restaurant now mostly hosts regular customers, and these customers often bring their relations.
"Now whenever I go to the restaurant, it's more for a taste of the past," said Yiu Chi-cheng (
Originally there was only one Bolero, but founder Liao Shui-lai (
"But both Boleros are well-known restaurants and popular matchmaking places," Yiu said.
And it is not just the restaurant that has a long history, its employees do too. Liao has worked there for more than 30 years, and 25-year-old waiter Lin Po-chi (
"Business is not as good as before with the economy slowing in recent years," Lin said.
Liao said that his experience in the restaurant proved to him the validity of the Taiwanese proverb, "Wealth can last no more than three generations."
"Sometimes I would see that certain customers or their descendents stop coming because they cannot afford to dine here any-more," Liao said.
Buildings similar to the one Bolero occupies are everywhere in the area of Tihua Street, made famous for its candies, snacks and food for the Lunar New Year holidays.
Most buildings are only three or four floors high, and the color of red bricks has faded, the white walls grayed.
Yet many buildings are also adorned with delicate engravings that cannot be seen on more modern constructions.
Tihua Street and Yenping North Road are a part of Tataocheng, a huge area along Tamshui River to the northwest of Taipei Main Station.
Tataocheng used to be Taipei's economic center before Japan's defeat in World War II, but now it is considered part of old Taipei.
Many famous local entrepre-neurs based their businesses in that area. Both Straits Exchange Foundation Chairman Koo Chen-fu's (辜振甫) father, Koo Hsien-jung (辜顯榮), and Shinkong (新光) Group founder Wu Ho-shih (吳火獅) were respected tea merchants, while China Development chairwoman Diana Chen's (陳敏薰) family was in the textile business in the area.
"Tataocheng is a noble part of the past," said Tu Nien-ru (杜念魯), a 30-year-old Taipei resident. "But then again, Tihua Street is probably the only place in Taipei that can allow people to celebrate the Lunar New Year properly with its New Year goodies.
"The glory may be gone, but the area is a cultural treasure," Tu said.
"When you walk around that area, you do get the feeling of a rich tradition," he said.
The Central Weather Administration (CWA) today issued a "tsunami watch" alert after a magnitude 8.7 earthquake struck off the Kamchatka Peninsula in northeastern Russia earlier in the morning. The quake struck off the east coast of the Kamchatka Peninsula at 7:25am (Taiwan time) at a depth of about 19km, the CWA said, citing figures from the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. The CWA's Seismological Center said preliminary assessments indicate that a tsunami could reach Taiwan's coastal areas by 1:18pm today. The CWA urged residents along the coast to stay alert and take necessary precautions as waves as high as 1m could hit the southeastern
The National Museum of Taiwan Literature is next month to hold an exhibition in Osaka, Japan, showcasing the rich and unique history of Taiwanese folklore and literature. The exhibition, which is to run from Aug. 10 to Aug. 20 at the city’s Central Public Hall, is part of the “We Taiwan” at Expo 2025 series, highlighting Taiwan’s cultural ties with the international community, National Museum of Taiwan Literature director Chen Ying-fang (陳瑩芳) said. Folklore and literature, among Taiwan’s richest cultural heritages, naturally deserve a central place in the global dialogue, Chen said. Taiwan’s folklore would be immediately apparent at the entrance of the
“China is preparing to invade Taiwan,” Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Francois Wu (吳志中) said in an exclusive interview with British media channel Sky News for a special report titled, “Is Taiwan ready for a Chinese invasion?” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said today in a statement. The 25-minute-long special report by Helen Ann-Smith released yesterday saw Sky News travel to Penghu, Taoyuan and Taipei to discuss the possibility of a Chinese invasion and how Taiwan is preparing for an attack. The film observed emergency response drills, interviewed baseball fans at the Taipei Dome on their views of US President
Speeding and badly maintained roads were the main causes of a school bus accident on a rainy day in Taipei last year that severely injured two people and left 22 with minor injuries, the Taiwan Transportation and Safety Board said. On March 11 last year, a Kang Chiao International School bus overturned inside the Wenshan Tunnel (文山隧道) on the northbound lane of the Xinyi Expressway. The tour bus, owned by Long Lai Co, exceeded the speed limit after entering the tunnel, the board’s investigation found. Sensing that the rear of the vehicle was swaying, the driver attempted to use the service and exhaust