If eating out were part of retro fashion, Bolero would be the "Shaft" leather trench coat of restaurants. It's "super bad." Which is to say, it's so cool.
This restaurant, located on bustling and retro-but-not-cool Minsheng West Road, is Taipei's oldest Western-style restaurant, having first opened its doors in 1934. Diners would be forgiven, however, if they thought the establishment opened in the 1970s, since the current decor dates from that time. Aside from a few touch-ups, manager Pan You-lu (
PHOTO COURTESY OF BOLERO
Downstairs, over the counter, is an odd relief of layered rectangles, while on the wall near the kitchen is a multi-hued lava lamp bubble design that is duplicated on the cover of the daily specials menu. The real gems in Bolero's decor are upstairs, which is reached by climbing the staircase with the chrome, wrap-around railing that seems to have been lifted from the Brady Bunch home. The first thing one sees on the second floor are the tan pleather chairs, which match the tinted mirrors occupying much of the wall space and the overall brown color scheme. Suspended from the ceiling is what can only be described as a massive, integrated lighting structure of lacquered dark wood with cube-shaped lamps, while on one wall is a hideous brown painting of undetermined theme. The piece de resistance, though, is the outrageous chandelier made of dangling colored squares of shiny metal that overhangs the staircase. The only period detail missing from the dining room is shag carpeting.
Though Pan finds it rather perplexing, he says the dining area is now frequently used by fashion magazines for photo shoots.
Its inimitable atmosphere aside, Bolero aims first to be a restaurant, and it succeeds quite admirably in this category. The dishes are all Western style and range from expensive ones, such as the rich and hearty black pepper steak (NT$750), to the reasonable and delicious Spanish omelette (NT$180). Pan recommends the French duck (NT$250) or the fresh lobster (NT$560). Certainly one of the restaurant's strong points are its curry dishes, which are cheap at about NT$200 and give most other curries in Taipei a good run for their money. The coffee is excellent as well.
Japanese colonial officials no longer while away evenings at Bolero, nor do convoys of raucous American GIs unload on the restaurant, but their presence is still felt. It's a wonder, then, that Pan doesn't begin charging admission.
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