The name is familiar to anyone who has been in Taipei any length of time, but the restaurant/bar that opened at the top of Roosevelt Road two months ago is a very different place from the rather grungy gay bar formerly located on Kuling Street. Webster Chen (陳文彥) sees the new establishment as a radical shift from his life as a bar owner, not just in his taking over a kitchen that serves a good selection of Taiwanese home cooking, but also in creating an elegant environment where people can drink, dance and dine. "I even made it a smoke free environment, but this went too much against the grain, so we allow smoking now. I felt bad about it, but it was necessary," Chen said.
In the two months since it opened, The Source has been serving European food, but in a total makeover of the menu, Chen is turning the place into a Chinese restaurant with himself as chef. This is much more in keeping with the Chinoiserie with which the restaurant is outfitted. The highlight of the building is a steep staircase winding its way around a central stairwell to the fourth story. "The building used to be a massage parlor," said Chen, happy with the association.
PHOTO: IAN BARTHOLOMEW, TAIPEI TIMES
On Friday and Saturday, the second floor is converted into a dance floor with a DJ spinning a retro selection of 1980s and 1990s music. "I really don't want to get caught up in the whole techno and drugs thing," Chen said. "The aim here is to create a comfortable space where people can get together." For this reason, Chen has established a 5pm to 7pm happy hour with Heineken for just NT$20. The music isn't too loud either, so people can talk, making The Source a much-needed alternative to clubs where you can't even hear yourself think. Chen specializes in home-style dishes and his three-cups chicken is highly recommended. Basically a self-taught cook, Chen says that although he uses conventional ingredients, his experience means that dishes come out with their own distinctive style. Portions are hearty and Chen's slight variations -- most notably in his eggplant in hot-sour sauce -- add a twist to established dishes.
The Source is located just up the road from Exit 4 of the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall MRT station, and is an easy walking distance from the National Theater and Concert Hall, making it ideal for pre and post-show drinks and dining.
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