Behind the glitzy BMW motorbike showroom at the junction of Jenai and Chinshan South roads sits a rare slice of old Taipei. Situated in what was once a domestic residence, Ah Tsai's (
Filled with old tables and shelves piled high with an extraordinarily assortment of household goods and with its walls bedecked with posters and kitsch art dating from the 1950s, there's no modern swankiness about Ah Tsai's. Instead it looks more like the home of some eccentric hoarder than a restaurant.
According to owner Ah Hua (
PHOTO: GAVIN PHIPPS, TAIPEI TIMES
The food is equally as unpretentious. There are two distinct trends in Ah Tsai's food -- spicy hot and meaty rich. Dishes such as Ah Tsai's special tofu (
Being a Taiwanese restaurant every usable part of every animal appears somewhere on the menu and means carnivores will be in their element. The numerous beef and pork dishes range in price from NT$180 to NT$300, and the mouth-watering beef tendon with vegetables (NT$220) is highly recommended. For those looking for something a bit different, then Ah Tsai's wild boar (
While there is no English menu, the sight of foreigners staring forlornly at the menu is something the staff have become used to over the years and are always more than willing to help out.
An added bonus is the chance to drink a glass, or two, with the establishment's jovial owner. Ah Hua can be spotted coming a mile away, usually toting a bottle of Taiwan Beer. He will, without invitation, take a seat and raise a glass to the table's occupants.
Next week, candidates will officially register to run for chair of the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT). By the end of Friday, we will know who has registered for the Oct. 18 election. The number of declared candidates has been fluctuating daily. Some candidates registering may be disqualified, so the final list may be in flux for weeks. The list of likely candidates ranges from deep blue to deeper blue to deepest blue, bordering on red (pro-Chinese Communist Party, CCP). Unless current Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫) can be convinced to run for re-election, the party looks likely to shift towards more hardline
Sept. 15 to Sept. 21 A Bhutanese princess caught at Taoyuan Airport with 22 rhino horns — worth about NT$31 million today — might have been just another curious front-page story. But the Sept. 17, 1993 incident came at a sensitive moment. Taiwan, dubbed “Die-wan” by the British conservationist group Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), was under international fire for being a major hub for rhino horn. Just 10 days earlier, US secretary of the interior Bruce Babbitt had recommended sanctions against Taiwan for its “failure to end its participation in rhinoceros horn trade.” Even though Taiwan had restricted imports since 1985 and enacted
Enter the Dragon 13 will bring Taiwan’s first taste of Dirty Boxing Sunday at Taipei Gymnasium, one highlight of a mixed-rules card blending new formats with traditional MMA. The undercard starts at 10:30am, with the main card beginning at 4pm. Tickets are NT$1,200. Dirty Boxing is a US-born ruleset popularized by fighters Mike Perry and Jon Jones as an alternative to boxing. The format has gained traction overseas, with its inaugural championship streamed free to millions on YouTube, Facebook and Instagram. Taiwan’s version allows punches and elbows with clinch striking, but bans kicks, knees and takedowns. The rules are stricter than the
Last week the story of the giant illegal crater dug in Kaohsiung’s Meinong District (美濃) emerged into the public consciousness. The site was used for sand and gravel extraction, and then filled with construction waste. Locals referred to it sardonically as the “Meinong Grand Canyon,” according to media reports, because it was 2 hectares in length and 10 meters deep. The land involved included both state-owned and local farm land. Local media said that the site had generated NT$300 million in profits, against fines of a few million and the loss of some excavators. OFFICIAL CORRUPTION? The site had been seized
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