The Greasy Spoon is a small cafe that serves a soul-satisfying burger in an unlikely place, near Wanfang Hospital (萬芳醫院) in Taipei’s Wenshan District (文山區).
But the locale suits owner and area resident Jim Chan (吉姆) perfectly. The San Francisco native loves the neighborhood but decided that the restaurant choices, consisting mostly of non-descript cafeterias, and cheap stir-fry and fast food restaurants, needed a little more “color.”
The menu appears to favor espresso drinks and teas at first glance, with just four burgers and two pasta dishes, ranging from NT$200 to NT$300.
But the food is definitely the star of the show, thanks to some homemade goodness and a little sweat. Chan says he heads to Neihu every morning at 7am to fetch the day’s ingredients at a fresh produce market and Costco, then rushes back to grind the beef and whip up hamburger patties before opening at noon.
The mushroom melt burger (NT$250), topped with sauteed white and shitake mushrooms and sliced jack cheese, was so good the first time I ordered it again on two follow-up visits. The beef patties, about 1cm thick, have a hearty, brothy flavor and are cooked medium rare, unless diners request otherwise. Chan says he uses USDA beef as opposed to Australian beef for its heavier bacon-like taste. The side of French fries was crispy and not too oily.
The burgers, which Chan calls “Texas-style,” come as a towering mass of beef patty, lettuce, tomato and raw onion sandwiched between a tall, buttery bun. Managing the first bite was a bit of a challenge, but also part of the fun. Make sure to ask for extra napkins.
The restaurant’s name aptly describes the food but is outclassed by the shop’s interior, which has a minimalist gallery look: white walls, gutted ceiling painted black and halogen lights.
Chan attributes his obsession with keeping things “simple and clean” to his military past — the 37-year-old is a US Marine veteran who served in Afghanistan and Iraq. A severe head injury from a friendly fire incident put him out of commission for several years and forced him to retire.
But maybe this also drives him to keep this 20-ping shop cozy and soothing. Ambient electronic or jazz always plays in the background, and natural light coming through wall-sized windows on two sides of the shop gives the space warmth And he even manages outdoor seating on wooden patio decks.
Chan says openly that he adjusts a few recipes for local clientele, such as the spaghetti with Bolognese sauce (NT$200), which is labeled “meatball spaghetti” on the already-outdated menu. He would prefer to make it less sweet and does so on request. Nonetheless, his rendition tastes like a classic, and it’s the rare instance in Taiwan where one finds fresh celery and carrot properly cooked in a Bolognese sauce.
Another concession to local customs to look out for: the burgers come already loaded with toppings and condiments like ketchup for the burgers and a zesty wasabe-mayonnaise in the case of the teriyaki chicken burger (NT$300). Those who don’t like surprises should advise the wait staff, who are supposed to ask but unfortunately never asked me.
The Greasy Spoon is located near the southeast corner of the intersection of Xinhai (辛亥) and Xinglong (興隆) roads.
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