Large portions at restaurants are often a cause for distress. Calories? Maybe. High cholesterol? Probably. Excessive fat? Definitely. When the waitress at Forkers’ spacious second location, which opened in May in an alley located less than five minutes by foot from the Zhongshan MRT Station (中山捷運站), brought the burger I ordered to my table, I began to wonder if North American-style excess had arrived in Taiwan. Breaking the old adage that we get what we pay for, the meal consisted of a humongous amount of delicious food: I didn’t eat for the rest of the day.
Forkers has earned a reputation for its creative play on the burger theme. With almost 50 varieties to choose from in four sections — “Forkers favorites,” “Western classics,” “Asian flavors,” and “the Forkers” (so-named because you need a knife and fork to eat them) — one could spend every day over the course of several weeks going through this part of the menu.
Some of the more eye-catching offerings include the eggs Benny burger (NT$290), the poutine burger (NT$250), artichoke gratin burger (NT$260) and a wasabi burger (NT$220).
Ordering is as simple as following the menu’s “five-step program.” After selecting a burger flavor, patrons choose from one of five patties: beef, chicken breast, fish, pork sausage or veggie. Step three, the “sides,” consists of choosing one of four types of fresh-cut fries (regular, Cajun, curry or garlic) and a salad (wild green, Dijon and dill potato, Hawaiian pasta or salad of the day). The process ends with ordering a (bottomless) drink and attempting to eat the mountainous meal.
The English burger (NT$230) that I ordered came open-faced and served on grain bread smeared with a moderate amount of garlic butter. Generously topped with sauteed onion and mushroom, the thick spice-infused beef patty underneath only became visible after using the serrated steak knife to cut it up. Each bite delivered a delicious medley of distinct flavors. The fries, hand cut from fresh potatoes, were crispy brown and lightly salted.
The salad of wild greens is no garden-variety iceberg lettuce afterthought. A variety of lettuce leaves were mixed together and artfully topped with cherry tomato, cucumber and baby corn. It came served with ranch dressing.
Forkers isn’t just about burgers. An extensive appetizer menu and large space make it ideal for a gathering with friends or office parties. Along with the usual offerings of nachos, tortilla wraps and chicken wings, it also has some harder-to-find fare such as pierogi rolls and warm artichoke and spinach dip.
Before heading to Forkers, I checked out several reviews of the original location on Chinese and English-language blogs. Two opinions stood out: the food was good but the service was mixed. I agree with the former, but found the service at the new location excellent — which is perhaps why the tip jar below the cash register was mostly full.
The original Forkers is at 8, Alley 10, Ln 223, Zhongxiao E Rd Sec 4, Taipei City (台北市忠孝東路四段223巷10弄8號).
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