In Taipei’s East District (東區), where the number of izakaya — the Japanese version of tapas bars — rivals that of 7-Elevens, Sakuta’s Izakaya Bar has three venues serving mostly grilled munchies that pair well with ice-cold beer in the summertime.
I had previously visited two of them. Each is pleasantly snug and simply decorated with wooden furnishings and a bar around which diners sit, feast and imbibe in a casual atmosphere. On a recent Sunday, my dining companion and I visited the third venue. Unfortunately, we later wished we had stuck to the ones that we know and adore.
Much larger in size, the establishment we visited boasts a larger menu that includes not only barbecued items but a selection of sashimi, hand rolls and stir-fried and deep-fried dishes. The warm, relaxed feel that permeates the two smaller bars, however, is replaced here by the more formal mannerism of a restaurant. The waitstaff was equally efficient but short on smiles, though one showed a fleeting enthusiasm after I started taking photographs of our food — I could be a food blogger, perhaps?
Photo: Ho Yi, Taipei Times
That said, the food at Sakuta’s is consistently good at all its branches. Many house specialties are yakitori items, or skewered chicken. The chicken cartilage skewer (烤雞軟骨, NT$80) is crunchy and fun to eat, and the chicken tail skewer (雞尾椎串燒, NT$50) — fatty chunks known in English as the Pope’s nose or pygostyle and in Chinese as “chicken butt” (雞屁股) — was thoughtfully deboned and simply seasoned with a light dusting of salt.
Aiming for a richer palate, the homemade chicken cartilage and meat roll (本家手造軟骨雞肉棒, NT$80) offers an exciting blend of textures and flavors by mixing finely chopped cartilage and minced meat, complemented with sliced ginger, chopped scallions and mayonnaise. The chicken wing stuffed with fish roe (明太子雞翅, NT$150) is a delightful union of juicy meat and oceanic delicacies. Meanwhile, the prawns with sesame and wasabi (胡麻芥末大明蝦, NT$160) was a textbook example of the Japanese love of wasabi and mayonnaise, and the two indeed went well with the shellfish.
As portions at izakaya are usually small and meant to be shared by a table, visitors looking to fill themselves up can order individual servings of salmon ochatsuke (rice with tea, 鮭魚茶泡飯, NT$120) or rice ball (飯糰, NT$50), which is baked until it has a golden crunchy crust, and comes in flavors including salmon and plum. For tipplers, meals can be accompanied by a variety of beer, sake, shochu and homemade plum wine.
Photo: Ho Yi, Taipei Times
Those looking for a cozy, casual izakaya feel should try the two smaller venues. One is located across the alley from the establishment reviewed above at 9, Ln 160, Dunhua S Rd Sec 1, Taipei City (台北市敦化南路一段160巷9號), tel: 8771-3979. The other is located at 63, Ln 223, Zhongxiao E Rd Sec 4, Taipei City (台北市忠孝東路四段223巷63號), tel: 2752-5279. Both are open until 1am.
Photo: Ho Yi, Taipei Times
May 18 to May 24 Pastor Yang Hsu’s (楊煦) congregation was shocked upon seeing the land he chose to build his orphanage. It was surrounded by mountains on three sides, and the only way to access it was to cross a river by foot. The soil was poor due to runoff, and large rocks strewn across the plot prevented much from growing. In addition, there was no running water or electricity. But it was all Yang could afford. He and his Indigenous Atayal wife Lin Feng-ying (林鳳英) had already been caring for 24 orphans in their home, and they were in
On May 2, Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Chairman Eric Chu (朱立倫), at a meeting in support of Taipei city councilors at party headquarters, compared President William Lai (賴清德) to Hitler. Chu claimed that unlike any other democracy worldwide in history, no other leader was rooting out opposing parties like Lai and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). That his statements are wildly inaccurate was not the point. It was a rallying cry, not a history lesson. This was intentional to provoke the international diplomatic community into a response, which was promptly provided. Both the German and Israeli offices issued statements on Facebook
Even by the standards of Ukraine’s International Legion, which comprises volunteers from over 55 countries, Han has an unusual backstory. Born in Taichung, he grew up in Costa Rica — then one of Taiwan’s diplomatic allies — where a relative worked for the embassy. After attending an American international high school in San Jose, Costa Rica’s capital, Han — who prefers to use only his given name for OPSEC (operations security) reasons — moved to the US in his teens. He attended Penn State University before returning to Taiwan to work in the semiconductor industry in Kaohsiung, where he
President William Lai (賴清德) yesterday delivered an address marking the first anniversary of his presidency. In the speech, Lai affirmed Taiwan’s global role in technology, trade and security. He announced economic and national security initiatives, and emphasized democratic values and cross-party cooperation. The following is the full text of his speech: Yesterday, outside of Beida Elementary School in New Taipei City’s Sanxia District (三峽), there was a major traffic accident that, sadly, claimed several lives and resulted in multiple injuries. The Executive Yuan immediately formed a task force, and last night I personally visited the victims in hospital. Central government agencies and the
RSS