I’m heading up to Taipei for the day tomorrow, and figure that while I’m there I should indulge some recent cravings.
Is there anywhere I can get decent English food in Taipei, and roughly how much?
What do you mean … food like made by Heston blumenthal, Gordon Ramsay or … greasy stuff like fish & chips … deep fried Mars bars? 
You could try on tap, not sure what you’re after, but that’s meant to be an English-ish pub. JB’s seems to have closed, but that would otherwise have been a better option as far as I can tell.
Frankie’s Pies maybe?
Do you mean Western food or gulp British food?
With all the Taiwanese options, you might as well stick to something authentic rather than… ugh… British food.
There’s a funny little place down the road from Tai Da University that does “British” food like pies and Boddingtons. It ain’t that great - tasty enough, and a cute ambience (something like a cross between a greasy spoon and a tea room), but the portions are just very small, rather expensive, and in some undefinable way have been modified for local tastes.
If that’s good enough for you I’ll try to pinpoint it on Google maps. Personally, I suggest you go for an Italian or a curry. What were you looking for, specifically?
Edit: search for “Rufous”, Taipei, on Google maps. Rufous is a coffee house and the restaurant is a few meters futher down (towards TaiDa, I think, but could be wrong about that). Step back a bit, and you’ll probably be able to see the sign from outside Rufous - IIRC, it’s a big round UK flag. I can’t remember the actual name - it’s something obvious like “English Pie Shop”. If you see another coffee shop called “Tiamo” you’re in the right ballpark - it’s a couple of doors down, I think.
[quote=“finley”]There’s a funny little place down the road from Tai-Da University that does “British” food like pies and Boddingtons. It ain’t that great - tasty enough, and a cute ambience (something like a cross between a greasy spoon and a tea room), but the portions are just very small, rather expensive, and in some undefinable way have been modified for local tastes.
If that’s good enough for you I’ll try to pinpoint it on Google maps. Personally, I suggest you go for an Italian or a curry. What were you looking for, specifically?
Edit: search for “Rufous”, Taipei, on Google maps. Rufous is a coffee house and the restaurant is a few meters futher down (towards Tai-Da, I think, but could be wrong about that). Step back a bit, and you’ll probably be able to see the sign from outside Rufous - IIRC, it’s a big round UK flag. I can’t remember the actual name - it’s something obvious like “English Pie Shop”. If you see another coffee shop called “Tiamo” you’re in the right ballpark - it’s a couple of doors down, I think.[/quote]
I stopped in there once. The name/sign is quite obvious, but I agree on the not really worth it. I had a shepherds pie that was pretty small and seemed awfully greasy. Haven’t gone back though, so dunno about the other pies.
Duh! Curries are British food.
I stand corrected 
Might be worth stopping in at the likes of Jasons, City Super, etc., and stocking up on frozen/dried imports. I remember Jasons used to do some rather nice Australian steak pies. Don’t bother with the American crap, for obvious reasons.
I was after whatever’s out there, really - decent pies, decent chips, or a roast!
I’ve had a look at on tap’s menu, it’s slightly British… But not really. I’m going to make a side trip to wellman’s, hopefully 
In the absence of decent British food, is there any decent:
Italian
Indian
Japanese (authentic, not sushi/sashimi, doesn’t cost a bucket?)
Lili, I live in the self-proclaimed food city of Taiwan. I’m sick of local food, and all the local food up in Taipei I can get down here for cheaper. I want something I can’t usually get!
I stand corrected
Might be worth stopping in at the likes of Jasons, City Super, etc., and stocking up on frozen/dried imports. I remember Jasons used to do some rather nice Australian steak pies. Don’t bother with the American crap, for obvious reasons.[/quote]
Nice reminiscences. I haven’t seen a decent pie or jar of vegemite in the Bancaio Jason’s for years. They even had cornish pasties back in the day. I scavenged some anchovies the other day and getting that was like living an episode of The Walking Dead.
If you’re a fan of pizza I’d suggest Zoca, run by an Italian pastry chef. The pizza is good, the desserts are better 
Papa Gio is another good Italian place with a larger selection of food if you fancy something that isn’t pizza.
[quote=“Charlie Phillips”]
Nice reminiscences. I haven’t seen a decent pie or jar of vegemite in the Banqiao Jason’s for years. They even had cornish pasties back in the day. I scavenged some anchovies the other day and getting that was like living an episode of The Walking Dead.[/quote]
I actually saw vegemite in Carrefour a couple of months ago. About $300 a jar though. Not sure if they still have it.
[quote=“tsukinodeynatsu”] But not really. I’m going to make a side trip to wellman’s, hopefully
[/quote]
Wellman’s is mostly American food and most of it can be found in supermarkets here anyway. The only stuff that’s not easy to find that they have are things like hamburger helper, cake mixes and certain chocolate bars.
[quote=“cfimages”][quote=“Charlie Phillips”]
Nice reminiscences. I haven’t seen a decent pie or jar of vegemite in the Banqiao Jason’s for years. They even had cornish pasties back in the day. I scavenged some anchovies the other day and getting that was like living an episode of The Walking Dead.[/quote]
I actually saw vegemite in Carrefour a couple of months ago. About $300 a jar though. Not sure if they still have it.[/quote]
They have cornish cream, vegemite and a lot of British stuff -I was looking for some recipes- at City Super on sale now. Pack.
where’s city super?
and oh my goodness, i just realised there’s a happy hour on tonight…
OP, you live in Tainan? Check the Far Eastern Hotel website from time to time. They often have foreign food promotions in the restaurant - I bet they’ll have a Christmas or Thanksgiving dinner. Come to think of it, I was there the other day and they do a Thanksgiving hamper with a roast turkey, sprouts and whatnot (bloody expensive, but probably very good).
+1 to Papa Gio’s.
[quote=“tsukinodeynatsu”]where’s city super?
and oh my goodness, i just realised there’s a happy hour on tonight…[/quote]
Zhongshiao Fuxing under the new Sogo. Or at the Far Eastern Hotel mall. 
There’s a place called Pot Pie Cafe that does fairly good shepherd’s pie and breakfasts etc, on Fuxing Nan Lu just down from Zhongxiao intersection.
There’s JB’s on Shida road west of Roosevelt, close to MRT station. Owner is English.
[quote=“zyzzx”][quote=“finley”]There’s a funny little place down the road from Tai-Da University that does “British” food like pies and Boddingtons. It ain’t that great - tasty enough, and a cute ambience (something like a cross between a greasy spoon and a tea room), but the portions are just very small, rather expensive, and in some undefinable way have been modified for local tastes.
If that’s good enough for you I’ll try to pinpoint it on Google maps. Personally, I suggest you go for an Italian or a curry. What were you looking for, specifically?
Edit: search for “Rufous”, Taipei, on Google maps. Rufous is a coffee house and the restaurant is a few meters futher down (towards Tai-Da, I think, but could be wrong about that). Step back a bit, and you’ll probably be able to see the sign from outside Rufous - IIRC, it’s a big round UK flag. I can’t remember the actual name - it’s something obvious like “English Pie Shop”. If you see another coffee shop called “Tiamo” you’re in the right ballpark - it’s a couple of doors down, I think.[/quote]
I stopped in there once. The name/sign is quite obvious, but I agree on the not really worth it. I had a shepherds pie that was pretty small and seemed awfully greasy. Haven’t gone back though, so dunno about the other pies.[/quote]
Are you guys thinking of [url=http://tw.forumosa.com/t/pot-pie-cafe-on-fuxing-south-road-close-to-heping-east-rd/43731/2 Pie Cafe[/url]? I miss Pie Boy Cafe and the Frying Scotsman, both of which have sadly closed down. Isn’t JB’s gone too? Haven’t been there in years.
[quote=“Icon”]Zhongshiao Fuxing under the new Sogo. [/quote]That one is hardly “new” anymore. I call it the green Sogo. The new Sogo is the Tianmu Sogo.