So, I’ve made it to Taipei a few weeks ago, on a Monday … I ended up in Le Ble do’r at the Eslite bookstore in XinYi district … duh, big dissapointment, as fake as it can be, tourist trap, beer was not really good but the food was utterly crap, I have no idea how they even dare opening something like this.
Don’t know what chef actually make s a menu like theirs it was a maze, ‘International’ dishes that had nothing ‘international’. Some supposed to be B elgian, others German or Italian or … did they mix something up … Beer stew with spaghetti … who is thinking it up … anyway, big dissapointment … don’t go there …
They are more than one. There’s one at the Asiaworld at DunHua/NanJing and one at the Miramar Mall…this probably was not something you wanted to hear. 
Yeah, that’s right that’s something I didn’t want to hear … what government in their right mind allows such a customer cheating tourist trap … nothing is original … not even close to original … it’s pure Taiwanesed crap …
When investing loads of money in a venture as this they should have at least the decency to serve the original food … and not some make believe dishes to serve to people that think they had the good stuff … blah :fume:
What they serve is ‘night market’ food … the stew wasn’t even done …
Imagine how Taiwanese/Chinese tourists feel when they eat some of the “Chinese” food available at tourist centres in our own countries!
Well, I happen to have some knowledge about that … you know what? They get served something totally different, because the chefs are chinese and they know they have to serve the right the stuff … but here the people (the majority) that cook this stuff up don’t know shit about our tastes or cooking styles … it’s as I’m going to open a fake chinese gaoliang (they -le Ble do’r- claim to be a beer restaurant) restaurant in Europe, I would go belly up within months … but here you can sell anything as the ‘real’ stuff … people wake up …
[quote=“belgian pie”]Yeah, that’s right that’s something I didn’t want to hear … what government in their right mind allows such a customer cheating tourist trap … nothing is original … not even close to original … it’s pure Taiwanesed crap …
When investing loads of money in a venture as this they should have at least the decency to serve the original food … and not some make believe dishes to serve to people that think they had the good stuff … blah :fume:
What they serve is ‘night market’ food … the stew wasn’t even done …[/quote]
Well, it’s an unfortunate truth, but any restaurant that doesn’t cater to local tastes is segmenting and ignoring a huge cross section of its potential market. I seriously doubt their target clients are tourists; just not enough in Taipei to make a business, let alone a restaurant, viable. 
[quote=“Maoman”]Imagine how Taiwanese/Chinese tourists feel when they eat some of the “Chinese” food available at tourist centres in our own countries![/quote]Maoman -
If its in San Francisco, LA or Orange County southern Cali, Dallas/Huston, Texas, Chicago or NYC China Town and a few other spots in the USA - They will feel priveledged to receive high quality fresh ingredients prepared and served in a manner that will refresh and satify their palate. Of course they have to go to the right places.
A common sentiment I have heard from Mainland Chinese, Taiwanese and Viet Namese is their amazement at getting better meals in many Chinese/Taiwanese/Viet restaraunts in the USA than in their home countries.
I honestly do not know if this applies to the various Chinee regional cuisines offered in the USA. So that may be a point of consideration.
I think a lot of it has to do with the consistent higher quality ingredients available. And the fact that a number of the more talented Chefs have gone where the money is to practice their art.
And I think this filters down to a lot of the lower cost Soup & Noodle places.
Just my observation.
[quote=“citizen k”]
Well, it’s an unfortunate truth, but any restaurant that doesn’t cater to local tastes is segmenting and ignoring a huge cross section of its potential market. I seriously doubt their target clients are tourists; just not enough in Taipei to make a business, let alone a restaurant, viable. [/quote]
Tourist trap is just a way of speak, I’m smart enough to know that they don’t cater to ‘tourists’, but in a way most people that go to this areas are shopping tourists, be it Taiwanese, Japanese or foreigners … companies like them just know they don’t need to be concerned about repeating business because that will almost never happen, shake the tree and pick up the fruits as long as they are not rotten … they spoil it for every one.
I have no knowledge, in Belgium, of any Belgian openeing an ‘authentic’ chinese restaurant … I think it’s quite sad that financially strong groups open open this kind of places to dupe people in thinking thye had the ‘real’ thing … very sad
I agree with BP, not because I like the man “under his hood” 
, but le ble is rubbish indeed.
I was invited by a co-worker when I arrived in june to go to this "awesome"place. Once and never again.
Most of non-franchised venues as this one are serving better selections of beverages and food.
Guess it is a hype for locals, but as all hypes die after a while… Move to something better
Brings me on the idea to open a topic which will be called Ceasar Salad! (cause the 23 I tried they aint good)
[quote=“ceevee369”]Brings me on the idea to open a topic which will be called Caesar Salad! (cause the 23 I tried they aint good)[/quote]Ceasar Salad in Taiwan?..you gastronomic adventurer you!
Best of luck.
Oh, come on it is not that bad! It is really lovely to stand on top of the Miramar, watching people queing up to get on the big wheel and enjoy a really bad local brew at a very premium price out of a plastic cup after it takes them 10 minutes to poor it!
[quote=“ceevee369”]I agree with BP, not because I like the man “under his hood” , but le ble is rubbish indeed.
I was invited by a co-worker when I arrived in June to go to this "awesome"place. Once and never again.
Most of non-franchised venues as this one are serving better selections of beverages and food.
Guess it is a hype for locals, but as all hypes die after a while… Move to something better
Brings me on the idea to open a topic which will be called Caesar Salad! (cause the 23 I tried they aint good)[/quote]
I, too, agree with BP and am not defending Le ble d’or at all - went there once, was very disappointed, never go again, much like the Outback steakhouse. But the thing is, if even for only a year or so, these places do well enough to open three or four outlets and then roll over and morph into some other similar product - welcome to Taiwan, it’s the hype that sells… :s