I reckon someone else might have mentioned these two somewhere on these boards, but I will say them again:
Chinese
Shao Shao ke
No. 15 Lane 41, Renai Lu (near Jinshan)
2351 7148
I’d say this is one of the best, if not the best Chinese food in Taipei. And you wouldn’t guess from looking at it, although the full tables almost every mealtime are a good sign. Specialty: Shanxi cuisine, but there are also a lot of old standbys that most people will recognize. Rec: Mountain vegetables, those crusted ribs, fish, niu rou jin … in fact, practically every dish on the menu scores an A+ in my book. My 77-year-old waishengren father-in-law who is extremely skeptical of most restaurants agrees … Prices are 300-500 NT$ for most dishes.
Curry
Kunming
26, Lane 81, Fushsing North Road (I believe near interesection with Nanjing)
I am surprised earlier posters would actually choose other Indian restaurants over this one … Although owner Yacoob says his dishes are middle-eastern, or Burmese. Whatever they are, they are top-notch. Rec: lamb or spicy lamb curry is to die for; vegetarian dishes are great too, so is his hot milk tea (I think he calls it Tibetan tea). And you must get the Chapatis, not rice. Try it, you will LOVE it!
I was the original “food eater”. Thanks angst for changing the parameters of my original post to suit your own personal tastes. What I was hoping for was out of the way, little known stands and restaurants that one might not normally find rather than restaurants that are listed in the China Post. In the future, I would rather you start your own posts rather than comandeer mine. There doesn’t seem to be anything I can do about it now so I guess I will just join the party.
I agree that Kunming and Shao shao ke are excellent.
Tan Hua Tou (talking heads) at Xinyi and Tunhua is also very good with late operating hours.
Actually, I remember that Shuijiao place on Linshen and it was awesome, but I don’t know where it went.
The Taco House on Aiguo is pretty hit and miss. I have had pretty good tacos there as well as bad ones. The last time I went I got sick.
The mobile kebab places can be found all over town, same meat, same prices.
I think the best place for price, quality and variety has to be the snake alley, Wanhua, Hsimending area. There are a million excellent places to eat there.
One last one, there is an exceptional Hakka restarant about 50 meters down the alley on the southeast corner of the tunhua renai circle. Very cheap.
Well gotta go. I’ll write in with more suggestions later.
quote:Originally posted by chainsmoker:
Thanks angst for changing the parameters of my original post to suit your own personal tastes... In the future, I would rather you start your own posts rather than commandeer mine. There doesn't seem to be anything I can do about it now so I guess I will just join the party...
Sorry, Chainsmoker. You know what they say about Absolute Power Corrupting Absolutely and all… In my defense, this was a slooooow moving thread until I changed the title slightly. Then it got so popular that Christine decided to turn it into its own forum! My guilt is somewhat lessened by the new forum’s success, but for what it’s worth, sorry…
Mexican food, as in Tex-mex: Star Canyon on Changchun west of Jianguo (I think), just across from the Shoudu Hotel. I like it, but haven’t been there for over a year and a half so I don’t know if it’s changed. I actually brought three Mexicans there once. Two of them liked it, and the third one wouldn’t eat. You decide for yourselves.
Italian: the best one I’ve been to inn Taiwan is Papa Giovanni’s, just off Zhongxiao, first alley to the right going east from Dunhua. Italian owner, Italian cooks, and the only place outside of Europe where I actually get a Campari served the right way. It’s a bit more expensive, though, but value for money, still. Probably the only restaurant in Taipei where you can get a grappa after your dinner.
Thai: there’s one behind SOGO, the alley parallell to Fuxing. Cheap and really good, called Mangu something. It almost as beng back in Thailand again. If you ask for hot food, that’s what you get.
Star Canyon is long gone. The less said about it the better, IMO.
In its place is an American-Italian restaurant. Its called Amaroni’s and is not half bad. Could it be some kind of offshoot of Dan Ryan’s? That’s what I heard.
I went for lunch not long after it opened and its lunch specials were no dearer than, say, Friday’s.
Any similarities with that particular slop chain end there, however. Order a steak sandwich and that’s just what you get – real, tasty, tender steak in a chewy home-baked bread roll, a huge and interesting salad – just good, simple well-prepared food served by skilled waitstaff that actually know that soup comes before the entree, etc.
I’ve heard that the evening portions are simply enormous – like a washing-up basin-sized bowl if you order pasta – so its probably best to go with a group of people.
Its a few months since I’ve been, so it may have changed.
BTW, Grappa can be had at many restaurants around Taipei, including Amaroni’s, and Buca Buca actually has quite a collection.
That shows you how often I get out of the cage. Should try that Amaroni and the Buca Buca place, I suppose.
For Taiwanese, the Danzai Mian on the eastern side of Jilin Rd, just north of Changchun is good, and all the Qingzhou places on the western side of Fuxing, below Xinyi. And we go to these places quite often, so I know they’re actually there …
Okay Angst, you got me on that one. This topic was deader than a doornail until you spiced it up. The reason that I was a bit peeved was that I think it’s pretty easy to find good high priced food (NT$300 and up) in Taipei. All you have to do is ask someone where they think is good or read reviews in the paper. What I like are those little places that only people in the neighborhood know about. Nobody else seems to be interested.
If the powers that be are listening, I think a really good idea would be to have a taipei section where people could submit mini reviews of restaurants, clubs etc. along with the kind of food and address and prices. That way it would be a permanent resource for the tired, poor and hungry. After the review, there could be a place for commentary.
I do not know how many grappas you had after dinner, but the worst absolute worst service I have ever had in my life was at Papa Giovanni’s. The food was okay. There are certainly better Italian restaurants. Ever try any of the following:
Porto Fino
La Giara
L’Amico
Tutto Bello
Galliano’s sucks
But Papa Giovanni’s is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO BAD that most of the foreigners I know call it Papa Doc’s as in the ex-Haitian dictator Papa Doc. They stiffed us on the bill. They were extremely rude. I mean service at Chinese restaurants can be rude/discourteous in a brusque or non-attentive kind of way, but this was full on, psycho, “I don’t want to be in the restaurant business” kind of bad. Every conversation I have had with other diners have mouthed the same sentiments. How often have you actually been there?!
I’ve never been to Papa Doc’s but heard enough bad reviews to not even want to try. They must really go out of their way to upset people. Almost tempted to get in there just to see how rude they really are!
This place gave me one of my worst restaurant experiences. The owner was a complete ass, and very rude. My buddy had the same experience when he went with his wife…we both will never go back. Food was average.
Dunno the Chinese name but it’s this little round cookies or whatever you call it filled with red bean paste (yuk) or pudding / cream. The small shop is just north of Sogo along Fu-Shingb[/b] South Road, can’t miss it as you will notice the long queue. Closes early (7pm?)
Nice sandwiches on french bread (baguette) can be had at the Sunrise shopping center, intersection of Fu-Shingb[/b] and Bade Rd.
NT$80-110 depending on the topping, also have Gouda cheese! Use the entrance at the Bellini’s.
Use the entrance at the Bellini’s.