I really miss the salad restaurants back home. You’ll know what I’m talking about if you’ve been to Souplantation in California or Souper Salad on the east coast. They offer a cornucopia of fresh vegetables and fruits with 10 dressings to choose from, and great chowders, minestrone soup, and fresh baked muffins to boot. The perfect food on hot summer days. So where can I find good salad in Taipei? I’ve been to Sizzler, but their salad bar is nothing to write home about (and you’re expected to order a main entree). Maybe one of the hotels has a half decent one?
Ponderosa’s salad bar also sucks, although I used to go for their lunch special sometimes, where you can cram as much as possible into a little to go box for NT99 (more expensive if you eat there, but either way the selection’s weak). I’m not sure if they still offer that.
If you’re also in the mood for a pizza and belgian beer, they’ve got good soup and salad at Cosi Cosi (but not salad bar).
Have you had Fresh Choice or Sweet Potato (from the bay area) damn, they have the best salad bar as well! From seafood salad, to potato salad, pizza, chicken noddles, hot pasta bar, ice-cream, fruits, pudding…yummy… I am getting hungry!! 
Are there any good salad bars here?
- MiakaW
As much as TGI Fridays sucks, I like their crispy chicken salad, which I substitute with grilled chicken instead.
There really isn’t a decent salad bar in Taipei.
Never has been and probably never will be since the Taiwanese aren’t keen on vegetables unless they’re fried in oil with pork bits or dried shrimps.
Make your own salads at home. The romained hearts at costco are reasonable. Five or six of them for like $299. They last a while, too.
[quote]Make your own salads at home. The romained hearts at costco are reasonable. Five or six of them for like $299. They last a while, too.
Those are hella (a bay area slang) good!! You can add ham, corns, boiled eggs, and top it with Honey Mustard or Ranch…yummy!! But I need a car to get to Costco. sigh… I am home sick now…
- MiakaW[/quote]
I agree with fredericka bimmel, the only way to find good salad in Taipei is to make your own. I did exactly that, went to costco and bought the giant 6 head bag of baby romaine and had salad for a week and invited all my friends for salad! At costco they also have the gourmet greens, but check the expire date before you buy. I think once you get the lettuce everything is down hill from there. Tomatoes, cucumbers, onion, mushroom, carrots, celery, peppers and cheese are all easily available.
If you like the bottled dressing go for it. But I always make my own. The general rule for making Vinaigrette is 1 part acid to 3 parts oil.
Lemon Vinaigrette
Juice of 1 lemon
1 cup of oil
1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard
salt and pepper to taste
If you have any dried or fresh herbs you can add that in as well.
I always add lemon zest to the salad dressing. It makes a big difference and it smells so good!
[quote=“Mother Theresa”]If you’re also in the mood for a pizza and belgian beer, they’ve got good soup and salad at Cosi Cosi (but not salad bar).[/quote]Just went there last night. All three were superb. (Had an incident with the Belgian beer you can read about in the Cosi thread.) The salad had an artichoke sitting on the top. The dressing made from fresh fruit juice was nice and light. But at $260 a pop for a medium size plate of vegetables, I’d rather make my own.