Three pioneers of sustainable dining show that green food can be delicious, innovative, and elegant. Pan Tong-chen worked as an account officer at a bank before he made the unexpected decision to become an organic farmer. “It wasn’t my plan,” he says. “But when my wife fell ill, we decided to choose a life of…
This picturesque section of Taipei offers a variety of options for dining or snacking. PHOTOS AND TEXT BY JULES QUARTLY Caffe City North (小城外咖啡) 2F, No. 4 Minle St. Tel: (02) 2559-5560 Caffe City North is difficult to find, but a pleasure once you do. It has one entrance accessible through an eco-conscious fine-crafts store called Earthing…
The island’s green vegetables are not only incredibly nutritious but also boast a diversity of flavors and textures. STORY BY JEREMY OLIVIER, PHOTOS BY BRYN THOMAS I recently had a heated conversation with a fellow expat in Taipei. I’d casually mentioned that one of my favorite things about Taiwan was the incredible variety of green…
Three food businesses have each had their own way of keeping culinary traditions alive in an area of Taipei described as “full of stories.” TEXT AND PHOTOS BY STEVEN CROOK & KATY HUI-WEN HUNG Although Chen Jie-fu and Chang Yu-ying haven’t known each other for long, their ancestors crossed paths in the middle of the…
Huaxin Street, also known as “Little Burma,” is home to a diverse group of Burmese Chinese restaurant owners, each with a fascinating backstory. STORY AND PHOTOS BY JAMES BARON On most afternoons, Henry Wong and friends sit outside A-Mui’s Noodle Shop (阿妹緬甸小吃, 41 Huaxin St.) in Little Burma, sipping tea from yellow cups. On cooler…
Recent years have seen a surge in high-quality pasta restaurants offering diners a taste of authentic Italian cuisine. STORY AND PHOTOS BY DINAH GARDNER When Chiara Colognola arrived in Taipei 11 years ago as an exchange student, she quickly started missing the food of her home country. So when a local friend invited her for…
Single malt Scotch still dominates one of the world’s most profitable liquor markets, but other players could compete by employing aggressive, long-term marketing campaigns. STORY BY NIC ROGERS When I left my seven-day quarantine in Taipei last year, I was in dire need of a wee dram to quench the thirst built up from a…
There’s a reason this southern city, where food is a quasi-religion, holds the title of “foodie capital of Taiwan.” STORY AND PHOTOS BY NEIL ARMSTRONG Few cities in the world are able to perfectly balance the old and the new. Preserving ancient architecture while striving for modernity with gleaming new buildings is tricky. An even…
Entrepreneur Krude Lin has in a decade gone from calling Taiwanese coffee “yucky” to being elected chairperson of the Coffee Industrial Alliance of Taiwan. What potential does he see in Taiwanese coffee? BY LI HSUN-TSAI, COMMONWEALTH MAGAZINE The first time Krude Lin sampled Taiwanese coffee was over a decade ago. “It was expensive and yucky,”…
A guide to the differences among the many dishes confusingly all referred to as “dumplings” in English and some practical advice on how to rate a dumpling restaurant. STORY & PHOTOS BY DINAH GARDNER Served in a bamboo basket or piled up on a plate, dumplings are a staple favorite in Taiwan. They can be…
