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KGB – Kiwi Gourmet Burger 紐西蘭風味漢堡

Big, beautiful hamburgers. KGB also stocks a beer fridge that would make any connoisseur froth at the mouth. It’s worth trying the North Taiwan Brewery Belgian style beers.

Hwa Mei Chinese Cusine 華美新古典麵食館

New Taiwanese cuisine. A nice classy place spot for an intimate evening with the better half. A mixture of Taiwanese traditional food with sprinkles of dim sum.

Preshawar 柏夏瓦 Cafe

East & west. Preshawar stocks a wide selection of beers and good eats. We liked the curry sausage, and we also liked the hand-made quality.

Chocolate Box backpackers

Tucked away in a a tight unassuming corner of Shr da is chocolate box. Clean, well organized and friendly best describe the hotel. Less than 30 sec from the heart of Shr da, it’s a great spot to meet local students and a great example of night market life.

Zabu

Inspired by Japanese culture, Zabu offers a great spot to absorb some student vibes. Zabu touts a very sub-culture inspired atmosphere, backed with live music and events.

Underworld 地下社會

Tight, sweaty and very cosy. Underworld is the loud music central of Shr Da. Blow your ears out, get a beer and enjoy the music.

Mykanos 米克諾斯咖啡館

Greek ambience right in the middle of Shr da. Order some very fine coffee, sit back and relax.

Awfully Chocolate

Chocolate cake, chocolate cookies, chocolate ice cream. Awfully chocolate.

Salt Peanut 鹹花生展廠

Inspired by local students, artiits and designers, Salt Peanut is a very comfortable tapas bar with a twist of Lou Reed and Andy Warhol.

Cafe Bastille

Belgian Beer? What a great selection of fine beer. If that doesn’t suit your taste, grab a fine sandwich. Munch up and relax.

Brace yourself. Industrial noise makers Nine Inch Nails are coming to the Island! Blazing sound and grinding noise should be accompanied by a blinding show. At the time of this being written, Section A tickets had already sold out. Discussions on forum.nin.com seemed to hint that this is the last show NIN will ever play. Jump in quick!

You can also check out the offical NIN website.

Hopefully see you there!

Ticket information & sales: http://straightmusichouse.com/NIN2009/

The Sublime

These areas are a shocking reminder of the price paid for growth. The west coast is ugly. An economic accident.This sad tragedy gives rise to a morbid fascination. The same sublime attraction I have for accidents and tragedies, despite my best efforts to ignore them. There is a part of me that must look, no matter the consequences.

Standing along side gigantic swinging wind turbines. Looking sadly through the smog down a beach covered in plastic. Gazing at a blood red sunset, I can’t help but feel that reluctant sublime lust. The lonely charm in a place bereft of niceties. No lies and nothing to hide. There’s a certain amount of relief and comfort in this. As ugly as this place is, no one is willing to tell me it’s anything different.

The contrast is compelling. My life is eons away, buried in the hum drum of city life. Fluffy adverts, neon signs and pretty painted pictures of bright futures litter streets and alleys. Ignorance filters across the rooftops so easily, we forget how convenient and how nice things really are. The comparisons become so minute, they usually turn into relentless complaints on topics so banal, it’s hardly worth remembering where they came from in the first place.

Here I am. Two feet on ground zero of a post apocalyptic nightmare, and…I like it. I feel guilty, and I should. This is sad. Admiring disaster at the hands of progress is not a nice thing to do, however I’m not here for political reasons.

I wanted to escape where I was, and flip my worn perceptions upside down. Taiwan is a diverse island, and although people love to trumpet the wonders of mountains, cuisine and technology. It’s easy to get washed away in the tides of everyday opinions and it’s just as important not to overlook the other end of the spectrum. I have a firm belief that beauty can be found in the strangest of places. Ultimately strange places like Guanyin (觀音) are no different.

Duck Gizzard 鴨胗

The gizzard, or ventriculus if you’re of an educated cast, is essentially the bit of the stomach which crushes up the food the duck has swallowed. So if you’re assuming its texture has more in common with cartilage than meat – a tender kneecap, if you will – you’re absolutely correct. Seasoned with apparently pure MSG.

Djen Dai 腱帶

The purveyor fella said this is the bit of the duck viscera which goes around the gizzard – a hastily scribbled anatomical diagram his evidence. An online dictionary called it a ‘tendon belt’. It felt like biting through semi-digested rubber. Far preferable to the gizzard, then. More liberal sprinklings of MSG.

Glutinous Rice Sausage 糯米腸

Imagine a sausage which swaps sticky rice for the more traditional animal offal. This turgid treat goes fantastically well with beer, and actually improves the gizzards and tendons. Recommended as a base for anything else you’re eating.

Chicken Butt 雞屁股

Nothing says enterprising quite like taking a fatty, bony bit of chicken, spearing it with a skewer, frying it up and selling it. The only redeeming thing about this is the novelty of eating a chicken’s arse. Everyone has to do it at least once, but honestly, it gets pretty ‘meh’ pretty quickly.

Soybean Milk Chicken 豆乳雞

This stuff tastes great. It’s fried, it’s chicken, it’s proper fleshy bits, and the bones are big and easily avoided. Much, much better than chicken butt. If you can find the variety which has been whipped up with a soybean milk marinade of sorts, then all the better for you.

Fried Calamari Balls 花枝丸

Marine fauna mashed up and rolled into golfball-sized orbs, jammed onto a skewer and fried in oil – should be a winner, but its gustative qualities end up lacking somewhat. Again, if you can find the dipped-in-soybean-milk ones then you’re in luck. Otherwise, it’s just lumpy squid on a stick.

Fried Sweet Potato Fries 炸番薯條

Imagine a french fry which is made from sweet potato. Okay… that’s about it. Oh, ours were heavily doused with that powder more often associated with eating fruit. A little bit is fine, but too much is very overpowering.

Ba-wan (Meat Circle) 肉圓

This shell of chewy greyish dough is filled with some pork, bamboo, and green onion. Initially, it is cooked by steaming, but also gets a round of frying. Then all potential for tastiness is summarily removed when a large vat of that pinky-red sauce is dumped over it. If you can ensure that your vendor exercises restraint, it’s a great snack.

Fried fermented stinky tofu 肉圓

Well, these little cubes of light-brown spongy goodness didn’t stink. Not one bit. And they didn’t taste of anything either. Luckily, there was powerful garlic soy sauce, some Taiwanese kimchi, and lots of capsicum on hand to make it sort-of worthwhile.

Pig sausage (in a rice sausage ‘bun’) 台式香腸

Some might call this pork, but let us rather just identify the source as porcine. These are also great on the back end of a few tins of Taiwan Beer, and if you can find the sausage-in-a-rice-sausage combination, you’re set. Otherwise, it’s back to the bamboo skewer and a number of different flavourings. Lemon drizzled over one of these is actually really good, but the ones garnished with basil are probably best – and basil is green which makes this a health snack.

Good old-fashioned rock ‘n roll is back in town. Prepare yourself for the raw, supercharged sound of juiced up American rockers The Deadly Vibes, who will be unleashing their fury this April at VU Livehouse. The band has been flogging their own brand of booze-fueled rootin’, tootin’ foot-stompin’ country rock throughout Taiwan. Expect to have your senses pounded with a Fender guitar, too much beer and liberal sprinkling of spirits and fun.

Backed by local acts New Hong Kong Hair City, who return to the stage after a hiatus of sorts with new members Mike Tennent (bass) and Tristan Newman (guitar – also axe player for Doublewide), and rocking newcomers The Blue Trucks, Big City Rock is shaping up to be a big night of noise.

The Deadly Vibes can be found on MySpace and Facebook

New Hong Kong Hair City can be found on MySpace here, and Facebook here.

For all the news on bands and shows and everything else at VU Livehouse, go here.

The flier is right here if you need to take a look.

Photo: Craig Ferguson Images

VU Livehouse
4/18 SATURDAY APRIL 18 2009 23:00PM
NEW HONG KONG HAIR CITY vs
THE DEADLY VIBES vs
THE BLUE TRUCKS

$350 (with a free drink/送飲料一杯)

Check out VU Livehouse on Facebook

Polyvore.com simplifies this process, putting everything online. I am addicted to this site. I had been planning to write about Polyvore for some time, but whenever I visited the homepage I couldn’t help but just stare at the screen filled with incredible designs. Just a quick glance at the abundance of artwork available it clear why US fashion bloggers are so smitten.

Polyvore is essentially a web community, offering a platform where people with a common interest can meet each other. In this case, it targets those who have an eye for fashion and who are inspired by new designs. The concept of Polyvore originated in the realization that there was a need for a user-friendly application which could make fashion collages of clothing, items and accessories online. This application allows users to access images stored on its database to produce these collages, thereby combining creative design and product promotion. What sets it apart from other websites is the way in which it can be used for marketing purposes. It has reinvented the fashion catalogue, unleashing a fresh new medium for advertising. In the same way that an advertisement on a page of a magazine gives a product exposure, so does Polyvore. Used properly, it can be a stunning promotional tool.
Unfortunately, there is nothing similar for interior design which can help me redecorate my apartment… yet. That would be fun!

HUI-MIN TSAI A San Francisco-based freelance writer who loves to eat, shop, cook, laugh, and is obsessed with everything aesthetically pleasing.
http://www.minpicks.com

Meet Isabella. My dream come true. For two years, I worked as a bicycle courier and pedi-driver in the streets of Seattle. While in school, I never had the money to build the bike that I had always wanted. But when I established myself in Taiwan, my dream became a reality. It all began in a skate shop in Ximen Ding. As I walked through the door I noticed a single speed bike sitting out front. It was black with red wheels. Very hot. As I browsed through the store I mentioned to the clerk that I liked the black bike outside. He said that it was his. I asked him where could I get one similar. He handed me the business card of a bike shop in Sanchong and wrote his number on the back. A few days later I made my way to the shop. It was down an obscure alley on the ground floor of an old building. Hallelujah played through my mind when I laid eyes on several very nice bicycles parked in front of the shop window that displayed even more bicycle frames and parts. I bypassed the strange looks shot at me from the local riders that were hanging around and showed the business card to a woman. I was told that he would arrive shortly. Ten seconds later my clerk came rushing in, looked at me and said that he had to go to the factory and I could wait. Sure no problem. I had no other plans for that evening and I did notice a comfortable couch facing a big LCD screen.

After 45 minutes of watching local BMX riders tear up some flatland, my clerk returned. And with him were two beautiful track frames still hot from the paint curing process. One was white and the other was black. The owner watched me admire the frames and asked if this was what I was looking for. He was correct. And for the next hour we poured over catalogues picking out the parts that would soon become the bike of my dreams. The last decision to make was the frame color. I knew in my mind the color I wanted, but I wondered how that would be realized. My fears were quenched when I was presented with a 130 page color book.

Eighty four pages in I found the color combination I had always Electric blue and anodized gold. We calculated the price and he told me it would take two weeks. Being a part of Isabella’s creation was important to me so I asked if I could build the bike myself. He replied that there is no charge for building bikes. I still wanted to help. I left the shop with a deposit and began the two week wait. During that time Isabella never veered far from my thoughts. Waiting for something as important as this is never fun.

On the due day I phoned my clerk and was told that the parts would be delayed by four days. Four days passed by excruciatingly slow and I had to wait until 8 o’clock before I could see my bike. One MRT to Ximen and a taxi to Sanchong later, I was finally back at the shop. I looked at my watch, eight o’clock exactly. The stork had arrived. My heart leaped when I saw the glimmer of the electric blue frame. It was perfect. I was a little disappointed though as one of the wheels was still in the process of being built. I knew this is the most difficult and the most tedious part of bike building so I was more than forgiving. A few hours later, Isabella was finished. I said my thanks and goodbyes and embarked on the long ride home to central Taipei. An excellent maiden voyage. Jump forward to now; I have never been more content. Riding fixed and fast through Taipei traffic is just as exhilarating as I ever imagined. My dream has come true.

Nice Ride!
Are you lusting for your own wheels?
Favor Bikes: Huan He Sth. Rd, lane 254, No. 57, Sanchong, Taipei.
Tel: 2973-1915

Chatty and upbeat Jimmy defies the stereotypes associated with doing business in Taiwan. Even just after the first encounter one is left with the feeling that he is more than just the guy who made your latte. Jimmy left Taiwan at the age of ten and spent the next 20 years of his life in Melbourne. He studied architecture at the University of Melbourne then trained as a barista in Woolloomooloo. Woolloomooloo is a suburb of Sydney, and apart from having a name that is more fun to say than to spell, is known for its industrial port, Finger Wharf. According to Jimmy this is where coffee first arrived in Australia. Admired for its rough character, Woolloomooloo underwent a period of urban renewal and is now home to a famous Australian actor and boutique hotels. Jimmy and his wife Evon returned home to Taiwan and opened a restaurant and affectionately named it Woolloomooloo. And the reason? Community service. They love people. They love handing out coffee. And they need to pay off gambling debts. Woolloomooloo’s doors open daily from mid-morning and stay open until people disappear.

They love people. They love handing out coffee. And they need to pay off gambling debts.Woolloomooloo’s doors open daily from mid-morning and stay open until people disappear.

Nestled in the tree-lined Fujin Street of Taipei, the restaurant is purposefully open plan. The large square table that greets customers can comfortably seat a party of nine. The veranda doors and windows swing open to circulate a calm breeze, also offering that connection to the stillness of Fujin Street. Quiet conversation and background kitchen noise are cushioned with the sound of Triple R, an Australian radio station. The naturally wifi-ed restaurant has been designed to let customers hang out. Jimmy wanted it that way. One step into Woolloomooloo and you feel that you should stay a long time. “No one is ever disturbed here…which means minimal service.” Jimmy adds cheekily. He suggests that you bring a book. For those who arrive book-less there is the air freighted Financial Times keep you preoccupied as you sip on one of Jimmy’s coffees grrrred and shhhed from beans direct from Woolloomooloo in Sydney. The hearty selection of wine boasts many Australian favorites from Wira Wira, Brown Brothers and Jacobs Creek. The beer and cider are also notably Australian –Victoria Bitter and Strongbow. When quizzed about the menu Jimmy is proud to say that he doesn’t skimp on yummy ingredients. His suppliers are the same ones that also provide for the high caliber five star hotels around the city. If you have ever wondered how the eggs of ginseng-fed chickens taste then order from the brunch menu. Woolloomooloo buys the most expensive eggs available. Woolloomooloo also offers a dinner menu that includes fresh pasta dishes, big pizzas and bread that is made on site. Jimmy says the cheesecake, tiramisu and fruit tart are simply amazing and usually when someone blows their own trumpet it is met with an air of suspicion but in Jimmy’s case it is difficult not to believe. The didgeridoo that sits in the corner of the restaurant, a gift from a Canadian customer suggests that Jimmy does more than just churn out coffees.

Words & Photographs by Ghostkamera

Deep in the decaying, peeling backstreets of Kowloon lies the (in)famous Temple Street Market, a long street crammed with stalls bursting with products hanging from ropes and laid out on tables. Steam rises from the street-side restaurants where seafood and noodles are served to the customers sat on plastic tables by the pavement. The buzz in the air is infectious, the smells invoking. Silence and serenity are two qualities not usually associated with this part of town. However, if those feet are aching and that tongue is parched, there is a spot which can act as a soothing tonic to those street-torn ears.

Mido Café sits on the corner, its once colourful splendour now reduced to a facade faded by the years of Hong Kong’s smog and smoke. Over the road sits a park sheltered by many trees, popular with the old men who sit and gamble while smoking their cheap and foul cigarettes, and also with those passing from Tsim Sha Tsui onto the other side of Temple Market Street.

I visited this café on my second trip to Hong Kong. A local friend took me there due to my immense love of filmmaker Wong Kar Wai – the café could almost have been taken out of scene from 2046. As you enter the mezzanine floor, it seems like a typical Hong Kong café with the sturdy tables and scent of tea in the air. However, upstairs is where the café meets the outside world with an entire wall of iron windows opening onto the street below. The tiling on the walls stretching up to the first floor is a photographer’s dream. One can almost imagine how many bands would pose here, were photography allowed inside. A narrow staircase takes you up to an open seating area with both sides of the building lined with windows. The booths are spread out along these walls, the panels painted dark green, and just outside you can see the trees bending down to where the cars pass ever so gently. Hordes of tourists pass by, staring with myopic wonder at the goods on offer, furiously converting HK Dollars to US, British Pounds, Yen. The humid air sits low on the pavement, making an almost tangible fog to weave through in the low light of dusk. Sirens scream from around the corner as the Hong Kong Police hurtle off to solve disputes between neighbours or locate a missing cat.

I sit at a window, watching the world pass beneath, the majority of people painlessly unaware that a crowd of revellers are watching their every move from the safe haven up above. When the tea cup lies empty and the cheque has been paid, it’s back down the staircase and onto the streets once again. My usual route is to walk up to Nathan Road, past the park and Mirador Mansions, and then down to the newly digitalised exterior of Chungking Mansions – the ghost of Kowloon, that crumbling, decrepit, haunted palace where drug dealers and backpackers hustle in cramped elevators and leaking hallways.

[As authentic as you will get in this part of the world, and a price to suit even a hostel shaped budget.]

However, my journey is not upstairs, but to the ground floor where a multitude of Indian restaurants battle for custom amongst shops catering to people’s hankerings for wigs, Chinese bags or mobile phones. Amongst the chaotic spread of booths and take-away windows lies a truly remarkable restaurant, as authentic as you will get in this part of the world, and with a price to suit even a hostel-shaped budget. Even more remarkable is that its custom has survived the years, despite the fantastic name sported high above the curries. Welcome to Butt Fast Food.

Salman Butt stands with his shirt tucked around his protruding stomach into his trousers. With his finely oiled moustache and receding-yet-perfectly-combed hair, he monitors the four other employees as they frantically spoon ladles of gorgeous dhal and chicken karahi onto bowls that disappear for a moment into a microwave before re-appearing steaming and fit for consumption. Roti’s piled high, resh parota’s made to order, ice and raita ready for the plate, and outside a couple of long tables filled with Pakistanis, Indians, Bangladeshis and occassional odd backpackers who have found their way down this hidden corner, placed along the hallways where diners eat with the passing crowd as company. Everyone is licking their lips in anticipation, and completion.

I have eaten here over 50 times. It has never disappointed me. I even wrote a feature article about it in a Hong Kong newspaper once (though received no free curries since I wasn’t living in Hong Kong at the time). I have nothing to recommend except all of it. The food is as authentic as I have tasted outside of Pakistan and India and at 40HKD for a meal it’s hardly going to set you back. The shop opposite sells cold beers in cans, which you can conveniently bring over and enjoy as it adds to the plethora of tastes and sensations.

If the weather is calm and the smog is not too thick, then my advice is to grab a bag of samosas, lots of mint sauce, and head down to the pier to sit and watch Hong Kong Island come to life at night. As the lights from the Island transform the skyline into a glittering waltz, you can sit there, numb with joy, tucking into your feast. Now that’s perfection. [•]