Biff's Pitas

Biff's is in the same alley as the Noodle Shop I reviewed just recently. Biff's is worth a try for more that one reason. It's convenient (right in the night market), the food is ultra fresh and healthy as well. Fresh cooked and seasoned chicken a nice tasty sauce and plenty of salad vegies top it off. The price is right at 120 for two or 65 for one, though it used to be 100 for two, still you cant complain and its good to suport someone who wants to make good fresh and healthy food. They also have fries with a tasty powder on them. We usually eat them for our band practice and you can easily make your order and then walk around the night market if you are going to make a big order.

Mah Jiang Mien (Sesame Paste Noodles)

For most of my time in Taiwan I have been going around the Island sampling the noodles from as many shops as I can. I think it would take a lifetime to eat at every one. I will say one thing though, It is very hard to find a really good bowl of Sesame Paste noodles. The one I frequent is right by my house in the Shida night market restaurant area. Its just a small noodle stand, but its famous. A full meal there costs me 105 NT and has always been the same. A large bowl of noodles, a plate of green leafy vegis, pork ball soup and a boiled egg. If you want to know exactly where it is I can help you out with that. The point is that their Mah Jiang is DARK. Most places, or a lot of them add peanut powder to the Sesame sauce, which makes it a bit sweet and not at all as good. Let me know if you know where to get dark sesame paste noodles in Taipei or anywhere in Taiwan, I want to make a map of the good places. I know some...

The Shyabu Shyabu on Roosevelt just north of Shida Road

Its the one with the Yellow sign, anyhow you can find them in about 15 locations around Taipei and Taipei county as well as in other cities in Taiwan. First of all their prices are fair, its not all you can eat but its never easy to finish one pot by yourself, so it might as well be all you can eat. I usually share a pot or take half of it home to eat another day. I like the amount of vegetables they give you and its a good enough amount of meet. they also give you a shrimp and an egg for free as well as your choice of rice, noodles or bean thread. I really like thier soup, right from the begining it tasts good and it always makes me feel nice if I am not feeling that great. I never go alone, but its a good place to go with a friend. They also have a good selection of sauces to mix around. Just writing about it makes me hungry. I really like thier fish and my only compaint is their fish hot pot is does not give you the proper selection of fish, so I usually get a fish and meat pot to share or to take some home. If you get it this way they will give you 4 different kinds of fish, thats what I like. So, go and tell me what you think.

A boring Japanese noodle restaurant in Gongguan

Well, it wasnt my choice to go there, but. I know that there are good japanese restaurants in Taipei because I always here people raving about their latest favorite. Personally I like Japanese BBQ and I rarely go to the noodle or rice shops, or sushi for that matter. But I wanted to try it. I ordered the curry pork noodle soup. I guess it would have been considered an Udon. The curry soup was pretty damn bland, and the noodles nothing to rave about. There was pickled bamboo, pickled vegetables, seaweed, corn, half of an egg, a deapfried fish ball material covered shrimp and a little lump of pork. It was also served with some preserved fish and japanese style kimchi. All in all it wasnt bad, but I wouldnt go back there, I would rather try one of those places I had heard raves about. I dont know the name of the place and I cant give you the exact location, though I know where it is. Anyhow, beware when chosing a japanese noodle house in Gongguan.

The most expesive quick lunch ever

How much you ask? about 650 NT per person. Lets lay down a little back story. I was traveling around Taiwan with my mom and we had just pulled into the Tainan train station after a 3 hour trip from the east coast. My mom had decided to book us into the Hotel Tainan, for one because its so close to the train station and for two she wanted to stay in at least one nice hotel while she was here. So we got in there and we were both pretty hungry. We saw that they were still surving lunch in their buffet, so we were thinking to get our bags put away and run down there and have some food. They kept telling us that Lunch was almost over and that we should wait for the afternoon tea, but we were thinking why wait, you guys are still open and we dont want to eat too much, so we will just go down there and eat a little (I was thinking it was free for guests, which was damn stupid of me). So anyhow, we got down there and they were really hesitant to let us sit down, like they needed to change the table cloth and set up the table for us, I was thinking, how stupid it was when we were hungry, guests at the hotel and just wanted to eat a little. So after me complaining a bit and them sitting us down we went and got all kind of food from their buffet thinking the buffet was free. Oh well, we didnt know. You're supposed to order a main dish, too, which is suposed to make it worth the money. We didnt, but they brought us Steak and lamb chops anyway, that was a little strange. I was thinking, what if we dont eat steak. So we got pretty full on steak, lamb, smoked salmon, sweet and sour fish, curry chicken, fruit and ice cream. Do I have to mention that we were really eating it fast because they were about to start the afternoon tea. Anyhow, we stuffed ourselves as fast as we could and then found out how expenive it was. I think I have some pictures that I will post at another time.

Forkers

I have been to forgers like 3 or 4 times. I dont have to say much about this place other than its a great deal and it has a mammoth menu. The last time I was there I ordered the BBQ burger it was fantastic. All the burgers are between 200 and 300 NT more or less and they come with two sides and a drink. Its more than enough food to fill the belly. My friends have ordered many different things there as well and have always thought highly of what they got. The choice of sides is nice as well with fries and salads to chose from. You get a refill of soda and I havent been charged for a extra side of dressing to dip my fries in. The burgers are filling and wonderful to sink your teeth into. The apatizers are great as well. I also reccomend the salads, they are huge and well made. What else to say. Well, its in an alley behind the California fitness near Sogo.

My First Foodie Blog

Today I was headed to the Net Cafe (Computer is fried), buying a new one next month, when out of the blue I noticed a new restaurant (my roomate had actually told me about it but didnt know where it was exactly). KGB (Kiwi Gormet Burgers) is in a little alley across from the Watsons near Taipower Building MRT exit 3. Well, it was awesome. My total bill was 385 NT, which is more than I usually spend at a place like that, but I wanted to be able to have a sandwich, fries, salad and a drink. I ordered the KGB burger with cheese (220 NT, comes with either fries or a side salad). I got it with the fries and ordered a whole Rocket salad to go with it (150 NT) and a coke (35 NT). I got the coke first which was a whole can in a glass of ice with a straw. The Salad came next with genrous helpings of good lettuce, black olives, roasted peppers ( had a little of the wrong consistancy, too soft, though they were probably roasted and then packed in oil, good tasting, just wasnt expecting the softness). The salad was also topped with red onion, tomato and cucumber with a nice vinigrette. The burger and fries came next, right away what I noticed was that the owner got the order wrong, which in retrospect was not a big deal, I shouldnt be eating cows anyhow. It was the KGB Chicken burger with no cheese and to tell the truth, it was awesome tasting. I was going to order some sauce to dip my fries in but as it turns out the burger is mounded with delicious Aoli so there was no problem there, just dip on the excess sauce on the burger. Well I couldnt finish it all at once so I took a little more than half the sandwich with me. By the way, it all tasted awesome. I recomend it highly if you are willing to pay a little more than bongos (my current burger favorite along side of Forkers). So, I will go back, but not all that often, once a month is enough on the western food side of the menu. Oh, by the way, its in Shida, a great foodie place.