Slack Season 度小月

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Address: 台北市忠孝東路四段216巷8弄12號
　　　　No. 12, Alley 8, Lane 216, Section 4, ZhōngXiào East Rd, Da-an District
Phone #:  02-2773-1244
Business Hours: 11:30am~23:00pm

Website: http://www.iddi.com.tw/

Price Range:   $$$
Accepts Credit Cards: idk

Attire: casual

Good for kids: yes

Take out: yes
Waiter Service: yes
Outdoor seating:  no
Alcohol: yes

Rating

Food Quality: 4 out of 5
Decor:  4 out of 5
Service: 4 out of 5
Overall: 4 out of 5
Recommendation: Posh Southern Taiwanese Cuisine Restaurant

Review

Tainan is a city located in southern Taiwan that is known for a dish called Danzi Noodles. It is a minced pork based soup noodle that has that strong braised soy sauce/pork oil flavor mixed with cilantro. Slack Season is the most famous and supposed originator of the dish, which was created over a century ago. This restaurant is a testament of the success and popularity surrounding this dish  because the creator started from a small stand in front of a temple to this two story posh location in one of Taipei's most expensive areas. Slack season offers Danzi noodles and other traditional Taiwanese sides and dishes like braised raw clams and braised pig intestine. This is the perfect location to introduce foreigners to southern Taiwanese food, while staying in Taipei because they have a very modern and sleek restaurant space and plate the dishes beautifully for only about a 25% increase in price. I recommend each trying a bowl of Danzi noodles and pairing it with a few side dishes depending on the size of the dining party.

Beautiful Garden 美觀園

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Address: 台北市萬華區峨嵋街36號
　　　　No. 36, ÉMéi St, Wanhua District Taipei City
Phone #:  02-2331-7000

Website: N/A

Price Range:   $$$
Accepts Credit Cards: idk

Attire: casual

Good for kids: yes

Take out: yes
Waiter Service: yes
Outdoor seating:  no
Alcohol: yes

Rating

Food Quality: 3.5 out of 5
Decor:  3 out of 5
Service: 3 out of 5
Overall: 3.16 out of 5
Recommendation: Old-school Taiwanese-Japanese Fare
Review
Beautiful Garden is an old school Japanese restaurant located in the heart of Xi Men Ding. They have been open since 1946, which is when the first generation owner learned his craft from a Japanese chef who was around during the time Taiwan was a Japanese colony. Although the restaurant has passed hands to the new generation, their menu items are made in the spirit of their ancestors. Their sashimi is cut very thick and meaty. It is not a good entry level place for sashimi virgins, because their cuts make each bite undeniably fishy. The menu items can be very cheap with set meals for under 300, but if you want to splurge and get sashimi or rare nigiri like sea urchin, then your bill can rack up to the size of your belly. I think an average person can be satiated for under 1000 NT. This is the right place to try traditional Taiwanese-Japanese Fusion. I would not recommend this place for delicate Japanese food, but would guide hearty eaters towards this place. The decor and service are subpar, since they are super busy and don't have the time to remodel. However, bring your non-picky tourists here to get a feel of old-school fare and enjoy the bustling Xi Men Ding while you are at it.

Romano's Macaroni Grill

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Address:  台灣台北市信義區松壽路30號
                地點 03/2011搬到敦化北路民生路口
　　　　No. 30, SōngShòu Road, Sinyi District Taipei City, Taiwan 110 
                Location change to Dwun Hwa/Ming Sheng Intersection 03/11

Phone #:  02-2722-4567
Website: N/A

Price Range:   $$$
Accepts Credit Cards: yes

Attire: casual-semicasual

Good for kids: yes

Take out: yes
Waiter Service: yes
Outdoor seating:  no
Alcohol: yes

Rating

Food Quality: 3.5 out of 5
Decor:  3.5 out of 5
Service: 4 out of 5
Overall: 3.67 out of 5
Recommendation: Familiar Italian-American Cuisine

Review
Romano's Macaroni Grill is a Italian-American restaurant offering pastas, pizzas, and salads in the heart of Taipei. The entrees all price at around 450 NT. Each person can have a nice meal for under 1000 NT each. The restaurant is currently ending its lease in the NEO19 building in the Hsin Yi district in Taipei. It will be moving to its new location in the Song Shan District at the Dwun Hwa and Ming Sheng intersection. The cuisine at this location is mediocre and does not carry the same quality as the American Macaroni Grill locations. However, the service and atmosphere is very high among the restaurants of Taipei.

Yun Dian 云滇

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Address:  台灣台北市大安區忠孝東路四段49巷4街14號
　　　　No. 14, Alley 4, Lane 49, Section 4, ZhōngXiào East Rd, Da-an District

Phone #:  02-27116411
Website: http://www.yundish.com.tw/

Price Range:   $$
Accepts Credit Cards: yes

Attire: casual

Good for kids: yes

Take out: yes
Waiter Service: yes
Outdoor seating:  no
Alcohol: no

Rating

Food Quality: 4 out of 5
Decor:  3.5 out of 5
Service: 3 out of 5
Overall: 3.5 out of 5
Recommendation: Tasty Yunnan Cuisine

Review

Yun Dian is a restaurant serving Yunnan cuisine. They are located on the alley right behind the Zhongxiao SOGO. The restaurant was packed during dinner, so this seems to be a popular spot in the area. I have not had authentic Yunnan Cuisine before so I would not know how to rate or recommend this place based on authenticity. They serve a variety of rice noodle soups, "loose" buns, and other Yunnan dishes. The prices for each dish are bearable and does not exceed 200 for an entree. I will need to try other Yunnan delicacies before I can make an educated opinion on this restaurant.

Indian Curry House 原味咖哩屋

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Address:  台灣台北市中正區羅斯福路三段316巷10號之2

                  No. 10, Lane 316, Section 3, LuóSīFú Rd, Jhongjheng District

Phone #:  02-23697621
Website: http://23697621.web66.com.tw/

Price Range:   $$
Accepts Credit Cards: yes

Attire: casual

Good for kids: yes

Take out: yes
Waiter Service: yes
Outdoor seating:  no
Alcohol: no

Rating

Food Quality: 3 out of 5
Decor:  3 out of 5
Service: 3 out of 5
Overall: 3 out of 5
Recommendation: Mediocre pricey curry.

Review
Indian Curry House offers curry set meals at the price of round 200 NT. It is located near NTU in the busy restaurant area across the street from the front gate. There are all sorts of types of curry and ingredients. Each meal comes with two vegetable sides and a drink of choice. I would not recommend eating here because it was not the most pleasant curry, but not the worst either.

New Zealand Steak 紐西蘭紐排館

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Address:  高雄市新興區六合二路26號
                  No. 26, LiùHé 2nd Rd, Sinsing District Kaohsiung City, Taiwan 800

Phone #:  07-2860096
Website: N/A
Price Range:   $$
Accepts Credit Cards: yes

Attire: casual

Good for kids: yes

Take out: yes
Waiter Service: yes
Outdoor seating:  no
Alcohol: yes

Rating

Food Quality: 3.5 out of 5
Decor:  3 out of 5
Service: 3 out of 5
Overall: 3.16 out of 5
Recommendation: Old School Southern Taiwan Steak

Review
When I was little and visiting Kaohsiung, one of the frequent steak houses we would go to is the New Zealand Steak House located in the Lio He Nightmarket. This place has been in business since 1976, and is among the most representative Taiwan-style steak houses in Kaohsiung. They serve a variety of cuts and different types of meat, but really the house steak set that goes for 170 NT is what it's all about. The main entree is a skirt steak drizzled in its marinade with noodles and vegetables on top of a searing hot metal plate. The set comes with red tea, cream stuffed rolls, and corn soup. The meal tastes just like it did 20 years ago. If you have a long stay in the south and you have a hankering for some cheap steak, go to New Zealand.

Spicy Alley 辣巷子- Out of Business

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Address:   台北市松山區市民大道四段145號
　　　　  No. 145, Section 4, ShìMín Blvd, Songshan District, Taipei                  

Phone #:  02-2577-7575
Website: N/A
Price Range:   $$$

Accepts Credit Cards: yes

Attire: casual

Good for kids: yes

Take out: yes
Waiter Service: yes
Outdoor seating:  no
Alcohol: yes

Rating

Food Quality: 3.5 out of 5
Decor:  4 out of 5
Service: 4 out of 5
Overall: 3.83 out of 5
Recommendation: The only place for Louisianna-Style seafood that I know of in Taipei

Review
Ever since I landed on this island i've been searching for replacement versions of comfort foods from LA. One of the most comforting foods in San Gabriel was Cajun style seafood at the Boiling Crab. Used to get a lb of shrimp, a lb of crawfish, and a lb of clams with corn for a satisfying dinner. I was in joy when I heard the existence of "Spicy Alley," since they seemed to offer just what I missed so much. Spicy Alley offers a semblance of cajun style seafood at a tolerable price. If you come visit without any pre-conceived notions of Boiling Crab quality and prices, then you will have a great time. Caution: They don't sell crawfish and oysters are not $14 USD per dozen.