TOAST TO TAIPEI
Embark on an intoxicating tour of Taiwan’s capital, taking in some of the city’s best pubs and bars that’s teeming with local flavour. By Jessica Chan
Bars and pubs packed with local flavour
Hold the Taiwan Beer, give me Zhang Men Brewing’s Taiwan Pepper Ale instead. My command of Mandarin might be abysmal, but I’ve managed to impress the bartender at RON Xinyi with my enthusiasm for a kaoliang (sorghum liquor) tonic. When not slurping up basil-flecked beef noodles, I was sipping on a gao tzan ta (Taiwanese basil)-infused Tyrant’s Blessing at Bar Mood. Turns out, when you walk into any bar – be it a speakeasy or a taproom – in Taipei, you’re not getting a classic Manhattan or lager; you’re getting a heavy dose of local flavour.
Getting crafty
While indulging in SUNMAI’S Honey Lager (NT$220/SG$10) within the sleek interiors of (No. 55, Section 1, Anhe Road, Da’an District. Tel: +886 2 2751 0055), I learned that Taiwan’s craft beer scene only began in 2002. There is nothing amateur about the floral, malty brew made with locally produced longan honey that I’m drinking. One of the pioneering breweries, founder Quentin Yeh bought over a failing brewery in 2004 and have expanded it into a thriving restaurant empire, whose repertoire includes German
style brauhaus, Le Ble d’or (No. 1, Section 1, Chengde Road, Datong District. Tel: +886 2 7737 0909).
Taihu Brewing, launched in 2013, aims to make Taiwan the craft beer capital of Asia. A packed out Chuoyinshi Da’an (translates to sipping room) (No. 34, Alley 27, Section 4, Ren’ai Road, Da’an District.) on a Tuesday night is a testament to what they’ve achieved in six short years. There’s a sense of community at their taprooms, which are fitted out with long communal tables, allowing strangers to rub elbows and converse with one another. Landmark (No. 68, Section 5, Zhongxiao East Road, Xinyi District. Tel: +886 2 2722 0592) follows suit but as a standing-only concept (not that it deters the enthusiastic crowd). Chances are you’ll find cicerones geeking out over the brewery’s signature use of Taiwanese fruits and herbs as they down pints of Kumquat Kölsch (NT$200).
Should the weather permits, make a beeline for Zhang Men Brewing (No. 10, Lane 4, Yongkang Street, Da’an District.
Tel: +886 2 2395 2366), a barebones outfit that’s a 10-minute stroll from Yong Kang Beef Noodles. The amiable staff will walk you through the 20 taps, all cheekily named after the featured ingredient. There’s Shan Dian (which means lightning), a floral Taiwan Pepper Ale (NT$200), cream ale Nai Yu Nan Hai (butter boy) (NT$200) and an auspicious Da Ji Da Li (blessings of fortune) for their Kumquat Fruit Beer (NT$200). For variety, go for the beer flight (NT$498) comprising six goblets of your choice.
You know a country’s craft beer scene is heating up when Copenhagen-based microbrewery, Mikkeller, sets its sights on it.
Mikkeller Taipei (No. 241, Nanjing West Road, Datong District.
Tel: +886 2 2558 6978), a two-storey taproom that’s reminiscent of a Scandinavian living room, is the haven for craft beer fans with 24 rotating taps. Expect classic Mikkeller brews, an exclusive Taiwanese Dream Pilsner and, occasionally, brews from Taiwan Head Brewers. The Taiwanese influence extends to the kitchen where chicken wings make way for Lu Wei (braised meats) (NT$200) and Gua Bao (pork belly burger) (NT$100). For an alternative, check out the Mikkeller BLACK Series of whiskies (NT$300/50ML).
Beergeek Micropub Taipei (No. 8, Yongji Road, Xinyi District. Tel: +886 2 2748 7558) is what you need for a fuss-free night out: ‘90s rock blasting, affable expats-turned-locals coaxing you to play a game of darts, and rounds of frosty American Pale Ale from Sambar Brewery. Hint: Chat up the owner for an insider’s access to the city’s hidden speakeasies.
Tea-rrific tipples
Tea appears to be the common denominator when it comes to enticing imbibers in this city. You won’t be able to cover all 24 of Aki Wang’s unique creations at Taipei’s top cocktail bar (on Asia’s 50 Best Bars list for three years running), Indulge Experimental Bistro (No. 11, Lane 219, Section 1, Fuxing South Road, Da’an District.
Tel: +886 2 2773 0080). His Tea & Cocktail Mixology series (NT$450 each) features housemade tea cordials – pouchong, tung ting and tie guan yin among others – which are swirled into delicate tipples and complemented by the season’s best fruits and herbs.
A sip of the oolong rum-based Mar-tea-nez (NT$400) will reveal how “cocktails-on-tap” Draft Land (Level 1, No. 2, Lane 248, Section 4, Zhongxiao East Road, Da’an District. Tel: +886 2 2731 8975) won its No. 45 spot on the same list.
Despite its main business as a tea house, Hermit’s Hut (No.15, Lane 553, Alley 46, Section 4, Zhongxiao East Road, Xinyi District. Tel: +886 2 2746 6929) lures a curious crowd with three phenomenal cocktails. It’s impossible not to make quick work of the rum-based Rocky Charm, where notes of ripe fruits in Cliff Tea Shu Xuan are matched with sour cherries and hawthorns. (Word on the grapevine is that they’ll be launching a tea-focused cocktail bar-cum-gallery in Xitan, China.)
As the Taiwanese do
The hallmark of Nick Wu’s Bar Mood (No. 53, Lane 160, Section 1, Dunhua South Road, Da’an District. Tel: +886 905 773 621) is his elegant use of aboriginal produce. The menu, akin to a snazzy encyclopaedia, contrasts these lesser known ingredients with their western counterparts. Maqaw-infused (a citrusy mountain pepper foraged by aboriginal tribes) Bulleit Rye Whisky in the Lalu Gu Makauy (NT$450) versus the pepper in the Don Julio Blanco-based Spice Raft (NT$450); Goji versus blueberries; and chrysanthemum versus chamomile, to name a few. Note: Whisky fiends can look forward to Ka Va Lan Series.
G&T gets the Taiwanese treatment with kaoliang (NT$300) at the neon-lit RON Xinyi (No. 12, Section 2, Keelung Road, Xinyi District. Tel: +886 2 2720 0026). The popular (and dangerously punchy spirit) is a favourite among locals and even more so with flavours of rose, lemon, coffee or pork floss (if you dare). Locally produced OMAR whiskies and fruit liqueurs are fashioned into cocktails named after songs from local indie bands, There’s the longan-based Yi Shu Jia Pi Qi (translating to an artist’s tantrum) (NT$380) and – a favourite for the melancholic – Wo Ba Wo De Qing Chun Gei Le Ni (I’ve given you all my youth) (NT$350).
Don’t dismiss ZIGA ZAGA (Level 2, Grand Hyatt Taipei, No. 2, Songshou Road, Xinyi District. Tel: +886 2 2720 1230) as another runof-the-mill hotel bar. It’s one of the few spots offering cocktails with Taiwan’s famous trio – kaoliang, mijiu and shaoxiang jiu. Highlights include the TLM, otherwise known as the Taiwanese Lemon Martini, that’s reminiscent of how kaoliang is usually drank with a slice of lemon and hua mei (dried plum).
Bonus for oenophiles:
Wine bars are a scarcity in Taipei, but you’d get quite an extensive wine list at the newly launched Chefs Club Taipei (Level 47, Breeze, No. 68, Section 5, Zhongxiao East Road, Xinyi District.
Tel: +886 2 2723 9696), courtesy of Park90. The wine bar at Regent Singapore has taken up the ambitious task of stocking the fine dining venue with a list that spans the globe. Its international selection is not for the sake of vanity. The restaurant revolves around a chef residency concept, where one prolific chef – Wilfrid Hocquet of Blue by Alain Ducasse was here in April – will take over the kitchen for three to six months, and the list will evolve to complement their tasting menus.