January 2019 | Vol. 49 | Issue 1 THE AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE IN BUSINESS TOPICS WINE & DINE 2019 January 2019 | January Vol. 49 | Issue 1

中 華 郵 政 北 台 字 第 5000

號 執 照 登 記 為 雜 誌 交 寄 ISSUE SPONSOR

Published by the American Chamber Of Read TOPICS Online at topics.amcham.com.tw NT$150 Commerce In Taipei

1_2019_Cover.indd 1 2019/1/2 上午12:05

CONTENTS 7 President’s View

By William Foreman

JANUARY 2019 VOLUME 49, NUMBER 1 一○八年一月號 8 Suffering for Taiwan’s Sublime What it’s like to dine out with Publisher 發行人 celebrities on delectable, rich William Foreman 傅維廉 Michelin-starred – gout be 總編輯 Editor-in-Chief damned. Don Shapiro 沙蕩 By Joshua Samuel Brown Art Director/ 美術主任/ Production Coordinator 後製統籌 12 Pursuing the Offbeat Dining Katia Chen 陳國梅 Experience 廣告行銷經理 Manager, Publications Sales & Marketing Once in a while, try something Caroline Lee 李佳紋 out of the ordinary, or even down- right bizarre. By Joshua Samuel Brown

American Chamber of Commerce in Taipei 129 MinSheng East Road, Section 3, 7F, Suite 706, Taipei 10596, Taiwan 16 Why and How we Wrote A P.O. Box 17-277, Taipei, 10419 Taiwan Tel: 2718-8226 Fax: 2718-8182 Culinary History of Taipei e-mail: [email protected] website: http://www.amcham.com.tw Katy Hui-wen Hung and Steven 名稱：台北市美國商會工商雜誌 發行所：台北市美國商會 Crook discuss their newly pub- 臺北市10596民生東路三段129號七樓706室 lished book. 電話：2718-8226 傳真：2718-8182

Taiwan Business TOPICS is a publication of the American Chamber of Commerce in Taipei, ROC. Contents are 22 The ’s Rise and independent of and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Officers, Board of Governors, Supervisors or members. Fall – and Rise Again © Copyright 2019 by the American Chamber of Commerce in Taipei, ROC. All rights reserved. Permission to reprint original material must be requested in writing from AmCham. By Steven Crook and Katy Hui- Production done in-house, Printing by Farn Mei Printing Co., Wen Hung Ltd.

登記字號：台誌第一零九六九號 印刷所：帆美印刷股份有限公司 經銷商：台灣英文雜誌社 台北市108台北市萬華區長沙街二段66號 26 The Biandang from 發行日期：中華民國一○八年一月 中華郵政北台字第5000號執照登記為雜誌交寄 Japanese Days to the ISSN 1818-1961 Present By Steven Crook and Katy Hui- Chairman: Leo Seewald Wen Hung Vice Chairmen: C.W. Chin, Petra Jumpers Secretary: Fupei Wang Treasurer: Al Chang

2018-2019 Governors: Anita Chen, C.W. Chin, Petra 30 Kavalan Finds Further Jumpers, Leo Seewald, Daniel Tseng, Fupei Wang. “Ginspiration” 2019-2020 Governors: Al Chang, Albert Chang, Seraphim Ma, Jan-Hendrik A food conglomerate that makes Meidinger, Paulus Mok. acclaimed has intro- 2019 Supervisors: Vincent Shih, Terry Tsao, Dylan Tyson. duced a Taiwan-flavored craft

COMMITTEES: gin that is set to make a splash Agro-Chemical/ Melody Wang; Asset Management/ on the rocks or in cocktails. Christine Jih, Derek Yung; Banking/ Paulus Mok; Capital Markets/ Nadia Chen, Mandy Huang, C.P. By Jules Quartly Liu; Chemical Manufacturers/ Charles Liang, Michael Wong; Cosmetics/ Shirley Chen, Julien Jacquet, Abigail Lin; CSR/ Lume Liao, Fupei Wang; Energy/ Randy Tsai; Human Resources/ Vickie Chen, Richard Lin, Monica Han, Seraphim Ma; Infrastructure/ Wayne Chin, Paul Lee; Insurance/ Dan Ting, Linda Tsou, Dylan Tyson; Intellectual Property & Licensing/ Jason Chen, Peter Dernbach, Vincent Shih; Marketing & Distribution/ Wei Hsiang; Medical Devices/ Raghavendra Shenoy, Joanne Yao; Pharmaceutical/ Petra Jumpers, Wendy Lin; Public Health/ Joyce Lee, Sophia Lee, Tim Shields; Real Estate/ Tony Chao; Retail/ Ceasar Chen, Mark Chen, Prudence Jang; Sustainable Development/ Kenny Jeng, Cosmas Lu, Kernel Wang; Tax/ Stella Lai, Cheli Liaw, Josephine Peng; Technology/ Cynthia Chyn, Revital Golan, Hans Huang; Telecommunications & Media/ Thomas Ee, Joanne Tsai; Transportation & Logistics/ (tba); Travel & Tourism/ Pauline Leung, Achim v. Hake. COVER PHOTO: COURTESY OF

4 TAIWAN BUSINESS TOPICS • JANUARY 2019

1_19 Contents.indd 4 2019/1/2 下午3:52 JANUARY 2019 • VOLUME 49 NUMBER 1 COVER SPONSOR

34 The Food Bots Have Arrived Food delivery is changing rapidly and growing exponentially due to the online-to-offline revolution, which offers easy online ordering, customized offerings and speed. By Jules Quartly

Grand Mayfull Hotel Taipei

Grand Mayfull Hotel Taipei’s mission is to build an international hotel that provides luxurious accommodations and a fine dining environment. Since opening in 2016, the hotel has been proudly honored with awards, including the 2016 World Luxury Hotel 38 Meatlesss Dining – for Awards, the 2017 World Travel Awards and the 2018 Religion or Lifestyle Commendation for the top three luxurious hotels in Taipei city. As more people embrace new fla- vors and healthy living, vegetarian Grand Mayfull Hotel Taipei offers 146 deluxe rooms, 5 carefully cuisine is no longer confined to crafted restaurants, poolside bar, bakery café, and an exquisite traditional Buddhist dishes. banquet service. For guests with membership, Grand Mayfull Hotel By Matthew Fulco Taipei offers a VIP club with private space and customized services located on the 9th floor. Finally, completing Grand Mayfull Hotel Taipei is its range of leisure facilities, such as heated outdoor swim- ming pool, fitness center and wellness center.

43 Thai Food Catches on in Taipei Authentic Thai food is no longer scarce in Taipei thanks to changing and more outbound tourism. By Matthew Fulco

TAIWAN BUSINESS TOPICS • JANUARY 2019 5

1_19 Contents.indd 5 2019/1/2 上午1:34

PRESIDENT'S VIEW

Food is a Serious Business

spent nearly 20 years of my career in the news business. Sometimes people ask me: What was your most popular story? Which one attracted the most attention? My Ianswer is a bit embarrassing, though it probably shouldn’t be. As a foreign correspondent, I got to cover a lot of big breaking news -- presiden- tial elections, Olympics in Beijing, global summits, riots, suicide bombings, earthquakes, plane crashes, and economic booms and busts. But the story that got the most feedback from readers was a travel feature I wrote in 2004 about what’s for in Taipei. I began the piece by pointing out that most people around the world have a good idea of what’s on the menu for and dinner at a Chinese restaurant. But few might be aware there’s an entirely different menu for breakfast. And it’s absolutely delicious. My story described with great detail and enthusiasm tasty morning delights such as egg (danbing, ), twisted crullers (, ), milk (doujiang, ), wraps (fantuan, ) and – my all-time favorite – baked wheat cakes with egg (shaobing jia dan, ). I was working for The Associated Press wire service at the time, so my story was sent to newspapers all over the world. The company likes to say that more than half the world’s population sees its content every day. And it seemed like half the world really did read my story. For nearly a year, I received clippings in the mail every week from papers that printed the story. Readers sent me plenty of letters and e-mails about how much they love eating breakfast in Taiwan or how they were intrigued by the unfamiliar morning cuisine. I guess I shouldn’t feel embarrassed – or surprised – that my most popular story was about what’s for breakfast in Taiwan. Food is a serious business. And it’s a big busi- ness. It also tells you a lot about a country’s history, culture, and character. Appreciating the food of a place brings you closer to understanding the people – and that’s crucial for commerce. I’m sure TOPICS readers are already well aware of this connection, and that helps explain why our annual Wine and Dine issue is so popular. Food is best when shared, so I encourage our readers to share these stories with their friends.

William Foreman President, American Chamber of Commerce in Taipei

TAIWAN BUSINESS TOPICS • JANUARY 2019 7

Foreman.indd 7 2019/1/2 下午3:38 MICHELIN GUIDE

ORCHID PHOTO: JOSHUA SAMUEL BROWN

SUFFERING FOR TAIWAN’S SUBLIME CUISINE

What it’s like to dine out with celebrities on delectable, rich Michelin- starred food – gout be damned.

BY JOSHUA SAMUEL BROWN

8 TAIWAN BUSINESS TOPICS • JANUARY 2019

Michelin.indd 8 2019/1/2 上午12:24 MICHELIN GUIDE

ublication last year of the first arrived. The could begin. stewed . Zimmern said they were Taipei Michelin Guide launched Detractors of the Palais de Chine say among the best he’d ever tasted. After- P Taipei into the rarefied ranks of that its menu doesn’t really reflect “Tai- ward came steamed shrimp ( cities like San Francisco, New York, wanese” cuisine, as its dishes are by and ), followed by whole shrimp wrapped and that can boast their own large more associated with in delicate rice paper. Michelin guides. Of the total of 20 res- and Canton than those developed on this We hadn’t even gone through the taurants in the city to receive Michelin side of the . To that argu- appetizers and I was already way over stars, 17 were recognized with one ment I respond with a bit of history. what should have been my day’s “sen- Michelin star, two obtained two stars, As ’s civil war slogged on to sible” limit of purine (the stuff that sets and only one – Le Palais restaurant in the its inevitable conclusion in the 1940s, off gout attacks). Downing several shots Palais de Chine hotel – was honored with chefs from all corners of the country of drinking (known for blood- three stars. held moistened fingers to quickly shifting cleansing properties), I hoped for the best. Of , in-the-know travelers long political winds and sensed a coming As more dishes came, Zimmern ago spotted Taipei as a foodie’s para- downturn in opportunity for those offered his opinion that while the dise, though for the most part the reputa- mainly serving to the rich Michelin guide represented acknowledg- tion was built on hole-in-the-wall noodle and privileged. Those with resources ment of Taipei’s haute cuisine bona fides, joints and night-market fare. packed up recipe books and uten- the city in fact had long ago reached that Now that the city is finally gaining sils and high-tailed it to Formosa to make standard. “Michelin is basically con- notice from the global arbiters of good a last stand with the Generalissimo, who firming what you and I have known for grub for its excellence in haute cuisine, – whatever his other failings – seemed to a long time, namely that there are res- we’ll be taking a deeper dive into such appreciate good food. taurants in Taipei on par with Michelin- key questions as: This background gives Taiwan every star restaurants in every other city in the • What distinguishes the offerings at an right to claim dishes from Sichuan, world,” he said. expensive Taipei Michelin-starred res- Canton, or Beijing as part of its own At that point, the larger plates taurant from the merely good food canon whenever said dishes are made in appeared, starting with a whole roast you’ll find at any other restaurant? Taiwan – and ours were coming from baby duckling (the proudly told us it and the Le Palais kitchen 17 stories above had been killed and cooked after a scant • Was answering this and other culinary central Taipei. 24 days of waddling the earth). The duck questions worth three weeks of pain Zimmern was positively effusive about was followed by a square of roasted fatty and a strict diet of bland food on the the slew of dishes that arrived at the table pork dripping with flavor. I passed on the part of the author, a veteran travel and one after the other. Before digging in, he kong pao () frog stomach, leaving food journalist ironically cursed with and members of his entourage photo- more for the rest of the group, who gout (a genetic malady triggered by graphed each one from multiple angles. seemed charmed by the exotic twist on haute cuisine)? The first course was ( the traditional chicken dish. ), fluffy white steamed buns filled with “Breadth and depth are what makes a Le Palais with Andrew Zimmern

Chef Andrew Zimmern, host of the long-running Travel Channel program Bizarre with Andrew Zimmern, fits into a very narrow field – namely former punk kids turned globe-trotting celebrity chefs (a group sadly diminished by the death of Anthony Bourdain). So when the invitation came to dine with him on a Saturday afternoon at Le Palais, I jumped at the chance. The private dining room was buzzing when I arrived, dressed in the finest faux- Chinese casual wear I could find. Cam- eras had been set up in the corners of the room, and restaurant staff was milling about, making sure that everything that would be served over the next three hours wouldn’t just be tasty, but also photogenic. “I'm glad to see that Taipei is finally being recognized,” says Andrew Zimmern. Twenty or so minutes later, Zimmern PHOTO: APRIL CHEN

TAIWAN BUSINESS TOPICS • JANUARY 2019 9

Michelin.indd 9 2019/1/2 上午12:24 MICHELIN GUIDE

great food city,” Zimmern said between by Orchid’s Maître d'hôtel, Arthur courses. “Taipei has always had a great Briand. I assumed this was an honor deal of depth – great Asian food and extended due to my dining companion’s so forth – but now it’s also becoming local celebrity, but Briand assured me equally known for its breadth.” otherwise. “We allow each customer the Zimmern, a self-described “Michelin opportunity to have their amuse bouches reformer,” has long been critical of (first bites) in the kitchen,” he told us. what he calls the “ethnocentrism” of the The several bite-sized dishes included Michelin system, in which cities in the a light cucumber and a small candied were treated as somehow beet (both served on their own individual

less deserving of consideration than their wooden spoons), as well as a hollowed- PHOTO: JOSHUA SAMUEL BROWN Western counterparts. But he says this out eggshell with a very delectable egg ethnocentrism is starting to crack as more foam inside. Hungry Girl, who has dined restaurants throughout Asia get the rec- in Michelin-starred restaurants on several was brought first. The squid-ink biscuit ognition they deserve. continents, seemed duly impressed. hid a single serving of cream with The meal continued for several more Returning to our table – a futuristic lobster jelly, and the bowl was partially courses, finishing with fruit alongside a setup boasting USB ports and gently edible. Another bowl (this one inedible) plate of Portuguese egg tarts, a dish that glowing circles apparently designed to held shrimp hovering in a translucent jel- folks in Taipei once upon a time brought let diners know where to place their lied . More recognizable was the home from Macao by the boxful. cups – we got down to the more serious small lobster tail in a broth of coconut, Before we departed, Zimmern showed dishes. Each was brought to the table by lime, and grapefruit. me a picture he’d shot on his phone the Maître d’ Arthur, who explained what “While Michelin puts the spotlight previous night outside Longtail, another we’d be eating. on Taipei’s fine dining restaurants and Michelin-starred restaurant, in the Da’an That was fortunate. its chefs, it also puts some pressure on district. The image was of a man in chef’s At the Palais de Chine, everything the restaurants themselves,” Hungry Girl garb, smoking a cigarette while squatting presented (aside from the kong pao frog said as we dined. “Whether or not we in the manner that only Asian people seem stomach, which frankly required expla- agree with the ratings, the guide creates a able to do comfortably, as blue light from nation) was a top-quality version of shortlist for travelers coming to Taipei.” the restaurant kitchen spilled into the alley. some otherwise recognizable dish. But We feasted further on more deli- “Here’s a guy who’s been putting out the chefs at Orchid seemed to have gone cious (and largely less mysterious) great food all night, taking maybe his out of their way to make everything they French dishes of fish, , and . first break of the evening,” said Zim- served unique, baffling as many senses All epitomized continental haute cui- mern. “A big part of my career has been as possible. sine, dishes one might have offered Ben- about making invisible people in the food A mysterious black cracker set inside jamin Franklin or Henry the Eighth (two world visible, and I thought this image of what looked like a miniature pumpkin other famous gout sufferers known to captured that sentiment. I’m glad to see express post-meal regret, the former by that Taipei is finally being recognized.” authoring treatises, the latter by exe- cuting spouses). Orchid with Hungry Girl As the meal approached its end, Arthur came with a single red apple in a A few days later, purines crystallizing bowl, over which he poured an unknown inexorably in my blood, I found myself liquid causing the apple to emit a fra- waiting before the elegant front door grant vapor. This, he explained, created of the Michelin-starred Orchid restau- “an autumnal atmosphere for the dessert rant on Anhe road. While my first foray course.” Small cakes arrived alongside into Taipei’s haute cuisine was with an excellent , which we consumed as international VIP, the second was with the apple continued to spread its scent. a rather mysterious local personality Lunch had gone nearly two hours. known to the world by her blogging nom Such is the continental way. de plume, Hungry Girl in Taipei. Together, we’d be dining on a spe- International Chef’s Summit Asia cial menu created by visiting French chef Gildas Perin for Gastromonth, a celebra- Waking the following day with nary tion of Taipei’s inclusion in the Michelin a twinge, I figured I’d dodged the gout Guide. bullet. Still, it seemed a good idea to Minutes after arrival, Hungry Girl watch my diet for the rest of the week. and I were being invited into the kitchen Orchid's Arthur Briand Heading into the office, I stopped by PHOTO: JOSHUA SAMUEL BROWN

10 TAIWAN BUSINESS TOPICS • JANUARY 2019

Michelin.indd 10 2019/1/2 上午12:24 MICHELIN GUIDE

Cuba Coffee on Heping Road for my high-cholesterol but gout-safe breakfast (the best grilled cheese and sand- wich in Taipei, in my opinion). Inside the office, my boss approached me. He seemed to be sizing me up. “You got a dress jacket?” he asked. “At home,” I replied. He took his jacket off and draped it over my shoulders. “Wear this one. a taxi to the Marriott Hotel in Neihu. You’ll be rep- resenting MyTaiwanTour at the Interna- tional Chef’s Summit Asia. There’ll be free food.” So much for starting the week sensibly. Putting editing work aside and sandwich in the fridge, I headed out the door. At an ad hoc stand, Du Hsiao Yue makes available its signature with shrimp and pork. Twenty minutes later and wearing a PHOTO: JOSHUA SAMUEL BROWN suit jacket clearly made for another build, I stepped out of the elevator on the eighth Over at the next table, Chef Kin Ming struggles with the malady by giving it a floor of the Marriott, my senses greeted Lam served a smoked tart with female persona, with whom he engages in simultaneously by a hotchpotch of fra- flying-fish . I sampled two in the name late-night conversation. grances and thumping music emanating of journalism, finding them surprisingly “What have I done to merit these from the ballroom. light. Despite the two kinds of seafood, cruel sufferings?” Franklin asks Madam Of the many gastronomic events hap- the dominant flavor was dill. Gout, who replies: “Many things; you pening around Taipei that month, the Richie Lin had created his own ver- have ate and drank too freely, and too International Chef’s Summit Asia was sion of ’s chawanmushi, a savory much indulged those legs of yours in arguably the highlight. It had brought the custard of steamed egg and seafood. their indolence.” creme-de-la-creme of Asia’s food scene to Long-time favorite in the Taipei food My own Mistress Gout came to col- Taipei for a victory lap celebrating Tai- scene Du Hsiao Yue (considered the lect her bill sometime before dawn the pei’s Michelin ascension. In attendance best noodle shop on popular Yongkang next morning, my right foot now swollen were notables like Chef Umberto Bom- Street), had set up a miniature kitchen to the size of a golf ball. Cursing the bana from Hong Kong’s 8 1/2 Otto e where its chef handed out small bowls gods, I limped to the bathroom cabinet Mezzo Bombana (3 stars), Chef Luca of its signature dish: a purine-rich clari- for the usual cocktail of Colchicine and Fantin from Tokyo’s Il Ristorante Bulgari fied broth made using shrimp heads and Ibuprofen, which with fruits, , (1 star), Chef Yusuke Takada of Osaka’s shells, and served with noodles, diced and toast would be the sum total of my La Cime (1 star), and other Michelin- pork, and a single fat shrimp on top. diet for the foreseeable future. starred chefs from around Asia. As the music continued thumping, So was it all worth it? Weeks later, still Joining them on the stage in recog- punctuated every few minutes by an limping and subsisting on a bland diet, nition of Taipei’s gastronomic arrival announcement that the ceremony proper I’m still trying to answer that question. would be some of the top chefs in Taipei, would begin shortly, I continued sampling. Like Franklin to his Madam Gout, I’ve including Richie Lin from Mume, Kai The ceremony itself was mercifully made promises that in the future I’ll prac- Ho from Tairroir, and Kin Ming Lam brief. A few visiting chefs made quick tice temperance. from Longtail (each of which had speeches about their experience dining in And even as I make this silent vow, recently been awarded single Michelin Taipei, while local chefs expressed grat- slurping through a bubble stars in the new guide). itude at Michelin for recognizing their milk straw, my mind drifts back to The chefs mingled, swapping kitchen work. The ceremony over, I headed back the Michelin-starred carnival of flavor tales, tasting morsels from several of Tai- to my office to return my boss’s jacket that brought me to this sorry fate – the pei’s most acclaimed restaurants, and and consume my cold cheese and tomato seductive fragrance of fatty duck, the fla- serving samples of their own food from sandwich. vorful lobster swimming in sauce, the tables arranged along the walls of the savory shrimp . ballroom. Epilogue Hearing my thoughts, Mistress Gout Throwing caution to the wind, I chuckles, replying less fancifully to me grabbed a chunk of duck braised in Tai- Gout is a strange mistress. In Dia- than Franklin’s did to him, but echoing wan’s own Kavalan whisky, the culinary logue between Franklin and the Gout, similar sentiments. creation of chefs at the Marriott kitchen. Benjamin Franklin personalizes his own “I’ll be back,” she whispers.

TAIWAN BUSINESS TOPICS • JANUARY 2019 11

Michelin.indd 11 2019/1/2 上午12:24 UNIQUE RESTAURANTS

PHOTO: JOSHUA SAMUEL BROWN

PURSUING THE OFFBEAT DINING EXPERIENCE

Once in a while, try something out of the ordinary, or even downright bizarre.

BY JOSHUA SAMUEL BROWN

12 TAIWAN BUSINESS TOPICS • JANUARY 2019

Off beat.indd 12 2019/1/2 上午12:31 UNIQUE RESTAURANTS

aiwan has so many excellent res- carb winter borscht experience. at Shirakawago , one of Taipei’s taurants – at all levels of the price For those not familiar with the area, smallest and most sought-after after sushi T scale – that it’s really hard for a the restaurant can be tricky to locate. joints, and to enjoy the handiwork of diner to go wrong. But where to go when Consult the map on Liu’s Facebook page two highly talented chefs who aren’t shy you tire of the conventional choices and (https://www.facebook.com/liub666/) or about hitting a few signature items with a you’re in the mood for something quite show the address to your taxi driver: 台 blowtorch. out of the ordinary? 北市文區街一段262號 (No. 42, The “restaurant” consists of a few Under the premise that “good things Lane 28, Zhongshun St., Sec, 1, Wenshan tables spilling out into the surrounding come in little packages,” let’s start with District, Taipei. marketplace and a six-stool, two-chef some outstanding eateries so small and sushi bar. What keeps the line long unassuming that they are easily over- Shirakawago Sushi (besides the dearth of seating) is extreme looked unless you are among the cogno- （華山-合掌村） quality. The chefs use the finest quality scenti. A long line of people waiting to dine fish for their nigiri sushi, served on top (several dozen on any given day) is gen- of small pads of rice. The exquisite flavor DIMINUTIVE DINING erally considered an auspicious sign in prompts thoughts that it must be the Taiwan. But casual passers-by at the result of an ancient sushi-rice making Beef Sirloin Noodle Soup Huashan Market may well wonder why technique handed down through the gen- (牛逼牛腩飯麵湯) all those people are actually there, since erations. Shirakawago Sushi is in Zhong- Few people come to Muzha to dine the queue starts at the front of an oth- zheng District, at the Southeast Corner out, and fewer still wander the alley- erwise nondescript public market. What of Huashan Market, right next to the ways stretching between the unserviced- they’re lining up for is the chance to eat Shandao Temple MRT Station, Exit 5 by-subway neighborhood between it and Xindian. However, those who wander and know where to look may come across this hole-in-the-wall restaurant, whose humble size and locale belie the fact that it serves some of the best to be found anywhere in Taipei. Though only 34 years old, proprietor Liu Yu creates a master-chef version of this Taiwanese , and does so out of a 10-seat stall wedged among fruit shops, a Family Mart, and a plumbing supplies store. But there is an early hint of the culinary quality to come. Instead of the cheap black-and-red plastic bowls that are de rigueur at lesser establish- ments, Liu serves his noodles in quality porcelain bowls embossed with tradi- tional Chinese designs. The bowls are just vessels for the real magic, produced using choice ingredients. Besides locally sourced vegetables and an extremely high-quality made from black beans and eschewing cheap wheat additives, everything Liu uses is imported. That includes ultra-high-quality olive oil from Italy, and brisket as well as sirloin and other top cuts of beef from Brazil and Argentina. The lengthy process produces a thick broth, to which Liu adds more beef, carrots cut into chunks so as to be tender without becoming mushy, and a Liu Yu at work conjuring up his delectably high-quality beef noodle soup and choice of hand-pulled noodles, rice (for other beef dishes at his stand in Muzha. diners looking to avoid wheat), or a no- PHOTO: JOSHUA SAMUEL BROWN

TAIWAN BUSINESS TOPICS • JANUARY 2019 13

Off beat.indd 13 2019/1/2 上午12:31 UNIQUE RESTAURANTS

Amma’s Kitchen Taiwan. Alpaca restaurants, however, are rant is called “Uncle Sheep,” the propri- Long-time local expatriates who another matter entirely. etor-chef goes by the moniker of “Uncle began their Taiwan experience doing the Goats Chou” on Facebook. As if this 60-day visa shuffle to Hong Kong will The Oia Art Café weren’t confusing enough, various web- no doubt remember walking the dingy (伊亞藝術咖啡館) sites and bloggers refer to the signature halls of Kowloon’s infamous Chungking Located about 15 kilometers beyond dish as either “sheep hotpot” or “goat Mansions, a labyrinthine building con- Tamsui on the northern coast, the Oia Art hotpot.” Linguistic ambivalence isn’t taining countless cheap hostels and some Café allows visitors to dine on waffles and unusual in Taiwan, and the actual animal of the best Indian restaurants this side ice cream, sandwiches, and French fries used is goat (but not the goat in the of Mumbai. Amma’s Kitchen manages while also being visited at their tables by a backyard, who is an understandably skit- to recreate the best of this ambiance by pair of extremely well trained snow-white tish family pet). being located inside a colorfully deco- alpacas called Snow and Li Bai. The furry What puts Uncle Sheep Restaurant on rated railroad apartment in a nondescript pair wander from table to table like aging the list of offbeat eateries in Taiwan is the mixed-use building on Roosevelt Road. sports celebrities turned restaurateurs, unique cooking method of its signature The six tables are lined up against one checking in on customers for a few min- dish (which, to be clear, is goat hotpot). wall, forcing waitstaff to squeeze past, utes, posing for selfies, and making them- Chunks of goat are placed in an carrying trays. selves available for an occasional hug. earthenware pot along with various Chi- Among the specialties are masala The food at the Oia Art Cafe isn’t bad nese herbs from a secret recipe handed papadam and dosa, but everything here (about what you’d expect from a restau- down through generations. Then 11 full is excellent, good enough to go toe-to- rant whose main attraction is meandering bottles of are added, the earth- toe with anything Chungking Mansions imported livestock), and their coffee is enware pot is covered with foil, caked in has to offer. Amma’s Kitchen is in the excellent. mud, and brought into a walk-in oven Zhongzheng District at 100-93 Roosevelt Once you’ve eaten, you can head out with a dirt floor – in which the pot is Road, Section 3(路三段1009 back to the ocean-facing backyard, which buried for seven days of slow cooking. 號), just a tick north of Exit 4 of the Tai- is home to a small flock of brown alpacas For this last step, the chef dons a mil- power MRT station. Look for a sign at and a tribe of pygmy goats. These ani- itary-grade gas mask, because in addi- the bottom of the stairs reading “Amma’s mals are friendly enough, but judging tion to being predictably hot, the walk- Kitchen” – and please remove your shoes by their smell not hygienic enough to in oven is also filled with smoke from before entering the restaurant. be allowed inside the dining area. The the burning rice and husks that whole place is run by a friendly mullet- the chef says are an essential part of the hairstyled man called Michael. He got cooking process. ANIMAL-THEMED ODDITIES the idea of importing alpacas from his So what does goat that’s been daughter who – after falling in love with cooked for seven days like? Deli- Animal-themed cafes aren’t a new them on the internet – convinced him to ciously savory and distinctly healthful, phenomeon in Taiwan, and these days fly to New Zealand to buy a few (putting with the broth heavy with herbs and no blogger’s visit would be complete him well in the running for the title of without at least one trip to one of Tai- World’s Greatest Dad). wan’s many cat cafés. These are so ubiq- Oia Art Café seems to do a pretty uitous at this point as to be almost brisk business, so expect to wait for unworthy of inclusion in an article about a table on the weekends. One of the unusual dining experiences. alpacas has recently given birth, which Instead, we’ll just give a hearty tip of only makes the atmosphere more ador- the hat to Paula Labline, who spent sev- able. Get to the Oia Art Café by taking eral months last year in a valiant attempt the Red Line to Tamsui and hopping to visit every cat café in Taiwan, coming a bus that goes up to Sanzhi, or just away with an impressive list and descrip- showing a taxi driver this address:北 tion of over 40 cat-themed restaurants 市三區後北121號 (No. 12-1, from to for her blog, Beizhizi, Houcuoli, Sanzhi District, New The Neighbor’s Cat. You can check the Taipei City). list out yourself at https://www.theneigh- borscat.com/taiwan/, but the general Uncle Sheep Restaurant takeaway is that most of these places are Before getting into what earns this fine spots to get coffee and cake while restaurant in far-flung a hanging out with a few felines whose spot on our list, it might be best to clear litter boxes you don’t have to clean. up the confusion regarding the genus of So while not exactly a dime a dozen, the animal at the center of the restau- The goat in the backyard is not for cat restaurants are common enough in rant’s signature dish. While the restau- eating. PHOTO: JOSHUA SAMUEL BROWN

14 TAIWAN BUSINESS TOPICS • JANUARY 2019

Off beat.indd 14 2019/1/2 上午12:31 UNIQUE RESTAURANTS

rice wine. The meat, hearty with flavor, is nearly butter soft. Chou describes the dish as “the best goat in the world,” and it’s hard to argue with that. It’s certainly among the most labor-inten- sive dishes in the world, making the infa- mous turducken (a chicken inside a duck inside a , requiring 12 hours in prep time) seem like a bowl of microwave popcorn in comparison. While the Goat Hot Pot is his sig- nature dish, Chou is hardly a one-trick pony in the kitchen. The restaurant serves a veritable cornucopia of amazing Tai- wanese dishes, many of which use ingre- dients sourced from farms around rural . But the Goat Hot Pot is the only dish whose cooking process At Bobbii Fruiti, the is gloriously colorful as well as refreshing. requires a gas mask. PHOTO: APRIL CHEN Uncle Sheep Restaurant is located in Minxiong , about 20 min- The names of the drinks are also turned into gold!” utes by taxi from downtown Chiayi. The amusingly creative. “Don’t Want to In short, this is the restaurant (now a address: 民27 Work” is a beverage made with oolong chain) where people sit on toilets while 號 (No. 48-27, Songzijiao, Songshan tea, fresh milk, and translucent blue bub- eating feces-themed food out of toilet- , Minxiong Township, Chiayi bles. “Pandora’s Treasure” is an ethereal and urinal-shaped bowls. The food County). But don’t come unannounced. beverage made with layers of white and ranges from barely edible to downright As you might expect from a dish with a blue pearls floating in colorful shaved unpleasant, and if you’re older than 10 seven-day prep time, you’ll want to make lemon ice. Army veterans will find Bobbii the ambiance of the place is amusing reservations in advance. Contact Chou Fruiti’s “Camouflage” simultaneously for five minutes, tops. But if you live in directly at (05) 272 -1597, unclegoats@ triggering and refreshing, as the bever- Taiwan and have children, or are visited yahoo.com.tw, or through his Facebook age’s mix of , , and milk by friends with children or a friend with page, https://www.facebook.com/uncle- is layered in a fashion that’s more than a an Instagram account, you will at some goats.chou little reminiscent of uniforms designed for point find yourself visiting the place. jungle combat. While the sensible thing to do would The most provocatively named item be to sip hot tea (one of the safer things THE COLORFUL AND THE is kept off the general menu – you need on the menu) and watch your guests CRUDE to ask for it at the counter. It’s a mixed try to finish whatever ill-advised meal mango and cranberry iced drink which they’ve ordered, Modern Toilet’s man- We finish off our exploration of Tai- shop owners have inexplicably decided to agement, realizing that cuisine is not wan’s out-of-the-ordinary culinary scene call “Evil Bitch.” what brings people through the front with a visit to a picturesque tea shop Bobbii Fruiti is located at No. 8, Lane door, imposes a per-person minimum to that’s well worth a visit, and an infamous 13, Yongkang Street (台北市街1 ensure everyone orders something that chain restaurant that unashamedly relies 號) in the Da’an District, just a quick vaguely resembles “food.” on bad taste as the source of its appeal. walk from Dongmen Station. The place You would be well advised to stay is generally filled with Instagrammers away from the , the , any- Bobbii Fruiti taking pictures of their colorful, oddly thing au gratin, and any of the amus- Bubble tea shops are a ubiquitous named beverages. ingly titled “classic theme .” Stick in Taipei, but Bobbii Fruiti is the one to the deep-fried dishes (you’ll find these to bring your friends to for a different Modern Toilet on the menu under the heading “Crappy tea shop experience. Located just off No article about unusual places to eat Items”). Having been run through boiling the main strip of the Yongkang Street in Taiwan would be complete without oil for a few minutes prior to serving, “ ghetto,” Bobbii Fruiti fits the a mention of the nation’s best-known they should present no more than the bill on a couple of levels. Forget the theme restaurant, a place built almost usual long-term threat to your arteries. brown bubbles in tan tea color-scheme entirely on a concept stated eloquently Modern Toilet’s flagship restaurant is of most bubble tea. Bobbii Fruiti’s bever- in the “About Us” section of the restau- in the Ximen District at 2F, No. 7, Lane ages border on the psychedelic, with each rant’s own website: “In an age where cre- 50, Xining S. Rd., Taipei (台北市路 drink offering a dizzying array of color. ative marketing is king, even feces can be 507號2.

TAIWAN BUSINESS TOPICS • JANUARY 2019 15

Off beat.indd 15 2019/1/2 上午12:31

KATY HUI-WEN HUNG:

I grew up in Taipei, studied in the U.S. from 1984 to 1986, and have lived in the UK since the late 1980s. Some years ago in the UK, I got to know Marlena Spieler, the acclaimed cookbook writer. Marlena, WHY AND HOW WE an American who has lived in England for a number of years, is central to the story of how this book came to be written. WROTE A CULINARY Without her support, I would never have pursued what started out as “just an HISTORY OF TAIPEI idea.” I first contacted Marlena after she and other food writers based in Europe were brought to Taiwan by the Tourism Katy Hui-wen Hung and Steven Crook discuss their Bureau. The title Marlena chose for her newly published book. December 7, 2012 blog post gives you a good idea of how she felt and continues to feel about the food scene in Taiwan: “I fell in love with Taiwan within minutes of landing in Taipei.” In that blog post, Marlena gushed about “the sheer exuberance of eating… Each meal was amazing, so many tastes and traditions, philosophies, and histo- ries involved with each dish; and for this certified -lover the appearance of thinly sliced garlic in so many places was enough to grab my heart.” She soon introduced me to Ken Albala, a history professor at the Univer- sity of the Pacific whose specialty is food studies. Ken, who has written or edited two dozen books of his own, is in charge of Rowman & Littlefield’s Big City Food Biographies series. He was immediately receptive to the possibility of a volume about Taipei, briefing me that it should be semi-academic in character because food researchers are a primary market for PHOTO: STANFORD CHIOU PHOTO: STEVEN CROOK books in this series. That’s why the book has a 21-page bibliography and 534 end- Co-author Katy Hui-wen Hung in New Co-author Steven Crook enjoys dump- York, 2018. lings and noodles at a restaurant in notes. Tainan. The series now covers 13 cities, including seven in the U.S. and Marlena’s recently published book on Naples. Taipei is the only Asian city featured thus far. In the weeks since A Culinary His- tory of Taipei: Beyond Pork and Ponlai was published, the warmest recep- tion has come from Taiwanese-Ameri- cans and Americans interested in Taiwan. People who can read Chinese have long had access to a great deal of food-related

16 TAIWAN BUSINESS TOPICS • JANUARY 2019

book.indd 16 2019/1/2 上午12:42 GASTRONOMY

scholarship and opinion. But our book an influence the U.S. has had on postwar is the first English-language title that sets culinary development in Taiwan. The Jap- out to explain what anese may have introduced beef-eating eat, but also why they eat what they do habits, but it was the Americans who and how their perceive their foods. helped turn it into a mainstream food. For me, taking on this project had a Finally, I was amazed by the number lot to do with having lived abroad for so of vegetarians in Taiwan. I had assumed long. After 2015, I began spending more there would be far more vegetarians in time in Taipei, and I quickly realized just the UK than in Taiwan, but the statistics how much Taiwan had changed since I’d suggest the percentage is even higher here moved away. Writing a book that would than there. bring together history and culture – as Although I am probably one of the well as contemporary attitudes to food, rare non-celebrities who was able to sign politics, and other aspects of life – seemed a book contract with a major publisher like a fantastic way to reacquaint myself without having a single bylined article to with my country. I was not disappointed. her name, I did not feel like a complete During the research stage, I was espe- novice. In recent years, I have helped a cially impressed by four discoveries. One number of food writers and historians was that so many fruits (such as guava) – among them Robyn Eckhardt, Rachel and vegetables were introduced to Taiwan Laudan, and Ong Jin Teong – with maga- A Culinary History of Taipei: by the Dutch, mostly via but zine assignments or book projects. Beyond Pork and Ponlai some from China. What is more, the When Andrea Nguyen came to names of many fruits are derived from Taiwan to do research for her book Asian By Steven Crook and Katy Hui-wen Hung indigenous languages. That is something : Discover the Best, Make Your Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2018, people of my generation, growing up Own, and Cook It at Home, I organized 256 pages. under martial law, were never taught. a team of friends to help her get around, ISBN-10: 9781538101377; Another is that the intermingling try out restaurants, and attend work- ISBN-13: 978-1538101377 of Hakka and indigenous Austrone- shops. I learned a few tricks of the trade sian foodways has been far greater and from these professionals, and gained con- deeper than I had thought; there seems to fidence, because they treated me like I be a significant overlap between Hakka knew what I was talking about. cooking and indigenous . In addi- Coming up with a title that prop- tion, few Taiwanese realize just how great erly reflected the breadth of the book

The background of street foods such as (savory rice topped with pork) is described in A . PHOTO: STEVEN CROOK

TAIWAN BUSINESS TOPICS • JANUARY 2019 17

book.indd 17 2019/1/2 上午12:42 GASTRONOMY

Kitchen staff prepare lobster dishes for a large outdoor banquet catered by master Lin Ming-tsan, one of several chefs interviewed for the book. PHOTO: KATY HUI-WEN HUNG

took some time. Steven’s first sugges- flying squirrel in the traditional style exchange emails, discussing interesting tion, Sweet Potatoes and Ponlai: How of the original inhabitants, fine restau- places in Taiwan or curious episodes in Hunters, Colonists and Refugees Shaped rants specializing in , and the island’s history. For a features writer the Food History of Taipei, was rejected of crullers and hot always seeking ideas, she was clearly a by the publisher on the very reasonable with twin origins in China and the U.S. person worth knowing. grounds that the city’s name should be Even those who can’t take the trip will In 2015, Katy told me that Mar- front and center. After the text was final- be fascinated by the multifarious con- lena and Ken were encouraging her to ized, we discussed a few alternatives, tributions to this booming gastronomic put together a proposal for a Taipei including one that included the word center.’ It’s a fascinating book.” food book, and that she was looking “Kavalan” (the whiskey maker has been Friends have been asking me: “What’s for someone to partner with her on the one of the great Taiwan success stories next?” One answer would be: “More of project. She said she was already talking of the 21st century), before agreeing that the same!” The response of our readers to another writer, a person I know and “beyond” implies there is a great deal has inspired me to continue learning respect, and who at that time had cer- more to than outsiders about Taiwan, its food, and its history – tainly done a lot more than might think. and to share the interesting stories I find me. He recognized the potential impor- One of the most gratifying and hum- at: https://katyhuiwenhung.blogspot.com. tance of such a book and was interested, bling messages of support we have but fully committed to a non-writing received came from the food historian STEVEN CROOK: project of his own. Rachel Laudan just before publication: She asked if I might be interested in “Katy, they sent me a pdf of the proofs When Katy first mentioned this joining the project if he were to turn and asked for a blurb for the back. I sent project to me, I had known her through down her invitation. As someone who them this. ‘This wonderful book made me the internet for three or four years. She has been told more than once, “We think yearn to take a plane to Taiwan imme- originally got in touch with me after you’re the ideal person for the job!” – diately so I could eat my way through seeing my interview-profile of David only to later find out I was actually the the country’s tumultuous recent his- Landsborough IV, the Taiwan-born mis- third choice – I appreciated this trans- tory: moist castella sponge cakes from sionary doctor. Landsborough had been parency. When writing non-fiction, few the Japanese era, seasonal jams of Rus- a close friend of Katy’s parents, and she things matter more than clarity, and I sian ancestry, beef noodle soups brought was curious how I had got to know him. sensed Katy was someone who would by Muslim soldiers from northern China, After that, from time to time we would willingly provide and eagerly receive the

18 TAIWAN BUSINESS TOPICS • JANUARY 2019

book.indd 18 2019/1/2 上午12:42 GASTRONOMY

honest feedback that is needed if a co- paragraphs. One who has written in both More than a thousand, maybe? Many authoring project is to succeed. English and Chinese is Yujen Chen, an went unanswered, but among the busy The fact that I knew very little about associate professor at National Taiwan individuals who took the time to help us food in Taiwan, despite living on and Normal University. We also did a lot were an archaeologist at enjoying it for more than 20 years, did of primary research, talking to chefs, and a sweet-potato exporter. not deter me for a moment. Previously, farmers, restaurateurs, and one of Tai- We found a huge amount of useful I had put together articles about hot-pot wan’s most successful brewers. information on local Chinese-language cuisine and Hakka food in Meinong, as Katy, I soon discovered, thinks and blogs, and I concluded that there is no well as three or four articles introducing behaves like a reporter. Given a choice aspect of Taiwanese food that hasn’t been indigenous cuisine. But that – apart from between staying at home or going out covered by bloggers. The nearest I came a couple of pieces about night markets, and learning something new, she’ll opt for to finding an exception to this rule was reluctantly written to keep editors happy the latter every time. during the writing of chapter eight, which – was about it. Of the 24 full interviews we con- covers alcoholic and non-alcoholic bev- For various reasons, finalizing the ducted, eight were done via email and erages. I wanted to introduce the prac- proposal took us several months, even one was a telephone conversation. The tice of steeping bee pupae in kaoliang to though we had a couple of templates to others were face-to-face sessions. Both create a supposedly medicinal concoction. work from. The version we submitted Katy and I were present for six of the I have seen big jars of kaoliang filled was nearly 4,800 words long; it included personal interviews. Of the others, she with bee pupae for sale in the countryside, some of the recipes that eventually did 10 while I handled eight. Every but when I searched online for details of appeared in the book, as well as two or exchange was an education, and several the preparation process, I struck out again three paragraphs outlining each of the 10 interviews provided material for more and again. I finally found a few scraps of chapters we planned to write. than one chapter. information, but only then did it occur to After sending it in, we did not have to Anecdotes generously shared by H.M. me that the type of person who soaks bee wait very long at all for it to be accepted. Cheng – his blog, The Battle of Fish- pupae in liquor – I picture an old farmer I was staying on a houseboat in the south erman’s Wharf (https://danshuihistory. in a sānhéyuàn (a three-sided, single-story of England when I got the email. blogspot.com), well known to Taiwan brick house) – probably does not spend At no point did we sit down to history mavens – appear in four different much time online. hammer out a masterplan. It never chapters. Cheng was also a crucial source Since finishing A Culinary History seemed necessary. Instead, we each took of encouragement and feedback during of Taipei, some people have said to me: on a few of the themes listed in the out- the writing phase. “Surely co-authoring makes writing a line and began to do research. This I wish I had kept count of just how book quicker and easier.” To this I always worked very well, because there were no many emails we sent out as we sought reply: “I’m not sure about that, but com- topics that neither of us wanted to touch. to arrange interviews, track down aca- pared to doing it all by yourself, I’m con- It turned out I knew a bit more than demic papers, and confirm some of the vinced you end up with a book that’s I had assumed. My wife comes from a less likely facts people had related to us. twice as good.” family of fruit farmers, and having kicked around the countryside for a good while, I was already familiar with some of the challenges faced by Taiwanese farmers. For me, few things are more engrossing than finding out what makes a particular industry tick. While researching the spe- cial characteristics of the local pork trade – learning, for example, that Taiwan’s pig- geries are far smaller than in the U.S., that consumers prefer fresh pork to frozen meat, and that most pigs are slaughtered in the cities where their meat will be sold, even though transporting them alive is expensive and results in thousands of pre- mature animal deaths each year – I was happier than a pig in mud. We gathered a great deal of informa- tion by reading, of course. Taiwanese scholars have produced superb books A soup made with chicken, sweet potato, and goji berries, served at an Amis indigenous restaurant near Liyu Lake, Hualien. devoted to topics we deal with in a few PHOTO: STEVEN CROOK

TAIWAN BUSINESS TOPICS • JANUARY 2019 19

book.indd 19 2019/1/2 上午12:42 ADVERTORIAL

Regent Taipei Enhances Guest Service - Launching the world’s first Photography Butler service to capture your most memorable moments on your mobile phones!

egent Taipei launches the world’s first “Photography RButler” service - professional and passionate “Photo Butlers” will accompany Regent Taipei room guests to popular Instagram check-in spots in the hotel, tourists attractions and insider photo locations across the city and take memorable photos for guests. The photo locations are researched popular Instagram spots while the “Photo Butlers” are trained and like- minded Regent Taipei colleagues. The service accommodates the rise of ubiq- uitous mobile phone usage and better serves guests’ social media habits. Travelers in Taipei who are unfamil- iar with the city will be able to fully enter exploration mode with insider 跟拍管家是晶華酒店盡力滿足旅客需求的最新服務 tips; conveniently, there will be no need Regent Taipei Enhances Guest Service for selfie-sticks or handing phones to strangers for photo-taking. butler training system, Wedding Butler location options include more than 30 Regent has been the game changer and Shopping Butler, the new industry- insider Instagram-worthy spots within in the luxury hotel industry since the leading “Photography Butler” service Regent Taipei; scenic locations nearby 1970s, and the first to introduce the continues the brand DNA of innovation the hotel will be available in the follow- 5-fixture bathroom, in-room check-in, and guest-centric values. ing phase. Routes and itineraries may the all villa resort, and the mixed-use The “Photography Butler” service be customized based on time available, hotel development. Following Regent is available starting today and must be season and number of people in the Taipei’s introduction of British private reserved in advance. Currently, photo guest party.

全球首創「跟拍管家Photo Butler」服務 晶華酒店待客服務再升級 透過手機鏡頭，捕捉您與酒店及城市最值得留念的共遊風光

人 市美照 國 交路人 人一 有 會為 照傳華 籌有人台北 日 華中 司 期行華 華 發 為主0美 行 日後 台北市照 一國 會中 行市 行 會 美記美 台北有 名人 1970年 行製 一為 人

Regent Taipei 台北晶華酒店 No. 3, Ln. 39, Sec. 2 N. Rd. Taipei, Taiwan +886-2-2523-8000 ext. 3406 Concierge 0050000

20 TAIWAN BUSINESS TOPICS • JANUARY 2019

Regent.indd 20 2019/1/2 上午12:53

SWEET POTATO

Baked sweet potatoes are a Taiwanese staple.

“My grandmother cringed at the very mention of sweet pota- toes. She was born and raised in Tainan, and when she was growing up, sweet potatoes were all her family could afford to eat. In later life, the thought of eating sweet potato in any form repulsed her. Even in the 1970s, PHOTO: STEVEN CROOK when I was a teenager, she was still like that. When we went to AoBa Chingye (), Taipei’s pio- neering Taiwanese cuisine restau- rant, and she saw sweet-potato congee on the menu, she flinched. THE SWEET POTATO’S My mother, however, adored Jap- anese golden sweet potatoes ( ).They were just the right RISE AND FALL – AND size for a healthy snack, and could be eaten without having to remove RISE AGAIN the skin.” — Katy Hui-wen Hung

BY STEVEN CROOK AND KATY HUI-WEN HUNG

aiwanese have been eating sweet dynasty officials in famine-prone parts of spreading out across the western low- potatoes since at least 1603, China encouraged its cultivation. lands grew sweet potatoes as a stopgap T when Chen Di (1541–1617), a The sweet potato probably reached while converting wilderness into paddy scholar who accompanied an anti-pirate Taiwan from soon thereafter. fields. In the early 18th century, a dock expedition to Taiwan in that year, noticed Yet there is also a chance that sea- in Tainan was called “Sweet Potato indigenous people growing them. But the farers whose Austronesian ancestors had Port” because it was a major commodity tuber, known to scientists as Ipomoea migrated eastward across the Pacific car- shipped from there to Fujian. batatas, was likely a very recent addition ried it back west after reaching South Unlike rice, sweet potatoes can easily to the local diet. America. There is even a third possibility, be grown on hillsides, so it soon became First domesticated in Central America because sweet potatoes found in the part of the aboriginal diet. Among the around five millennia ago, the sweet Cook Islands have been carbon-dated to Bunun people, there was a taboo against potato was introduced to the Philip- 1000 A.D. – and very recent evolutionary eating millet and sweet potato at the same pines by the Spanish in the second half of scholarship suggests it was “present in time. Even today, some Taiwanese refer the 16th century. It reached the Chinese Polynesia in pre-human times.” to this tuber as fānshŭ (, “barbarians’ mainland sometime between 1582 and Whenever and however it reached potato”), but the most common – and 1594. Recognizing that it could help feed Taiwan, Ipomoea batatas had emerged politically correct – term is uā (). the country’s growing population, Ming as a key crop by the 1700s. Han pioneers The Holo name, hanji, is often rendered

22 TAIWAN BUSINESS TOPICS • JANUARY 2019

sweet potatoes.indd 22 2019/1/2 上午12:52 SWEET POTATO

in Zhuyin Fuhao as . Despite the association with poverty, baked as a street snack reveals a Cen- George L. Mackay, the Canadian a dependence on sweet potato is prefer- tral Asian influence on Chinese foodways missionary active in northern Taiwan able in some respects to a dependence that reached Taiwan after World War II. between 1872 and 1901, observed that on rice. As recently as the 1950s it was In her blog, Madame Huang’s Kitchen, farmers typically planted sweet potatoes reported that indigenous children for she reminisces about a particular sweet- in September or October, after the year’s whom the tuber was a staple were less potato vendor in Taipei who used a con- second rice harvest. Part of the crop was likely to suffer from thiamine deficiency crete barrel, “shaped sort of like a tradi- cut up and dried under the sun for use (which can lead to beriberi), compared tional tandoori oven…Hot charcoal cov- throughout the year. to Han youngsters on the lowlands who ered the bottom and vibrantly orange During Japanese rule, the colonial mainly ate rice. sweet potatoes were hung by hooks authorities famously emphasized the pro- Taiwan’s sweet-potato produc- around the rim; they would slowly bake duction of sugar and rice in order to sat- tion surged throughout the 1950s and into a tender lusciousness as their bot- isfy consumers in the home islands. 1960s, driven not by human appetite but toms roasted over the slow fire and the Not so well known is the great expan- demand for swine fodder. The 1969 crop skins turned a crispy black.” sion of sweet-potato farming during that was 3.701 million tonnes. By 1977, how- “When cooked properly, the potatoes era. According to Economic Develop- ever, production had halved as livestock will ooze with juices that will first car- ment of Taiwan: Early Experiences and farmers embraced corn-based feeds. Over amelize and then burn,” she raves. “It the Pacific Trade Triangle by Frank S.T. the past decade, around 10,000 hectares doesn’t really matter whether you take Hsiao and Mei-chu Hsiao-Wang, sweet of farmland – most of it in Yunlin and them out covered with their natural car- potatoes sustained both humans and hogs Counties – has been devoted amel or allow the juices to turn black. It’s throughout the colonial period, and was to sweet potato. Annual production all a matter of personal taste.” a raw material for producing alcohol. has varied between 205,868 tonnes and Sweet potatoes cooked the traditional Ipomoea batatas “was the third 241,694 tonnes. way are still a common sight in towns important crop [after rice and sugar],” After the Republic of China gov- and cities. Convenience stores also sell they write, and from 1934 to 1938 ernment relocated to Taipei in 1949, ready-to-eat sweet potatoes, but bake Taiwan was responsible for “3.7% of the sweet potato became a symbol of them on a special electric grill rather than world production, and ranked fourth in nshnén (人, “people native to in an oven. the world behind China, Japan, and the this province,” the descendants of Han United States… Despite this large output, migrants who settled in Taiwan before Numerous varieties most sweet potatoes were used domesti- 1945). At the same time, is a code cally. On average, only 2.6% of produc- word for àshnén (人, “people For many people, a sweet potato is tion was shipped to Japan.” from outside the province,” those born simply a sweet potato, but those in the In households that could not afford on the Chinese mainland and their off- are familiar with the dif- rice, sweet potato was boiled to make a spring). ferent cultivars that are grown in Taiwan. or was added to soups. In fam- In 2000, when Chen Shui-bian Certain ones are better for baking, others ilies that were a little better off, chunks became the first non- pres- have more delicious and nutritious leaves, were mixed in and steamed with rice to ident in Taiwan’s history, the dessert and some are processed into starch. reduce the amount of the expensive grain. served at his inauguration banquet was a Sweet potato starch is what gives Due to rice shortages during and for a taro and sweet-potato cake, symbolizing many of Taiwan’s thicker soups (, gēng) while following World War II, the formula a desire for ethnic harmony. their viscosity. It is also a key ingredient for locally made rice wine was adjusted Chinese-cuisine specialist and cook- of omelets (, usually known to include sweet-potato mash. Into the book writer Carolyn Phillips suggests by their Holo name, ô á choan), creating 1960s, a cheap spirit with a high ethanol that the way in which sweet potato is their distinctive chewiness. For the same content, widely known by its Holo name reason, sweet potato flour is often part of thài peh̍ chiú ( ) sold well. of the mixture used to popcorn Often made from sweet potatoes (it chicken (, yánsūjī). could also be made from rice, and was Different cultivars fetch very different originally produced from cassava), it was prices, says Ignacio Chang, a manager at delivered in large jars and sometimes sold Taiwan Sweet Potato International Food by the glass at dry-goods stores. Farm- Co. The Tainong 43, 44, 45 and 48 vari- hands and laborers brought their own eties – “almost totally without sweet- cups, so they could enjoy a snifter at the ness” but good for making starch powder end of the work day. As it was what econ- – are very cheap. For Tainong 57, a pop- omists call an “inferior good,” production ular cultivar for baking and immediate of thài pe h chiú ceased in the 1970s when Peeling a baked sweet potato bought consumption, “the price directly from the rising living standards meant ordinary from a roadside vendor. farmer is about NT$15 per kg.”

folk could afford better beverages. PHOTO: STEVEN CROOK Tainong 57, also known as the golden

TAIWAN BUSINESS TOPICS • JANUARY 2019 23

sweet potatoes.indd 23 2019/1/2 上午12:52 SWEET POTATO

sweet potato (), has brown skin and yellow flesh. The flesh of Tainong 66 – the red-heart sweet potato ( or ) – is purplish. The Tainong varieties were developed at the Chiayi Agricultural Experiment Station, a branch of the Taiwan Agri- cultural Research Institute (TARI). The Chiayi station has been researching Ipo- moea batatas since 1922, and continues to release new consumer-friendly culti- vars. One of the most recent, Tainong 74, can be stored at room temperature for at least 28 days without sprouting, and so is ideal for exporting to distant markets. The World Center (for- merly called the Asian Vegetable Taiwan golden sweet potatoes grown in central Taiwan’s . Research and Development Center, PHOTO: COURTESY OF TAIWAN SWEET POTATO INTERNATIONAL FOOD CO., LTD AVRDC) in Tainan’s Shanhua Dis- trict was for 20 years a sweet-potato a similar amount to Hong Kong, Chang your eye health and immunity.” research center of global importance. says. About 40% is sold in Taiwan as However, an article published in the “Throughout Asia, sweet potato tubers whole sweet potatoes, with the remainder Health section of the local Chinese-lan- have been an important staple food, and turned into ice cream, syrup, chips, and guage United Daily News website on from its founding in 1971, the center other processed foods. June 21, 2018 named baked sweet potato conducted research on sweet potato,” Chang encourages his customers to as one of six foods that are not as healthy says Maureen Mecozzi, the center’s eat Taiwan golden sweet potatoes com- as many people believe. director of communications and informa- plete with their skin, to get the max- Once considered unfit for human con- tion. “By 1973, the center had more than imum amount of soluble fiber (which sumption, sweet-potato stems and leaves 1,600 accessions of the crop.” helps you feel fuller and reduces consti- are now a popular side dish. Cultivars In 1987, the Consultative Group pation) and flavonoids (some of which bred specifically for their leaves, such on International Agricultural Research have an anti-inflammatory effect). His as Tainong 71 and Taoyuan 2, are rich (CGIAR) elevated sweet potato to the company uses a micro-bubble ozone in vitamins C and B6, and far less bitter status of a high-priority crop. “It was system to wash the sweet potatoes, to than previous iterations. considered under-researched and of vital ensure they leave the packing plant as The Chinese-language website icook. importance to poor people in many devel- clean as ready-to-eat lettuce. tw, which has compiled more than oping countries,” Mecozzi explains. According to Chang, there are sev- 160,000 pages of food preparation tips, “The International Potato Center in eral reasons why the sweet potato has includes recipes for several popular Peru began intensively researching the made a gradual comeback. One is that sweet-potato snacks and dishes. Among sweet potato,” he says. “After 1991, the tuber and its leaves are no longer neg- the 2,179 entries mentioning dìguā are when the AVRDC board of directors atively associated with pig feed. Also, pages on how to make French fries and decided to halt our sweet potato breeding Chang says, more and more people have lasagna using sweet potato, as well as an program because it was costly to main- discovered the delightful taste of sweet unusual recipe for sweet-potato balls ( tain, the entire AVRDC sweet potato col- potato, and that it can help one’s diges- , dìguā qiú). Deep-fried, golfball-sized lection was duplicated and transferred to tion. Because they can be bought ready- sweet-potato balls are sold in many night the International Potato Center, and also to-eat in convenience stores, there is no markets, but this version incorporates to TARI.” need to seek out a roadside vendor. Most cheese to add complexity to the flavor. Ignacio Chang’s company sells a cul- importantly, perhaps, medical studies Neither Taiwanese people nor their tivar it calls the Taiwan golden sweet have identified several health benefits for livestock eat sweet potato in the quanti- potato, grown by contract farmers in those who eat sweet potato. ties they once did. In one place, however, Yunlin County. “It’s a hybrid of Japa- On March 26, 2013, Self, the U.S. the tuber plays the exact same role it did nese and Taiwanese sweet potatoes,” he women’s wellness magazine, declared a hundred or more years ago. At Jiaba says. “The skin is purple, and inside it’s the tuber to be their “superfood of the Shuangzhong Temple () in bright yellow. From the farmer, the price week,” noting that “one medium sweet Chiayi City, the pious propitiate a horse is around NT$21 per kilo, the highest of potato has a mere 105 calories and four deity. It is said that, if the horse is not well any variety on the market now.” grams of filling fiber. Plus, one of these fed, it will break free and trample crops. Around 20% of Taiwan Sweet Pota- spuds provides a whopping 400% of So far, grass, drinking water, and sweet to’s output is exported to and your daily value of Vitamin A to boost potatoes seem to have kept it satisfied.

24 TAIWAN BUSINESS TOPICS • JANUARY 2019

sweet potatoes.indd 24 2019/1/2 上午12:52

LUNCHBOXES

A modern hiromaru lunchbox featuring a red pickle on white rice to resemble the Japanese flag.

“My father was born in 1926 in Tamsui. My mother was born in 1930 in Tokyo, where my grand- father (who was from Banqiao; my maternal grandmother was from Tainan) worked as a finan- cial advisor until 1946. During the

PHOTO: KANKO/WIKIMEDIA war, both of my parents ate hiro- maru lunchboxes, with the con- tents arranged to reinforce patri- otism. The non-rice part of the was placed beneath the rice, in the middle of which sat a red THE BIANDANG FROM , a plum-like . That way, when the box was opened, the first thing a person JAPANESE DAYS TO saw was the hiromaru, a red circle on a white background, just like THE PRESENT Japan’s flag.” — Katy Hui-wen Hung

BY STEVEN CROOK AND KATY HUI-WEN HUNG

oxes in which a meal could be most famous at that time for their deli- my generation who lived in northern carried to school or delivered to cious bento,” writes Wu in a chapter for Taiwan had never heard of such Japa- B an office emerged as a Taiwanese Re-orienting Cuisine: East Asian Food- nese-style bento, although they too had culinary institution during the 1895- ways in the Twenty-First Century. Passing traveled on trains.” 1945 period of Japanese rule. Immedi- cash through train windows, each hungry One place in Taiwan still associated ately after the colonial era, according to passenger received a box “made of paper- with railway indāng is Fenqihu ( Taiwan-born anthropologist David Y. thin wood slices…containing half of a ), 1,405 meters above sea level in H. Wu, the lunchboxes that Mandarin hard-boiled shoyu (Japanese-style) egg, Chiayi County. This little town is a key speakers call àn ān () became “a shredded red-colored or braised stop on the narrow-gauge railway linking clear ethnic marker.” hard tofu cake, and , served on a Chiayi City with Alishan, and more than “When I was in elementary school thin layer of rice.” half a century ago, trains that set out and traveled by train from to These delicate bento were very dif- from Chiayi in the morning would reach Taipei (in the late 1940s and early 1950s), ferent from the metal tiffin-type boxes Fenqihu around lunchtime. the most anticipated and rewarding part favored by the then Families who once made a living of the trip was to get to eat a Japanese fleeing to Taiwan. Wu recalls that, aston- selling meal boxes to famished railway bento at or station, ishingly, “several mainlander friends of passengers now sell them to tourists who

26 TAIWAN BUSINESS TOPICS • JANUARY 2019

lunchbox.indd 26 2019/1/2 上午1:00 LUNCHBOXES

arrive by car or tour bus. In terms of the by the Taiwanese inflection, iānong, cut up the previous day, but everything is food, Fenqihu indāng are barely distin- rather than the Mandarin biàndang. cooked on the day it’s sold.” guishable from lowland bento. Typically, A-Han usually starts work before Compared to larger bento operations, each one contains a pork chop that has seven o’clock in the morning. By nine A-Han does not offer many options. “We been marinated, then coated with corn- o’clock, when his wife arrives, he and cook the same 17 dishes almost every starch and fried in a skillet; two kinds of a 68-year-old part-timer have taken day,” he says. Eight of them are vegeta- vegetable; some pickles; and white rice delivery of eggs, fish, and other items, bles, three of which (tomato, sweetcorn, (never wholegrain). and all four stoves are in action. His and onion) are cooked with egg. Pork is Eating-in at a Fenqihu lunchbox res- kitchen is too small, he complains, and offered in the form of smartphone-sized taurant is something of a retro expe- he could do with another big refrigerator, cutlets, slabs of braised pork belly, and rience, however, because each portion but renting larger premises would cost slivers of meat stir-fried with garlic and arrives in a circular steel box. These too much. Folding tables set out on the green bell pepper. fànhé (, “rice boxes”) edged out the sidewalk provide additional working sur- Those who prefer poultry can choose Japanese-style disposable (and biode- faces, but by eleven o’clock most of these kung pao chicken, chicken cutlets, or gradable) boxes in the 1950s and 1960s are covered by stacks of filled bento. If deep- drumsticks. One type in a process Wu calls “the Sinicization of a patron wants to eat in – which A-Han of fish, a tofu-based dish, and dugān railway bento.” does not encourage – he or she has to (dried tofu) in an onion sauce complete Like their elders who had grown find a space between bagged-up orders the inventory. up during the colonial era, Taiwanese awaiting collection. Long ago, A-Han concluded that pro- of Wu’s generation invariably ate their “Offices and shops want a total of viding additional options is more trouble bento room-temperature. But after 1949, 742 iānong today, and we’ll prob- than it’s worth. Likewise – and unusu- he recalls, schools dominated by main- ably sell about 150 more to walk-in cus- ally for a bento business – he does not land Chinese “were obliged to collect stu- tomers,” A-Han says, reviewing the note- offer any soup. He never cooks duck, dent indāng in the morning, send them book in which he keeps track of orders. goose, or beef, pointing out that “if to the school kitchen, and steam them in At ten past eleven, his nephew starts to people want those, they’ll go to a spe- huge steamers so that the students could make deliveries by motorcycle, and the cialized restaurant.” enjoy a hot meal at lunchtime.” telephone is taken off the hook. “We’ll be A-Han declines to discuss margins or Many Taiwanese students found the too busy to answer it, anyway. We might even how much he spends on boxes (the odor produced by so many dif- lose some orders, but I can accept that,” ones he uses are subdivided into four ferent foods together to be rather off- he explains. compartments, the largest being for rice). putting; the Holo adjective frequently Asked why he has been able to keep He does, however, admit to adjusting the used to describe the odor is phun (, several major corporate customers happy mix of vegetables when wholesale prices “rancid”). After schools began providing for years on end, A-Han says: “Price, fluctuate. If prices surge – as they did this lunch for students in the early 1980s, the freshness, and hygiene are of equal past September – he dares not pass on all use of steamers to reheat meals brought importance. Some of the vegetables are of the increased costs to his customers. from home soon declined. No one knows how many meal- boxes are sold each year in Taiwan, but the total may have fallen over the past 15 years. Many consumers assume that bento businesses use the cheapest ingre- dients available, a lot of oil, and possibly too much . Each time there is a food- safety scare, a few more citizens decide that they will prepare their own lunch from now on. But if demand for bento is softening, lunchbox seller A-han has yet to notice. On a normal weekday, A-Han, his wife, and their helpers fill close to a thousand cardboard boxes with rice, veg- etables, and proteins. A-han, who asked that his surname not be published, has been selling bento for nearly 20 years. Because the family’s business is located Meal-box businesses usually offer several different vegetables, as well as in an old part of central Kaohsiung, the that have been braised or fried, and vegetarian-friendly fare like tofu. majority of their customers refer to bento PHOTO: STEVEN CROOK

TAIWAN BUSINESS TOPICS • JANUARY 2019 27

lunchbox.indd 27 2019/1/2 上午1:00 LUNCHBOXES

His attitude is that of a stoic. “When out of favor for cookware and , vegetables are expensive, they’re expen- despite being light, inexpensive, and rust- sive for everyone. My competitors suffer resistant. Aluminum is now thought to as much as I do, and I actually get a few neutralize vitamins and minerals present more walk-in customers, because some in food. While no strong evidence people think buying a lunchbox is cheaper has been found that aluminum causes than cooking at home. This work is hard, dementia, the mere suggestion of a link of course, but so long as you keep up has been enough for many consumers to your quality, it’s a stable business.” ditch aluminum utensils in favor of stain- less steel. Throwaways and treasures One of Mei’s boxes bears the English word “Cyanamid” (the name of a com- Very few bento vendors now use the pound used in farming and animal hus- ultralight wooden boxes that were a fea- bandry) as well as the Chinese name for The kind of multi-layer, multi-container ture of Wu’s childhood. For many years, the Cyanamid Taiwan Corp. (臺灣 meal box used by office workers 40 or more upmarket food businesses deliv- 公司), a cyanamide-making company 50 years ago. ered meals to regular customers in sturdy jointly established in 1960 by the Amer- reusable containers, also made of wood. ican Cyanamid Co. (since broken up Li-Du Japanese Restaurant ( 日 and purchased by various conglomer- 理) on Taipei’s Yanping South Road – ates) and Taiwan Sugar Corp. Between founded in 1943 and still going today – the two rows of text, there are three did this until around 1980, when they (, u u féi, embraced disposable meal boxes. known in the English-speaking world as The styrofoam containers that were “Aurofac”). Taiwanese of a certain age common in the 1990s are thankfully a will recognize this term as the name of a thing of the past. And since the early years livestock feed supplement that the com- of this century, Taiwan’s Environmental pany manufactured. Giving away “Cyan- Protection Administration has been Some highly collectible bento boxes amid” bento boxes was one way to pro- encouraging a shift away from single-use were given away as rewards to mote u u féi. Jackets, bags, and boxes tableware and food containers. Even so, employees, gifts to conference par- of matche;s were also distributed. dealing with the millions of greasy meal- ticipants, or (like this box) to promote Until recently, a bento box without boxes that are discarded each day is a products like cyanamide-based feed rice was unimaginable, but A-Han says supplements. major challenge for the authorities. that in recent years he has been getting PHOTOS: COURTESY OF DEAN-E MEI Like many other bento vendors, more and more customers who specify A-Han uses boxes made of a special card- “no rice” or “half the usual amount.” board coated on one side with a plastic uation a “big gap in Taiwan’s circular This trend is not surprising. Annual per film. The boxes neither soak up liquids economy.” capita rice consumption in Taiwan is now from the food nor leak. The cardboard Companies that make this kind of a mere 48 kilograms, less than half of and the film can be separated in a special food container are charged a recycling what it was a generation ago. facility where the former is turned into fee of NT$7.25 per kilogram, which is No one goes to a lunchbox vendor pulp for reuse (some is sold as eco-friendly shared between Lien Tai and those who expecting innovative cuisine, but some toilet paper) and the latter becomes pel- collect and transport soiled bento boxes. establishments do venture beyond the lets. Recovery is complicated by the oil The elegance and variety of reusable usual recipes and include distinctive and water that adheres to used boxes, and bento boxes has long intrigued Dean-E local elements. Perhaps the most unusual by the plastic straws, disposable Mei, a professor at Taipei National offering the writers of this article have chopsticks, and rubber bands often mixed University of the Arts and one of Tai- seen is snail meat stir-fried with garlic in with boxes sent for recycling. wan’s best-known avant-garde artists. and soy sauce. That was in Jiaxian ( According to a September 24, 2018 Describing himself as “perhaps Taiwan’s ), a little town that abuts the moun- Central News Agency report, only one first meal-box fan,” he has “unintention- tains in greater Kaohsiung, so the snails company in Taiwan, Miaoli-based Lien ally” built up a collection of more than were almost certainly foraged rather than Tai Paper Corp., currently has the ability 15 vintage bento boxes. Most were pur- farmed. Gastropods of this kind (Achatina to complete this process, but other enter- chased through online auctions. They fulica Bowdich, aka Giant African snails) prises are equipping themselves with the were not expensive (NT$300 to $2,000 have been part of the rural diet since they necessary technology. Noting that a very each) but several are objects of consider- were introduced to Taiwan from Singa- large proportion of used meal-boxes end able charm. pore by the Japanese in 1932 – almost as up being incinerated or scattered in the Many of Mei’s bento boxes are made long as the bento box has been a feature countryside, the report called the sit- of aluminum, a material which has fallen of life in the island’s towns and cities.

28 TAIWAN BUSINESS TOPICS • JANUARY 2019

lunchbox.indd 28 2019/1/2 上午1:00 ADVERTORIAL TOSCANA Brings the Best Flavors from the West!

with butter to add an intense aroma. The steak takes on a fragrant, buttery and nutty flavor as it bakes for a second time until the desired degree of doneness, and is then served with basic seasoning of sea salt and ground .

Culinary Excellence at TOSCANA If you’re looking for a comforting atmosphere with exceptional food – or a special place to celebrate the holidays – the Tuscan décor of TOSCANA Ital- ian Restaurant overlooking a beautiful garden offers a warm and inviting open- nown originally for its only a handful of restaurants outside space environment. authentic , the the United States are able to offer this Chef Hsu carefully selects premium K Sherwood Taipei’s TOSCANA grade of meat. cuts to satisfy the most devoted steak Italian Restaurant in recent years has lover, providing options of New York, also appealed to the growing appetite Rich and Buttery, Cooked to Perfection Rib-Eye, or bone-in Murraymere steak and appreciation for steak in Taiwan. Chef Hsu is proudly featuring the for the main course. There are also clas- TOSCANA never fails to delight guests tender and delicate flavors of beef from sic starters such as Seattle Chieftain with its specialty and premium beef Murraymere Farms as the star course and French Onion Soup, plus dishes, and it has developed a loyal on TOSCANA’s new winter menu. The the restaurant’s signature Black Truf- following among Taiwanese wishing to Murraymere beef’s superior texture fle Ice Cream dessert to top off the enjoy the best in steak. and fine marbling leaves you craving meal – all for a reasonable NT$3,380 more. There are two ways of cooking to per person (plus 10% service fee). The From Wyoming’s Murraymere Farms demonstrate the perfection of Murray- restaurant also puts on a sumptuous Murraymere Farms is the first ranch mere beef. For boneless Murraymere Italian-style weekend semi-buffet with a in the State of Wyoming to export beef it’s the same as with the classic wide selection of premium meats, fresh beef to Taiwan, available exclusively TOSCANA dry-aged steak, which is seafood, and a dessert bar, starting from at TOSCANA. A family-owned busi- seared, then roasted on high heat to seal NT$3,080 a person (plus 10% service ness founded in 1914, Murraymere in the juices and lock in the flavor. fee) depending on the main course. Farms is located in beautiful Powell, Bone-in Murraymere beef, however, Come to The Sherwood Taipei’s Wyoming, less than two hours’ drive requires a different cooking process. TOSCANA Italian Restaurant this east of the world-famous Yellowstone It starts off in the oven, baking under winter to enjoy a special meal for a National Park. Four generations later, high temperature to build up a crusty special occasion. To make reservations, the Murray family has approximately sear. Once the sides are golden brown, please call (02) 2718-1188 or visit the 900 breeding cows on a farm of over the Murraymere steak is cut to expose Sherwood Taipei: No. 111, Minsheng 2,000 acres. the raw meat inside, which is basted East Road, Section 3, Taipei. The farm commits to raising high- quality, grain-fed in a safe and humane way, paying close atten- tion to every aspect of the operation from “conception to consumption.” TOSCANA Executive Chef Kevin Hsu points out that “Murraymere beef is graded as USDA Prime, the best grade given by the U.S. Department of Agri- culture (USDA) meat-grading system.” Only a small percentage of all U.S. beef has the degree of marbling and rich flavor and texture to qualify as USDA Prime. Considering the limited supply,

TAIWAN BUSINESS TOPICS • JANUARY 2019 29

1 shewood advertorial.indd 29 2019/1/2 上午1:38 KAVALAN

Kavalan Gin is described as being smooth and fragrant, with toffee and raisin notes.

KAVALAN FINDS FURTHER “GINSPIRATION”

A food conglomerate that makes acclaimed whisky has introduced a Taiwan- flavored craft gin that is set to make a splash on the rocks or in cocktails.

STORY AND PHOTOS BY JULES QUARTLY

30 Do TAIWAN BUSINESS Not TOPICS • JANUARY Serve 2019 Alcohol to Minors

Kavalan.indd 30 2019/1/2 上午1:06 KAVALAN

ure spring water flows from Snow 1 this year and the timing was oppor- International Wine & Spirit Competition Mountain (Hsuehshan) and seeps tune, considering that gin is experiencing (IWSC) held in London in July 2018, the P into the sedimentary rock aquifer something of a renaissance. According to number of gin entries overtook Scotch at the foot of the massif on Lanyang Plain the Wine and Spirits Trade Association, whisky for the first time ever. in Yilan County. The water is drawn from the UK – the world’s biggest gin exporter There are an estimated 3,500 (and a 25-meter deep well in the neatly land- – registered record sales of £532.3 mil- rising) gin brands on the market, with scaped grounds of to lion for 2017, 12% higher than the pre- 600 new varieties alone entered at the create a malted barley, single-base spirit vious year. IWSC, which was a third higher than that is triple distilled and flavored with “We could say it’s a happy coinci- the previous year. Total gin sales in the “botanicals” (ingredients derived from dence,” says Chang. “However, we did UK could even exceed Scotch by 2020, plants) – most notably juniper. notice that the gin category in general has according to IWSC forecasts. Water in, gin out. It sounds simple – shown very good growth potential.” but succeeding is a major achievement, The resurgence is due in part to the London Dry especially given Taiwan’s sub-tropical cli- large number of craft gin makers popping mate and short history as a distiller of up all over the world, from Cambodia The principle reason why gin is Western-style liquors. to South Africa. Craft spirits makers are making such a strong comeback on the Kavalan Gin is the latest spirit to bubble defined by the American Distilling Insti- world’s drinking stage is that small distill- forth from Kavalan Distillery, just an hour tute as independently owned distilleries eries – craft or artisanal gin makers – are in the car from Taipei, in Yilan’s Yuanshan that distill and bottle the spirits on-site refashioning the definition of so-called Township. Although the company’s award- and have annual sales of no more than London Dry. winning are world renowned, the 52,000 cases. At this juncture, a short history lesson move into craft gin came as a surprise to This definition certainly fits Kavalan is required. Gin is essentially a juniper-fla- many in the liquor business. Gin at this stage, given its current reli- vored spirit and was first regarded, in the Usually a distillery masters the basics ance solely on domestic sales. These are Middle Ages, as herbal medicine. Though by producing simpler spirits, such as gin not likely to be high in a market that Italy and the Netherlands both have and vodka, before moving on to the com- traditionally favors brandies, cognacs, strong claims to have invented gin, its plexities of whisky, which contains up to whiskies, and Chinese spirits – though popularity exploded in England during the 300 flavoring compounds. Creating new younger drinkers are more adven- first half of the 18th century – and ever traditions, however, has become some- turous and cocktails with gin mixers are since then gin has been associated with the thing of a habit for Kavalan Master becoming popular. country, from Hogarth’s pictures of a gin- Blender Ian Chang. Eventually Kavalan plans to offer its soaked London to sundowners of gin and “We’ve taken a different path from gin worldwide. Once the product is regis- tonic (G&T) during the British Raj. several other distilleries that launched a tered and “gradually launched market by The “Gin Craze” in the 1700s was gin product before they launched their market,” production is expected to ramp responsible for riots and serious social whisky product,” Chang says. “At Kav- up considerably, Chang says. problems; gin was called “Mother’s alan Distillery our original and ongoing When Kavalan Gin does start Ruin” for good reason. It was made purpose is to produce world-class single appearing on bar shelves around the cheaply and illegally, with additives such malt whisky. We now also produce gin!” world, it will face considerable competi- as turpentine and sulfuric acid injecting Kavalan Gin was released on October tion. At the Annual Spirits Tasting of the a kick that also made it a severe health hazard. Flavorings and copious amounts of sugar and were added to make it sweeter and therefore more palatable. After distillation methods were improved and the gin trade regulated to assure quality, unsweetened London Dry became the standard-bearer of the spirit, through brands such as Gordon’s, Beef- eater, and Tanqueray. It was only about a decade ago that contemporary gins, with new flavorings and terroir, became fashionable. Technically and in accord with Euro- pean Community regulations, London Dry gin must be distilled from a neu- tral base spirit of agricultural origin and The German stills installed in 2008 proved not to be a fit for whisky, but were cannot be less than 37.5% alcohol by repurposed and found to be perfect for gin. volume (ABV), with no artificial flavor-

TAIWAN BUSINESS TOPICS • JANUARY 2019 31

Kavalan.indd 31 2019/1/2 上午1:06 KAVALAN

end of the ABV scale in terms of strength. The emphasis is on friendliness and fresh- ness, highlighting the rich, fruity flavors rather than going for a knockout punch. “I wanted Kavalan Gin to be refreshing and elegant,” Chang says. “Imagine taking a dip in a crystal pool on an intense summer’s day. That’s what I had in mind for the experience of drinking Kavalan Gin.” The backstory behind the production dates from the early days of the distillery, which was built in 2005 and produced its first drop of “new label spirit” on March 11, 2006 at precisely 3:30 p.m. – a date and time Chang says he will never forget. “We bought these massive German After a tour of the Kavalan Distillery in ings or colorings added after distillation, stills to produce a new make for Kavalan Yilan county, tourists repair to the tast- while the overriding flavor must be of whisky from 2008 to 2010,” he says. ing room for the serious business of juniper berries. “We found the new make was too pure at whisky and gin appreciation. In practice, however, definitions are around 90% ABV and there wasn’t much being stretched to accommodate exper- room for texture and flavor compounds. The Perfect Mixer imentation. Sweden’s Hernö gin brand, After discussing this with our late con- for example, adds botanicals such as sultant Dr. Jim Swan, and the manage- Creating a aiwanese gin was very lingon berries, vanilla, and meadow- ment team, we decided to stop using the important to me, ust like Kavalan whis- sweet. It doesn’t taste like your classic German stills.” ky is proudly aiwanese, says Kavalan London Dry gin at all, though the pro- “However, we realized they could aster Blender Ian Chang. duction process is much the same. still be perfect for producing clear spirits As Beefeater Gin Master Distiller Des- on a larger scale,” he recalls. “We car- He re ommends drinking Kavalan in mond Payne noted at the IWSC compe- ried out research and development on the on the ro ks, or paired with toni and tition: “Over the last few years, gin has base spirits, botanicals, and gin recipes, other mi ers that go together and reate experienced global success, and I’m not and in 2018 we officially started pro- an en oyable drink. Here are his three surprised the IWSC saw its highest-ever ducing Kavalan Gin.” o ktail re ipe suggestions: level of entries to this category. This new- The production process begins by found growth is being driven by millen- milling barley and mashing with the Kavalan Ginfonk nial drinkers who are attracted to the arti- famed spring water, followed by the Kavalan in: 50ml sanal nature of gin and its wide range of addition of yeasts for fermentation and homas Henry oni : 150ml botanical flavorings. That focus on prov- triple distillation in the eight German Pomelo Cordial: 7.5ml enance and taste has propelled its popu- stills. It is then double charcoal filtered Lemon ui e: 5ml larity and we’re seeing distillers testing the and finally blended by adding botanicals, boundaries of gin like never before – there , and extracts. Lost Stars really is a gin for everyone.” Unlike Kavalan’s whiskies, which are Kavalan in: 50ml carefully stored in casks and aged, the akao romati ine Syrup: 20ml Kavalan Gin final version gin is poured into a dis- Lime ui e: 20ml tinctive, bisected, blue-and-crystal glass B hite Co oa: 20ml Ian Chang says the inspiration for bottle, with a raised starfruit lattice ropi ruit Puree: 10ml his gin was to achieve a Taiwan identity, design. It’s labeled with a silhouette of the which is why he opted for local botan- company’s Kavalan Convention Center, The Road by the Sea icals such as zesty kumquat peel and boxed, and is ready for retail at the com- Kavalan in: 50ml musky red guava, with flavorful dried petitive price point of NT$800. Sherry montillado: 10ml star fruit. These are mixed with After the launch, tasting sessions were olin ry Infused Bamboo Leaf: 10ml and aniseed to provide sweetness, plus arranged for enthusiasts and bartenders Co onut ater: 10ml the obligatory juniper berries. to gauge their reaction. The consensus Coriander Bitters: 2 drops At 40%, Kavalan Gin is at the lower view was that it was fruity and had

32 TAIWANWhen BUSINESS TOPICS • JANUARY You2019 Drink, Don’t Drive

Kavalan.indd 32 2019/1/2 上午1:06 KAVALAN

boiled guava, caramel, , cake, licate the success of Kavalan whisky by because he was a local, had a degree in and raisin notes on the nose. It was also bringing in foreign experts (in this case, food technology, and possessed what described as smooth and buttery, with Bavarian Braumeister Georg Rittmayer as turned out to be an exceptionally sen- caramel/toffee notes and a fragrant finish head consultant), creating award-winning sitive nose for recognizing whiskies. He reminiscent of Grand Marnier. brews, and then ramping up production was sent to London’s Institute of Brewing My own feeling after drinking it to drive revenues. Exports are set to begin and Distilling and was mentored by straight was of a clean and light spirit, to Guam, Hong Kong, and China. Scotch whisky expert Jim Swan before fruity and characterful, which danced It’s an example of how Taiwanese production began. and skipped around the palate. It’s going companies are reinventing themselves As Kavalan Brand Ambassador Kait- to be an ideal mixer for some lucky and moving up the value chain by trans- lyn Tsai recalls, “Ten consultants turned cocktail, probably paired with a high- forming from being a contract manufac- us down before Dr. Jim Swan was mountain green tea concocted by a mix- turer, to becoming an innovative brand approached and told us, ‘I don’t know ologist at one of Taipei’s many excellent that is recognized around the world. where Taiwan is, but I would like to give cocktail bars. The surprising aspect in the case of it a try.’” Chang says the bartenders’ view was Kavalan whisky is that the success was Asked whether CEO Albert Lee was that Kavalan Gin “would be welcomed as achieved so quickly, in an intensely tra- involved in the development of Kavalan an addition to the Asian gin collection.” ditional industry with which Taiwan Gin, Tsai replies, “Oh, yes, he’s a perfec- He also allowed that it was similar in had no previous experience. Aside from tionist. He tried out all the different rec- style to Suntory’s Roku craft gin, which , founded in ipes and signed off on the final version.” adds six seasonal and archetypal Japa- 1952, Taiwan possessed no independent Having taken the Kavalan Distillery nese botanicals, in addition to eight tradi- distilleries until Kavalan built its Disney- tour and repaired to the tasting rooms, tional gin botanicals. land-style chateau in Yuanshan. we meet Canadian retiree Grzegorz This makes sense because Japan has up In fact, it was only after Taiwan Skonieczka, who is testing the fruits of to now led the way in Asia when it comes joined the World Trade Organization in Kavalan’s success. Along with his wife, to making fine whiskies. It excels by 2002 that private companies were even daughter and possible future son-in-law paying attention to detail, sensitivity, and allowed to make spirits. Previously, all (who both work at Google), he is one of craftsmanship – thereby inspiring Kavalan brewing and distilling were monopo- the million visitors a year who make the to believe it can do the same or better. lized under the government-held Taiwan pilgrimage to Yuanshan. Tobacco and Liquor Co. Skonieczka says he’s impressed but King Car Taiwan’s supposed disadvantages, not surprised that Taiwan has man- such as its subtropical climate, turned out aged to master gin and whisky produc- Kavalan is one of those Taiwan suc- to be advantages. Relatively high summer tion, considering its tech manufacturing cess stories where hard work and temperatures accelerate aging, add color advantages and ability to reinvent itself. audacity eventually pay off. Hence the and depth, and also refine the whisky by “Taiwan is a modern, globalized country line in the U.S. TV show Billions, where taking a greater “angel’s share” through and there’s nothing surprising about being one of the lead characters lovingly sips evaporation. Winter’s Siberian winds able to combine production of whisky Kavalan Solist Vinho Barrique – hailed by assist with oxidation. and semiconductors.” In both cases, he the World Whiskies Awards as the “best The necessary expertise was recruited. says, the process seems simple, but is single malt whiskey on Earth” – and Ian Chang joined the Kavalan project really highly subtle and complicated. opines: “The Taiwanese do it better than the Scots these days.” Kavalan is part of the privately owned food and aquaculture conglom- erate King Car Group (), founded by Chairman Lee Tien-tsai and now led by his son, CEO Albert Lee. The company was itself spun off from Chu Chen Indus- trial, which was established in 1956 and produces chemicals, fertilizers, mosquito repellants, and cleaning products. King Car found a measure of fame and fortune when it launched the Mr. Brown Coffee brand in 1982, selling and later opening cafés. In June last year, the company moved on to Bavarian beer and opened the Buckskin Bourbon barrels are exposed to fire, which enhances the color and flavor of brewery in Taoyuan. The aim was to rep- Kavalan whisky.

TAIWAN BUSINESS TOPICS • JANUARY 2019 33

Kavalan.indd 33 2019/1/2 上午1:06 FOOD DELIVERY

PHOTO: UBER EATS

THE FOOD BOTS HAVE ARRIVED

Meal delivery is changing rapidly and growing exponentially due to the online-to-offline revolution, which offers easy online ordering, customized offerings and speed.

BY JULES QUARTLY

hinking () oper- Typically, these companies provide a market. Third-party operators handle the ates out of a back alley on website or app, from which the customer ordering and delivery process, sharing T Wuxing Road, not far from can choose a restaurant or type of cui- revenue with their restaurant partners Taipei 101. Providing the option of three sine. The customer places the order by and delivery personnel. curry flavors – Indian, European, or Jap- clicking on items – including options such In Taiwan, five major players are vying anese – it was so popular that finding as salad dressing – and then agrees to a for dominance in the delivery sector: a seat on weekday evenings was a chal- payment method. • (), founded in lenge. Nowadays getting seated is the By providing an easy-to-use digital 2012 in Germany, was bought out in easy part. It’s the ordering that takes a platform, convenience, speed, and cus- 2016 by the publicly listed, Berlin- while because of all the delivery meals tomized offerings based on customer based food delivery service Delivery being prepared, bagged up, and sent on data, third-party food delivery has rap- Hero. The company typically oper- their way. idly become a huge and intensely compet- ates its own delivery logistics. Such is the new reality of the restau- itive business. • Uber Eats is the overachieving off- rant trade. It’s not so much butts on seats There are two main kinds of opera- spring of the ride-hailing service as meals delivered by a fleet of motorbike tions. The first type involves direct res- Uber, which is based in California riders employed by tech companies. taurant-to-consumer delivery. A typical and was launched in 2014. It has Part of the online-to-offline (O2O) example is Domino’s Pizza, which handles aggressively expanded into 250 revolution, these companies don’t shop its own deliveries after orders are taken via cities and is reportedly growing at for ingredients, cook food, or own any the company website or over the phone. the rate of 200% annually. restaurants. Technically, they don’t even Second is the platform-to-consumer • Honestbee () is an online employ drivers. Instead they are driving delivery model, which enables restau- grocery and the “gig economy,” paying deliverers per rants that do not necessarily offer food that operates out of Singapore. mission accomplished. delivery themselves to expand their Launched in 2015, it started meal

34 TAIWAN BUSINESS TOPICS • JANUARY 2019

Food delivery.indd 34 2019/1/2 上午1:11 FOOD DELIVERY

delivery services in 2017. delivery,” says Chen. “The situation is it is expected to further consolidate its • Yowoo (有), which operates more stable now, and we’re educating hold on the Taiwan market in the near in most areas in Taipei, is the only people that ordering food is something future, possibly through acquisition of locally based market entrant and you can do daily – it’s not just a treat. other companies. is a partnership between two sub- Yes, other competitors have entered the When was contacted for sidiaries of local companies, Xinyi market, but to our mind this actually this article, it initially agreed to answer Real Estate and Taiwan Taxi’s makes the market bigger and the service a series of questions but then pulled out Global Express. It charges the least better, as more people are used to it and without explanation. The reason could for food delivery. use it.” well have been the possible takeover by • Deliveroo ( ) is the latest Uber Eats, first reported by Bloomberg in player to enter the market. Based in The competitors September. England, it was started in 2013 by That was around the same time that Taiwanese-American entrepreneur It didn’t go well for Uber when it tried Deliveroo CEO Will Shu was quoted Will Shu. The Taiwan service began to disrupt the taxi business in Taiwan in The Telegraph as calling the compa- in September last year and is cur- starting in 2014. Due to vehement oppo- ny’s move to Taiwan a “personal mile- rently available in only four Taipei sition from the politically powerful taxi stone,” given that his parents were born districts. industry, Uber Taiwan was shut down here. “Taiwan is the market with my Food delivery is an incredibly febrile by the authorities in February 2017. It favorite food in the world. From a per- market, in which the companies and their re-entered the market in April that year sonal standpoint, it’s an amazing feeling business models change quickly. Typi- with a new business model based on part- to launch Deliveroo in Taiwan.” cally, customers are charged for delivery nering with licensed rental car compa- Though valued at US$2 billion and at a set rate (NT$24 to NT$60), but the nies, but is still straining to gain traction. working with 50,000 restaurants and companies also take a cut of up to 30% Uber Eats, however, is a totally dif- the same number of delivery riders in of the restaurant’s revenue, in addition to ferent story. From its start in Taiwan in 13 markets, including Taiwan, Deliv- charging extra for a preferential listing. November 2016, the company has devel- eroo is still operating in the red. The Tele- At Foodpanda, which enjoys a first- oped quickly, cooperating with 3,000 res- graph reported that the company’s losses mover advantage, marketing and PR man- taurants in its first year of operation. increased by 43% in 2017 to nearly ager Lisa Chen describes growth over the Unlike the ride-hailing service, Uber’s US$234 million. past six years as constantly improving. food delivery has been welcomed with Deliveroo has also had legal prob- Though declining to divulge revenue fig- open arms. lems in the United Kingdom with its ures, she says the company has a 55% A market survey conducted by the gig-economy approach to food delivery, market share, works with more than company last year found that Taiwanese which provides drivers with fewer rights 7,000 restaurants all over Taiwan, and in dishes, particularly popcorn chicken, were and benefits. There have also been com- 2018 increased “daily ordering numbers” the most popular delivery foods, followed plaints in the UK about low pay and by 10 times over the previous year. by Japanese and Italian cuisine. lack of union recognition that have gone The company employs 1,500 drivers, was the most requested beverage. to court. who are paid according to the number With its strong name recognition, Judging from my own unscientific of meals they deliver. Chen says that a deep pockets, and software and O2O survey, Foodpanda drivers seem the key reason for Foodpanda’s success is the expertise, Uber Eats has become one of most satisfied with their work, condi- training it gives drivers, who have to pass the world’s food delivery titans. As such, tions, and pay. One Foodpanda driver oral and practical driving tests. “We also teach them how to how to interact with restaurants, customers, and with other road users,” she says. “They are pro- vided with SOPs (standard operating pro- cedures) on how to check the meals and receipts, and how to talk and behave with customers.” Besides Taipei, where it offers 24-hour delivery in the Central Business Dis- trict and other busy areas, Foodpanda also operates in New Taipei, Kaohsiung, Taichung, Taoyuan, and Hsinchu, and is starting up in Tainan and looking at other cities. “In the beginning we struggled a Foodpanda attributes its success in part to the training given drivers on how to interact with customers. bit because it was early days for food PHOTO: FOODPANDA

TAIWAN BUSINESS TOPICS • JANUARY 2019 35

Food delivery.indd 35 2019/1/2 上午1:11 FOOD DELIVERY

who asked not to be named said, “We are public in the second half of next year on tion” disrupts traditional business models paid per delivery, so the money goes up the New York stock exchange and buying and generates huge business opportuni- and down, but I have been making about up Deliveroo would make its IPO more ties via the digital marketplace, fulfilling NT$20,000 a month, which helps a lot attractive. consumer demand by offering immediate because it fits around my schedule for Long before apps, Taiwan had a access to goods and services. looking after the kids.” thriving restaurant industry that relied In a speech he gave in 2016, Will Shu As for the proposed takeover of Deliv- in part on providing takeaways or deliv- expressed the conviction that because eroo, analysts believe that since food ering meals. Good food, choice, and con- people are “inherently lazy,” if food is delivery is growing faster than ride venience have always been the most delivered fresh and hot, quickly and at a hailing, it has become a priority for Uber important considerations. decent price, they will get hooked and use and a buyout would help consolidate its In a sense, these features are what the service again and again. grip on the market. Furthermore, Uber, the O2O revolution provides in spades He seems to have a point. including Uber Eats, is expected to go when it meets food delivery. “Uberiza-

ber ats To delivery foods in Tai ei 1. Pop orn hi ken from Pop orn Chi ken King 2. Chi ken over ri e from Hala Chi ken 3. Chi ken soup from usangbao Soup . hite bubble milk tea from ood ay Sele t 5. ietnamese beef Pho from hanh-Ky 6. Salted hi ken from Chibfood 7. Beefburger with ba on and heese from ake ut Burger & Cafe 8. rilled hi ken drumsti k with ri e from Sanshui hiang Ri e 9. Congee with pork and entury egg from Nan hang Congee 10. Honey bubble milk tea from ne ore

ibly profitable food delivery companies that have grown up in China, such as Dianping and Ele.me. Meituan Dian- Can’t Cook, Won’t Cook ping alone is valued at US$30 billion. “The first O2O service other than ride-hailing to truly take n a 2018 report entitled “Is the Kitchen Dead?” invest- off [in China] was food delivery,” Lee writes. “Crowds at Chi- ment bank UBS noted a worldwide “megatrend”: people are nese restaurants thinned out, and streets filled up with swarms I not cooking at home as much as they used to, nor are they of electric scooters trailing steam from the hot meals they car- dining out as frequently. The reason for this is meal delivery, ried aboard.” which is already a US$35 billion industry and projected to grow “Payments could be made seamlessly through WeChat Wallet more than 10-fold by 2030 to take 10% of the world’s total and Alipay. By the end of 2014, Chinese spending on O2O food food services market. delivery had grown by over 50% and topped 15 billion RMB By that time “ghost” or “dark” operated by robots (US$2.2 billion). By 2016, China’s 20 million daily online food may be cooking up most of our dinners. Right now, the report orders equaled ten times this total across the United States.” states, we are at the “first stage of industrializing meal produc- Lee also quotes a 2016 study by consulting firm McKinsey tion and delivery.” & Company, which showed that 65% of Chinese consumers UBS attributes this generational shift in eating patterns said the ease of using an app led them to spend more money on to “increasingly time-starved and asset-light millennial con- dining. sumers.” Millennials typically don’t learn to cook, so they order “Globally, we are still at a very early stage of the on-demand out instead. Furthermore, because of the time factor and econ- culture and economy,” says Bodo von Braunmühl, head of cor- omies of scale, the cost of a home-cooked meal can add up to porate communications at , by email. “Even in more than a meal that is delivered. markets that have seen strong growth for many years, we see “Online ordering has started to become the norm, thanks continued increase of demand, while technology evolves and to the convenience, accuracy, and ability to integrate pay- fundamentally changes consumption habits.” ments,” the report states. “Ubiquitous on-demand and subscrip- For Von Braunmühl the big picture is: “Delivered food tion delivery of prepared food could potentially spell the end of will not only become more affordable, but also deliveries will cooking at home.” become faster and food choices will grow. Under these condu- By far the biggest market worldwide is China. In his book AI cive conditions, who still wants to cook every day?” Superpowers: China, Silicon Valley, and the New World Order in China, Taipei-born author Lee Kai-fu, describes the incred- — By Jules Quartly

36 TAIWAN BUSINESS TOPICS • JANUARY 2019

Food delivery.indd 36 2019/1/2 上午1:11

VEGETARIAN

Herban Kitchen’s Spinach Fried . PHOTO: MATTHEW FULCO

MEATLESS DINING – FOR RELIGION OR LIFESTYLE

As more people embrace new flavors and healthy living, is no longer confined to traditional Buddhist dishes.

BY MATTHEW FULCO

38 TAIWAN BUSINESS TOPICS • JANUARY 2019

Veggie.indd 38 2019/1/2 下午3:29 VEGETARIAN

ifteen years ago, Taipei-based res- of the ten heavens will all disdain him them,” he notes. taurateur Marco Lapka and his if he eats pungent foods in this world, Indeed, the restaurant accommodates F wife Queenie Wu added a twist to because of his strong odor and unclean- Buddhist vegetarians, but its focus is on their vacations. When on holiday, they liness, and will give distance themselves hearty, flavorful, and savory dishes of would eat only vegetarian meals. “It’s far from him.” various origins. Take the Vegan Mac & easy to find good meals with meat almost There’s no doubt that garlic breath Cheese, which also happens to be allium- anywhere, but for plant-based food is offensive, not to mention the havoc free. There’s no cheese. Instead the maca- it’s harder,” Lapka says. “It adds some that alliums can wreak on some diges- roni, carrots, and potatoes are bathed in unpredictability to our travels.” tive tracts. Certainly, Buddhist vege- cashew cream, which is milder and more Over the years, the vegetarian vaca- tarians can easily get by without garlic aromatic than melted cheddar. It’s deli- tions provided the inspiration for the and in their diets, says Ella Liu, cious without leaving you drowsy from plant-based restaurant Herban Kitchen, a Taipei resident who has been on an fullness. which Lapka and Wu launched in Taipei allium-free vegetarian diet for the past Equally exceptional are the Spinach in 2013. The restaurant is not wholly few years. Liu adopted the Buddhist vege- Cashew Fried Wontons, a vegan rein- vegan (free of all animal products). About tarian diet for religious purposes, not for terpretation of the America Chinatown half the menu items include eggs or dairy health or environmental reasons. “It’s an classic, substituting cashew cream and products, but all are meat-free. “There are important part of the Buddhist faith in spinach for the pork. With the savory no dead animals here,” says Lapka. Taiwan,” she says. cashew pulp filling, the pastry almost The husband-and-wife team opened At home, Liu’s mother cooks her recalls , that illustrious the restaurant to introduce their vege- allium-free vegetarian meals. When eating stuffed with cream cheese that tarian comfort food to Taiwan, where out, she can easily find simple Buddhist has long been a fixture of American Chi- Buddhist influences make it more recep- vegetarian fare, although she acknowl- nese cuisine. tive to plant-based diets than is the case edges that quality varies widely. If you’ve For a convincing meat substitute, in the United States, says Lapka, who is ever been to one of those vegetarian try the protein-packed fiery Homemade originally from Minneapolis. “There isn’t “buffet” restaurants where the dishes Shroomutton Curry and Pita, which the same kind of negative stereotyping of look – and taste – like three-day-old left- includes eggplant, zucchini, broccoli, vegetarians and vegans here,” he says. overs, you’ll know what she means. chickpeas, and mushrooms. Surprisingly, Indeed, the World Atlas ranks Taiwan At Herban Kitchen, Lapka says that the mushrooms have a meaty firmness as having the third highest rate of veg- most of the dishes can be cooked without that resembles a nice cut of lamb. They’re etarianism in the world after India and garlic or onions, although he prefers the ideal foil for the robust curry that’s Israel. An estimated 13% of the Taiwan them with alliums. “You lose a lot of neither vegan nor overly buttery. population – 1.7 million people – are veg- flavor, but some dishes work without Herban Kitchen is one a slew of plant- etarian, according to government data. There are about 6,000 vegetarian restau- rants nationwide. “The huge number of vegetarian res- taurants in Taiwan is one of our best kept culinary secrets,” says Wu Chi-hui, a software engineer and animal rights activist. While Wu himself is passionate about animal rights, he says that the vast majority of Taiwanese herbivores eschew meat for religious reasons. “It’s really different from what’s typical in the West,” he says. Taiwanese Buddhist vegetarians exclude from their diets what they call “the five pungent foods” – garlic, onions, chives, green onions, and leeks, all from the allium genus of flowering plants. The Surangama Sutra, a major 10th century Buddhist text, says the five pungent foods “create lust when eaten cooked, and rage when eaten raw.” Further, according to the Suran- gama Sutra, “Even if someone can recite The Vegan Mac & Cheese at Herban Kitchen. twelve sutras from memory, the gods PHOTO: MATTHEW FULCO

TAIWAN BUSINESS TOPICS • JANUARY 2019 39

Veggie.indd 39 2019/1/2 上午1:19 VEGETARIAN

idents and visitors with the launch of an In some cases, the vegan option is an exclusively vegetarian outlet, MIK-3, in improvement. The fragrant spices in the 2017. On a recent visit, a gregarious vis- vegan yellow lentil curry with tomatoes itor from Chennai told me that the rava are more pronounced without the ghee. masala dosa (a savory fermented lentil Vegan rava masala dosa is plenty hearty and rice crepe) on my plate was a spe- with its spicy potato filling and dipping cialty of his hometown, located on the of homemade coconut chutney subcontinent’s southeastern coast. and spicy lentils. The savory coconut “ is in our [the Indian chutney, made with fresh coconut, green people’s] roots,” says founder and head chillies, and , is so delectable you’ll chef Mayur Srivastava, who has been be asking for seconds and thirds. based in Taiwan for a decade. “Our gods As tasty as the food is at MIK-3 and tell us to be vegetarian. They won’t look Herban Kitchen, it can be on the rich favorably upon us eating meat.” side – even the vegan preparations. Deep- , Hinduism, and Jainism – figures prominently in the prepara- the three major religions that originated tion of vegetarian Indian appetizers such Ooh Cha Cha’s beet hummus. in ancient India – all have strong links to as , pakora and onion bhaji. And PHOTO: MATTHEW FULCO vegetarianism. Jainism bans meat con- it’s one of the reasons that Herban Kitch- sumption altogether, while Buddhism and en’s cashew-pulp wontons are so deli- based restaurants that have sprung up Hinduism discourage it. cious. Both restaurants also make liberal around Taipei in recent years to cap- But MIK-3 couldn’t survive by relying use of butter and/or heavy cream in their italize on the interest in eco-friendly, primarily on Indian customers. “Of non-vegan dishes. healthy living. “There’s been a boom in course Indian people come to the restau- For a guilt-free plant-based meal, the plant-based restaurants over the past rant, but there aren’t enough Indians in innocuously named Plants Eatery, which four years,” says Mai Bach, a California Taiwan to sustain the business,” Sriv- focuses on nutritious vegan cooking, is native and founder of the vegan Ooh Cha astava says. Rather, it’s the interest of a good choice. Co-founder Square Jao Cha café, which has a branch near the young Taiwanese – especially women – in established the restaurant because she Guting MRT station and another near vegetarian dining that makes the restau- believes strongly in plant-based diets, National Taiwan University. rant successful. which she says are better for our bodies Bach sees the interest in plant-based Tapping India’s vast vegetarian culi- and the environment. “It’s possible to diets as a part of a broader shift in nary tradition, Srivastava has crafted a get all the necessary nutrients our bodies Taiwan towards healthier living. She menu featuring hundreds of dishes from need from plants, and I can’t support the points out that many of the health prob- throughout the subcontinent. Many can destruction of the environment caused by lems becoming common in Taiwan, such be prepared either vegetarian, which usu- large-scale animal husbandry,” she says. as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer, are ally means with ghee (purified butter), or The clientele at Plants is half local and linked to diets high in unhealthy fats, car- vegan (with canola oil). half foreign, including quite a few inter- bohydrates, and refined sugars – common ingredients in processed foods. Well planned plant-based diets, whether vegetarian or vegan, “are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and may provide health benefits in the pre- vention and treatment of certain dis- eases,” according to the American Dietetic Association.

Herbivore arcadia

Overwhelmingly, the main patrons of plant-based dining establishments in Taiwan are younger people – frequently millennials on their MacBooks or iPhone Xs (and sometimes both at once). Mayur Indian Kitchen (MIK), which operates seven restaurants across northern Taiwan, tapped this market seg- ment as well as demand from Indian res- MIK-3’s Bhalla Chaat (lentil dumplings soaked in fresh yogurt). PHOTO: MATTHEW FULCO

40 TAIWAN BUSINESS TOPICS • JANUARY 2019

Veggie.indd 40 2019/1/2 下午3:33 VEGETARIAN

national tourists. On both of my visits to the restaurant, I didn’t see anyone beyond the dawn of middle age. “Older Tai- wanese are unfamiliar with this type of food,” Jao says. For those unfamiliar with terms like “macrobiotic” (balancing the yin and yang of your diet), “raw” (excludes any- thing cooked at a high temperature or processed), or “super food” (rich in nutri- ents), the menu can be a bit daunting. And then there’s the matter of gluten, the infamous wheat proteins that cause gas- trointestinal distress in those allergic to them. Plants declares itself to be “gluten- free” on the top of its Facebook page. My advice: Don’t think too much, . It’s hard to go wrong given the quality of the ingredients and the prowess of Jao’s head chef, who honed his animal- Plants Eatery's Fusili Alfredo. free cooking skills in Vancouver for years PHOTO: MATTHEW FULCO before taking the job at Plants in 2016. One of the standouts is the zesty Fusili spicy. Bach and her team have scored a Alfredo, which uses lentil rather than win with a set of eclectic ingredients for a wheat , nut parmesan cheese, and smoothie: pineapple, ginger, kiwi, apple, here to Go a delicate cream sauce made from nuts. and chia seed. erban Kitchen Garnished with oyster mushrooms and Many people who get into the habit green beans, it’s a major improvement of eating plant-based food consider No. 27, Lane 101, hong iao . over the heavy cream-drenched American giving up meat or even animal prod- Rd., Se . , aipei 10691 corruption of Italy’s Fettucine Alfredo, a ucts altogether, Bach says. “They dis- 10691 台北市區東路段 dish you might order in New York’s Little cover how tasty plant-based food has 10127號 Italy along with a bottle of cheap Chianti become. It’s no longer just cold tofu and el: 8773-7033; www.herban.tw while a Frank Sinatra record plays in the uncooked vegetables.” background. But those on a plant-based diet must oh ha ha Another must-order item dish is the be sure they are getting the right combi- 207 NanChang Rd., Se . 2, aipei Sprouted Pumpkin Dahl, Indian-inspired nation of nutrients, she cautions. When City, 100 but a whole lot lighter than a traditional she first began abstaining from animal 100台北市路二段207號 curry from the Subcontinent. It’s satis- products, she ended up eating too many el: 2367-7133; ooh ha ha. om fying without being soporific. The menu high-calorie, carbohydrate-heavy staples describes it as a “stew of pumpkin, sea- like pasta and rice and not enough fruits sonal vegetables, sprouted red lentils and and vegetables. “After a year, I felt awful May r ndian Kitchen Indian spices, served with mixed local and looked malnourished,” she says. No. 38, inSheng N. Rd., Se . 1, salad greens.” Over time Bach added a wider variety aipei City, 10 91 Mai Bach’s Ooh Cha Cha is another of vegan foods to her diet and regained 10 91 台北市生北路一段38號 favorite of vegan diners in Taipei. her good health. She learned how nuts, el: 25 3-1817 Founded in 2013, the restaurant focuses lentils, quinoa, and chickpeas can serve mik3-vegetarian-restaurant. on creative but unassuming plant-based as vital sources of protein. She became business.site food. Think roasted beet hummus, a cau- stringent about sourcing food, keeping in liflower almond ricotta burger, and cur- mind the food scandals that have rocked Plants ried lentils on a French roll with bell pep- Taiwan in recent years. No. 10, Lane 253, u ing S. Rd., pers and tomato. “If you want to make a vegan diet Se . 1, aipei City, 106 The drinks are good too, especially the healthy, eat a good balance of plant- 106 台北市區路一段 Body Boost, which is billed as beneficial based foods and be knowledgeable about 號 樓 for the immune system. Even if the white where the food comes from,” she says. 253 10 1 blood cell boost is perhaps too subtle to “And don’t jump into it without knowing el: 278 -5677 detect, the drink tastes extraordinary – how to replace the nutrients you get from www.plantseatery. om.tw thirst quenching, tropical, and just a bit animal products.”

TAIWAN BUSINESS TOPICS • JANUARY 2019 41

Veggie.indd 41 2019/1/2 下午3:35

THAI CUISINE

Thai & Thai’s Fish Cakes. PHOTO: MATTHEW FULCO

THAI FOOD CATCHES ON IN TAIPEI

Authentic is no longer hard to find thanks to changing tastes and more outbound tourism.

BY MATTHEW FULCO

he Taiwanese have always been Thai cuisine didn’t become an overnight When I did eat in Taipei’s Thai restau- ambivalent about spicy food. favorite on Taiwan. Thai cuisine thrives rants, I was dismayed. Red chicken cur- T Some Taiwanese revel in the when the flavors of sour, salty, sweet, ries, normally bursting with the flavor explosive effects of chili peppers on the spicy, and (savory) are in har- of red chilis, lemongrass, fish paste, palate (consider the popularity of spicy mony. You can’t just axe the sour and and ginger, were all and hot pot here), but just as many balk at spicy and expect it to be tasty. overcooked chicken breast. The illus- the hotness. When I first arrived in 2004, Thai res- trious Thai salad – made from Sour is another flavor out of favor. taurants were scant, and authentic Thai shredded, unripe green papaya, dried How many times have you heard food almost non-existent. There was the shrimp, fresh lime juice, fresh chilis and someone in Taiwan comment that a newly opened Thai & Thai on Dunhua – tasted bland, like a fruit salad food or beverage is “tai suan ()” – North Road, but then, like now, the res- from . meaning “too sour?” taurant kept a low profile. I only discov- Fourteen years later, those fake Thai Given the traditional aversion to ered it this year courtesy of the Michelin restaurants still exist. I made the mis- spicy and sour food, it is no surprise that Guide. take of ordering takeout from one a few

TAIWAN BUSINESS TOPICS • JANUARY 2019 43

Thai.indd 43 2019/1/2 下午3:41 THAI CUISINE

weeks ago, against my better judgment. of both of ’s best known culi- lapakit’s refined Thai cooking. The chicken , the aromatic grilled nary styles: street food and imperial cui- Her crispy sand goby (沙), chicken sewers that are a staple of Thai sine. Street food consists of the dishes deep-fried and brimming with the essence street food, had the consistency of shoe served in stalls throughout Thailand – for of lemon, , and chili, is melt- leather, accompanied by a flat example, satay, papaya salad, and simple in-the-mouth delicious. The palate first that tasted like micro- curry dishes over rice. Imperial Thai cui- detects the savory, salty, and sour flavors, waved Skippy. sine is derived from the once-secret rec- and then the sweetness (from the tama- Fortunately, today such eateries are ipes of the Thai royal family. The dishes rind) and spiciness kick in. Don’t take too more the exception than the rule. Young include many of the same ingredients large a bite or you’ll choke on the chili. Taiwanese, many who have traveled to used in street food, but are more elabo- Sillapakit based this preparation on Thailand on holiday, are quite willing to rate, sometimes featuring ornate fruit and popular meat dishes from northeastern try authentic Thai food, says Chao Chun- vegetable carvings. Thailand but uses fish to make it lighter. teng, the long-time restaurateur who runs Rapeeporn Sillapakit, head chef of “The flavors work well with the sand Thai & Thai. “They come here and they Sukhothai in the Sheraton Grand Taipei goby, which is plentiful in Taiwan and a want to eat the same type of food that hotel, offers a selection of both cooking popular fish among locals,” she says. they enjoyed when they traveled to Thai- styles on the restaurant’s extensive menu, Among her royal Thai dishes, be sure land,” he says. which changes frequently. “Classic Thai to try the Fresh Shrimp on Rice Crisps In recent years, outbound tourism to food [street food] and Thai royal cuisine with Minced Pork . The Thailand has grown steadily. Through are both representative of what’s eaten in rice crisps will remind Americans of a October, 564,971 Taiwanese had visited Thailand today,” she says. “There’s a cer- thinner, more refined and delicate version Thailand in 2018, up more than 22% tain allure to the royal cuisine because of a Rice Crispy Treat – except with juicy year-on-year, according to data compiled the recipes were once carefully guarded shrimp and fragrant peanut sauce on top. by Taiwan’s Tourism Bureau. In 2017, secrets and everyone outside of royalty Another royal dish not to be missed is 553,804 Taiwanese traveled to Thailand, was forbidden from preparing or eating Beef , which is pungent up from in 532,787 in 2016. the dishes.” but not fiery. Instead of red or green chili The understated elegance of Sukho- peppers, massaman exudes , cori- Eating like a king thai, which is furnished with dark wood ander, , , and . It’s flooring, plush gray velvet seats, and not far removed from Indian curry and In Taipei, it is now possible to find large busts of Buddha radiating serenity, may well have originated in , restaurants serving authentic renditions makes an ideal setting for exploring Sil- experts say. In Thailand’s Muslim south,

Thai Made’s Deep-Fried Shrimp Cake. PHOTO: MATTHEW FULCO

44 TAIWAN BUSINESS TOPICS • JANUARY 2019

Thai.indd 44 2019/1/2 下午3:45 THAI CUISINE

massaman curry is often made with suc- the stir-fried pork with a pungent, faintly culent lamb – an even better match for the bitter taste. The variant of the dish flavors than beef. Luckily, Sukhothai plans cooked with tastes sweet by con- to put a lamb version on the menu soon. trast. “When freshly picked, the aromatic For those hankering for simpler Thai leaves [of holy basil] hold a spicy, pep- food, Sukhothai does not disappoint. pery bite and a delicious combination of In fact, the restaurant has a knock-out basil and mint flavors,” according to the chicken satay – maybe the best in Taiwan Thai Food and Travel website. – but the most recent version of the menu A signature dish at Thai & Thai is swaps it for an equally outstanding skew- Deep-Fried Shrimp Cake, which the res- ered pork tenderloin, sliced thin and taurant says it created. Traditionally, the bathed in a slightly sweet soy glaze. Sil- dish didn’t exist in Thailand, although Sukhothai’s Shrimp Salad. lapakit says the pork skewer may actu- now it’s becoming more common, Chao PHOTO: MATTHEW FULCO ally be more authentic Thai food than says, adding that it’s a favorite of Tai- the satay, which originated in Malaysia wanese diners. Made of minced shrimp or Indonesia and eventually made its way and fatty pork deep fried to a golden here to Go over to Thailand. brown, it’s much heavier than the typical Thai appetizer. S khothai Thai cooking lessons Genuine or not, the shrimp cake is so 2 , rand Sheraton Hotel, 12 popular in Taiwan that it’s on the menu hong iao . Rd., Se . 1, aipei Chef Sillapakit has been at Sukhothai of virtually every Thai restaurant on the City 100 since 2013, but she started her culinary island. Less authentic restaurants tend to el: 2321-1818 career in Taiwan at Thai & Thai in 2003. skimp on the shrimp content, says Chef She departed when the restaurant closed Ya, a native Thai who’s the head chef of Thai Thai temporarily about a decade ago. She later the Thai Made restaurant in Taipei. 5 , andarin riental r ade, cooked at a number of high-end Thai res- Compared to the upscale environ- 158 unHua N. Rd., aipei taurants throughout China, but eventu- ment of Sukhothai or Thai & Thai, Thai el: 2719-6689 ally returned to Taiwan, frustrated by the Made is decidedly more modest. Service difficulty of importing key Thai ingredi- is efficient if occasionally hurried, but the Thai Made ents into the PRC. servers can’t be blamed: The place is usu- 3 ong eng St., aipei 106 Thai & Thai ultimately reopened in ally packed in the evening. Make sure 106臺北市區東街號1樓 the upscale Arcade mall adjacent to the you book in advance. el: 278 -0303 Mandarin Oriental hotel, and continues Anyway, the focus here is on the food. to work with top-tier Thai chefs, says “We aim to bring the best Thai street Chao Chun-teng. The owner of the res- food into a restaurant setting,” Ya says. taurant, a Taiwanese who grew up in And there’s plenty of it: papaya salad, Thailand, is reputed to be a gourmand beef salad with lime and lemongrass, and great appreciator of Thai cuisine. skewered meats, all different types of Chao himself is no slouch when it red and green curries, and of course, the comes to Thai cuisine, despite having deep-fried shrimp . the curious official title of “engineering Meanwhile, on a menu as big as Thai director.” During my most recent visit to Made’s, not everything is street food, Thai & Thai, he asked the chefs to whip even if it’s not technically “royal Thai up two different versions of Thailand’s cuisine.” Highly recommended is the fra- famed Pad Kra Pao, which translates to grant Steamed Sea Bass with Lime, Garlic “Stir-Fried Pork with Holy Basil.” One and Chili Broth; Matsusaka, a succulent of the versions of the dish is made with roast pig dish from northern Thailand; ordinary basil leaves. You’ll see basil in and Deep-Fried Softshell Crab, which Taiwan cooked with stir-fried clams or makes one wish that all crabs had edible offered as a garnish for savory exoskeletons. pancake, a popular local street food. The Ya says that he will adjust the flavor Pad Kra Pao with ordinary basil is tasty, of any dish upon request, but other- but lacks the punch of the version with wise the food at Thai Made is served as holy basil. it would be in Thailand. “It’s what most Native to the Indian subcontinent, of our guests want anyway,” he says. holy basil (commonly known as thu- “Taiwanese are discovering how tasty Sukhothai's Chef Sillapakit lasi) is spicy instead of sweet. It imbues authentic Thai food can be.” PHOTO: MATTHEW FULCO

TAIWAN BUSINESS TOPICS • JANUARY 2019 45

Thai.indd 45 2019/1/2 下午3:48