14 發光的城市 A R O U N D T O W N FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2009 • TIMES BY Andrew C.C. Huang MUSIC

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compiled BY Ian Bartholomew

(俞小凡) on the rocks after revelations surfaced that he was having an affair with flight attendant Su Chia-man (蘇家 漫). He subsequently flew to Shanghai where Yu was  Photos courtesy of Makoto Tsuchimochi.

filming to beg forgiveness, and promised to stop playing away from home. Following a tip from a reader, who suggested that Weng had failed to keep his Grooving on Guangfu promise, diligent staffers at Next Magazine uncovered a photo of Weng and Su striking a pose of undisguised intimacy Low-profile lover Jimmy . posted on Picasa. According to pened by Nobuki Kuwahara four like this where you can just go up and as Moon, Venue notes: “Interaction is Photo: Taipei times the magazine, the photo was years ago off an alley in Taipei’s Da-an play,” gushes the wife of band member Moon River and very important,” says posted at the end of last month. District (大安區), Jazz Spot Swing is a Satoshi Takagi. “It’s fantastic!” Fly Me to the WHAT: Jazz Spot Swing Masakazu. “Small hinese-language media report Next Magazine laments that Otiny bar with just five tables and six bar The Champagne Zoo Band takes Moon. WHEN: 7pm to 1am, Monday to venues are ideal that and racing driver following these revelations, Weng stools that has become an after-work on a free-wheeling form as a group. “Right Saturday because it’s more Jimmy Lin (林志穎) has become has been keeping a low profile, haven for Japanese expats and Taiwanese Each night from Monday to Sunday, now we have WHERE: 417-6 Guangfu S Rd, Taipei intimate. There are Ca father. Girlfriend Chen Ruo-yi which adds to the challenge jazz-lovers in the know. whichever band member who happens to about 15 band 台北市光復南路 號之 conversations and City ( 417 6). Tel: (02) (陳若儀) gave birth to a son earlier of verifying the rumors, in the “Jazz is very popular in Japan because have time can stop by the bar and play. members but 8789-0320 eye contact.” this week in California, and a interests of truth. of the American military presence after If no band member arrives on any given it’s always ADMISSION: Minimum order of Jazz Spot Swing story in the United Daily News Yu could exact revenge by World War II,” explains regular Sugimoto night, Kuwahara, the proprietor, plays evolving,” says NT$350 plus 10 percent service has made a name suggests that although the parents hooking up with Chang Cheng-yue Masakazu, who plays the trombone. piano alone. Yamami. “We are charge for itself among are, er, keeping mum about (張震嶽), who is back in play after “Then, the recent movie Swing Girls The band plays American jazz always accepting Japanese expats, and the illegitimate child, Lin will splitting up from Miranda Lu (路嘉 created a new craze for jazz.” standards and bossa nova. Sometimes they new members.” many of the Japanese acknowledge paternity following 怡). Chang has been busy with a Kuwahara often invites customers also adapt Taiwanese or Japanese folk Even though jazz bands that come the end of his current concert tour. super group comprising venerable who are musicians to go up to the venue’s songs such as Moon’s Desert (月之沙漠). they rarely have time to to Taipei drop by the bar to It is perhaps no coincidence rockers Lo Ta-yu (羅大佑), Emil performance space and play, a practice that Inoue Yamami, the only woman in the rehearse, the band members have perform for free. In March this year, that his soon-to-be-released Chou (周華健) and Jonathan Lee (李 eventually prompted a group of regulars, group, was elected to be the band leader. developed chemistry. backup band members for famed bossa album’s title translates as “low- 宗盛), which has proved a shrewd including Masakazu, to form a band. “They chose me so that there wouldn’t be “We just show up and improvise,” says nova singer Lisa Ono showed up and profile love” 低調愛( ). move financially. He’s already Because all of the musicians have any fighting,” quips Yamami, a vivacious Masakazu. “Sometimes we fail. Most of played until 1am. The vernacular media have made headlines by dating an daytime jobs, they call themselves the performer who giggles, snaps her fingers, the time we get it right.” “The owner could make a lot of money been uncharacteristically unnamed woman who has been Champagne Zoo Band because the word sways and jumps around while the other During a recent performance, the if he chose to open a karaoke bar in backward in coming forward: the nicknamed “big-eyed chick” (大眼 “champagne” is almost a homophone for musicians play. saxophone player sat on the back of a the Linsen North Road (林森北路) area,” news that one of the Chinese- 妹) by Next Magazine. the Chinese word shangbanzu (上班族), or Yamami also arranges the set lists. For wicker chair to ad lib for a few minutes, said Akina Ishizuka, who joined the speaking world’s most eligible After breaking up with “foreign “working professional.” Mid-Autumn Festival they played songs then glanced at the cellist, who took the Champagne Zoo Band five months ago. bachelors has a girlfriend and boyfriend” Paul soon after the “In Japan, you could never find a bar with the word “moon” in their titles, such cue and did his own ad lib segment. “Instead he chose to open a jazz bar.” child hardly created a stir. release of her English album Self- The fact that (劉德 Selected, Faith Yang (楊乃文) seems 華) managed to retain his fan base to have hitched up with David BY David Chen despite being “outed” as a family Wu (吳大維), a man whose list of MUSIC man has likely paved the way former relationships reads like a for a younger generation of male who’s who of ’s celebrity celebrities to be more up front firmament. Yang may face com- about their private lives. petition in the form of glamour Flight of the ‘Paper Eagle Chinese music and jazz fusion band Sizhukong performs tonight Does this mean the rabid media model Hsiang Ying (湘瑩), who and tomorrow at the Red House Theater. Photo courtesy of Sizhukong scrum is exercising a modicum of Next Magazine reports has been self-restraint? recently sighted izhukong (絲竹空), which fuses Not likely ... with Wu. modern jazz and traditional Chinese PERFORMANCE notes: The ubiquity of digital music, celebrates the release of its Snew CD, Paper Eagle (紙鳶), tonight and photography proved fertile What: Sizhukong (絲竹空) ground for celebrity gossip this Lee Wei denies tomorrow with three shows at the Red When: Tonight at 7:30pm and that he and Elva 西門紅樓 past week. While none of the House Theater ( ). tomorrow at 2:30pm and 7:30pm Hsiao are dating. The six-piece ensemble is led by following beat Edison Chen’s (陳 Where: Red House Theater Photo: Taipei Times pianist and composer Peng Yu-wen (彭 冠希) magnum opus, a number of (西門紅樓), 10 Chengdu Rd, 郁雯), one of the founding members of celebrities have been caught with 台北市成都路 號 Metamorphosis, a pioneering group Taipei City ( 10 ) their proverbial pants down. Tickets: NT$600, available at the 蕭亞軒 known for recasting Taiwanese folk Elva Hsiao ( ), based on door, through NTCH ticketing or a photo “provided by a reader” songs in modern jazz styles, including online at www.artsticket.com.tw published in the United Daily Latin jazz, be-bop and post-bop. News, is dating TV actor Lee Many of Peng’s compositions with Wei (李威). The damning and Sizhukong have Latin-based jazz irrefutable evidence is a shot of rhythms, but the voices are distinctively also adds percussion and vocals to the Lee draping his arm round Hsiao’s Chinese, thanks to instruments such as group’s rendition of a traditional Hakka shoulder. Both parties vehemently the liuqin (柳琴), a four-stringed lute, mountain song. deny being an item. and dizi (笛子), a kind of Chinese flute. The album features several In a different league, photos Paper Eagle, the group’s second compositions from the band’s trading port and point of entry for 俊充) on drums and percussion, Huang posted on the Internet may cause album, also brings in African sounds international members. Belgian bassist Chinese settlers. Chih-ping (黃治評) on dizi and dongxiao graver problems for Jamie Weng thanks to guest musician Mogauwane Martijn Vanbuel co-wrote several Sizhukong’s band lineup for this (洞簫, bamboo flute), Alex Wu (吳政君) on (翁家明). Mahloelo of South Africa. He plays tracks with Taiwanese jazz musicians, weekend’s shows includes prominent erhu (二胡) and percussion, Chen Chih- Reports in March had Weng’s mbira (thumb piano) and djembe, a hand including Deer Harbor, a song about musicians from Taiwan’s jazz and ling (陳芷翎) on liuqin and zhongruan 鹿港 marriage to actress Grace Yu drum, on the song Marketplace (市集) and the town of Lugang ( ), an historical Chinese music scenes: Toshi Fujii (藤井 (中阮) and Martijn Vanbuel on bass.

RESTAURANTS BY David Chen BY Catherine Shu TIDBITS

PaPa Gio’ 喬爸爸義大利美食餐 ocated in a cavernous space roe was plump and firm. The dish looked promising, but were the that seems more suited to a was slightly marred, however, by least memorable part of the meal, Address: 22, Alley 6, Ln 170, Zhongxiao E Rd, Sec 4, Taipei City (台北市忠孝東路四段 nightclub than a restaurant, the slices of green onion scattered probably because the beef was 巷 弄 號 LSashimiya (三 四味屋) across from as garnish on top of the uni. The served so cold that part of it 170 6 22 ) Telephone: (02) 2711-8720 Open: 11:30am to 2pm and 6pm to 10pm Average meal: NT$500 per person Details: Credit cards accepted Breeze Center (微風廣場) is an green onion complemented the was frozen and we had trouble On the Net: www.papagio.com.tw especially sleek izakaya (the sprig of cypress leaves, perilla leaf separating the slices from Japanese version of a tapas bar). and clam shell that also decorated one another. A large movie screen dominates the dish, but the taste and texture As a counterpoint to our cold Naughty but nice. hen the owner of Papa PaPa Gio’ is a “dream come the interior; on a recent visit, it distracted from the very delicate, dishes, we ordered the garlic clam Photo courtesy of Grand Hyatt Taipei Giovanni, a family- true,” says Trevisan, as he was playing the John Travolta slightly melon-like flavor of the paper hot pot (蒜頭��蚋�紙, NT$260). his month, Grand Hyatt style Italian eatery on and Boschiavo feel like they Papa Giovanni is now PaPa Gio’. remake of Hair. urchin roe. The paper itself is thick, flame- Taipei’s new executive pastry WZhongxiao East Road (忠孝東路), have the freedom to go for a Sashimiya’s menu is slightly For NT$190, we got a not- proof and nestled into a small  Photo: David Chen, taipei times chef, Reinhard Lackner, takes put his business up for sale in more traditional trattoria-style more innovative than those insignificant heap of cod liver 鱈( mesh colander over an open flame. Tup his post. March, Giorgio Trevisan jumped atmosphere, where “you don’t a pasta made of potato and found at many other izakaya 魚肝) on top of sauteed onions The Japanese cooking method The 29-year-old Austrian at the chance. have customers, you just have spinach topped with Gorgonzola, restaurants in Taipei. It features and topped with grated daikon makes the garlic so tender that it snowboarding archer had his “For me, it was like to be friends” coming to eat. Parmesan and walnut. the same sashimi platters, nigiri radish and yet more green onion literally melts in the mouth. Much heart set on being a scientist/pilot reborn,” said Trevisan, an Italian After trying the pizza, Boschiavo recommends the rolls, grilled meats and tempura (all of our dishes had slivers of of the two main ingredients’ flavor as a teenager, but an apprentice- chef from Verona who has been you’ll feel like Trevisan’s best grilled rib-eye steak (NT$650) dishes, but takes a step into the vegetable sprinkled on). The and aroma had already settled into ship turned him on to pastry in Taipei for 10 years. friend. The Fresca (NT$450) is for meat lovers, and says the more venturesome territory with liver itself was smooth, rich and the broth, which was soothing to making, he said in a Sunday The same could be said about a delectable balance of heavy steaks are USDA prime. Other items like its signature tuna and had a slightly nutty flavor that drink on a rainy evening. Times interview last year. the restaurant, which now goes and light: a rich harmony of main courses include grilled avocado sushi roll (鮪魚酪梨卷, was enhanced by the vinegar- Like any good izakaya, His opening salvo is a selec- by the name PaPa Gio’. mozzarella and ricotta and cherry tiger prawns (NT$700) and NT$160), which comes topped seasoned radish. The beef sashimi Sashimiya has an extensive list of tion of coffee-themed desserts, The decor hasn’t changed tomatoes and fresh arugula. The grilled salmon with garlic cream with slices of tuna drizzled in (日式生牛肉, NT$290) also came on alcoholic drinks. Bottles of sake including tiramisu, an elegant much — it’s still classy but crust is simply done right — thin sauce (NT$550). mayonnaise and sprinkled with a bed of onion and topped with range from NT$250 to NT$1,800 match of espresso and mascar- relaxed with lots of dark, natural and crispy but not cracker-like, Many traditional trattorias don’t green onion. The avocado makes grated radish and scallion. The for a 2 liter bottle of White Crane pone laced with a rich zabaglione hues and warm lighting — but and slightly doughy on the edge. offer menus, say the two chefs. up the middle of the roll, which deep crimson, paper-thin slices sake (白鶴清酒). filling that is more often than the menu has been revamped and On a second visit, my dining While this wouldn’t work in Taipei, is served on top of teriyaki sauce not bastardized in the capital’s showcases Trevisan’s excellent companion didn’t want to share they try to oblige any special and sesame seeds. The large myriad mediocre coffee houses, pizzas and fellow chef and his “Pizza della Casa PaPa Gio” requests and keep a constant portions of avocado were soft coffee mille-feuille and opera co-owner Matteo Boschiavo’s (NT$450), a house specialty rotation of off-menu specials, and buttery, but the sauce, which slices, and coffee and chocolate pastas made from scratch. with a supreme combination of using whatever fresh ingredients soaked through the bottom layer ganache sandwiched between If you’ve had good Italian food tomato, mozzarella, mushroom, are available. Recently, Boschiavo of rice, overwhelmed its flavor. layers of moist sponge cake. in Taipei, chances are Trevisan ham, artichoke, salami, anchovy came up with a frog legs risotto, Our other dishes were simpler The Afternoon Dessert Buffet and Boschiavo were the chefs. and olives. which he insists is worth a try. — they included cod fish liver, uni is available at Cha Lounge for Trevisan started working at The 12-inch pies come in The not-so-adventurous can stick sashimi and Japanese-style beef NT$620 per person from 2pm to Osteria Rialto when he arrived 20 varieties and are baked in a with the risotto with porcini sashimi. The uni sashimi (海膽, 6pm, Mondays through Fridays, in Taiwan in 1999, ran his own stone-base oven imported from mushrooms (NT$450), made with NT$320) was served on a bed of or for NT$680 per person from restaurant, Giorgio, for five Italy. With prices ranging between imported carnaroli rice. ice and each piece of sea urchin 1pm to 6pm on weekends and years and most recently served NT$300 and NT$450, PaPa Gio’ is For dessert, we had a public holidays. For more as the head chef at Capone’s. a must-try for pizza lovers. blueberry-topped panna information or to make a Boschiavo, also a Verona native, For pastas, Boschiavo makes cotta (NT$180), which was Sashimiya 三四味屋 reservation, call (02) 2720-1200 followed a similar track. He met fresh fettuccine, tortelloni and commendable, but a sinfully good Sashimiya’s menu earns points for X3198 or X3199, Trevisan while working at Osteria gnocchi, ranging from NT$280 tiramisu (NT$180) stole the show. Address: 3F, 1, Ln 126, Fuxing S Rd, Sec 1, Taipei City (台北市復興南路一段126巷1號3樓) creativity. Photo: Catherine Shu, Taipei Times On the Net: Rialto, moved on as a freelancer to NT$400. A delicious, creamy PaPa Gio’ a short walk from Telephone: (02) 8773-4888 Open: 11:30am to 2:30pm and 5:30pm to 11pm; www.reinhardlackner.com for the major hotels and then choice is the gnocchi verdi al Zhongxiao Dunhua MRT Station closes at 11:30pm Fridays and Saturdays Average meal: NT$800 joined him again at Capone’s. Gorgonzola e noci (NT$350), (忠孝敦化捷運站), exit No. 5. Details: Chinese and English menu; credit cards accepted