14 發光的城市 A R O U N D T O W N FRIDAY, JULY 9, 2010 • TIMES

compiled BY David Chen

hivalry is not dead, especially when early to talk about marriage.” the couple in Taipei’s East District as But Apple Daily’s headline the next accusations of plastic surgery are Lin Chi-ling’s (林志玲) latest acting they spent an evening at a spicy hot pot day said it all: “An evening feast of spicy involved. The entertainment press venture has, surprise, surprise, been restaurant — an event that brought back hot pot with Fan Fan, Blackie pigs out on Cgot an earful earlier this week from deemed a flop. ’s top supermodel fond memories for the Apple. clams to prepare for battle (范范麻辣夜宴黑 Chinese heartthrob (黃 starred in Moon Lovers (月光戀人), a The last time the couple were spotted 人狂吞蛤仔備戰).” 曉明), who spoke out in defense of his Japanese soap opera that concluded together indulging in spicy hot pot, the Blackie posted a response on his girlfriend, 21-year-old model earlier this week with its eighth episode. night ended with Fan Fan calling off Sina.com.cn microblog, expressing his and otaku dreamgirl Yang Ying (楊穎), Moon Lovers, which has yet to air their marriage and Blackie checking into annoyance at getting ambushed and who goes by the name . in Taiwan, garnered dismal ratings in the hospital with enterogastritis. lamenting the Apple Daily article. “I’d The two lovebirds have been in the Japan, which was a surprise given the This time around was less eventful, better watch out what I eat,” he wrote. spotlight since publicly acknowledging immense popularity of Lin’s co-star but the Apple dutifully served up the “Otherwise, next time if I get caught their romance in Shanghai a few weeks Tetsuya Kimura. It was the Japanese details and even managed to cook up a eating a chocolate bar, they’re going to ago, and Internet chatter speculating male idol’s poorest-performing show in half-racy story of its own. For dinner, say things like I’m eating shit for the that Angelababy had a facelift and more 14 years, noted both the Apple Daily Blackie went with the non-spicy broth, sake of sex! Ha Ha Ha.” to jumpstart her career prompted an and our sister paper the Liberty Times. on orders from Fan Fan, but loaded his Sina.com.cn’s microblogging service, 微博 st op angry response from Huang. In other celebrity news, Charles Chen pot with lots of beef slices and around dubbed Weibo ( ) in Mandarin, has “I have seen people that have had (陳建州), better known as Blackie (黑人), 30 clams. suddenly emerged as the new online plastic surgery, and I have seen her. has been keeping a low profile lately. And, oh, those clams! The Apple’s soapbox of the stars. China’s answer She is 100 percent real!” the 32-year-old Last month Blackie resigned as the host reporter quickly concluded that the only to Twitter took center stage this week actor told reporters. “The people who of a talk show after producers brought reason Blackie would eat such a large when pop Jolin Tsai (蔡依林) say these kinds of things cause a lot of on a guest who engaged in rumor- amount would be to boost his fertility, surprised fans by posting a candid photo hurt to women.” mongering about his pop-star pal Jay which led to the further conclusion of herself with a towel wrapped around Huang also shared with reporters Chou (周杰倫). that the couple was clearly in a hurry her head sans makeup. According to the his love for “romantic surprises.” When But thanks to the Apple Daily, we can to have a child. After all, they are United Daily News, other stars actively asked if an out-of-the-blue marriage rest assured that the basketball star- getting married in March next year. The using the social networking site include proposal would fit this category, he turned-entertainer has been eating well reporter rushed up to the couple as they Vivian Hsu (徐若瑄), Wang Lee-hom (王力 said: “Maybe. I do know that I would and everything is peachy with him and stepped out of the restaurant to confirm 宏) and A-hsin (阿信) of Mayday (五月天). definitely bring along a big diamond his girlfriend, pop singer Fan Fan (范瑋琪). this theory. Uh, no, laughed Blackie. ring.” But he was quick to add a caveat: In an article that racked up a lot of hits “With hot pot, you have to add tomato There’s always modelling. Photo: Taipei times “I still haven’t grown up yet, it’s too this week, the paper’s reporters stalked and clams so the broth will be sweet.”

TIDBITS BY Ian Bartholomew THEATER

he Americans celebrated throwing off Double, double toil and trouble their oppressors’ shackles on Sunday and now it’s the turn of the French. TThe Association des Francais de Taiwan is celebrating Bastille Day with a street party PERFORMANCE notes tomorrow at the National Taipei University of Technology, for which DeliFrance will be What: The Deer and the Cauldron providing bread, Laurent Ludwig pastries (鹿鼎記) by the Shanghai Dramatic and Stephane Lorand pancakes. Arts Center (上海話劇藝術中心) Tomorrow from 6:30pm to midnight When: Today and tomorrow at at the National Taipei University of 7:30pm and Sunday at 2:30pm in Technology, 1 Zhongxiao E Rd Sec Taipei, Wednesday and Thursday at 3, Taipei City (台北市忠孝東路三段1號). 7:30pm in Taichung Admission is NT$200. On the Net: Where: Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall www.taiwanaccueil.com (台北國父紀念館), 505, Renai Rd Sec 4, Over at the Palais de Chine hotel, a Taipei City (台北市仁愛路四段505號2樓) special menu has been devised at its La and Chunghsing Concert Hall, Rotisserie restaurant. Chef Sherilin Fan’s 台中中興堂 concoctions include glace of king crab Taichung ( ), 291-3 Cingwu with mango and coriander, abalone Rd, Taichung City 台中市精武路 之 號 risotto in garlic and parsley sauce, ( 291 3 ) ballotine of guinea fowl with foie gras Admission: NT$500 to NT$2,500, and truffle potatoes and prime rib-eye available through ERA ticketing or steak. The dessert is grapefruit terrine with online at www.ticket.com.tw macadamia crumble and vanilla ice cream. Palais de Chine’s Bastille Day five- Photo courtesy of New Aspect course menu is being served from tomorrow through Wednesday and costs NT$2,500 per person. To make a Deer and the Cauldron was written emperor Kang Xi (康熙). The emperor, who came later, members of the anti-Manchu resistance. made, with some characters being reduced from reservation, call (02) 2181-9999 X3250. and serialized between 1969 to the throne at the age of 7 and was to become Moreover, Wei’s martial arts skills are mainly major roles to little more than extras. The show Palais de Chine is located at 3, Chengde andhe 1972 by the novelist and newspaper one of the longest-reigning of the Manchu Qing the product of bravado, and the thing that saves now runs for about two-and-a-half hours. Rd Sec 1, Taipei City (台北市承德路一段3號). T 金庸 proprietor Louis Cha ( ) as the last and final Dynasty emperors, faces pressures both inside and him, often only to get him into further trouble The fast-paced action of The Deer and the On the Net: www.palaisdechinehotel.com work of his prodigious output of wuxia xiaoshuo outside the court and must establish the political down the road, is his gift of the gab. In fact, Cauldron is squarely aimed at keeping the (武俠小說), or chivalric novels. It has been adapted power of his government in the face of an active Cha comprehensively overturns most of the audience in stitches, something reviews in the numerous times for television and cinema, insurgency that wants to re-establish the Han rules of the chivalric novel in The Deer and the Chinese media suggest it managed to do entirely and has now been brought to the stage by the Chinese Ming Dynasty. Having befriended Wei in a Cauldron, but this seems only right as he was also successfully. Gags have been re-jigged for each Shanghai Dramatic Arts Center (上海話劇藝術中 boyish scuffle, the child emperor discovers in this responsible for establishing many of them. tour destination, making use of peculiarities of 心). The production, directed by He Nian (何念), reprobate an ideal agent who over the many years The Deer and the Cauldron is a picaresque local dialects and current social and political ourtesy of Palais de Chine

c one of China’s most successful and prolific young the book covers helps the emperor in various novel full of incidents with a huge cast of issues. The lead actor says he had few qualms directors, opened in 2008 and has toured widely endeavors, usually by unconventional means. characters. Much has had to be cut for the stage about performing in Taiwan. “We have had very Photo to great acclaim in China. It opened yesterday in Wei is a very unconventional hero for a production, which focuses primarily on the successful shows all around southern China,” he

Taipei for a four-day run at the National Sun Yat- chivalric novel. He is above all utterly dishonest, a relationship between Wei, the Manchu emperor said. “In fact, as far as cultural differences are sen Memorial Hall (台北國父紀念館) before moving compulsive teller of tales, and his moral compass, and Chen Jinnan (陳近南), a leading figure in the concerned, we’re probably closer to Taiwan than to Taichung for a further two shows next week. if he ever had one, is often sent awry by the anti-Manchu resistance who becomes Wei’s shifu to northern China.” The Deer and the Cauldron tells the story magnetic force of his physical appetites. The (師傅), or master. Wang Yung (王勇), who plays If the lightening-fast dialogue of He’s of Wei Xiaobao (韋小寶), a street urchin who only constant in Wei’s world is a sense of loyalty the role of the emperor Kang Xi, said that when production is too much to follow, The Deer finds his way into the imperial palace while to those he has befriended, and unfortunately they first started rehearsing, the production and the Cauldron is available in a three-volume

Off with their heads. impersonating a eunuch and befriends the young this includes both a Manchu emperor, and for almost four hours, and painful cuts had to be English-language translation by John Minford.

RESTAURANTS BY Catherine Shu BY Ian Bartholomew ateries specializing in goose are Other bits of the goose were equally Mr Goose is able to step away from Hsin Chichou 新濟州韓式豆腐鍋之家 not uncommon, but I have always good, with heart (NT$100), giblets its specialty and adorn the table with found them to look more tempting (NT$100), intestine (NT$100), liver good-quality stir-fried dishes as well, 台北市敦化南路一段 巷 號 Ethan they actually are. Whatever the (NT$30) and pancreas (NT$50) all making it more than just a snack joint. Address: 55, Ln 190, Dunhua S Rd Sec 1, Taipei City ( 190 55 ) Telephone: (02) 2777-3008 Open: 11am to 11pm Average meal: NT$140 merits of the other dishes they serve, available. The heart is particularly to be Stir-fried local ferns (from NT$150) Details: Chinese picture menu, credit cards not accepted the goose itself is either tough, stringy, recommended, and while the pancreas make for an interesting addition to the or flavorless, or a combination of all had novelty value, its texture took a predominantly meat menu, and there three. I had all but sworn off goose, but bit of getting used to, and tasted like are also some choices in the seafood ocated behind the Sogo department Each of Hsin Chichou’s dishes are Mr Goose, a popular restaurant on the rather bland liver. All of these are department. The deep-fried oysters store on Zhongxiao East Road NT$140 each; the portions are relatively high street of Hualian City, has changed served as cold plates, and can accom- (NT$150) are particularly outstanding, (忠孝東路), Hsin Chichou’s (新濟 petite, but the price is still reasonable all that. pany a range of dry or soup noodles their crispy batter and sharp ocean L州韓式豆腐鍋之家) menu features an for the East District. The restaurant’s Mr Goose offers a pretty (NT$40). Goose blood mixed with gluti- flavor providing a wonderful contrast to abbreviated selection of Korean signature dish, the seafood tofu stew comprehensive breakdown of the nous rice is served dry or in soup form the rich oil of the goose meat. classics, including bibimbap, tofu stew (韓式海鮮豆腐鍋), is served steaming hot goose, starting with the essential order (NT$30 and NT$35). For aficionados of From the outside, Mr Goose does and stir-fried noodles. The restaurant in a steel bowl, accompanied by a tiny Hsin Chichou’s tofu stew is the star of its brief of goose meat, which sells for NT$300 chicken blood, the chicken blood soup not look particularly notable, except is simple and cafeteria-like, but sleekly scoop of white rice on the side. The menu. Photos: Catherine Shu, Taipei Times for a jin, about 600g. An order of (NT$30) is particularly fine, with an for the fact that it seems to be crowded appointed with white tables, mirrors spicy broth is filled with glass noodles, NT$200 is ample for two people, and excellent texture and flavor to the jelly. even during the unfashionable hours and luxuriously plush chairs that are slices of pork, calamari, clams, one pleasantly springy, a good contrast to can be made up of either the leaner All these are very simple dishes, many of mid-afternoon. If you’re visiting just waiting for a kimchi spill to mar gigantic prawn, a poached egg and, of the melt-in-your-mouth silken tofu. forequarters or the fatty hindquarters. available at street corners and night on a weekend, be prepared to wait their peach-colored velvet upholstery. course, tofu. There are tender cubes Hsin Chichou’s bibimbap, on the other It should be pointed out that fatty at markets around the country, but Mr for a table. The food is served up fast Despite its bare-bones menu, Hsin of silken tofu, as well as large chunks hand, was bland compared to the tofu Mr Goose does not equate with greasy, Goose understands flavor and clearly and with a minimum of fuss, and the Chichou is bustling even during of dong dofu (凍豆腐), or tofu that has stew. It looked promising, served in a and for both texture and flavor, the has a solid grasp of all the ins and outs atmosphere is noisy and cheerful. An off-hours, perhaps because it offers been frozen and thawed before being stone bowl with a gleaming raw egg yolk hindquarters win hands down. Just of poultry. added bonus is that you can purchase a quick, budget alternative to the served so that the ice crystals leave it in the center of ingredients including don’t think about the cholesterol. What is also remarkable is that a 3-liter jar of goose fat (NT$120) to barbeque restaurants and cafes in the with a sponge-like texture. The frozen slices of pork, kimchi bean sprouts, As an obvious out-of-towner, one take away to add the delicious flavors neighborhood. tofu soaked up the broth well and was bok choy and julienned carrots on top of the wait staff asked solicitously of Mr Goose to anything you might be of white rice. But the only things that whether the meat was too my taste. She cooking at home. really added any flavor to the dish were explained that Mr Goose used locally the two first ingredients, and after the raised goose — as opposed to the meat and kimchi were gone, the carrots, famous Yilan goose. She was worried cabbage and other veggies blended into that being unused to the free-range one flavorless bunch. The rice was also goose, I might find it tough. The meat surprisingly oily. When I got to the crispy certainly had body, and it hadn’t the layer of rice on the bottom of the bowl, it loose texture that is often mistaken for was so greasy that the texture and color tenderness, but “tough” was a word reminded me of pork crackling — and that never crossed my mind. It was best not in a good way. described as “meaty.”

Mr Goose 鵝肉先生 A portion of goose meat, left, and chicken blood Address: 259 Jhongshan Rd, Hualian City (花蓮市中山路259號) Telephone: (03) 833-1902 soup, above. Photos: Ian Bartholomew, Taipei Times Open: 11am to 12:30am Average meal: NT$300 Details: Chinese menu, credit cards not accepted