Chef Jason - My Place

Address: No. 258-1, Ruì'ān Street, Dà'ān District (台北市大安區瑞安街258號之1)
Telephone: (02) 2703-8516
Hours: Not listed
Price: $$

I'm not sure what it is, but recently I've been craving all sorts of American food: hot dogs, hamburgers, barbecue ribs, Philly cheese steak, Buffalo wings, whole Maine lobster, you know. So I thought I'd head over to Gusto Street Hot Dog next to the Diner. And wouldn't you know it? It's gone too. If this isn't the month for failed reviews....

Gusto Street Hot Dog is now Chef Jason - My Place. Taking a quick glance at the menu outside, I see there are burgers. Fits the criteria. Settling into a table at the back, I'm pleasantly surprised with the decor. It's fun without trying too hard. There's a Hulk hand smashing through the wall, a couple amusing "Wanted" posters, random paintings, some Americana photos. I can't quite figure out why but, I like it.

On the menu it says that this is a "burgers & pastas" joint, an interesting fusion. There are a lot of appetizers like nachos, onion rings, chili cheese fries, calamari and there's A&W Root Beer and Mountain Dew ($80 NT). There's a wide variety of burgers (Chili, Cowboy, Jalapeno, Philly, Regular Ham/Cheeseburger, et al.) and I ordered the BBQ Bacon Cheeseburger ($230 NT) with a Coke ($60 NT). 

The music at Chef Jason's isn't so loud as to disturb reading or conversation, but it's loud enough that you can listen to it and hum along. My massive 8 oz. burger arrived on a toasted bun with all the accoutrements necessary for a delicious burger: a big green lettuce leaf, huge slice of onion, thick slice of tomato, melted cheddar cheese, two pieces of Applewood bacon, and zesty barbecue sauce. Two hands are definitely necessary. As far as burgers go, this might be my new favorite.

The hot fries were cut thick and perfectly seasoned with crispy exteriors. After eating the burger, finishing the fries is quite the challenge. Jason came out and asked me how everything was. Umm, most delicious burger I've ever had? As we chatted, he told me he bought the place in February, created the menu, decorated the restaurant, and used all of his sous chef knowledge to put together fantastic dishes (he didn't say that last part). Maybe that's why I like this place. You can sense from the moment you walk in he's excited to have his own place.

I like that Chef Jason - My Place focuses on a couple types of food (burgers, pastas, sandwiches), and avoids over-extension. There are also salads and quesadillas on the menu and a section for vegetarians. All the food is fresh, never frozen, and Jason makes almost everything himself (including the pasta sauces). The menu is in English and Chinese, there's no service charge, and there's a fairly good chance you'll get to speak with the proprietor himself. Look out for my pasta review coming soon!

Kitchen 66

Address: No. 11, Alley 3, Lane 74, Wenzhou St, Taipei City (台北市溫州街74巷3弄11號)
Telephone: (02) 2362-9668
Hours: Tues - Sun 11:30am to 10pm
Price: $$

I've been in the mood for a good bagel lately, so I thought I'd head over to Shih's Bagel in the Gongguan area and have a late breakfast. Turns out, Shih's Bagel is gone. In its place is Kitchen 66, a kitschy Americana diner selling American fare.

When I walked in, the interior was dimly lit (so dimly lit, in fact, I thought they were closed). There were only two other patrons, so there was this weird kinda-open-for-business-but-not-really vibe. The waitress handed me a menu, a glass, and let me sit wherever. Kitchen 66 is one of those rare places in Taiwan that offers free refills but, as I was to find out later, the soda was flat and not really worth the refill.

Looking over the menu, I noticed there were a lot of photos of people eating Kitchen 66 burgers and making a mess of themselves. The motto underneath was "Never use a fork". This sounds like a philosophy by which I can live quite easily. Though there were pizzas, fried chicken, steak, and fish & chips to tempt the wayward, I chose the Spicy Mexican Burger ($240 NT). The waitress warned me that this burger is "very spicy, too spicy", what with it's jalapenos, chipotle sauce, and tinge of Tabasco. Psssh! Please! Bring it on.

Ten minutes, two glasses of water, and thirteen pages later, the aromatic burger arrived at my table. This thing looked quite a sight! Bacon hanging out, cheddar cheese dripping, chipotle sauce running, burger still sizzling. Now this is what I'm talking about. 

The burger bun is quite delicious, second only to the Diner, and is lightly toasted. The lettuce, tomato, onion, and pickle on the side were are fresh and, when added to the burger, made me long for a fork and knife. How was I supposed to eat this tower of food?! I managed to take a couple bites and was immediately hit with the heat. The chipotle, Tabasco, and thick, fat jalapenos definitely give this burger a kick. There's a lot of heat to contend with, but not so much that you can't appreciate the cheddar, bacon, and burger patty. This burger rides that fine line between perfection and overbearing heat.

The fries were hot, crispy, and well-seasoned. And because there's a bottle of Tabasco at every table, I thought I'd add a dash to my fries. Does it get any better than Tabasco-soaked fries? I'm not sure that it does.

I would definitely go back to Kitchen 66 to sample more of their burgers. I'll write off the weird vibe and flat soda to the early time of my arrival. I went on a Tuesday around noon, so they'd been open for a half hour before I showed up ... but still, completely flat soda? Anyway, there's no service charge, the manager speaks fluent English, and it's close to a lot of coffee houses and Belgian beer places (if you're looking for somewhere to go afterwards). 

Check out their Facebook page

The Door

Address: No. 26, Lane 57, Dàzhí St, Jhongshan District
Telephone: (02) 8509-8786
Hours: Sun - Thurs 10am to 9pm, Fri - Sat 10am to 10pm
Price: $$

Who would've thought an American diner such a lucrative concept in Taipei? Well, apparently, everyone. And they're right on the money.

In my new favorite part of town, there's an offshoot of the popular "the Diner" called the Door. Tucked down a tree-lined lane in Dàzhí, the Door is in a picturesque neighborhood. Walking from the Dàzhí MRT, you get the feeling that you're in Portland. What with all the college kids from Shih Chien University, tree-lined avenues, free Wi-fi cafes, bookstores, and small parks and green spaces, it's as close as you'll come to the real thing.

the Door is significantly smaller than the Diner and has only eleven tables inside, some able to accommodate five people easily, while others can accommodate two at best. Arriving on a Sunday around 2pm, I was told there was a 20 minute wait. So, I headed down to Kooka Coffee (yup, you read that right) for a cold latte; more on that later.

Taking a seat at my table for two, I immediately ordered the Asparagus and Chicken Omelette ($250 NT). I'm working my way through their amazing omelets and this one was next on the list. The omelets come with a choice of white or wheat bread, hash browns or potatoes O'Brien, and coffee or tea. There's a complimentary glass of kiwi juice that comes with each omelet order, a small cup of assorted fruit, and all omelets are made with organic eggs.

Several minutes later, my breakfast arrived, smelling divine. Tucking into the potatoes O'Brien, I was initially overwhelmed with the seasoning. There was a lot of salt and pepper on the potatoes and, though the potatoes weren't soggy, there was more oil than I'd care to see at the bottom of the plate. This was the first time I've had a less than wonderful experience with the potatoes O'Brien, so I'll definitely order them next time despite my latest disappointment.

If there's one thing the Door does right, it's most certainly the omelets. Fluffy and delicious, these omelets never disappoint (I should probably knock on wood). The eggs are cooked enough so that they aren't raw, but not so cooked as to taste like rubber. You immediately notice the cheese! It's the glue that holds the whole delightful concoction together. It's warm, gooey, flavorful, and present throughout the omelet, not just stuffed in the middle.

The diced chicken pieces are huge and lightly seasoned, adding another dimension to the omelet. My only minuscule complaint is that the asparagus pieces were quite tiny, a little lacking in quantity, and I had envisioned asparagus heads as being in the omelet, though this was never specified. Also, the onions got a little lost in the sauce, as the saying goes; but overall, I was immensely satisfied.

The wheat bread was lightly toasted and the whipped butter on the side was appreciated. Not wanting to leave, despite my hour-and-a-half-long stay, I decided to order myself a treat (as if a huge omelet wasn't enough). I debated between the milkshakes, nachos, and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, until I remembered the list of imported sodas.

the Door serves three imported sodas ($60 NT for a 12 fl oz. can): Dr. Pepper, A&W Root Beer, and ... Mountain Dew? I've forgotten the last one. My eyes probably glazed over after reading Dr. Pepper. I ordered one and was tempted by the waitress to turn it into a Dr. Pepper float for an extra $40 NT, but didn't.

If you need additional reasons to love the Door (you know, besides the locale, Dr. Pepper, American style food, Wi-fi, and cute waiters), consider this; there's self-serve, all-you-can-drink hot coffee/hot tea/ice-cold water, and no service charge! My total came to $310 NT and I drank a swimming pool's worth. The menu is in English and Chinese and the staff speak both. The Facebook page is here.

Evans Burger

Address: No. 1, Shi Da Road, Lane 86. Daan District (台北市大安區師大路86巷1號)
Telephone: (02) 2365-5022
Hours: Mon - Thurs 11am to 11pm, Fri - Sun 9am to midnight
Price: $

So, you've done it again. You've pulled a Taiwanese all-nighter and partied until 6am. Why 6am? Because that's when all major forms of public transportation resume operations. Except now it's mid-morning (you know, because the bartender at Roxy 99 kept the drinks flowing) and you're looking for a big breakfast. Stumble over to Evans Burger for the drunken/hungover brunch.

There are two Evans Burger locations in Shida - both located within 200 yards of one another. Clearly, this is a restaurant chain that values convenience. And on Saturdays and Sundays from 9:30am to 11:30am, brunch is 40% off. Do you need any more incentives?!

The newest Evans branch overlooks Shi Da Road and gives you a decent view of the post-Friday-night shenanigans. If your blurry eyes can focus on the interior, you'll see that the decor is somewhat reminiscent of a modern American restaurant complete with kitschy 1950s signs on the walls (juxaposed with Heidi Klum's Project Runway of course).  

There's a lot of options on the menu and you'll be spoiled for choice. Omelets, eggs benedict (salmon eggs benedict, ham eggs benedict), french toast, pancakes, brunch specials, breakfast burritos, etc. Each dish comes with a small glass of milk or orange juice (not eligible for refills) and a cup of coffee or tea (unlimited refills). 

I picked one of their brunch specials for $280 NT and it came with a pancake, cheese omelet, bacon, hash browns, and a side salad. I was looking to the salad to mitigate some of the effects of eating all this deliciously bad food, but no dice. The "salad" was drenched in some sort of Italian sauce, and there wasn't much of a salad with which to begin. 

The cheese omelet was quite runny and the eggs weren't thoroughly cooked. The cheese was tasteless, though that means one of three things to me; 1. The cheese wasn't Kraft 2. Perhaps it's some sort of healthier cheese? 3. Maybe MSG wasn't in the cheese? So far, this meal isn't recommending itself. 

On to the bacon! These strips of bacon were quite good and tasted like those back home. They weren't burnt to a crisp, nor were they rubbery, under-cooked messes of meat. Success! The pancake was one of the best I've had in Taiwan (though that's not saying much). It was a little on the thin side, but that's probably for the best. There was an ample serving of butter on the side, in addition to maple syrup(!). 

The maple syrup tasted like Aunt Jemima syrup and is the second best syrup I've had in Taiwan (The Diner has the best). Many restaurants carry watery or flavorless maple syrup, so this was quite the unexpected surprise. 

My glass of milk lasted me all of three gulps, so having unlimited coffee refills was nice. But as the waitstaff were a little neglectful, many times I found myself with nothing to drink. There is a 10% service charge, but hopefully you stumbled in early enough to qualify for the 40% brunch deal. Last complaint: Bruno Mars. His whole CD. On a loop. During the entirety of my dining experience. I love Bruno as much as the next girl, but listening to the same thing over and over and over is not really all that pleasant. Also, Evans Burger has a niffy website here, and you can practice your Chinese. The menu at the restaurant is in English though. I'll be back next Saturday morning. ... And the next. And the next.