CITY OF THE MOMENTTAIPEI:INSIDERGUIDEBelowPreparing thefamous, musttrysteameddumplings atDin Tai FungEATSILKS PALACEOwned by the same group thatruns the truly awesome Silks Hotelin Taroko Gorge, this restaurant,nestled within the National PalaceMuseum, aims to impress. Book aday in advance for the nine-courseImperial Treasures Feast, whichblends some of the museum’smost famous pieces with high-endtraditional Chinese fare.silkspalace.<strong>com</strong>.twSHIN YEHAs one of the world’s highestrestaurants – it’s on the 85th floor of<strong>Taipei</strong> 101 – the views are obviouslydramatic. But the food is even better.Shin Yeh serves up the best high-endTaiwanese cuisine on the island.Again, it pays to make reservationsin advance, as it’s a fan favourite.shinyeh.<strong>com</strong>.twDIN TAI FUNGDin Tai Fung is a globalphenomenon, with branches inHong Kong (where it owns twoMichelin stars), China, Macau,Japan, Singapore, Indonesia andthe US. Still, the Xinyi outlet is thegranddaddy of them all. If you’re nota fan of steamed dumplings, there’sa good chance that DTF will changeyour mind. dintaifung.<strong>com</strong>.twDRINKMR. 83Mr. 83, a new addition to Anho Road’shumming bar district, caters to localprofessionals and media types. Thedrinks are top shelf and it’s a handyanchor to have when exploring the otherbars in the area. Daan District,Tel: +866 (0) 223 253 883MARQUEEThis super-trendy lounge and restaurantis decked out in the plush couches, fur,glittery stuff and Victorian wallpaperthat are omnipresent throughout all<strong>Taipei</strong> lounges. What makes this onedifferent is the city’s beautiful peoplehave adopted it as HQ. Make sureto book a week in advance if youwant a table on a big night.www.marquee-taipei.<strong>com</strong>SPARKHoused in the basement of the world’ssecond tallest building, <strong>Taipei</strong> 101,this heaving R&B and hip hop club ispacked most nights with people lookingfor a raucous, albeit generally wellmannered,time. spark101.<strong>com</strong>.tw/101STAYTHE GRAND HOTELThe Grand is a <strong>Taipei</strong> landmark thathas played host to Nixon, Reagan andClinton, Thatcher and Mandela. ItsChinese palatial design and reportedsecret passages built by ChiangKai-shek in case of an invasion by themainland all add to the cheese factor.It’s definitely a fun place to stay, hassome of the best Chinese banquetfood in town and is a stone’s throw fromthe National Palace Museum.grand-hotel.orgW HOTELCheck into the hippest hotel in thehippest part of town. Packed with greateateries and the W’s signature eclecticrooms, the hotel (above) also plays hostto <strong>Taipei</strong>’s new It bar at WET. Book atable out by the pool before exploringwhat Xinyi’s nightlife has to offer.starwoodhotels.<strong>com</strong>/whotels/property/overview/index.html?propertyID=3573PALAIS DE CHINEWith a name like Palais de Chine,you’d expect a fair amount of selfaggrandising.And you’d be right. ThePalais is a little over the top. It hasn’tfigured out whether it wants to be aEuropean castle or a boutique hotelin the heart of an Asian city. But likethe Grand, it’s still a lot of fun, hasgreat food and provides a differentvantage point from Old <strong>Taipei</strong>.palaisdechinehotel.<strong>com</strong>38
Take time out in <strong>Taipei</strong> withour Royal Orchid Holidayspackages. Visit historicmonuments and the NationalPalace Museum for a greatintroduction of Taiwan, alongwith the Martyr’s Shrine, CKSMemorial Hall, Chinese templeand handicraft centre with ourhalf-day tour programme.TAIPEI MINIBREAK (ROHS13)3 days/2 nightsINCLUDED FEATURES• Airport-hotel transfers• Two nights’ ac<strong>com</strong>modation with breakfast• One sightseeing tourWe also offer an extension package to Sun Moon Lake(ROHE-60). With this programme, you will enjoy ascenic drive past green rice paddies, beautiful shrinesand the clear lake. Then relax with an overnight stayin the hillside city of Taichung before returning to<strong>Taipei</strong>. Beyond this, ac<strong>com</strong>modation only, airport-hoteltransfers and other optional tours such as Taroko Gorgeand <strong>Taipei</strong> by Night are available and can be purchasedseparately.For more information on Royal Orchid Holidays, call0 2356 2888, email roh.rsvn@thaiairways.<strong>com</strong> or visitwww.royalorchidholidays.<strong>com</strong> or our worldwide offices.This pageThere are plenty ofquirky shops andcozy cafés to keep youbusy in Ximendingdistrict, includingthe largest bookstorechain in Taiwan,Eslite Bookstore39
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