A Little Taste of America in Taipei
Posted by Stephen on
June 9, 2007
I’ve been in Taipei for nearly a week, and I’m finding myself starting to get a little homesick. However, it was nice to see a few things that made home feel a little closer…
There’s nothing more North American than the NBA, so when I was trapped in a cramped elevator with the Orlando Magic Dance Team, I was feeling a little more than at home. Elevators in Taipei are SMALL, even at big hotels like the Grand Hyatt where I met them. The girls were here promoting the NBA in Asia and were nice enough to allow me the opportunity to take their picture and be crushed up against them in an elevator. What a 2 for 1 deal!
Nothing says America like New York! So we headed over to the New York New York Live Bar and Grill to quell our feelings for home. Unfortunately, something seemed a little strange when we were handed chopsticks and a menu that served bean curd. Last time I checked, New York was known for Hot Dogs, Pizza and Fine Dining. It was also kind of awkward to see a band struggle to string together a sentence in English and then try to cover a song that is in English. You could hear that they had no clue what they were saying, however to their credit, they did try and the crowd seemed to like them.
The food was OK, but it definitely wasn’t North American so if you go there, don’t expect to see burgers. In fact, on the door, there is a sign that has a picture of a hamburger with an X on it. I guess they get too many people asking about that and being disappointed. Although the image of New York was definitely butchered, they did get one thing right: Service Charges. They added 10% to our bill for a service charge and then they had the audacity to ask for a tip. Not only was the service not that great, but in Taipei, tipping is NOT a custom. At least they got one thing right about some places in North America.
If you’re going to the trouble to dress up your place like a restaurant in New York, at least all the way and do it right, or not at all.
No tipping is required in South Korea too…it’s awesome. Man, you guys homesick already?! Have you had bubble tea yet?
I had my Bubble Tea fix and it was really good, though the array of choices that we have in Vancouver make the places we hit pale in comparsion.
We have access to cheaper, fresher fruits and ingredients here in Vancouver than in Taiwan. But we still have the people and expertise here to make the genuine product.
I hear ya, it’s like eating in Richmond and then eating in Hong Kong…same $hit, different pile they say!
hahah. All the food experiences I’ve had at NY NY were BAD, with the exception of the new Coldstones and Mr. Donut. If you wanted American- you could have had Macaroni Grill or Chili’s nearby. Or a little further out, Ruth Chris or Trader Vic’s or TGIF.
Nothing quite says USA like chopsticks. Getting stuck in an elevator with cheerleaders sounds like fun though.