HOME > CENTRAL TAIWAN > TAICHUNG > ARTICLES >

COMPASS MAGAZINE,May 2003.

COVER STORY:

The Taiwan Lounge Scene By Steven Crook Translated by Vanessa Wu

      In Taiwan, where the lounge bar scene began to take off in earnest about 18 months ago, most establishment owners can readily describe influences and perceptions of where the global and local lounge scene came from and is going. Junior Lin, managing director of Taipei’s popular Plush lounge bar and club, has opened several lounges in the capitol city and elsewhere, including Taichung’s just-opened T.C. Champagne Lounge and Tainan’s Alive, due to open in June. He says that the early influence of pioneer establishments in Taipei like Champagne and Wonderbar and on-going popularity of places like Naomi reflect shifting tastes, particularly among a fashionable, largely white-collar crowd between the ages of about 22 and 40.

“Dancing is not that popular any more. Lounge bars are an update of sorts on the old ‘talking bar?scene, as people want better atmosphere, better music, a place where they can drink, talk and hang out,?says Lin.

“Lounge bars attract a lot of older people who think that going to a disco is a bit too much,?notes architect Liao, adding that early, influential lounge bars have included places like Hudson, Lotus, and the Bowery Bar in New York City, where he used to live.

Taichung Lounge Bar’s Ruan says the lounge scene hit Taiwan over a year ago, following the lead of pioneers like Paris, where the fad started up three to four years ago. She herself got into the business because she personally liked the music, as a jazz lover introduced to lounge by friends. Currently, most of her patrons are slightly-older—late 20s to 40s—individuals interested in fashion and design who, like her, don’t care for the noisier, traditional American and British style pubs where there is dancing, live music and sports on TV. “The Lion King crowd doesn’t come here,?she pointed out, referring to a popular local disco.       Just recently, Lin and Liao teamed up to open Taipei’s very exclusive APT (Apartment) lounge, which resembles a rock star’s apartment, complete with exotic colors and styling, dining room table, fire place, aviary and mezzanine. According to them, APT is the latest extension of another lounge bar attribute—privacy and exclusivity. With the increasing prevalence of sensational tabloid news and paparazzi-style photographers in Taiwan in the last couple years, many entertainment stars and other public figures have abandoned larger, popular nightlife venues in favor of more-private lounge bars. As these establishments become well known, even more exclusive places are being created.

     Overall, Lin doesn’t see any difference between the lounge scenes in Taipei and places like Taichung and Tainan which, he says, are simply starting out smaller and slightly behind the capitol city’s lead. However, Lounge Bar’s Ruan disagrees, pointing out that Taipei’s higher-pressure, faster-paced work environment is similar to that of cities like New York and Paris, thus pushing people more readily to relaxing lounge bars. In more laid-back Taichung, many locals still gravitate towards the traditional pubs, live bands and discos, she says.

      Will it last? Most establishment owners agree that the current popularity of lounge bars is a fad that will eventually pass. “It’s a trend, a fashion. I think it will last about two to three years until the next big thing,?says Liao. Given the need for quieter, relaxing places, however, it seems clear that the lounge scene will continue to remain strong, evolving to match new tastes as it goes along.

“I think the market will stay about where it is right now and I agree it is a fad,?says Ruan. “However, while this may eventually evolve into some new style, I think it will be a reflection of the same ideas that lounge bars represent.?

The Taichung Lounge Scene

“I Taichung currently has a small but notable number of excellent lounge bars that provide great venues for relaxation, drinks and music. “I Liquid Lounge Restaurant (98, Jung Ming S. Rd., 1F; tel. 04-3601-9980; open 6:30 pm-2 am [to 5 am Fri/Sat]) appeals to the well-dressed set with classy interiors, complete with dimly-lit wall and booth seating areas with comfortable sofas and chairs. Uniformed waiters and bartenders serve up a wide range of premium drinks, from NT$150 cocktails to fine wines, as well as Cuban cigars. As the name indicates, this is also a restaurant, serving up variety of excellent, reasonably-priced Western meals. The chill house, lounge and jazzy house music is played by guest DJs on Friday Cosmo Nights after 1 a.m., when house wines are also available for NT$150/glass.

“I Lounge Bar (15, Hua Mei West St., sec. 1; tel. 04-2319-6027; open 8:30 pm-2:30 am) is widely considered the city's first dedicated lounge bar. Located in the Canal District not far from Gung Yi Road, this cozy places oozes with lounge atmosphere. The interior is almost completely done in deep blues and reds, including red velvet sofas and bar chairs, downstairs and on a mezzanine level upstairs. A good variety of acid jazz and lounge music is constantly playing over a good sound system. The bar serves high-end cocktails and spirits, including top-end Belgian and Canadian beers.

“I On Tap (11, Lane 225, Minchuan Rd.; tel. 04-2301-9909; open 8:30 pm-3:30 am) is an upscale place popular with the white-collar crowd. Located on a quiet residential lane between Minchuan and Yingtsai roads, this place captures the lounge bar feeling with cushy sofa-style seating, lounge-style music, and interiors only illuminated by indirect lighting, neon and the long bar. The house specialties here are single-malt Scotches, champagne and fine wines, with many top labels available. There are also other cocktails and spirits, NT$160 beers, fine cigars and snacks. Two private, eight-person rooms are available for minimum group bills of NT$3,000.

“I T.C. Champagne Lounge (120, Henan Rd., sec. 3; tel. 04-3606-2570; open 7 pm-3 am) is the latest lounge bar to open in Taichung. Formerly called The Blu, this strikingly-attractive place is located on the second and third floors of the circular glass building on Tiger City mall's plaza, and is now run by the management of Taipei's Plush bar. The cool, white marble, glass and steel accented decor is highlighted with red lights and velvet chairs and sofas. Champagne stands out among the wide variety of high-end drinks here, with over 20 labels stored in a glassed-in rack-style "cellar". On Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, DJs play lounge, house and chillout music. (See "What's New" for more details.) “I 78-2 City Lounge (78-2, Taichung Gang Rd., sec. 2; tel. 04-2311-2298; open 3 pm-2 am, closed Mondays) is located near the Wenshin Road intersection. This low, concrete-and-glass building is a lounge downstairs--filled with brown, tan and red velvet sofas and chairs--and beauty salon upstairs. Unlike other lounges, this place is also open in the afternoon, a good time to try the coffees and herbal teas (NT$150-180), sandwiches and desserts (NT$90-120). The drink menu is extensive with high-end champagne, whiskies, liqueurs, cocktails and Boddingtons beer, priced around NT$180/drink.

“I For those looking to buy lounge, chillout and related forms of music in Taichung, local connoisseurs recommend and handful of establishments. Grammy Records (26, Fengchia Rd.; tel. 04-2451-7617), located about 30 meters from Feng Chia University's main gate, has one of the city’s best collections, located by the window on the second floor. Tower Records, on the 10th floor of Shin Kong Mitsukoshi Department Store, and Sogo Department Store's 12th-floor CD store both have small but decent collections, as do branches of Ta Chung and Rose music stores.