





|
Lu Guang Qi Cun
By Amelie Translated by Ann Lee Photos by Lai Ju-Cheng
11-2, BeiKeng Lane, Beitun District
(400 meters up the left hill)
(04) 2239-0707
Hours:4:30 pm-1:30 am
No service charge. Parking available. Credit cards not accepted.
If you want to enjoy panoramic night views in Taichung, or maybe watch an occasional fireworks show without straining your neck, then you should give Lu Guang Qi Cun a try.
Flags sway in the breeze, bathed in mellow moonlight and the light from many Chinese lanterns; the building is brick and decorated with a 1950's flair. Little touches make this place nostalgic--vinyl, old-fashioned cigarettes, toys, movie posters, a retro menu, and bamboo sieves from which rice noodles are hung-all work together to create a classic ambiance. Lu Guang Qi Cun mainly serves Taiwanese dishes and offers grilled dishes on weekdays. The chef recommends a specialty from Taichung's Dakeng Scenic Area that's made with wild, indigenous chicken and bamboo shoots (NT$450). He also recommends their signature Grass Jelly Chicken Pot (NT$380). Lu Guang Specialties (NT$180-320) combine ingredients like big shrimp and sauteed leeks for a really great taste. Or try the Green Bamboo Sprouts Salad (NT$160), Three Cup Sesame Bamboo Sprouts (NT$280), or Lamb Ribs and Bamboo Sprouts Cake (NT$60). As a testament to this restaurant's delicious dishes, Lu Guang Qi Cun received first place in the 2007 Dakeng Food Festival for their preparation of table dishes.
During these sticky, humid summer nights, why not give the Peppery Snail (NT$360) or the Dried Goose Palm (NT$180-300) a try, along with a glass of cold draft beer? If you come here early enough, you can even catch the sunset then appreciate the moon and the stars, or read the couplets written and posted around the entrance. Before you head home, grab a home-style marinated Radish Pack (NT$150) for a taste you just can't find in the city.

|