HOME > CENTRAL TAIWAN > TAICHUNG CITY > DINING >
COMPASS MAGAZINE,Feb 1999. VOL. 7 ISSUE 2

Hole in the Wall Of the month: The best of Taichung's Small Local Eateries

by Douglas Habecker

A drive through almost any part of town will reveal that cafeteria-style eateries are the Taiwanese equivalent of American fast food joints. They are on every block, the prices are cheap, the ambiance is pretty basic and you can eat and run. What the Taiwanese versions do have over their US counterparts, however, is the fact that you can get plenty of vegetables and other healthy things like tofu. More, they can be great places for a foreigner to sample a wide variety of local cuisine and delicacies without ever having to order or use a word of Chinese. However, not all cafeterias are created equal, with size, food quality and selection and sanitation standards varying widely. For those who are looking for an unrivaled cafeteria in all these cafeterias, it is hard to beat the Tien Chiu Soy Bean Milk and Cafeteria. Located on Taya Road just opposite and down the road from the Wellcome Supermarket, Tien Chiu is an extremely popular, large and well-lit establishment. Best of all is the great buffet selection of dishes, which number around 30. Closest to the door is a steamer with some buns and breads, and a number of dry delicacies, from salted peanuts to those dried, tiny fishes. Personal favorites include an absolutely phenomenal tomato and egg dish (unfortunately not a regular dish), strips of peppery beef with onions, the spinach (I am a big Popeye fan) and the sliced eggplant. The average seems to be NT$65 to NT$100 per meal. In the refrigerator, there are cups of soybean milk, ice tea and other drinks for sale, from NT$12 to NT$20. Take-out is also available.