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COMPASS MAGAZINE, October 1999. VOL. 6 ISSUE 10

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

Taichung is full of storefront restaurants offering good food, fast service and great prices. A prime example is Parker Restaurant, which derives its name from an Anglicized version of the Chinese name (pa keh). Located on a side road directly behind the Kung Yi Road Yumaoou supermarket, Parker is run by Mimi Huang who has created an attractive little cubbyhole of a restaurant where one can enjoy a very filling meal any time of the day. The Chinese menu lists a good selection of mostly-rice dishes, which all cost NT$100 to NT$120. These include a good Szechuan specialty, kung pao chicken, as well as black pepper beef rice, chicken leg rice and beef stew rice. The one non-Chinese dish is spaghetti, covered in a meat sauce, for NT$70. For an extra NT$50, coffee or tea may be added to any of these meals. Thanks to the fact that Huang used to run a Hankou Road tea house near the International Plaza Hotel, there are also plenty of hot and cold coffees and teas to choose from, such as Blue Mountain (NT$90) and Brazil (NT$70). There are also flower teas, juices and ice cream (NT$60). The interior has a pleasant feel, with light wood trim and paneling and ceiling fans, and there are also outdoor sidewalk tables. One additional plus to Parker is the fact that it is open later than most restaurants if its kind -- until midnight.