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By Courtney Donovan Smith
Translated by Annie Liu
Imagine
what it would be like if your bohemian grandmother threw
open her attic and started serving booze. Or, perhaps,
yourself on a visit to a local history museum, only
to find that artists had moved in and someone had set
up a flea market and started serving booze. "Eclectic"
is overused in descriptions of pubs, but no word more
accurately describes this fun and slightly fantastical
pub.
A year ago, Oldies moved into its present
location--an abandoned Hey Song soda pop warehouse.
Attacking this bleak space with antiques, modern art,
movies projected onto the walls, and curious knick-knacks
of all sorts has transformed it into an atmosphere that
is entertaining, surprising and even cozy. But, when
the novelty of the decor wears off, what is left? In
Oldies' case, this is where its true mettle as a pub
is shown and owner Leo Kung's passion for Oldies as
a complete project shows through. The entertainment
is good, with original live acts performing Mondays,
Wednesdays and Fridays. Saturdays and, sometimes, other
days of the week feature foreign DJs. By the time this
article hits the streets, the planned art gallery in
the basement should be open. Of course, be sure to check
this magazine's "What's On" for details.
The service is good and the staff is
attractive, attentive and friendly. The crowd is mixed
and relaxed, with businessmen sitting next to artists.
The menu is, well, eclectic and features German, Italian
and Thai dishes. The pasta menu features only seafood
pasta and jumbo prawns, with a variety of sauces ranging
from the traditional tomato (NT$300) to more exciting
options like Wasabi (NT$330). Everyone I've talked to
raves about the Shrimp Menu (five small for NT$100,
12 large for NT$200), which comes with eight options.
My favourite is the Thai-style Raw Shrimp, but others
swear by the classic Italian-style Chili and Lemon Olive
Oil Shrimp.
Beer starts from NT$130, cocktails from
NT$150 and flavored vodkas (vodkas cured for three weeks
or more) are NT$80 a shot. |