It's the people who make Taiwan my second-favorite country in the world to visit. 
The Taiwanese people have a very appealing confidence in themselves that has been forged through decades of struggle with China, as well as 50 years of Japanese cultural influence when Taiwan was under colonial rule from 1895-1945. This self-confidence allows the Taiwanese to turn outward towards other countries, as cosmopolitan, refined citizens of the new global order.
Taiwan blooms with an infectious passion for living. And one of the best ways to experience that vibrant life is on a bicycle. Owner Alex Chang of Taiwan Cycling took me on an unforgettable day trip outside the city of Taipei, and we pedaled through lush, verdant countryside from the mountains down to the sea shore. The villages were charming, and the people were smiling and friendly.
Whereas driving a car through a neighborhood is too fast to take in the ambiance, and walking can be tiring after a few hours, biking is just right. You can roll slow enough to take in a lot of the daily life in a village, while still enjoying the exhilaration of balancing on two skinny wheels with the gentle breeze on your skin.
The Grand Hyatt Taipei was the first of two hotels I sampled in Taipei, and their Yunjin Restaurant stood out for a delicacy to which I am addicted, known as the Sichuan Peppercorn (ask for 香椒子 xiāng jiāo zi, "aromatic peppercorn" or 青花椒 qīng huā jiāo. See the green branch below).
Don't let the name fool you: this spice is only distantly related to the chili pepper. Rather, it is a member of the citrus family, and offers a remarkable sensation. When you eat it, it slightly numbs your tongue while also setting it a-tingle. It produces a symphony of sensations in your mouth, as if you can taste, touch and feel your food all at the same time, sort of like eating in 3D. Amazing.
The Hyatt's rooms were recently renovated and the decor is both tasteful and well-appointed. But the hotel's perfect location left me within walking distance of almost every venue I wanted to visit. This turned out to be a very important advantage when there were rain showers.
The highlight of my stay at the Grand Hyatt was a tiny act that made a huge impression on me. One afternoon, the doorman noticed that I was leaving on foot and stopped me to say, "Sir, I know it doesn't look like it right now, but I think it will rain soon. Would you mind taking my umbrella with you?"
I looked at him like he was crazy, but grasped the umbrella while we stood in the baking sun. That same afternoon the blazing sun suddenly became a drenching downpour, and there wasn't a taxi available for even a million dollars. As I imitated Gene Kelly splashing back to my hotel and singing in the downpour, that doorman's thoughtful, considerate act saved my laptop and my mood as I arrived at the Grand Hyatt with wet feet but a grateful heart. This was service at its best, and you can't fake such kindness.
Those of you who read my article on the Spanish art of "ambiente" know that my travels are a constant search for friendly social settings where it's easy to meet locals. The R&D Cocktail Lab was like I'd died and gone to Heaven. So, how does one bar have so much ambiance while others do not? Perhaps it has to do with the beautiful wrought-iron artwork on the walls, or the bar that looks like it was pulled out of a 1930's Prohibition speakeasy. But the ambiance *definitely* has to do with the sky-high morale of the staff, who laugh and joke their way through serving up the most delightful custom-made cocktails I ever enjoyed.
For example, I told the bartender I love gin, ginger and Szechuan food. In a hand-pounded copper cup he served me a mixture of gin and ginger with a tincture of spicy Szechuan oil that I still dream about a week later. I remember the cup's cool condensation on my hand as the gin and ginger lit up my tongue, while the oil lit up my throat. These folks have mastered an art form, and you will not be disappointed. And how many lounges actually have a guy named "Frenchy" tending the bar? He's Basque, a co-owner, and a genius all in one. Ask for him.
I was introduced to R&D by Kevin Chen (kevin.chen.2014@aya.yale.edu), a Taipei-based writer and fellow Yale alum. An avid foodie and design enthusiast, Kevin has connections to some of the best restaurants and bars in town; if you're ever dropping by Taipei, you should contact him first for recommendations.
So R&D wins the bar category for ambiance, but the restaurant category winner has to be Woolloomooloo. Owner Jimmy Yang loved his stint of several years in Australia, and decided to name his place after a working-class district of Sydney. Aside from being a delightfully loveable teddy-bear of a man, Jimmy's gift is for architecture that brings human beings together to be the social animals we are.
Woolloomooloo features seating around big, square tables that allow guests either to turn intimately to their companion, or to turn outward to any of several conversations going on at the table. I watched families talking with other families, and singles mixing with other singles.
Their wine list was all-star Australian, but the cuisine was a delightful fusion. I loved the clams blanched in sorghum wine and garnished with leek sprouts. The beefy Thai noodle stir-fry and the prawns fried in garlic sauce were also a big hit, but the star of the evening was a Clonakilla Hilltops Shiraz 2007 from Canberra.
But the highlight for me was the second-floor balcony that allowed guests to commune with the sights and sounds of the street. It had a yesteryear feel for what Taipei must have been like 30 years ago, before air conditioning and digital screens isolated us in our boxes. I had to return for lunch the next day, just to get my fill of this balcony. This was where I was the day the Hyatt doorman gave me his umbrella, and I relished my sensory experience of the thundering downpour and the thick, sultry air while I sat inches away, at my lovely, dry table.
The "It" hotel of Taipei is The W Taipei, which has the feel of a boutique hotel combined with the guarantee of great value and service because it's part of the Starwood luxury hotel chain worldwide. The staff all seem like friendly ex-fashion models who take tremendous pride in their work, and they definitely succeed in making their guests feel special.
The W's attention to design is hugely rewarding.
Each part of the hotel feels like a photo shoot from Architectural Digest, from the brightly lit, uber-cheerful "Kitchen Table" for breakfast...
...to the sultry, mood-lit WOOBAR beside their beautiful swimming pool. WOOBAR has a live DJ every night and I was really impressed with how many of the hotel guests come out of their rooms to mingle and socialize.
The YEN Chinese Restaurant on the top floor of the hotel has stunning views of the landmark Taipei 101 building, and the cuisine specializes in Dim Sum that is both delicious and fun to eat, because you can choose from dozens of tasty treats hiding under those steaming bamboo lids.
And now we have to talk about Din Tai Fung. No restaurant has ever deserved its Michelin star more richly, and your first must-have is soup dumplings, pictured above: these are small, white dumplings, twisted closed at the top, that usually contain a combination of vegetables and pork, shrimp, or crab meat. What makes them particularly novel is the soup broth that cooks within the dumpling. You eat them with a splash of dipping sauce and a few delicate strands of ginger, and you bite off the top, then suck the savory juice out of the dumpling before consuming the rest. Besides being incredibly delicious, they are just plain fun-to-eat.
Above are the fabulous chefs of Din Tai Fung, the undisputed king of soup dumplings. It began in Taiwan but now has franchises in over a dozen countries, including Dubai, Australia and the US (Seattle, L.A., and now the Bay Area).
For more ideas on where to eat in Taipei, one of the best English resources is A Hungry Girl's Guide to Taipei which has 11 years of restaurant reviews and photos on it. Her Instagram features her latest eats and travels, from night markets to private kitchens and the newest food trends.
The "It" club of Taipei is called "Chess," and the co-owner is a Harvard grad named JL. He told me that when he started the club, no one else believed hip-hop could work, but Chess quickly found its niche and took off and is about to celebrate its 4th year. I didn't see any celebrities when I was there, but the clientele was beautiful, and the Taiwanese all talk about this club in hushed tones. Note that the dress code bans shorts and sandals.
Nothing comes close to the National Palace Museum as the world's top collection of Chinese art. But I also fell in love with the Songshan Creative Park, a new arts and culture space in Taipei. In 2011 the government converted an abandoned tobacco factory and warehouse into a giant space to nurture design and creative arts. The Songshan features Taiwan's new wave of artists and designers in room-after-room full of ambiente and retro-chic. As a bonus, the adjoining Eslite Bookstore is a fabulous source of Taiwanese culture and souvenirs. Unforgettable...
...As was my time in Taiwan. This is a hugely underrated gem of Asia, and any time you spend here will be richly rewarded. I wish you the same unforgettable experience I had here.
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