Mary Porsa 2

Merry Porsa 2 is a coffee shop and restaurant in Kaohsiung City (near the Cultural Center) with a variety of foods, both Western and Chinese style. It is owed by a MAK student's family (see photo above, family on right).

Inside the restaurant

 Directions to Mary Porsa 2:
This restaurant is easiest to find via the MRT. To get there, take the MRT to the Cultural Center stop, and exit at President's department store. Keep walking straight out of the exit (along JhongJeng, towards the freeway) until you reach this sign:

 Turn left and walk about two blocks. The restaurant is on the corner, as pictured at the top. Parking is moderate along the alley and is available for a fee at the President's Department Store.

Two desserts and a cup of blueberry tea.

Pizza at Mary Porsa 2

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Korean food in Dashe

There is now a Korean restaurant in Dashe. It's located near Allen Bakery and the DVD rental shop

The purple items in the upper left-hand corner are the claypot rice bowls.

This clay pot is one of the better dishes at this restaurant.

Best Cold Noodles or Liang Mien (涼麵)

Tucked away on a small street in downtown Kaohsiung is this unassuming little restaurant. I would never have even set foot in this place, but because a Taiwanese friend took me there, I am now dying to go back. I’m not sure who claimed it to have the best Liang Mien in town, but it was really good (and they don’t use MSG!)


Liang Mien is literally translated as “cold noodles.” Traditionally, it has Chinese egg noodles (sort of spaghetti-like pasta), mixed with a garlic, sesame, vinegar & chili sauce, cucumbers and chicken.
The menu is simple (read from right to left):

• Vegetarian Liang Mien (S – 35, L – 45)
• Regular Liang Mien (S – 35, L – 45)
• Shredded Chicken Liang Mien (S – 50, L – 60)
• Shredded Beef Liang Mien (S – 60, L – 70)
• Miso Soup (10 NT)

Directions: From MAK, Take Hwy 1 south and exit at Zhong Zheng Rd. (中正路). As you come off the ramp, go straight past the big intersection of Zhong Zheng Rd. Follow the signs leading you to the next big street south of there, called San Duo Rd. (三多路). Take a left, and drive about 5-10 minutes until Fude Rd. (福德路). You should see a Blue, Red & White Grocery Store on the corner. Turn right onto Fude and the shop will be on your left hand side, a little ways down. (And on your way to this restaurant, stop off at the Bite-Sized Zongzi Store!)

Price: Economical
Parking: Moderate (depending on the time of day)
Hours of Operation: Mon – Sat., 7:30am – 2:30pm

九逗窩: That "Cute little European-style restaurant" in Yanchao

In the mood for pasta or hotpot close to home? Want a set meal or curry? Hungry after hiking the reservoir in Yanchao? Then try out this cute little restaurant. Look for this sign above their restaurant and the front of their restaurant that looks like this:

Here are a few dishes you might want to try:
Spicy Thai coconut sauce on rice with an egg (泰式椰香辣...tài shì yé xiāng là...)

Baked chicken in a creamy sauce (with noodles or rice under the cheese): 奶油醬焗雞 nǎi yóu jiàng jú jī

A set meal  套餐 tào cān

Northern Thai spicy claypot rice 泰北辣瓦煲饭 tài běi là wǎ bào fàn

 

Spaghetti (義大利麵 yì dà lì miàn)

 

Here is the menu (click for a larger view):

Directions from MAK: When turning on to the "main" road (that runs under the freeway), turn right (towards E-Da Hospital). When the road T's into the next major road, turn left at the light. Turn right at the first light (as if you're going to part of E-Da Hospital). Follow this road straight for several kilometers to the town of Yenchao/Yanchao. Once in the city, look for the the hamburger/chicken sandwich shop with the pelican symbol (Dan Dan Hambow). The restaurant is just past that intersection, on the right-hand side. 

Parking: Moderate

Costs: Moderate.

Taiwan "Snacks" 台灣小吃

If you're looking for a great way to try a variety of Taiwanese foods in smaller, more economical portions, try out 台灣小吃 tái wān xiǎo chī. This is a chain that offers a delicious variety of simple foods. (Note: many of the foods have a pretty high amount of garlic flavor, so prepare yourself for bad breath.) It's a good price, too, with the above-pictured meal just 140 NT. In the photo above are the following foods: Rice with meat, meat floss, cucumbers (upper left, "A" on the menu below), meatball soup (lower left, "L" on the menu below), a large bowl of "dry" noodles (bottom right, D2 on the menu), wooden noodles soup (upper right and also pictured below, G2 on the menu), and fried tofu ("S" on the menu, 5NT per piece).

Here is a menu translation (Thanks, Ellen!):
B. Rice with minced soy sauce pork gravy (light, not thick like American gravy)
C. Rice with slices of soy sauce pork
F. Crispy pork with Noodles (usually soup, but can ask for dry)
G. Wide rice noodles with minced pork sauce (like B.) (2 options: dry (top) or with soup(bottom))
H. Vermicelli noodles with minced pork sauce (like B.) (2 options: dry (top) or with soup(bottom))
I. Short pork rib soup
J. Bitter melon short pork rib soup
M. Spinach / Green (usually a favorite)/Bean sprouts
N. Bamboo shoots
O. "lu" Cabbage ("lu" usually means they cook it for a long time, maybe in a slow cooker in soy sauce and spices)
P. Fish (Tilapia)
U. Sliced pork (like C, with no rice.)


Recommended items on the menu include D or E, G, and M2 (green veggies). Try a little of each and find a new favorite!

Directions from MAK: Go into Dashe on the main road (Jhong Shan Rd. 中山路). At the first major intersection (where there is a Hi-Life Convenience Store), go straight. Keep going past the second light, too (with Watsons, 7-11, Family Mart). The shop will be on your left, before you reach the next intersection (with Donutes). Look for a maroon sign and wooden decor. You can pay on your way out, after eating.

Parking: Challenging, because it's on the main road.

Costs: Economical.

藤原拉麵 Fujiwara Ramen

Fujiwara Ramen is a clean, economical restaurant with delicious handmade noodles and dumplings. This place has a particular advantage at dinner time because of it's extensive parking lot and proximity to the fantastic tea shop Tea & Magic Hand:

Here is a picture of their menu:

Dish "A" is a miso soup broth with pork, noodles, and an egg. Here is what it looks like:

Items B, C, D, and F are nearly the same, all being dumplings and noodles with veggies. B, C, and D are all soups, with the first being a red soup, the second a miso soup, and the third a clear Japanese-style broth. Item C is pictured here:

Item F (wonton noodles 餛飩 幹麵 hún tún gàn miàn) is made with the red sauce (slightly spicy, but not too bad), but is served "dry", which means they serve the broth on the side, as pictured below. For only 50 NT, this is one deal that's hard to beat!

If you're still hungry, try out a side dish of green veggies (Item "G--青菜):

Directions from MAK: Go into Dashe on the main road (Jhong Shan Rd. 中山路). At the first major intersection (where there is a Hi-Life Convenience Store), turn left. You'll now be on the morning market road (Jin Long Rd. 金龍路). Follow this road until you see the Tea and Magic Hand tea shop on your right (with a maroon sign). Immediately after the tea shop, there is an alley that leads to a huge parking lot. You can park back there. [If you pass the park or fire station, you've gone too far.] The restaurant is on the other side of the alley from Tea & Magic Hand (look for the red sign above). There's a kitchen in the front with yellow tables inside for eating. You can pay on your way out, after eating.

Free sweetened black tea is provided, as are reusable spoons and chopsticks.

Parking: Easy. You can park their parking lot behind the restaurant.

Costs: Economical. Most dishes are 70NT or less.