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COMPASS MAGAZINE, June 2006

Tasty, filling Shandong-style noodles and cuisine The Shacks (Shandong Flavors Restaurant) 167-1, LienWu Road (04) 2211-3220 Open: 11 am-2 pm, 5-8 pm Credit cards not accepted. No service charge.

---By Niang Chen and Douglas Habecker Translated by Cara Steenstra and Jean Huang

While this tiny restaurant probably remains unknown to many local residents, its enormous, lasting popularity with Taichung's Western community for the past half century is of great note. "The Shacks", as its foreign patrons have been calling it for decades, was started in 1951 by a retired mainland soldier, Mr. Li, who hailed from Jinan city, Shandong province. Originally located on opposite Taichung Park on ZiYou (TsuYou) Road near the Shuang Shi Road intersection, this place soon gained popularity among local diners from Chunghsing University, the Physical Education College, Taiwan Water Company and elsewhere. Starting with Western missionaries and students and teachers from Morrison Academy, foreigners also became regular customers. Foreigners and old mainlanders still faithfully dine here to this day. Now run by Mr. Li's son and his wife, The Shacks still offers tasty traditional Shandong fare such as beef noodles, or boiiled and "guo tieh" fried dumplings. However, as Mrs. Li notes, some of the most popular dishes are non-Shandong items. Foreigners in particular are absolutely crazy about the Sweet and Sour Pork here; most would call it the best in the world. Other popular dishes include the Beef and Green Peppers, Shrimp and Cashews, and "Ma Po" Tofu. To get there, get on ZiYou Road and cross ShuangShi Road, heading east. At the next light, turn left, and then immediately right onto a small lane and it's right there.