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ORCHID & ELEPHANT THAI CUISINE 33, TianMu East Road

--By Josie Wu, translated by Cara Steenstra

Orchid & Elephant comes from the same people who brought us Mae Nam Thai Food, the first Thai-style restaurant to offer all-you-can-eat, freshly-prepared dishes as you order. Following the success of the FuXing branch, which won a loyal customer base, their new Tienmu branch is two stories high with interior decor that exudes Thai styles in new ways. Raised in Thailand's Mae Salong, the owner not only insists on the most authentic Thai cuisine, but also returns to Thailand regularly to bring back new, popular, trendy dishes from Bangkok. The most popular dish is the Roast and Pork (neck part) (NT$280). The neck portion (each pig can only provide two portions) is marinated for a day and night, giving it a juiciness and texture. The Roast Beef Salad (NT$300) is an imperial dish, with sirloin beef fried until 70 percent done, then seasoned with crushed chili peppers, spring onions and spices. The Chicken Soup with Ginger Citronella (NT$280) is a common Thai dish, stewed in ginger citronella with coconut milk added to create a rich creamy flavor. For dessert, try the Mo Mo Cha Cha, Taro with Black Glutinous Rice or the more unusual Glutinous Rice with Durian (NT$120).