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2008 critic reviews of Taipei and Taichung restaurants
By Josie Wu Translated by Ann Lee
A quote from the book, "2008 Taipei 's Top Restaurants", states, "You cannot place the dishes served here into a certain category, and you almost never taste the same dishes twice. Sometimes, even when the dishes are being brought to the table, you still will not be able to determine the aroma or flavor. After tasting a dish, you may have the urge to ask the owner how it is seasoned."
One may wonder if such great three-star-review restaurants really exist. After releasing the popular "2007 Taipei's Top Restaurant" book, publishers decided to produce another book focusing on the most recommended establishments in the greater Taipei area (including Taipei county), inviting a team of anonymous critics to visit those restaurants and rate them according to four levels of excellence. The truly oustanding five-star restaurant ranking apparently does not exist here. In this 2008 version, the author introduces us a total of 228 quality restaurants, including seven restaurants that received the four-star rank, 31 restaurants with three stars, 68 with two stars, and 118 receiving a single star. If you're keen on gourmet dining, or simply enjoy exploring food, picking up a copy of this guide is a must.
Once you are done trying out Taipei's great restaurants, take a trip down to Taichung and see what this part of Taiwan has to offer! The "2008 Taichung's Top Restaurants" book (NT$300) is now available at bookstores everywhere. In this edition, they review a total of 114 local quality restaurants. Gourmands may want to compare the restaurant lists in these two books, following these guides to experience the distinct differences between the dining cultures of Taipei and Taichung. If you are interested in buying this book, try the Kingstone or Eslite bookstore chains, or visit books.com.tw, www.2-fishes.com, or call (02) 2369-9022 for further information.
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