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*321,
JianKang Rd., Sec. 2, Tainan City; (06) 291-1050
*Hours: 6 pm-late; Closed Mondays
In
the six years it has been open, including three-and-a-half
at its current location, Willy's Second Base Bar and
Grill has earned a fine reputation in Tainan and beyond
for Western cooking, especially Tex-Mex cuisine.
"I always wanted food to be a big part of the business.
The majority of customers come here to eat," says
owner-manager Steve.
Steve--a Canadian national who first came to Taiwan
to play baseball, and who's still very much involved
in the local baseball scene--is especially proud of
the fajitas. Customers have told him they are best in
Taiwan: "They've been our No. 1 selling item for
five years. The quesadillas are No. 2."
When asked about the menu, he says, "I try to have
food that fits in a pub setting--burgers, steaks, ribs."
Since opening, he's gradually expanded the menu.
Few items are priced over NT$250. And he aims to provide
good size portions at a fair price, adding that he'd
rather serve up "a little bit too much rather than
not enough." His customers are, he estimates, about
60 percent foreigners, 40 percent Taiwanese.
Steve has never formally studied cooking--everything
he knows, he says, he learned from helping his father
at the family's diner back in Canada. "I peeled
potatoes, poured coffee for truck drivers, and cleaned
the windows."
"I know how things are supposed to taste,"
he explains. "I experiment until things taste how
they should."
Willy's also has an extensive drinks menu, with draft
and bottled beers (including Belgian beers), cocktails,
and spirits. There's a range of special deals on drinks--see
the What's On section near the front of this magazine
for more details.
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