Pacific Spirit Island

165, GuangJhou 1st St, 1F
(07) 222-0078
Hours: 7:30 am-10:30 pm
MRT: Central Park Station

Named after the park of the same name at University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada, Pacific Spirit Island is a comfortable restaurant with a big, open patio and a cool breeze. Located across from a park, the restaurant is a great place to catch an inner-city sunset. The owner, Prudence, wanted to create an atmosphere where people could meet and openly exchange their ideas and opinions with others. To facilitate this, every Friday is Friend's Night, where they offer a free cup of gourmet coffee to start you off. Besides the patio, their basement floor boasts a large open area with a gallery and conference room, both of which are available for booking. The area itself is perfect for quiet reading or a one-on-one class. PSI has all kinds of dishes, like their excellent, hearty Lamb & Noodle Stew (NT$150) and Cold Sesame Chicken and Noodle salad (NT$135). Pacific Spirit Island is a surprisingly quiet place to enjoy some downtime in the middle of downtown. --Text by Sean Cooper, translated by Ann Lee, photos by Colin Brown

The Seafood Pasta (NT$280 w/drink + Bread) is a great choice.