At the corner of the first lane to the left (Ching Ming Rd.), is the vintage Cocona Pub and, opposite, the attractive white Tropics Caribbean Restaurant & Bar (11, Ching Ming Rd., tel. 327-8974), serving Jerk Chicken and other Caribbean delights from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Further down side road--which leads over to The Landis Hotel--is another eatery worth trying--International Street Beef Noodles Restaurant.

The Finga's chain of restaurants, run by New Zealander Dereke Bruce, is a well-known Taichung institution. Further down Ching Cheng Rd., strollers will encounter the first of these, Finga's Fine Foods, which serves great sandwiches, Mexican and other dishes from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and also hosts a bakery and imported goods grocery store. On the same side, further down, are the 24-hour Yukaly Cafe, with meals and coffee starting from NT$35 a cup, plus the tiny techno-music pub, The Zoo (wearing all-black clothing and dark eye-liner will help you feel "in" here).

Opposite Finga's, along Lane 50, are two very European establishments. The first is a new addition, Fatty's family-style Italian restaurant, opened by Grand Formosa Taichung Hotel's former general manager, Hendrick Frijling. The second is the Joric German Deli, managed by Jorg Rossow and his wife, Roi, who provide good German cuisine (lunch 11:30 am-2 pm, dinner 5-9 pm) and a small European-goods grocery store. Also directly opposite Finga's is the Guay Guay Gun Shop, where you can buy military-issue clothing and gear, BB guns and GI Joe dolls.

At the corner of Ching Cheng Road and Lane 50 begins a series of pleasant shops, starting with the San Fang Er Ting ("Three Rooms, Two Halls") shop (open 12:30-10 pm) with beautiful imported, scented candles, candle holders and other home decoration items. Heading down Ching Cheng Road and taking the next right onto Tatun 19th Street takes one past fashion stores with names like Hugo, Ross, Patti Pat and the assertive-sounding I'm A Woman shop. There's also a Body Shop, with its usual beauty and health products.

Tatun 19th Street also brings one to one end of the very famous and popular "tea street" or "cafe street" (depending on who you ask), Ching Ming 1rst Street. Before turning left into the street, you might want to head right, where there are some back alleys of shops, eateries and, for the skate-boarding crowd, Mecca Skateboards & Streetwear, full of caps, baggy jeans, boards, stickers, T-shirts and other paraphernalia that go with this sub-culture. Further down Tatun 19th Street, opposite the big parking tower is a similar skateboard-stuff store, DCSHOECOUSA (open 1-10 pm). Heading straight on Tatun 19th will also bring you to the corner Sha Wu Li Shabu Shabu Restaurant (open 11:30 am-2 pm, 4:30-9:30 pm) with its Japanese-style "hot pot" dishes starting at NT$199.

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