By Douglas Habecker Translated by Yvonne Chen

      When it comes to a great fusion of attractive dining and drinking settings and selection, nothing tops the very pleasant streets that radiate out from the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts. Among these, two specific parkways--bordered by WuQuan (Wuchuan) West 3rd and 4th streets, and CunZhong (Tswen Jung) Street--have become must-visit places for residents and tourists alike.

This area primarily consists of older, Western-style residential buildings, many converted to restaurants and cafes over the past five years or so. As long-time residents remember, most of this neighborhood was once a sprawling residential complex for the U.S. military. A remaining testament to this fact are the names of the north-south roads feeding into this area--HuaMei, ZhongMei (Jung Mei) and MeiCun (Meitsun)--which all allude to "Mei Guo" (America). Known to foreigners as the "New Compound" in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s, this complex housed hundreds of U.S. Air Force families and included various facilities, from military clubs and restaurants to a baseball field and swimming pool--which still survives as the AmVets Pool.

Today, this area continues to see an almost monthly addition of new cafes and restaurants, each architecturally and stylistically distinctive from the other. The WuQuan West 3rd/4th Street Parkway (see COMPASS pull-out map) begins directly opposite the Art Museum's main entrance. Staying to the right and heading south on WuQuan West 4th Street, the first two blocks feature a few scattered establishments, including the new Gulu-Gulu Aborigine restaurant and a large corner Parity Coffee 3 Royalty House cafe. The tree-shaded walk down is pleasant and will bring you to Taichung's only flock of street pigeons, thriving off of human handouts.

Most establishments are found after crossing the wide WuQuan 5th Street. Across the street is the large Greek-looking Blue Coral Island and one of Taichung's most successful Italian eateries, Little Italy, which regularly fills its spacious interior with diners craving its American-style Italian cuisine. Continuing down the strip brings you to an eclectic mix of other popular establishments--the cute-looking, red-brick Pumpkin House; the swanky white ID+A lounge bar; the new, very-upscale Fleur de Sel French restaurant (see this month "What's New"); and the invitingly-relaxing Garden at Giverny. Further down the same side is a public parking lot and--at the very end of the street--is the large, brick Concession Bar.

Crossing to the other side of the parkway and heading back north takes you past another line of eating/drinking places, including Spicy Curry Restaurant (featuring curries from around the world); Creative Restaurant (be sure and try out the donuts there); the Old Shanghai-themed 1924 Shanghai Restaurant; the very charming, white Herbs Kitchen Provence French restaurant; and the well-known Peach Blossom of California Restaurant, housed in a two-story glass box with swing-style chairs. One block to the east, on WuQuan West 1st Street, is the high-end Babu Restaurant, featuring excellent European cuisine.
Also popular is the CunZhong (Tswen Jung) Street parkway, which starts from MeiCun (Meitsun) Road on the Art Museum's west side. Stretching several blocks, this quieter street includes some of Taichung's better-known restaurants. On the strip's north side is the city's largest, most attractive Indian eatery, Cacti Indian Restaurant, with the very popular Papa Mio Italian Restaurant right next door. On the opposite, south side, separated by a public parking lot, is another favorite Western restaurant, Country Goose Kitchen. About 200 meters further west, where CunZhong meets the DaJong South Street and the canal, you will come to RH Furniture's new store (packed with Chinese/Asian antiques). Turn left on the canal and you'll see L'affection French restaurant. One other popular place is the classy, little Charcoal Fire BBQ Restaurant, just north of the museum on MeiCun Road.