Grand Formosa Taichung Hotel 1049, Chien Hsing Rd. Reservation number: (04) 2324-6106

The Grand Formosa is marking Dragon Boat Festival with 'Apollo and Venus' rice dumplings, which come in four different flavors--Venus, Apollo, Hong Kong Seafood, and Formosa dumplings. The 'Venus' dumplings, costing NT$1,000 each, are slightly sweet and made from red sweet rice, swallow's nest, pearl powder, rose, mung beans, gingko, and Aroy-D imported from Thailand--all supposed to be especially good for women. Costing the same is the 'Apollo' dumpling--made from things like deer tendon, eel, 'worm grass' Chinese herbs, burdock, ox penis, and oyster--that are supposed to boost potency and other things for men. Much cheaper are the NT$280 Hong Kong dumpling--made with scallops, shark's fin, fish lips, fish tripe, abalone and other things--and the NT$80 Formosa dumpling, made out of favorite local ingredients. Advance orders are needed, with one week's notice needed for Apollo and Venus dumplings.

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