After his first restaurant was well received in Taipei, the owner of Yunnan and Thai Food Restaurant decided to set up a second branch in Taichung to serve more diners. Yunnanese and Thai dishes share the characteristics of fragrant, spicy and fresh flavors. The aromas alone are enough to cause some serious mouth-watering and the spiciness seems to enhance appetites during the hot summer months. Unlike other restaurants, this place prepares its own shrimp sauce. Shrimp Sauce Cabbage (NT$80) is a popular dish with crunchy cabbage fried with shrimp sauce. Yunnan Numb Chili Chicken (NT$150) is a dish with chicken marinated in numerous Chinese herbs. Lemongrass Garlic Shrimp (NT$150), Yunnan Sweet and Sour Fish (NT$150) and Sour and Spicy Raw Prawn (NT$200) are all carefully prepared by the chef, who has 20 years of experience. Dishes are tasty, available for reasonable prices, and have no MSG added. A lunch buffet is also available and, for only NT$75, you can enjoy a goodie-filled Thai lunchbox.

--By James Su, translated by Sho Huang