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Orgasmo: Everything a bar should be
By Douglas Habecker
Translated by Naomi Lai
16, TaichungGang (Taichung Port) Rd, Sec 2; (04) 2311-6031
Hours: 9 pm-3 am
(Orgasmo 2:
43, JingCheng 3rd St; 04-2310-1686)
Credit cards accepted.
No service charge. English menu.
In a time of lounge bars, sports bars, music pubs, talking bars, bar and grills and other variations on this theme, it's often hard to find a bar that's, well, just a bar. Here in Taichung, that need is being superbly met by Orgasmo Cafe & Bar, which is everything a good watering hole should be, and then some.
Owner Clifton Yang's good eye for pleasing customers has been on display since he opened his first Orgasmo establishment about 18 months ago, followed by Orgasmo 2 within the past six months, with an obvious interest in branding and visibility that goes as far as a Orgasmo T-shirt series. Walk into Orgasmo 1 and you're in a cozy, chilled-out modern bar, surrounded by deep-red colors and neon highlights, an eclective variety of photos and posters, a couple TV screens showing sports and movies, a long bar, tall bar tables, sofa area, and lounge-style music. Given its ideal location on Taichung's main thoroughfare near major hotels, it regularly sees a good mix of local and foreign men and women.
The savvy owner also has never forgotten that a great bar has to have a great bar. Orgasmo's friendly, attractive, English-speaking female staff serves one of Taichung's most extensive drink selections. This starts with five excellent international beers on tap--Guinness, Kronenbourg 1664, Stella Artois, Hoegaarden, and Warsteiner--with a Monday-Thursday buy-3-get-1-free deal on all of these. That, however, is just the beginning, as there are also numerous bottled/canned beers, ranging from NT$130 Buds to Boddington's, Erdinger, and several Belgian trappist beers.
There are also 20-plus Scotch options, from Laphroaig Islay to Macallan and Glenmarangie, plus over 30 cocktails (NT$220-300), from martinis and frozen margaritas to Clifton's pride and joy, the "Best Mojito in Taiwan" (NT$250), a refreshing concoction of rum, fresh lime, sugar, peppermint leaves and soda. In the same category is the rare Caipirinha, made with Brazilian Cachaca sugarcane liquor, limes and brown sugar.
Not forgetting that "cafe" is part of the name here, non-alcoholic drinks include various coffees and, somewhat improbably, three types of high-end Mariage Freres brand French "the" (tea). The food menu is a surprisingly long list of tasty Western and Taiwanese entrees and appetizers, including USDA Choice Grilled Beef Skewers (NT$180 for 3), Hakka Salty Pork (NT$160), BBQ Pork Back Ribs (NT$280-500), cheese platters, "jaotze" dumpings, and New England Clam Chowder.
Without the need for distracting extras, Orgasmo's mix of good staff, service, ambiance and an outstanding bar selection truly make it everything a "real bar" should be.
 
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May 2010 
