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Paul's 38F, 201, Dun Hua (Tun Hua) Rd., section 2 Tel: (02)2378-8888 ext. 5803 Hours: 11:30 am-midnight

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I stumbled into the Far Eastern Plaza Hotel one evening on the way to another club. The place was so beautiful, I made a mental note to come back and learn more.

Damn, I'm glad I went back. Most of the restaurant and bar outlets are pretty typical of your five-star hotel. Hollywood Underground, Suntury, Li Bai Lounge (with piano perfomance), Lobby Court, and Shang Palace (Cantonese) are fairly standard, with good decor, attentive service and decent, if not cheap, prices.

Okay, if it is like most five-star hotels in the city, why go there when there are tons of interesting places around the city? The answer is the places at Far Eastern I haven't mentioned yet. Fine Chinese dining at the 39th-floor Shanghai Pavillion is a treat for the eyes, with antique decor from 1930's Shanghai, and the variety of food is amazing. Then there is Marco Polo Restaurant on the 38th floor with its excellent selection of Italian fare, including dishes like duck ravioli (NT$590) and roasted lobster with seafood sauce (NT$1,250). Hotel Food and Beverage Manager Chi Wu Wang told me there are 150 wines and 40 champagnes to choose from.

Although these upscale dining experiences may not be enough to make everyone come to the Far Eastern, one place changes that--Paul's, the lounge next to Marco Polo. This bar, also on the 38th floor, is one of the most romantic places in Taipei. As a single guy walking into this beautiful venue, I wanted to ask the next woman I saw to marry me, just so that we could celebrate our anniversary here. The view, decor, service and nightly jazz give Paul's an air of sophistication that feels real and not made-up. The jazz is cool and breezy, yet played with those sounds that make you look into your partner's eyes, glad to be there together.

There's a lot more here than romantic ambiance, though. The coffee drinks (NT$265-280) are imaginative and tasty. One definitely worth trying is called Fantasia and consists of Frangelica, espresso and hot chocolate. The food ranges from Cream of Lobster Soup (NT$320) to Veal Tortellini in a creamy bacon ham sauce (NT$450). Desserts include a great array of classy delectables (my favorite--Homemade Marble Cheesecake with Fruit Coulis). Prices for these confections range from NT$325 to NT$365.

My romantic feelings about Paul's appear to be shared by other patrons, as Chi Wu Wang also told me that, on Valentine's Day, tables are near-impossible to get without reservations booked far in advance. Walk into the place and you'll know why.

Paul's is an amazing find for the romantic in all of us.