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"I
love this bar" sings American Country Music
idol Toby Keith about his local pub, and so say
I about Jack's Country Pub in Tienmu. I may be
an ABC but I'll have ya'll know that "country" stands
for country music, and I get it in spades while
sipping from a pitcher of San Miguel draft (NT$300)
and stomping my boots at this cozy place, opened
four years ago by the elder statesman of Taipei
pub's, Jack Wang. He has been behind the bar
for over 30 years, starting at his dad's old
place, called "Lucky" and once located
on ChungHua and BoAi roads, but now a distant
memory to all but a few old American GIs.
The bar seems small but that belies its big attitude
and wicked taste in humor, and there are two floors
(the basement is used for Taipei Volunteer Fire
Department meetings, parties, and dart matches
for the Tienmu, ex. Taipei, Darts League). Take
the memorabilia on the walls, for example. Nobody
is spared from the humor, and that's the way it
should be. Every bad and tasteless, sexual, political,
and self-effacing joke known to man is represented
there, along with some tasty shots of Bud Girls
in bikinis. So is 30 years of community history
and American G.I. influence (how do you think the
Country Music got into Jack in the first place?).
Jack started the Tienmu Darts League so, naturally,
you will find a lot of dart players hanging about.
Jack has also been with the Volunteer Fire Department
for some 46 years! I've never been called up," he
says with a grin. "But we have a great time
fund-raising for charity events and socializing."
The food is hearty and tasty--steaks, charbroiled
chicken, pork chops and more, all served with fries
and salad. Chinese dishes are done simply and with
good flavor.
Just one last thing to say before I dive into that
third pitcher of San Miguel: Wear your cowboy boots
and get ready for some rowdy, honky tonking, foot
stomping music, as it's just country and only country.
You won't find that anywhere else in Taipei or
on the island, I wager to bet! |
