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FYI SOUTH Magazine, June 2004.

Ba Li Shiang Restaurant (07) 670-1387 27-1, Minchuan Village, Sanmin, Kaohsiung County Hours: 10 am-10 pm (closed Monday)

       People from Tainan City may remember an aboriginal-owned bar called Hud La Voos, run by four Bunun sisters, Aidas, Abas, Alas, and Ebu. The four girls have now returned to their home village in a mountainous part of Kaohsiung County, and opened a restaurant that serves aboriginal and Chinese fare, including such unusual dishes as Mountain Rat (NT$250), Baby Hornets (NT$300), and Grasshoppers (NT$300). The vegetable dishes (NT$100 and up) are especially delicious as they are picked from the wild when needed, making them both 100-percent organic and authentic. Ba Li Shiang--the name is derived from the girls' parents' names--is decorated with wood panels, paintings, weavings, and animal skulls. There are two indoor waterfalls, large trees, plus stone and bamboo features. Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday the girls--sometimes joined by their nieces and nephews--perform aboriginal dances. Special events and live bands are planned for the future. For more information about the Sanmin area, see this month's cover story on pages 21 to 25. --By Richard Matheson