WHERE GOOD TIMES
MEETS HISTORY AND ART: BLUEPRINT

---By Steven Crook Translated by Annie Liu Photos by Richard Matheson

79, HePing St., Tainan City (entrance on HaiAn Rd.)
(06) 222-2701
Hours:8 pm-3 am
English & Chinese menus

Blueprint, which opened two years ago, is interesting in many ways. This two-floor, 90-year-old building was one of several old structures effected by the widening of HaiAn Road a decade or so ago. It's been renovated in a way that preserves many of the old features (look up and you'll see the original roof timbers) while adding modern conveniences and cutting-edge installation art.

The creative force behind the remodeling was Liu Guo-cang, a well-known architect who teaches at National Chengkung University. The owners all work in art- or architecture-related fields, and their desire to make Blueprint a pleasant place to spend time -- rather than a money-spinning business -- is reflected in the menu. You'll find lounge-bar style and comfort, but not lounge-bar prices: Most bottled beers are NT$120; Belgian beers are NT$150. Cocktails start at NT$180.

There's a minimum charge of NT$250 on Fridays and Saturdays, and NT$100 on other days. Sangria is available for NT$180 a glass, or NT$500 for a pitcher. Each order is made fresh by manager Aliang, who lived in Spain for several years.

Also, there's quite a bit of food on offer, including an excellent duck dish. Aliang describes Blueprint's cuisine as "Taiwanese tapas" -- prices (nothing over NT$200) and portion sizes mean it makes sense for a group to order several dishes and share.
To attract a sophisticated crowd, Aliang has put a lot of thought into the kind of music here. The size of the building allows her to play different music in different sections of the bar, and live bands are booked about once a month. For details, see the What's On section of this magazine, or call Aliang at 0910 028 675.