Travel
Gourmet Delights: Thailand to Host the "2016 Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants Awards"
Thailand's culinary scene has had a bumper year, not only with five of its restaurants being named in the 2015 Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list, but the Tourism Authority of Thailand recently also announced that it has been selected as the host destination for the 2016 Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants Awards, aiming to promote the country’s unique cuisine.
Edible stones? They're actually the signature creation of renowned Spanish chef Andoni Luis Aduriz.
Following in the footsteps of vegetarian god Alain Passard and mad genius Pierre Gagnaire, this year Thomas Chien has invited Andoni Luis Aduriz (安东尼・路易斯・阿杜里斯), head chef of Spain’s Mugaritz — ranked 6th in the world for consecutive years — to make a guest appearance in Taiwan. Unlike the previous two French chefs, Andoni will present Spanish “deconstructed and innovative” cuisine from October 21 to 25. Both lunch and dinner set menus are priced at NT$12,900, featuring 14 courses in total.
Hidden in an alley, the Big Two's Cantonese-style char siu & Chef Hu Tianlan’s special “Sister Lan Congee”
I really enjoy Cantonese-style roast meat rice. A simple plate of white rice with some side vegetables, topped with a few slices of char siu and soy sauce chicken, then drizzled with sauce—it’s ready to serve. It may seem simple, but it truly tests the chef’s skill in controlling heat and seasoning. Near Taipei Municipal Zhongzheng High School, there’s a “Big Two Food Shop” that I always visit when craving char siu.
The 120-meter "Town Water Slide" debuts in Jiji — glide slowly through the green tunnel
Authorized by the UK and introduced to Jiji Township in Nantou County, this urban water slide made its debut this weekend (October 3–4) in the Green Tunnel. Visitors can slide at speeds of 18 km/h along the 120-meter-long track, enjoying the scenery of Jiji Township from a uniquely low angle. Many visitors praised, “The Green Tunnel looks so towering—it’s a view of Jiji we’ve never seen before!”
Ground service vehicle at Kaohsiung’s Xiaogang Airport hits plane; Far Eastern Airline’s wing light damaged, compensation to be sought
On the afternoon of the 3rd, a Far Eastern Airline flight FE095, originally scheduled to fly from Kaohsiung’s Xiaogang Airport to Kinmen, was accidentally hit by a Taiwan Ground Service ground service vehicle while parked on the tarmac at noon, causing damage to the position light on the right wing. Far Eastern Airline stated that the 38 passengers on board had been arranged to transfer to other flights, and the damaged aircraft returned empty to Taipei around 4 p.m. for inspection and repairs.
Direct from Donggang harbor!\ Newly opened Japanese restaurant in Kaohsiung serves luxurious, hearty miso soup
The foodie street along FuGuo Road is always bustling, thanks to its dense residential population that naturally attracts eateries. Japanese restaurants have been sprouting up all over Kaohsiung, and Fubugusa Japanese Cuisine just recently opened right next to New House. Its signboard is very visible at night and easy to spot. With it being newly opened and not widely known yet, there isn’t much information online — so I’ll do the scouting for you and share this food review as reference.
Taiwan’s shining star in the wine world—Come taste at Vancouver’s largest winery!
When it comes to wineries in the Greater Vancouver area, none are as well-known or as large-scale as LuLu Island Winery. Through a wine-tasting tour, Dad Seahorse finally got a glimpse of this winery located in the suburbs of Richmond and chatted with the owner, Mr. Zhang Zhongnan, sharing the fruits of this Taiwanese man’s hard work in a foreign land.
Typhoon Choi-wan affects flights: Some TransAsia Airways “Taoyuan–Macao” routes delayed
Due to the outer circulation of Typhoon Choi-wan, TransAsia Airways stated that for safety reasons, some Taoyuan–Macao flights on the 3rd will be postponed to depart on the 4th, and there will also be delays on the 4th. Passengers are advised to pay attention.
Island-Hopping in Okinawa: A Canoeing & Jungle Adventure on Iriomote Island
The canoeing is done in pairs, with the person in front responsible for steering and the one at the back paddling in sync—if not, the paddles get tangled and you can’t move forward. The boarding point is a wide river area near the estuary, and you slowly paddle deeper into the jungle. The ecosystem is mainly wetland, rich with mangroves, mudskippers, fiddler crabs, and other wildlife. As you venture further into the forest, you’ll disembark to visit an abandoned local mine.
From crawling to running — New video of Osaka landmark "Pocky Running Man" revealed
The iconic "Pocky Running Man" billboard in Dotonbori, Osaka, has become even more dynamic since the installation of its sixth-generation LED display at the end of October last year. To commemorate the merger between Ezaki Glico and its subsidiary Glico Dairy Products, a special nighttime edition of the video will be shown from now until October 8. It traces the journey from infancy to becoming a legendary runner, taking visitors on a trip down memory lane of the Running Man's growth.
Have you tried them yet? A lazy guide to 14 newly opened popular restaurants in Season 3
This year’s food scene has been buzzing, with new restaurants—both international and locally created—opening almost every month. Previously, ETtoday EBC News Cloud compiled a list of 20 must-try restaurants that opened in the first half of the year. Unexpectedly, in just the first half of the second half of the year, as many as 14 new restaurants have launched. Among them, the Rilakkuma Restaurant, HELLO KITTY Hot Pot, and Haidilao saw an explosive surge in popularity right after opening—for instance, Rilakkuma’s October reservations are already fully booked.
Since 1862, sold from a shoulder pole — The Century-Old Fried Rice of Daxi Old Street
The century-old fried rice shop in Daxi Old Street is arguably a must-visit famous old store for many travelers. The combination of the shop’s fried rice, meat rolls, and meatball soup is both popular and satisfying. Founded in 1862, the century-old fried rice business started when its founder, You Zhaozan, sold his wares from a shoulder pole. After years of development, it is now managed by the fourth generation.
Check your pockets—Jianhu Mountain National Day holiday discounts: tickets just NT$200 after 3 PM
With Mid-Autumn Festival just over and the Double Ten holiday coming up, Jianhu Shan World has announced that during the holiday period (October 9–11), tickets will be just NT$200 after 1 PM. Those who want to enter in the morning can also take advantage of the “Name Match” ticket discount—if your name contains any of the following characters: 剑 (sword), 湖 (lake), 山 (mountain), 庆 (celebrate), 双 (double), 十 (ten), 中 (China), 华 (China), 民 (people), 国 (country), 生 (life), 日 (day), 快 (fast), 乐 (happy), you can enter for free.
Late-night snacks on Jinhua Road in Tainan: sausage and cured meat stalls, mulberry milk snow ice packed with fillings
This is my second food hunt on Jinhua Road at night~ The liveliest spot has to be Hupou, not far from Xizai. I thought I’d come back when it’s less crowded, even though I had just eaten Ah Jia’s sausage and cured meat from Dongcai Market that morning. But seeing Xizai again in the evening made my mouth water—“Just have a little slice!” I told myself...
"Rainbow" Disrupts Flights: All Cathay Pacific / Dragonair Flights to Hong Kong on the 4th Delayed
Due to the impact of this year's 22nd typhoon, "Rainbow," some airlines experienced delays this weekend. Cathay Pacific / Dragonair announced that on October 4 (Sunday), all flights departing from Taiwan to Hong Kong or transiting through Hong Kong to other destinations are expected to face significant delays. Passengers are advised to check flight status and local traffic conditions before departure.
4 Must-Try Local Snacks in Macau!
Sometimes you might not have a long vacation but still want to take a short trip to relax—nearby Macau is a great choice. When it comes to must-try local snacks in Macau, many might not be able to name them right away. This time, the editors at TravelBAG are recommending four popular local snacks, from street stalls to neighborhood shops. Curious to know what they are?
Dancers Dance with Light – The Largest Ever “Spherical Water Light Projection” Debuts in Taichung
The 2015 Taichung Light Art Festival launched Taiwan’s largest-ever “spherical water light projection show” on the 3rd, attracting thousands of spectators who packed the area around the Lake Center Pavilion in Taichung Park. Even the boats on the lake were fully booked, with no seats left. The light performance, combining dancers with a real-time interactive projection sphere, was widely praised by many as being of international caliber.
57 Harbor-Style Rooms | HowToTrip Kaohsiung Opens Mid-October
Kaohsiung HowToTrip has been in operation since June 9 and is set to officially open in mid-October. As a new landmark of the harbor city, it is an industrial-style design hotel themed around the seaport, showcasing innovative and unique local travel experiences with a culturally creative style.
Japan’s Most Beautiful “Seaside Foot Onsen” – With Views of Sakurajima Volcano Eruptions
This is Japan’s most beautiful foot onsen spot. As a volcanic island, Sakurajima has numerous hot spring streams flowing across it due to years of eruptions. In Tarumizu City on Sakurajima, there’s a foot onsen that travelers consider the most beautiful in all of Japan — where you can soak your feet while gazing at the Sakurajima volcano.
Popular Stir-Fry Spot in Dadaocheng – Their Signature Dish Is actually “Millet Noodle Soup” with Swordfish
This small but bustling shop in Dadaocheng was actually a bit of a head-scratcher for me and YouShang, because I lived nearby for three to five years, and YouShang actually grew up there — yet neither of us became aware of this place until recently... The reason? It’s packed with people every evening.