Forkers

I know that in my last post it made it seem like I'm miserable here, but the truth of the matter is that I'm not. Sometimes I just get grouchy, I guess. In fact, there are a lot of things I appreciate about Taiwan, such as how easy and convenient it is here. Like, let's say I get a craving for a good hamburger. Then I can just hop onto the MRT, take it to Zhongxiao Dunhua on the blue line, and right around the corner is a fantastic new hamburger joint named Forkers where I can stuff my face to my heart's delight. It's ironic because back in the States, if I were to get this same craving, the only choices I'd have would be between McDonald's, Burger King, or TGIFridays. Funny how I had to move all the way across the world to get a good burger.

Forkers has been open for about a couple months now, though by the way their business is doing you'd think they've been around for longer. But it's not surprising that they're doing well. Just take a look at this hamburger here:


That's the Australian burger (260NT), which comes topped with bacon, cheese, a fried egg, beets, grilled onions, and a special barbecue sauce, as well as the usual lettuce and tomato. Yeah, it's a lot, but as Luke says, "Delicious!" I've also had their mushroom cheeseburger (good) and their fajita burger (good, but spicy). All their burgers come with fries (which if you add an extra 40NT or 50NT depending on what you order, you can get poutine, tex-mex or chili cheese fries). You also get a choice of salad with your meal (I like the Hawaiian Pasta Salad) and a drink.

If you're not in the mood for a burger, Forkers also offers other non-burger fare, like the grilled chicken quesadillas (260NT) that I ordered last time we went. It wasn't bad, but I do think that their burgers are definitely their strong point.


So if you're ever craving a hamburger with all the works, head on over to Forkers!

Forkers
www.forkers.tw
Zhongxiao East Road, Section 4, Lane 223, Alley 10, No. 8
(02) 2771-9285

Bongos

For those of you sick of the long wait at The Diner, check out Bongos. I'm not saying that The Diner isn't good, because it is, but sometimes that wait time is just brutal. Also, whenever we tried to call for reservations, they never had any available the day of. Thank goodness for Bongos, then. Even without reservations, the longest we've ever had to wait for a table was about 10 or 15 minutes. And, more importantly, the food is definitely on par with the quality at The Diner - actually, at this point I would say that only thing The Diner has over Bongos is that they serve milkshakes.

In fact, I think I actually like the hamburgers at Bongos better, if only because I feel healthier eating them. They serve all their hamburgers on wheat buns, and in addition to the tradition lettuce and tomatoes, my hamburger came with alfafa sprouts. Here's the Deluxe Bongos Burger I ordered last time - it comes with bacon, Gouda cheese, and what they said was a "special" sauce, but tasted like Thousand Island dressing to me. I don't know, maybe that dressing is special here in Taiwan.


Another thing that I was really excited about at Bongos is that they have Mexican food on their menu, and it's actually quite decent. The chicken enchiladas are a thumbs up, and the chili is also good.

So, next time you call up The Diner and find that they're booked solid, head on over to Bongos.

Bongos
Wenjou Street, Lane 74, Alley 5, No. 3*
(02) 2365-6059

*It might be a good idea to call for directions, since Bongos is tucked away in a small alley near National Taiwan University (Exit 2 from the MRT Taipower Station). In fact, their business card says, "If lost, call Debby 0952-821-930."