Lu Wei : Taiwan Street Food Delicacy

"lu wei" (魯味) is a typical Taiwanese street food that has an assortment of vegetables and meat that are boiled and served with spices.

A casual nite out with Liya... we ventured out looking for something cheap and satisfying and of course, Taiwan has a great selection of street food... we opted for something filling, fast and a combo of many different things ... hence, Lu Wei, a smoregesboard of veggies and meat, thrown in together, and cooked in a nice broth... real COMFORT FOOD... in fairness, it is usually YUMMY but on this particular nite - Liya happened to pick a really bad resto... SAD SAD SAD... it was SOOOOO TASTELESS that no amount of spices added could save it!!! Oh Well!!!

2009 Taiwan Culinary Exhibition

The Annual Taiwan Culinary Exhibition celebrates it's 20th Anniversary with another lavish display of, mouth watering and feast to the eyes, culinary creations. Held once again at the Taipei World Trade Center (Hall 1) - it runs from the 20th thru the 23rd of this month, AUGUST.

In addition to promoting Taiwanese delicacies and cooking, the major function of this delicious event is to advance the development of local, tourism and cultural industries. Hoping that more foreign tourists will also be able to have a better understanding of Taiwan gourmet paradise.
We were BRAVE ENOUGH to join the masses of foodies all eager to SEE and hopefully, TASTE some of the Newest and Best Creations from both Local and International Chefs participating in the event. Some of the Highlights for marketchow and myself are:
-Debut of the TRI-MOUNTAIN NATIONAL CUISINE
-The World Culinary Contest
-Giant Grouper Gourmet
-Fine Dining Exhibit - Gold Medal Dishes
-The Suzhou Water Country Riverboat Banquet
-LOHAS Back-to-Basics Banquet
-Five Star Chefs’ Live Show - Cooking Classes

MORE DELICIOUS PHOTOS HERE

marketchow X AHIMSA

Marketchow's (David) new career digs is AHIMSA, restaurant part of the YOGA LIVING on Da-An Rd., in Taipei.

Ahimsa is SANSKRIT word that is a rule of conduct that bars the killing or injuring of living beings. And in this vegetarian kitchen, this is firmly observed with the focus on, not only healthy products used, but in making sure the Ahimsa practice is followed in its' meal offerings.David heads the kitchen staff, and one of his main objective is to make sure that the ever changing menu - changed every two weeks - is followed at it's utmost in compliance to the Ahimsa practice and making sure that the finest & freshest ingredients are used for every meal served. He also have to entertain the clientele, making sure all is satisfactory to their liking and making sure they have a nice dining experience.

As an added bonus, David is able to cook now and again - filling in for the cooks... and taking care of Special party Reservations on weekends and/or evenings. You know this part he LOVES most!!!Had the PLEASURE of visiting and checking out the place - and of course, snapping a few photos. SEE THEM HERE.

Gusto Italianao : Multo Bella...

March 21st: Another get-together weekend with friends... this time around - we all decided to eat out - as everyone is way too busy for an in-house get together cooking session....

The Place of choice was GUSTO ITALIANO, an Italian restaurant tucked in the Nei Hu district... it is also the place of David's work - and one that we all have been wanting to try for quite a while now after seeing their website, menu, and numerous blogs by Marketchow fueled with beautiful photos of tasty offerings... and the place did not disappoint at all!!! From the clean, nicely lit surroundings, to the attentive staff -- the place is worth a try.

The Food totally lived up to marketchow's photographs and descriptions.... tasty, scrumptious, and what a great selection... for about NT$700 ($20US) per person - you will get an entree of your choice, soup and beverage plus your fill of all-you-can-eat SALAD, BREAD, and delicious desserts... Each of our entrees were deliciously prepared and nicely presented... the servings are just the right amount considering you are already getting full from the choices of breads to start with... not to mention the salad bar.. what a variety of fresh veggies to try as well as, some fully prepared starters as salmon, clams, bratwurst sausages, apple veggie salads, etc... I mean, the salad bar alone would have sufficed but one MUST have the entree for the complete dining experience.......

Of course, the best part for me is the all-you-can-eat Dessert offerings... the selection changes as each cake is gobbled up -- so how can I stop.... Bread Pudding, explosion of Chocolate cakes, fruity tarts, etc.... I think, even with the slices of each cake offered that nite, I was still able to eat half of the bread pudding laid out... I could LIVE on these sweets for sure!!!The only thing sweeter, I must add, is the company of some really good friends... Juliana, Sue, Cecilia & David... till the next time guys.... am already salivating just thinking about it....
More Photos here.

Saucy Sauces * Sauces X 4

Sunday, March 15th - I had the pleasure of sitting in on one of David's cooking classes... when I say cooking classes, I mean one that he was teaching... and when I say sit in, I mean recruited to take photos...

It was a bit nerve wracking for me going into it... not for me and my photo techniques, or lack of it -- more because I did not know how nervous David would be conducting the class... It was not his first mind you, actually his second one... after months of coaxing from his Boss, at the company he works for, he finally gave in and agreed to hold cooking classes... For this particular one, it was all about sauces, 4 of them actually: Ragu Alla Bolognese, Salsa Picante, Aceto Balsamico & Pannecata.The class was for a couple of hours only but the amount of preparations needed took so much longer... unfortunately i could not help much as I really know nothing in the kitchen, and did not want to mess anything up.. or plainly just get in the way...So I sat around, observed and just did a bit of "this & that"... basically whatever am told.... After a couple of hours of slicing, dicing, chopping, peeling -- all ingredients were then place on their individual presentation tray... each grouped into which sauce they will be used for. Then it was more time to make sure that everything is clean and all set to go for the class...

At about 1:45PM, people started coming in -- all hyped up and ready to learn. About 8people turned up for the class -- which is a pretty good number already considering it was only advertised for a couple of weeks. The class actually went pretty well... am quite AMAZED and IMPRESSED at how at ease David was though the whole thing.... everything just flowed out naturally and smoothly... the cooking was impressive as well with no big mess or mishap... like he really has been doing it for years... and the people seemed to be actually both interested and entertained... so much so that one guy even commneted, while everyone loved the class, he loved Teacher David Best... LOLS!!! Everyone were also quite HAPPY with the finished sauces, as we all -- even me, got to try each and every one of them... and as an added bonus, all sorts of Bread were brought in from the bakery of David's company, Saveurs De France.So overall, it was 5hours well spent being amazed with David's calling and learning a bit a long the way... Next Up: PIZZA MAKING CLASS, dough included....
FOR COMPLETE SAUCE CLASS PHOTOS CLICK HERE
& to learn more about David's Culinary World,Pls Click Here: Marketchow

un AMIGO para todos!!!

Since moving to Taiwan, we have tried a few Mexican restaurants -- all of them ended up being disappointments... which baffles the heck out of me as most dishes uses the same ingredients for the most part... and are prepared pretty much the same... LOLS! The places we have been served either canned crap or what must have come out of those TV dinners just microwaved, then put on a plate... most has a very soggy texture from too much heating up... leaves so much to be desired... worse, totally leaves a BAD TASTE that I avoid Mexican food in Taiwan for the most part... that is until the other nite when Jason's (David's youngest nephew) food of choice was Mexican... driven by the cooking show we attended earlier in the afternoon at Eslite Cafe....

David happen to have seen this restaurant in back of the Chung Hsiao East Rd, AMIGO... hoping for the BEST but ready for the WORST - we were genuinely surprised and elated at what we had.... nevermind that the servings were not big enough... not like the ones you would normally get in the Mission District of San Francisco.. Ingredients were fresh, crispy, and prepared just right... and they were nicely served in dishes reminiscent of the ones I actually used in Mexico...The DECOR gets an A plus from me as well... panchos & colorfully painted ceramics adorns the walls; colorful wooden chairs; a pair of Mexican's traditional costumes; and sombreros (hats) as lamps over tables.... and as an added bonus - ALEJANDRO FERNANDEZ was playing when we first came in... I was truly WON OVER at the get go...
For the rest of the photos - PLS CLICK HERE.

the "sweetest" weekend

Literally, as we made over 700 Truflles in two days!!!!

Sat the 28th, will be the third and last(LOLs!), wedding banquet for Lyn & Shaun... this is for their friends in Taipei who were not able to attend either the Nantou or Kaohsiung receptions... still over 100 of them! GEEZ!!! Anyway, as a favour and gift to the the newlyweds -- we volunteered to make the truffles as parting gifts to the attendees... each person will get a box of 4 truffles...
Now, we have never made truffles before -- we have eaten lots of them -- of course --so we thought it would be a nice challenge.. and a great present, a more meaningful gift to the newlyweds... Besides, how BAD could it be right... after all I will be working with chocs.. MY FAVE!!! Challenge was the least of it... it was also time consuming, meticulous and messy...
-Time consuming as each batch of 100 took us about 3 hrs to finish up - scooping into balls, dipping in melted chocolates and rolling in the various topping...
-Meticulous as we want everything to taste great and look good... no out of shape ones - those were either packed to give to our friends and family - or eaten right away... lols...
-Messy as between the three of us, we had a whole load of laundry the two days we made the truffles.
Still, it was all worth the troubles as we were quite relieved that we finished them in a timely matter and they actually turned out, not only PRETTY but TASTY as well... now for the real test, getting the people to try them and hearing what they have to say...

CLICK HERE for more photos of our TRUFFLE MAKING adventure...

a new "Discovery"... well....

Dining out comes too far and few in between, so when we do, we do like to try new places we hear about or have seen in passing at one time or another... One such place is Discovery: Vietnamese restaurant inside the Mitsukoshi A4 Building, in the Waner Village area... The place was is nicely done... decor not too much, subtle but still evokes the Vietnamese feel to it... the presentation was quite good too as each dish came served in ornate plates... the service is just as nice as well -- attentive and kind staff...

buit then there's the food... they left a lot to be desired... forget the fact that each dish was too little - they were not anything special at all... nothing that will keep us coming back... even the street food in the streets of Hanoi were much more tastier....
You can see more PHOTOS HERE.

The Beauty In Ugly

How many times have we all traveled to a Foreign land, or even go to a friend's home for dinner, and was served something never in your wild IMAGINATION would you thought about as edible?? And yet, for the others, they are delicacies....

Over my travels, I have seen people eat dogs, beetles, grasshoppers, eggs with almost formed little chickies, snakes, and so many more to remember... actually, i do try to forget them...

A couple of nites ago while grocery shopping with marketchow, we happen upon these froggies... all de-skinned but totally together... of course, at first site one wants to PUKE... but the more I look at it the more I had to think that it must be a delicate art to be able to painstakingly de-skin these creatures without cutting them up in pieces... So, no matter how UGLY the thought of eating it is -- in fairness, I still was able to find some beauty in it... something we ought to do in our everyday life, travels, etc... WE MUST ALWAYS FIND THE BEAUTY IN UGLY!

Beard Papa

Beard Papa's (麦の穂, Muginoho?) slogan is "Fresh'n natural cream puffs" -- and boy do they LIVE UP to this!!!! This Japanese company that is about a decade short, founded in 1999, has over 250 stores in Japan and 300 worldwide.

When I was first introduced to them last year, I instantly fell in love with their trademark product: Cream Puffs with Custard filling. This choux pastry shell is usually filled with whipped cream custard, available in vanilla, chocolate, and specialty flavors such as green tea, strawberry, pumpkin, Earl Grey Tea, Èclair, and coffee -- just right up my alley.(The one located at the Newest SOGO Department Store in Taipei!)(Freshly Baked Everyday in Every Location!)(Delicious Custurd Filled Cream Puffs)

Their cafes island wide are usually small and located in shopping malls -- but this serves them just fine as most people stop by to get boxes and boxes full to take home and share with the family, myself included.Beard Papa Taiwan
Beard Papa Worldwide

It's Big Alright... But It Ain't Stupid!

Rainy Saturday Nite... hunger strikes -- craving for some cold comfort food to warm the soul, or at least the tummy.... and we found just the answer for our cravings... "Stupid Big Bowl"...

Yes, you read that right! "Stupid Big Bowl" indeed -- that is the name of this little restaurant in the Roahe Night Market.. I too, had to asked David a couple of times if the name really is that... Though the bowls and portions are definitely big (and much to my delight -- colorful, too!), there really is nothing stupid about the dishes... they were quite tasty and filling...
The 6 available choices!
The MENU boasts of 6 different flavours of soup only to choose from... depending on your choice -- selections of meat, veggies & other wonderful, though not easily identifiable, goods are thrown in together - much like Shabu Shabu but already cooked and prepared to everyone's delight and satisfaction...

LUGAR: Home Bread Bar

Saturday - Sept 4th
Another get together brunch with Juliana... David and I met up with her at this place called LUGAR, a type of Bread Bar that DAVID happened upon online.... I thought the name alone is worth checking out - as LUGAR, in TAGALOG literally translates to Place... so it had a nice ring to it - for me anyway....

The concept is very interesting, different types of freshly baked bread to choose from and all sorts of sauces to dipped them into... one can have PASTA meals, as well, but for the most part the BREAD is what people come here for....

For a lite brunch - it is not a bad choice at all... filling enough especially if you opt for the SET meal... by adding another NT$130 (a little above US$4.00) soup, salad, dessert and coffee will be included.... but if you are on the really HUNGRY side - then I suggest going elsewhere as the portions are not very much...

The Best part of going to this place, for me, was that i got to walk around this neighborhood that I was completely oblivious of... such a cool nice neighborhood with lots of little restaurants running the gamut of fancy to home-style, quaint little shops (one even sells retro furniture) and other specialty shops...

The Thing ABout Seafood

All my life I have always hated eating seafood... not because I do not like their taste... on the contrary I love the taste of most.... growing up I had gotten used to eating nothing but fish and veggies...as it was all that my MOM liked to feed us.... then in High School our DAD would drag us to go crabbing around the Bay Area, almost every other weekend... then it would be CRAB FEST at home....

The thing that I HATE about them is the trouble one has to go through in order to savour each taste.... I hate having to de-shell shrimps -- so I only like them when they are made the tempura way.... I hate having to pick all the bones off of them... not to mention having to deal with one that you actually makes it to your mouth and pricks you... Lols... then there's crabs - tastes GREAT but even messier to eat.... So when at parties or out to dinner in public, I do try to avoid eating these -- as much as I would love to have them...

Instead, I look forward to the times when am dining with family and they actually debone, de-shell, de-everything and anything for me... as they all know that it is one of the things I hate having to deal with the most... right up there with lining up for anything....

Then there are the, even more special times, when David gets inspired and actually cooks seafood for all of us.... he knows enough to choose fish that are not too bony... or larger shrimp which he prepares and de-shell already.... and now and again, SQUID.... already cleaned and one can pretty much eat everything and not fret about having to make a mess.... Recently he treated us all to this delicious SQUID dish... made totally from his IMAGINATION and just sooo full of flavour... it was savory, chewy and most of all, not messy to eat... TO me that IS the BEST TYPE of SEAFOOD!!!

Korean Pear: How SWEET it is!!!!

Got to try these delicious fruit just yesterday... am blown away by it... NO WONDER they cost soooo much.... now I would not have bought them myself as I think they are just on the expensive side -- but LUCKILY, one of the roomies got a box as a present for Chinese Moon Festival, instead of the traditional MOON CAKES -- and we all got to TASTE them....
Korean Pears has got to be the sweetest type of Pear I have ever had so far in this lifetime... i just could not believe how sweet it is -- crunchy, juicy and sweet.

Extreme care is supposedly taken while growing these pears, the outcome is the cleanest, most blemish-free fruit available. And unlike the ones I used to have in San Francisco, and even here in Taiwan, Korea's Asian Pears are round and much larger in size. The skin of the pear has a light brownish-yellow tint while the inner flesh is white, as white as they come. This variety is bred to have an extremely thin skin. This is one of the reasons, i read, why they must be wrapped when growing. So, when you bite into it, you right away taste the sweet juicy juicy flesh and not bitter skin like other pears do. They are so refreshingly good and sweet in taste.

According to WIKIPEDIA: "In Korea, , Korean Pears are grown and consumed in great quantity. Many are exported to the U.S. and sold as gifts, touting the superior quality of pears grown on the peninsula versus those grown in Southern California. Imported pears tend to be quite large and very fragrant, and are carefully wrapped, allowing them to last several weeks or more in a cold, dry place, such as a storage.[citation needed] In the South Korean city of Naju, there is a museum called The Naju Pear Museum and Pear Orchard for Tourists (나주배박물관 및 배밭 관광체험).[1]

Because of their relatively high price and the large size of the fruit of cultivars, the pears tend to be served to guests or given as gifts, or eaten together in a family context.

In cooking, ground pears are used in vinegar or soy sauce-based sauces as a sweetener, instead of sugar. They are also used when marinating meat, especially beef."

My Kind of Grass!!!

Grass Jelly Drinks have always been a fave of mine - it is more than a refreshing drink... it is a dessert.. in the Philippines the version is called GULAMAN... and this was something I crave and looked for growing up in San Francisco... normally we have to hit a Filipino Bakery or Restaurant in the South San Francisco areas to satisfy the craving... that is, till I discovered that in Chinatown - one can get the Grass Jelly drinks... they are not as sweet as the Filipino Gulaman... which makes them a bit better... and healthy too.... here in Taiwan, there is an abundance of stalls that sells them - and for this am quite HAPPY!

Grass Jelly is made by boiling the aged and slightly fermented stalks and leaves of Mesona chinensis (member of the mint family) with potassium carbonate for several hours with a little starch and then cooling the liquid to a jelly-like consistency. This jelly can be cut into cubes or other forms, and then mixed with syrup to produce a drink or dessert thought to have cooling (yin) properties, which makes it typically consumed during hot weather. The jelly itself has a slight bitter taste, a light iodine lavender flavor, and is a translucent black. It can also be mixed with soy milk to produce a milky white liquid with black strands in it.

In China & Taiwan, grass jelly was traditionally served with sugar syrup. Now it is often served mixed with other ingredients, such as mango, sago, watermelon, cantaloupe, and other fresh or canned fruit, and evaporated milk.
My roomies, Lyn, David & Shaun enjoys their glass jelly drinks after the movies....

Otoro Dining Room, Taipei

Friday, the 5th of August -- met up with David at the newest SOGO Department Store on Chung Hsiao East Road... we were checking out the City Super Supermarket for his work and decided to have dinner at Department Store... lots of restos to choose from..... different types of food...at different price ranges.... we opted for the middle of the road resto, OTORO Dining Room... we were in the mood for some SASHIMI and SUKIYAKI.... it was definitely a good choice.... the Sashimi was as fresh as fresh goes.... and my LAMB Sukiiyaki was soooo delicious...
The portions were just right... not too much, not too little.... with for less than $15.00US per person -- with the Shrimp Salad to go with the meal - it was definitely inexpensive....

After dinner we walked around the food areas of the Department Store and admired the various packaging of the many products available for purchase....

Overall, it was a GREAT NITE for eating out....

Shabu Shabu : Taiwanese Style

Shabu-Shabu is a Japanese variant of hot pot and quite a RAGE in Taiwan. It seems that no matter what part of Taiwan you happen to be - there will always be a neighborhood Shabu-Shabu Restaurant. The dish is related to sukiyaki in style, where both use thinly sliced meat and vegetables, and usually served with dipping sauces. The difference is in the taste; shabu-shabu is more savory and less sweet than sukiyaki. Normally considered a winter dish, which makes sense considering it is all cooked in hot boiling broth and the Taiwanese opts to have theirs with so much HOT spices. Shabu-shabu is eaten all year-round.

In Taiwan, all you can eat Shabu-Shabu is the more popular fare for the family, company outings, and just friends getting together for a nite of food and chatting.
Choices of all sorts of thinly sliced meat (beef, pork, duck, chicken, sheep, etc are staples...as well as the seasonal vegetables. Seafood such as crap, shrimps, clams & oysters are available, too. Rich or Noodles are available for carb lovers but I guarantee you - you will not want to be filled with those when you have so many other choices...

Pls Note: there are no real "rules" for eating Shabu-Shabu. Your Choice, your way all the way. You are your own chef. Just cook what you want, when you want, and enjoy it the way you want...


Shabu-Shabu has become one of my MOST FAVE types of food to eat in Taipei... I always welcome guests for a great excuse to make a nite of it... I really love having it, not because I eat a lot, though I do -- but because of all the little choices that comes with having it.... meat... veggies... seafood.... desserts (fruits, pudding, & different flavor Ice Cream by MEIJI, Japan) ... drinks.... only $10.00US per person...and the BEST part, NO TIME LIMIT!!!!

Recently was able to enjoy a Shabu-Shabu feast dinner with Todd, his GF & David at the neighborhood Shabu Shabu place, Hen Ji Shabu Shabu.

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Shabu-shabu is sooooo POPULAR in Taiwan - there was even a POP song of the same name, that became a HIT !!!

A Nite with Peter Rabbit

Finally got around to posting these photos on Flickr... have I been that busy???

A Wonderful Dinner Treat by Juliana, at this quaint little themed restaurant - tucked away in the back streets of Chung Hsiao East Rd.. it is actually my second time but Juliana wanted to take DAVID as he missed out on the experience our first trip there.. My first time dining there - I did not have my digi cam with me so I missed out on documenting the experience...t his time out - I came prepared and took a lot of photos..... The business card above is in Chinese... sorry no English translation... and though they may have started out as a vegetarian restaurant - one can actually select from a few meaty meals... whatever is fresh that the chef can get for the day....

It seems that the proprietress/chef Love's and is a BIIIG FAN of Peter Rabbit - hence, the whole restaurant decorated with so much Peter rabbit memorabilia... The restaurant has been around for a few years now... and their clientele has grown so much... through word of mouth... rightly so as the FOOD is really well made - fresh & tasty, beautifully presented, and the set meals nicely priced.

It was such a nice experience.... and one of the BEST KEPT SECRET of Taipei themed dining that is perfect for a fun nite out with friends and/or family........

SATISFIED FOODIES!!!

Aternoon Tea: English Style in Taipei

Last week was such a busy week for us with work, work and more work - I was not ableto keep up too much with my blogging... even forgotten about our Tea Time Experience at Rose House till I was reminded by a friend who saw my flicker album on the whole experience... Not to say that it was not good... on the contrary it was lovely, as lovely as they come... I would even say that it would rival the ones I have had in some of the finest places in London....

I have seen the Rose House tea shop/cafe all over Taipei... it is a chain shop located in some of the busiest places in the city... One look at the logo and you right away would think of a chi-chi place to be and right off the bat - upon entering - you know you are in for a treat with the place's frilly interior: bone china in antique style wooden cabinets; floral paintings hanging on the walls; floral motif draperies; and most especially, the quiet, relaxing ambiance the place exudes -- truly an English style experience in Taipei.

Rose House offers a wide variety of teas, coffees and drinks, Rose House's signature rose tea and fruit teas are very refreshing. Each are served in a lovely bone china setting... complete with sugar sticks, honey & a biscuit. Most people definitely come here for the tea but Rose House also offers a selection of sandwiches, and a bit of meat dishes... we opted for the afternoon waffles with our tea.

The servers are pleasant and are impeccably dressed to serve. And serve they do with big smiles on their faces. Very attentive with all your needs and are most eager to clear your table to make it a whole lot more neater for you.

So if you're looking for a quiet place for an afternoon cup of tea and a chat with friends and/or family Rose House is definitely a great choice. But if you are more into loud music blaring in the speakers and people conversing like they are speaking with someone deaf the I suggest you do not come here.... and I highly recommend the one we dined at, located in the MIRAMAR Mall:
ROSE HOUSE TEAROOM
at Miramar Mall
No. 20, Jingye 3rd Road, B1F
TEL: (02) 2175-3023
Hours: 11: 00 AM - 10: 00 PM

a little bit of the US of A!!!

Now and again, I get this craving for a big, fat, juicy & hearty, good 'ole American cheeseburger.... yes there is McDonald's, Burger King and even, Wendy's.... but if you want a sit down din din where they seem to know what they are doing - you MUST go to either TGIF (Fridays) or Chilli's....

Both places, for me, are pretty much interchangeable.... both serves all sorts of American burgers.... topped with different kinds of cheeses.... with your choices of accompanying veggies..... and prepared just the way you want them to be.... and they are even priced just as outrageously high as the ones in the US!!!!

If you are LUCKY - the burgers are not BAD at all... they are tender, fresh and juicy... but more often than not, they are dry and not soooo appetizing at all... so you must appease yourself with the APPETIZER Platters... usually much more fresh as they seem to sell more so they are always making them..... not forgetting my FAVE part, the DESSERTS... gooey, thick, and rich sundaes and other sorts of cakes.... (the latter alone could make me forgive the restos if the burgers are dry...)

So if I have to choose between the two - I would say I pick TGIF.... mostly because they have a much more fun decor... a lot of stuff or memorabilia adorn the walls and ceilings - movie and television stills, sports crap (jerseys, baseballs, etc) & photos of different popular US sites and destinations.... so you are reminded of all the things you see growing up back in the US.... and the BEST part of all, the waiters and waitresses are dressed in some really funky, funny, and even downright humiliating outfits.... especially the hats..... and they are trained to chuck it all in and be as chirpy as they could.... this alone is worth the trip to a TGIF, now and again....

- more photos of one of my special times at a TGIF (Siemending location) .