The other Eatery 中山

【Foodholic Nako @ Taipei】

"The Other Eatery Zhongshan" is located near Zhongshan Station and Taipei Main Station, about a 5-minute walk from the R2 exit of the Zhongshan Underground Mall. This restaurant originally opened at Dongmen Station and has recently moved here. It started its trial operation on May 1st.

Having previously dined at another restaurant, Another Eatery, where the food, cocktails, ambiance, and the attitudes of the owner and staff were all satisfactory, I quickly made a reservation to dine at "The Other Eatery Zhongshan" upon hearing it had opened.

The first floor seems to have limited seating, but there is actually a spacious basement as well.

Cloud Earl (Non-alcoholic cocktail) $250
Grapes/Cotton candy milk foam/Earl Grey tea
It tastes quite like drinking milk foam red tea. For me, it is a bit too sweet; when it first arrived at the table and was still colder, it felt refreshing. However, as it gradually warmed up and mixed with the milk foam, it became slightly cloying. Overall it was decent, but next time I'll want to try other items.

Low-key (Cocktail) $360
Oriental beauty/ Sake/ Honey
Comes with a plum on the side; it looks very refreshing and indeed tastes very refreshing. This is a subtle yet sophisticated flavor; both the sake and tea tastes are fresh, and the honey brings out the sweetness, though it still retains a hint of alcohol.

Scallion Duck Garlic Fried Pasta $380
Although the menu says it's mildly spicy, as someone who can't handle much spice, I found it to be between mildly and moderately spicy.
This dish was probably my favorite of the day. I can only say that The Other Eatery truly excels at making fried pasta (I had previously enjoyed pork fried pasta at their other restaurant, Another Eatery, which was also delicious). Although it’s fried, the flavor is not too bland; the sauce is still quite rich and clings nicely to the noodles. The pasta itself is fantastic. The portion of duck is generous, and the meat is tender, paired with scallion sauce, giving a blend of Western and Hong Kong-style flavors. I would love to order this again!

Soft-shell Crab Boss Pink Pasta $450
The pink sauce is a combination of red sauce and white sauce. Compared to the fried pasta, I found this dish just okay, perhaps because the sauce was too wet and creamy, making it feel a bit heavy and somewhat cloying. The wide flat noodles were a bit soft due to being soaked, and while there were plenty of mushrooms, there were only two pieces of soft-shell crab, with a rather thick batter. As for the taste, it might just be my palate; I found it slightly fishy, and I personally didn't enjoy it much.

Zero-Point Fried Clams $340
I wonder why it’s called zero points; perhaps it’s because the sauce is made with salted eggs. The sauce is incredibly fragrant, and each clam is super large and plump (so impressive, how do they choose them?), pairing well with the sauce. However, I did encounter one that had a hint of fishiness, which was a pity. There are a few pieces of chips similar to Doritos to dip in the sauce, but I felt there weren't enough. I hope they can serve a bit more so we can wipe the sauce clean.

Couch Potato Uncle Fries $280
Comes with three types of sauce: ketchup, caramel mustard, and takoyaki smoked oyster sauce.
These are potato fries, but they are thinly sliced, yet fried in a way that makes them feel a bit thick—hard to describe. Anyway, the frying method is quite special, definitely something everyone should try! The portion is huge, making it perfect for sharing among a group while drinking. They're good on their own, and dipping in each sauce works well too; my personal favorite is the takoyaki smoked oyster sauce!

Gu Guo Guo Soft Bone Gugu Chicken $280
I honestly don't understand why this dish has such a name, haha! But I really enjoyed this fried item; it consists of chicken with soft bone parts that has a nice crunch when you bite into it. The texture is great, and as for the sauce, I didn't ask what it was, but it feels like teriyaki sauce; whether you eat it alone or with the sauce, it's fantastic, and the portion is satisfying. Highly recommend!

Halfway through our meal, I wasn't sure if it was Eric, the manager, but he came over with shots to treat the guests, welcoming us to dine there. The shot I had was a tea liquor, and while the alcohol was strong, it felt very refreshing overall, which I liked!

Overall, "The Other Eatery Zhongshan" feels very much like dining at a friend's house. Although it resembles a bar more, the taste of the dishes surpasses the standard of an average bar. I highly recommend coming here with a few friends for a gathering—the atmosphere is great!