Anyone been to Taipei?

[Jacob]

Actually, sweet and sour pork is one of my most favourite Cantonese dishes, and I make it a point to order it at least once in every Cantonese restaurant in HK.  IMHO, the best sweet and sour pork anywhere in the world is from this restaurant -

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luk_Yu_(tea_house)

I'll make sure to try it there next time. The yum cha was good there too.

Speaking of restaurants - my wife and I are thinking of going to Japan this spring; I'd love to have some recommendations from you.

[Camerus]

Average high in January in Taipei is 66F/19C, and average low is 57F/14C.

I've talked to a lot of people who have lived in both Hong Kong and Vancouver.  We all agree on one thing - that the temperatures in the West Coast and Hong Kong feels very different.  12C in Hong Kong feels like freezing and is intolerable.  12C in Vancouver feels a bit cool but is fine with adequate clothing, even outdoors.  A lot of people blame the high humidity in this part of the world.  I have to wear sweaters and coats every time I visit Taipei in January, so I won't describe it as beach weather.

You're just used to much warmer weather so it feels cold to you. People who live in colder climates coming to Taipei will feel warm. It's as simple as that.

I don't think so.  10 degrees Celsius feels much colder to me in Shenzhen than back in Toronto.  Perhaps it's just due to paper-thin walls and lack of heating anywhere.

[Monoriu]

Actually, sweet and sour pork is one of my most favourite Cantonese dishes, and I make it a point to order it at least once in every Cantonese restaurant in HK.  IMHO, the best sweet and sour pork anywhere in the world is from this restaurant -

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luk_Yu_(tea_house)

I'll make sure to try it there next time. The yum cha was good there too.

Speaking of restaurants - my wife and I are thinking of going to Japan this spring; I'd love to have some recommendations from you.

Which part of Japan?   

[Monoriu]

How are the expenses? Similar to Korea?

I'm not familiar with Korea.  Taipei is a lot cheaper than HK or Shanghai though.

So a lot cheaper than Korea.
Korea > Hong Kong > Shanghai, price wise.
How easy is travel around the island?

Shanghai is now almost as expensive as HK. 

It is very easy to go around in the island.  They have an excellent rail system.  It was once ruled by Japan and it shows.  I haven't tried it, but they got high speed rail a few years ago. 

In Taipei, easiest way is to go to Taipei rail station in the city centre, and go from there.  It is an all-in-one rail station.  In Taipei, the city rail system has two major lines that form a big cross on the map.  Taipei station is right at the centre, you won't miss it.  When you get there, exit the city train system, go to the hall and you'll find all sorts of regular trains that go to every other city, large and small.  I'm not sure but high speed rail may require reservation in advance, you may need to check.

[Monoriu]

Average high in January in Taipei is 66F/19C, and average low is 57F/14C.

I've talked to a lot of people who have lived in both Hong Kong and Vancouver.  We all agree on one thing - that the temperatures in the West Coast and Hong Kong feels very different.  12C in Hong Kong feels like freezing and is intolerable.  12C in Vancouver feels a bit cool but is fine with adequate clothing, even outdoors.  A lot of people blame the high humidity in this part of the world.  I have to wear sweaters and coats every time I visit Taipei in January, so I won't describe it as beach weather.

You're just used to much warmer weather so it feels cold to you. People who live in colder climates coming to Taipei will feel warm. It's as simple as that.

I don't think so.  10 degrees Celsius feels much colder to me in Shenzhen than back in Toronto.  Perhaps it's just due to paper-thin walls and lack of heating anywhere.

In HK and Shenzhen, the buildings are designed to deal with 30C+ and 90%+ humidity in the summer, which is much longer than winter.  In Vancouver, the house was very well suited for winter, but was hellish for summer 

[Jacob]

Which part of Japan?   

If the recommendation is worthwhile enough, to where ever the restaurant you suggest

We haven't started on the itinerary yet, but there's a bit of an outline.

We'll probably fly out of and into Tokyo, and stay there for a while; lots of friends to visit. We'll probably get a train pass and travel around for a bit. We'll definitely spend some time in Kansai as well - we're going to Uji for the tea, and I expect we'll got to Kyoto as well. Maybe Osaka as well. There's another friend in Fukuoka we might visit also. Oh... and apparently we'll spend a few days in Okinawa as well.

But we're doing the train pass thing, so I'm quite up to go to somewhere else for a really good restaurant. If, say, the best restaurant in Japan in your opinion is in Sapporo, then that's worth knowing.

[Monoriu]

I recommend these two.  Both are very traditional old school Japanese kaiseki places in Kyoto.  I had a 17000 yen per person 8 course lunch in kikunoi, and a 5000 yen lunch box in hyotei.  I've posted a pic of the lunch box in my thread before, and you've probably seen it (it is gone now, I think).  Both are Michelin 3 star (max) restaurants.  I think they have branches, but it is said that their main branches are the best.  Notice that I dare not have dinner in these places.  One because it is a lot more expensive.  Two because they serve pretty much the same stuff, except that during dinner, they use this 400 year old bowl made by that master who served Hideyoshi or something 

http://kikunoi.jp/english/

http://hyotei.co.jp/

[Tonitrus]

Which part of Japan?   

If the recommendation is worthwhile enough, to where ever the restaurant you suggest

We haven't started on the itinerary yet, but there's a bit of an outline.

We'll probably fly out of and into Tokyo, and stay there for a while; lots of friends to visit. We'll probably get a train pass and travel around for a bit. We'll definitely spend some time in Kansai as well - we're going to Uji for the tea, and I expect we'll got to Kyoto as well. Maybe Osaka as well. There's another friend in Fukuoka we might visit also. Oh... and apparently we'll spend a few days in Okinawa as well.

But we're doing the train pass thing, so I'm quite up to go to somewhere else for a really good restaurant. If, say, the best restaurant in Japan in your opinion is in Sapporo, then that's worth knowing.

That's almost exactly like the trip I took there a couple years ago. 

If it matters, Chinatown in Yokohama was pretty cool.  Himeji castle is awesome, and an easy day (or half day) trip from Kyoto.

I also traveled with a friend who was stationed in Okinawa, so I could definitely pull out some restaurant recommendations there as well, including a few that I can as well.  I'll need to do some research to look them up/pull them out of my brain.

[HisMajestyBOB]

Okinawa is really nice, but to get to any good beach from Naha, you'll have to take a bus.
Definitely see Shuri Castle. The Peace Memorial Park, which is a former tunnel system used by the Japanese military, is pretty interesting and worth a visit. You could probably do both in one day, if necessary.
And definitely do some snorkling. Scuba too if you can.
It's not too expensive, but not as cheap as China. I think it was fairly close to Korea, price-wise.

[Camerus]

Average high in January in Taipei is 66F/19C, and average low is 57F/14C.

I've talked to a lot of people who have lived in both Hong Kong and Vancouver.  We all agree on one thing - that the temperatures in the West Coast and Hong Kong feels very different.  12C in Hong Kong feels like freezing and is intolerable.  12C in Vancouver feels a bit cool but is fine with adequate clothing, even outdoors.  A lot of people blame the high humidity in this part of the world.  I have to wear sweaters and coats every time I visit Taipei in January, so I won't describe it as beach weather.

You're just used to much warmer weather so it feels cold to you. People who live in colder climates coming to Taipei will feel warm. It's as simple as that.

I don't think so.  10 degrees Celsius feels much colder to me in Shenzhen than back in Toronto.  Perhaps it's just due to paper-thin walls and lack of heating anywhere.

In HK and Shenzhen, the buildings are designed to deal with 30C+ and 90%+ humidity in the summer, which is much longer than winter.  In Vancouver, the house was very well suited for winter, but was hellish for summer 

I get the building construction angle, but what I don't like is the aversion to (or even lack of ever having imagined) having some form of heating in most places in the winter.  I know all the justifications for it, but at the end of the day, I still don't get why should I have to wear a jacket for several months at all times when indoors.     

[Monoriu]

I get the building construction angle, but what I don't like is the aversion to (or even lack of ever having imagined) having some form of heating in most places in the winter.  I know all the justifications for it, but at the end of the day, I still don't get why should I have to wear a jacket for several months at all times when indoors.     

I know what you mean.  My parents and grandparents are like that.  They hate any kind of heating (just wear sweaters!) or air-conditioning (open the windows!).  It wasn't that long ago that China/HK was quite poor.  Some habits persist, particularly the ones that aren't seen and don't contribute to one's status. 

[Jacob]

I recommend these two.  Both are very traditional old school Japanese kaiseki places in Kyoto.  I had a 17000 yen per person 8 course lunch in kikunoi, and a 5000 yen lunch box in hyotei.  I've posted a pic of the lunch box in my thread before, and you've probably seen it (it is gone now, I think).  Both are Michelin 3 star (max) restaurants.  I think they have branches, but it is said that their main branches are the best.  Notice that I dare not have dinner in these places.  One because it is a lot more expensive.  Two because they serve pretty much the same stuff, except that during dinner, they use this 400 year old bowl made by that master who served Hideyoshi or something 

http://kikunoi.jp/english/

http://hyotei.co.jp/

Thanks for the recommendations. Will I need reservations?

[Monoriu]

I recommend these two.  Both are very traditional old school Japanese kaiseki places in Kyoto.  I had a 17000 yen per person 8 course lunch in kikunoi, and a 5000 yen lunch box in hyotei.  I've posted a pic of the lunch box in my thread before, and you've probably seen it (it is gone now, I think).  Both are Michelin 3 star (max) restaurants.  I think they have branches, but it is said that their main branches are the best.  Notice that I dare not have dinner in these places.  One because it is a lot more expensive.  Two because they serve pretty much the same stuff, except that during dinner, they use this 400 year old bowl made by that master who served Hideyoshi or something 

http://kikunoi.jp/english/

http://hyotei.co.jp/

Thanks for the recommendations. Will I need reservations?

Definitely.  In fact, I made reservations 2-3 months in advance.  I had a kaiseki lunch at kikunoi, in a private room with a waitress who could speak fluent English. 

But if you only plan to have a lunch box, you can probably get away with a reservation not that far in advance.  I had a lunch box at the annex of hyotei.  That was done in normal restaurant setting.  The second time we went there, the receptionist kept talking to us in Japanese.  The only word we heard was "10000" - she was trying to tell us that this place is really expensive and cost 10000 for two.  Until we managed to explain that we actually had a reservation.  The way she talks, maybe I can just walk in with no reservation. 

[Josquius]

That was done in normal restaurant setting.  The second time we went there, the receptionist kept talking to us in Japanese.  The only word we heard was "10000" - she was trying to tell us that this place is really expensive and cost 10000 for two.  Until we managed to explain that we actually had a reservation.  The way she talks, maybe I can just walk in with no reservation. 

Need to dress better?

[Monoriu]

Jacob, another thing that I highly recommend is 割烹 (can't find the English translation for this Japanese term).  It is a big set meal but is not kaiseki.  Tradition with a twist.  Like kaiseki with many innovations and western elements thrown in.  Particularly popular in the Osaka area.  The customer is usually seated in a bar.  The chef/owner prepars the meal before the customer's eyes.  It is amazing how one person can do so much in such a small place.  Compared with kaiseki, it is less healthy, with more red meat, more use of grilling and pan-frying.  The best idea we have seen is a place in Osaka that served abalone soaked in chestnut soup for weeks.