7. Yungkang Street

A little ways east of the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, you'll come to Yungkang Street, long known as a haven of gourmet dining. On the corner of Yungkang and Hsinyi Road, look for the world-renowned Ting T'ai Feng, where guests enter through the ground-floor kitchen that is perpetually veiled in steam and mount one of two winding staircases to the dining area, where they can enjoy excellent northern-style Chinese cuisine. This restaurant is exceedingly popular, so be prepared to wait for a while on the street.

Not nearly so crowded but just as good is Kao Chi, a short way down Yungkang Street. The culinarily adventurous should try their steamed stinky tofu. It's delicious, but goes fast. One alley west of Yungkang Street, you'll find Ching Chao Ying, easily detected by its stunningly bright red design. Besides the ornate decor, the restaurant is best known for its traditional Chinese desserts. The whole Yungkang Street area has many more restaurants, including a great Vietnamese spot, plus teahouses and clothing shops, many that specialize in distinctly Asian designs.


8. Ta-an Forest Park

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A block east of Yungkang Street, you'll find the biggest and newest park in downtown Taipei. Right next to the corner of Hsinyi Road and Hsinsheng South Road stands an enormous bronze statue of the goddess Kuanyin that predates the park itself. Like the name implies, the Ta-an Forest Park is dedicated first and foremost to trees, although they left space for plenty of grass. It also features a great outdoor performance stage that is the current favorite venue for rock and pop music concerts. The park is a favored hangout of in-line skaters.

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