"You Mean Like Subway?"

Any student i've ever taught, the one word they are all guaranteed to have learned from me is, "deli." Taiwanese love to talk food, it's probably the number one conversation starter. Many tv shows are about food, the most popular books are about food, even their travel shows are not about sights to see in a new land, but rather all about the food to eat there. Invariably whenever I tell students about my love for delis and what they are, they always mention that it's like Subway. Which never the less hurts my heart a bit.

Subway is pretty popular here, and after McDonald's and Mos Burger, it's probably the next most prevalent fast food place in Taipei. Which is astonishing cause five years ago there were maybe only 5 branches in the whole city. I always try my best to describe the difference between a "real" deli and Subway, but i've found the best example is just to have people try it. So i've actually lead class outings to the place above.

This is a photo of the ONLY deli in all of Taiwan. This is not for lack of trying either. I am always researching and trying to find another deli, but no such luck. They make a wide variety of sandwiches but to be honest unless i'm bringing friends to try it out, I rarely eat there. This is because they just don't put enough meat and cheese in their sandwiches. I much rather just buy the meat and cheese and take them home to make my own sandwiches the way i like them. Currently I am hiding from a typhoon while eating turkey and provolone (decided to go with something that had a little more kick than swiss).

But it is a shame that this place is not so well known. I think if they did a better job making their sandwiches, they would become popular. As it is most of the times I go here, people comment on the cafe next door and say "oh i always go to this cafe, i never knew there was a restaurant next to it."

Is this a call to me to open my own deli?

[Photo Co-op]

After many years of sandwich eating and a fair amount of traveling in the states, the one thing that I have learned is a quality deli will be a busy place and a good money maker. Problem is many try to skimp on the quality of the ingredients and then lose customers. You are so right about Subway, bottom of the barrel. I have not found a chain that is equivalent to a one off independent place that is tucked away in a small town or on a side street of a city. Keep searching, nothing better than the reward when it is found.