Bolero Western Restaurant (Original)

Review

Bolero's original branch is at No. 314 Minsheng West Road in Datong District. Mirror Media reports that founder Liao Shui-lai trained in Western kitchens in Japan and Taipei, opened in 1934 and named the place after Ravel's Bolero, and it soon drew writers and artists; Supertaste calls it Taiwan's oldest surviving Western restaurant and a favourite venue for arranged first dates among older generations. After the second-generation brothers split the business, the younger brother opened a separate restaurant at No. 308, so No. 314 is the original, now run by third-generation owner Liao Ying-chun, and United Daily News still called it the founding flagship in 2026.

The third generation describes the food as Taiwanese-style Western cuisine, blending Western dishes with local flavours. A 2026 report priced the Formosa-style short rib at NT$1,850: an 18-ounce bone-in rib seared, then braised for about 90 minutes with rice wine, garlic, onion and soy sauce. Mirror Media tried the afternoon-only extra-thick steak sandwich at NT$580, baked escargots at NT$380, and a crisp, lard-fried cream of prawn in croustade at NT$430; the owner admits portions have shrunk to between half and two-thirds of what they once were. Duck rice and beef curry rice are classics regulars still order.

Much of the praise is about nostalgia: the retro décor and old-fashioned service feel like a trip back in time, many families have come for three generations, and the soup, buttery bread rolls and pudding taste of childhood. Complaints focus on high prices and inconsistent food, with some diners getting steaks cooked wrongly or waiting a long time, feeling they are paying for atmosphere, and some say it is not really Western food by today's standards.

Online listings show daily hours of 11:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., with afternoon tea from about 2:30 to 5 p.m.; cards are accepted and a 10% service charge applies. No. 308 next door is a separate restaurant from the same family split, so check the door number if you want the original. It is walkable from Daqiaotou or Shuanglian MRT stations, parking nearby is hard, and booking is wise at weekends.

Good for anyone wanting a taste of old-school Taipei Western dining, bringing older relatives for a trip down memory lane, or friends interested in history. First-timers can order a classic set or duck rice and share baked escargots or the prawn croustade; larger groups with a bigger budget can split the Formosa-style short rib.