【英语生活】领略台北夜生活新气象

Back in the late '90s, before the factories shipped out to China and the island of Taiwan roared instead of purred, Taipei was the quintessential frontier town. Expat bars heaved seven days a week. Ecstasy-fueled techno clubs and expensive hostess bars ruled the scene, and smoking was permitted in hospitals and on public transport.

During a night out, it was commonplace to rub elbows with gem smugglers, arms dealers, tattooed mobsters and 'cowboy' foreigners selling dubious time-shares, hedge funds and immigration-laced investments, all of whom were following the money of a transitional Asian economy.

But that was then. For better or worse, today's Taipei is decidedly more sedate when it comes to nightlife. It's also more upscale, not to mention one of the continent's most underrated drinking destinations.

'Pound for pound, Taipei's as good as anything you'll find in Asia,' says James Wang, a Sydney transplant who designs bars and clubs in the region. 'It's got better service than Beijing or Shanghai. It's more fun than Singapore and less uptight than Hong Kong. It also doesn't hurt that it's cheaper than all of them.'

From the Ginza-esque Xinyi district, where beautiful people party on $500 tables, to the old city on the other side of the tracks, where you can still find one of those gangster throwbacks, this oft-neglected capital has something for all tastes.

It's hard to believe Xinyi was little more than vacant lots 15 years ago. These days, the frenetic business and entertainment district hosts the Wet Bar at the recently opened W Hotel. Wet is ostensibly a lounge by a pool, but with so few alfresco dining ─ or drinking ─ options available, it has quickly become one of the hardest tables to secure in town. It's also perfect for people-watching.

Just around the corner from Wet and directly across the road from the World Trade Center is Marquee, a first-floor cocktail lounge and restaurant owned by a local soap-opera star. Squeeze past the security at the door and head directly for the bar. That's what you're really here for.

While Marquee has its faults ─ the tacky chandeliers, fluffy lamps, faux Victorian wallpaper and patent-leather horseshoe booths so common among Asian bars ─ the drinks are high-end Manhattan at Bronx prices. Management made an effort to poach the island's best bartenders, and there is a commitment to drinking excellence that you'll taste immediately.

Gone are the Earl Grey-infused martinis and poorly worked whiskey sours. In their place is the Original Sazerac, a sugar-cube, bitters, cognac and absinthe old-school gem that marries the simple and sophisticated to perfection. In a more modern vein, the Heart of Agave's tequila, vermouth, apricot brandy and bitters layers its bold components on top of each other. Cocktails run from $10 to $14.

If you tire of the libations or the house DJ mashing Jackson 5 and 'Hey Mr. DJ,' then head up the road to the basement of Taipei 101, until recently the world's tallest building (just look for the only skyscraper that pierces cloud cover). There you'll find sweaty, upmarket funhouse Spark, which also has an ugly sister club in Beijing. This is the stomping ground for the city's glitterati set, so you can expect to pay accordingly. Tables range from $400 to $1,000.

Despite the cool-kid feel of the place, Spark is relatively unpretentious, plays great hip-hop and is arguably Taipei's best late-night club option. But should you have something quieter in mind, you'll want to head west to Daan District's Anhe Road.

Anhe's smattering of Japanese grills, cocktail bars and premium beer spots is a bolthole for the capital's thirty-something professionals. It boasts a laidback vibe, with an emphasis on good food, drinks and service at places like China Pa, a nod to Taipei's immigrant roots. Decked out in warm chocolate woods and opium-era antiques, China Pa serves up rustic Shanghainese cuisine with a modern twist and some of the strongest drinks in town.

Nearby is Mr. 83, a cozy Japanese-style whiskey joint frequented by media types. Prices are cheap, and the regulars, perched along the long mahogany bar, are both friendly and a goldmine of information for what's going on in the city.

Wherever you end up, take some time to explore the alleys running off Anhe. The area is a warren of eclectic bars and eateries, with nary an arms trader in sight.

Sean Marc Lee for The Wall Street JournalMarquee位于台北世贸中心街对面，是一间鸡尾酒餐吧。
回首上世纪90年代末，那时工厂还没往大陆转移，台湾岛到处机器轰鸣，不像现在这样安静，那时台北是个典型的边陲小镇。外籍人士聚集的酒吧一周七天每天爆满。到处是充斥着摇头丸的电音俱乐部和高消费的陪酒俱乐部，医院和公共交通工具上还可以吸烟。

如果晚上外出，经常会碰到珠宝走私商、军火商、纹身的古惑仔和牛仔打扮的老外，他们兜售着可疑的分时度假产品、对冲基金和投资移民项目，都想从这个处于转型期的亚洲经济体身上捞一笔。

然而这些都已是过去时。不管怎么说，如今的台北夜生活肯定比从前沉静了许多。品质也更高档，而且它还是全亚洲最被低估的一个喝酒的好去处。

Sean Marc Lee for The Wall Street Journal 图片：今日台北夜生活从悉尼移居台北、从事酒吧和俱乐部设计的詹姆斯·王（James Wang）说，总体来看，台北不亚于任何亚洲城市；这里的服务优于北京和上海，这里比新加坡更有趣，却没有香港那么拘谨；而且这里的消费比上面这些城市都低，这不是什么坏事。

在类似日本银座的信义区，光鲜亮丽的人们在最低消费500美元的餐桌上聚会，而在马路另一边的旧城区，仍然可以找到当年黑帮活动的痕迹。无论是什么品位，每个人都能在这座时常被忽视的首府城市找到适合自己的东西。

很难相信，信义区在15年前几乎是一片空地。现如今，这片热闹的商务娱乐街区迎来了泳池酒吧（Wet Bar）。泳池酒吧位于新近开张的W酒店（W Hotel），看上去就是游泳池旁的一片休息区，但由于台北的露天餐厅酒吧很少，这里很快成了城里最难订到位子的酒吧之一。这里也是观看路人打发时间的好地方。

从泳池酒吧转个弯，在世界贸易中心（World Trade Center）街对面就是Marquee，一间位于一楼的鸡尾酒餐吧，老板是一位本土肥皂剧明星。挤过门口的安检通道，径直走向吧台。这才是你来这里的目的。

尽管Marquee有些不尽如人意的地方──俗气的枝形吊灯、毛茸茸的灯罩、仿维多利亚风格的 纸、漆皮U形卡座，这些在亚洲的酒吧中再平常不过了──但这里售卖的却是曼哈顿和布朗克斯等高档鸡尾酒。酒吧管理者想办法招来了台湾最好的调酒师，他们保证你会立刻品尝到绝佳的饮品。

这里没有充满伯爵茶味的马提尼和粗制滥造的酸威士忌，取而代之的是正宗的萨泽拉克鸡尾酒，这是一款由方糖、苦味酒、干邑和苦艾酒调制成的经典鸡尾酒，是简单与复杂的完美结合。在另一款更为现代的“龙舌兰之心”中，龙舌兰酒、苦艾酒、杏子白兰地和苦味酒层层堆叠，口味浓烈。这些鸡尾酒的售价在10到14美元之间。

如果你厌倦了喝闷酒或是DJ打碟Jackson 5的歌和《Hey Mr. DJ》，那就往前走到台北101（Taipei 101）地下一楼。直到不久前，台北101还是世界第一高楼（只管找那唯一直上云霄的摩天大楼就是了）。你会发现热闹非凡的高级夜店Spark，不过它在北京的姐妹俱乐部可不怎么样。来这里跳舞的都是台北的上层人士，所以消费较高。这里一桌的消费在400到1000美元之间。

尽管给人很酷的感觉，Spark还是相当低调的。这里放的hip-hop很棒，它可以说是台北最佳的深夜夜店选择。但是如果你想要安静一点，不妨向西前往大安区的安和路。

散布于安和路的日式烧烤店、鸡尾酒吧和高档啤酒屋是台北30几岁上班族的避风港。这里充溢着一种闲适的氛围，在“中国父”（China Pa）这样的地方强调的是优质的食物、饮品和服务，这间餐厅是对台北移民之根的致意。餐厅内堂以温暖的巧克力色木材和鸦片战争时期的古玩装饰，供应经过现代改良的上海乡土菜以及全城最烈的饮品。

不远处是Mr. 83，一间温馨的日本威士忌酒吧，价格不贵。媒体人是这里的常客，他们坐在长长的红木吧台旁，亲切友好，是了解这个城市动态的信息宝库。

不管你最后去哪儿，都应该花些时间探寻从安和路延伸出去的那些小巷。那里有很多各式各样的酒吧和餐馆，但绝看不到军火贩子的影子。