Rechao 100 (熱炒) literally means ‘hot fry 100′. It describes a type of casual restaurant popular in Taiwan, which offers a range of stir-fried dishes starting from NTD$100 (just over US$3.00) each. (Most dishes will be more expensive than this, but all dishes — even the fresh seafood — are usually very cheap.) You can usually recognise a stir-fry 100 place by the shop sign out the front: a large ’100′ in a circle. Other indicators are small wooden stools to sit on, a fresh display of seafood to select from out the front, a beer sign and/or mini-skirt clad ‘beer girls’ whose job is to encourage patrons to drink lots of their particular brand. Eating at a stir-fry 100 place is a lot of fun: the atmosphere is relaxed and happy, the food is fresh and unpretentious, and they are open late. And it is one of the best ways to enjoy local food and mix with local people.
