wicked 'n irreverent

This gimmick dining-out experience is best given a wide berth if you’re the type that gags at toilet humour. ‘Modern Toilet’ is a progressive, irreverent themed Taipei restaurant,  opened in May 2004 by owner Wang Tzi-wei, a member of a group promoting themselves as ‘muckrakers’ following their dreams. The concept of this themed restaurant with franchises throughout Taiwan was spawned with one muckraker perched on le porcelain throne reading the manga – ‘Dr. Sklump on the Toilet’. It has a colourful quirky vibe – drinks are served in mini-urinals, garnished with twisty straws. Toilet rolls, hung above tables serve as napkins. The food is presented in mini plastic toilet bowls similar to Western-style toilets or Asian-style squat pots with a little fake dollop of ‘poop’ on the side! The seats in the diner are made from toilet bowls. Sink faucets and gender-coded “WC” signs are on display. The menu features a range of curries, pasta, Mongolian hot pot and fried chicken. Menu choices list shaved-ice sweets such as diarrhea (chocolate), bloody poop (strawberry), green dysentery (kiwi). The noodles and burger meals are affordable. Main meals cost about A$10-12, and snacks and ice creams sell for A$3-6. Maybe its down to cuisine quality that diners retain their appetites, as the kitsch decor appears to sublimate the in-your-face atmosphere of a bathroom-styled restaurant. The theme has proved a hit among students. Although proving a success, most gourmets wouldn’t select Modern Toilet over the myriad other dining choices in Hong Kong, from authentic dim sum to SoHo’s trendiest fusion gourmet. Their motto is – “In an age where creative marketing is king, even faeces can be turned into gold!”