BY RICHARD R. VUYLSTEKE

One of the best things about being in Taiwan is the tremendous variety and excellence of its cuisine, but it takes dedicated effort if diners are going to take full advantage of this abundance. This is particularly true for those who have minimal local language skills. Just as the absence of adequate road signage makes it difficult for those who cannot read Chinese to drive to scenic spots around the island, the absence of multilingual menus and service staff often keeps business travelers and resident expatriates from sampling a broader range of the island's restaurants.

So this essay is a recommendation, actually a plea, to be more adventurous. But talk is cheap. After all, it's a human tendency to seek the easiest path. Everyone falls into ruts - driving along the same streets to work, selecting the same markets for groceries, and eating in the same handful of restaurants. Why not? It saves time and effort, and there are no surprises. But that's just the problem. Dining out is an easy way to break boring habits, to literally put some spice in life. How can it be done?

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