“No menu means that you just sit down and eat. There’s no choosing. Whatever is in season is prepared for you with precision” says John Pow, a visiting businessman in Taipei, “A very clever and classy restaurant, they do it well!”

Pow is referring to Glasshouse restaurant located approximately 1.5hrs from Taipei's central business district in Taiwan. With a focus on craftsmanship, freshness and creativity, Glasshouse has a well established reputation within the region. Its set menu at $40 per person (AUD) changes with the seasons to take advantage of natural ingredients and the opportunity to incorporate organic food.

While in the past our consumption of food has favoured mass production, in recent decades, eating organic is again back on trend. We know this. But what we’re excited about here at TC is seeing that Taipei’s culinary offer never went out of vogue like it did in the West. If you’re in Los Angeles, London or Sydney, you can now visit your average supermarket and find an aisle dedicated to organic food. It wasn't always like that and pushed by consumer demand, has become the lifestyle choice of the ‘healthy’, 'trendy' and modern ‘alternative’. For Taipei, this is how it was, is now and will be in the future.

With a long tradition of organic service across the city and reservations for Glasshouse made 2 months in advance common, the restaurant is sitting comfortably. It knows its audience and responds to demand from local and visiting patrons for fresh, local produce.

Walk into Glasshouse and you’re likely to be surprised with the restaurant’s efficiency and yet, reserve in allowing time to relax and escape the busy hustle and bustle of Taipei City. We can’t wait to explore Taiwan further and share more insights from this amazing place.

If you’re in Taiwan drop into Glasshouse and let us know about your experience.

It’s difficult to ignore the informal economic sector in Indonesia, with outdoor food vendors lining most city streets. In fact, in 2008 it was recorded that 68% of Indonesian workers were employed in the informal sector - half of which worked as street vendors. Throughout history, authorities forcibly remove vendors in the name of urban order and cleanliness, but in Jakarta, they’ve finally decided to accept them.

Under the democratic government in Indonesia, administration decided to be more flexible with the informal economy, realizing that its an important part of the local business. So instead of playing “hide and seek” with law enforcement as happens in many cities around the globe, vendors (aka pedagang kaki lima) have now been given their own spaces in 2030 Jakarta Spatial Plan. The city government decided to waive their business permits and license fees, only having to pay a small fee for site rental.

By integrating the informal sector into the wider economy, the government is illustrating greater flexibility that benefits the wide networks of those working in the industries, as well as the local economy. While this may not the way forward for all cities, the strategy illustrates just one solution to support and encourage small and low-income business. Additionally, it helps to create vibrant and people friendly streets. With the recent outdoor food market debacle in NYC (Red Hook) , perhaps other cities can take a lesson out of Jakarta’s book.

Image courtesy Indonesia's Urban Studies