Kali Laska

Hualien’s Kali Laska is a restaurant owned by a Belarusian couple who started off their time in Taiwan as stunt performers at Ocean Park. After falling in love with Hualien and Taiwan, they decided to settle there, opening their Belarusian-style restaurant soon after. Now with two extras in the family, you can occasionally see the children playing in the restaurant, delighting adoring customers. The restaurant is decorated with a map of Russia, pictures of Belarusian landscapes, traditional tribal war decorations, handmade artworks and clothing. The TV is often tuned to footage of dancing, or images of beautiful Belarusian scenery.

Specialties here include apple pie and Kvass which is a traditional Slavic beverage made of fermented black tea with alcohol added to it. Best of all, kefir, which is intensely flavored yoghurt without any sugar, is definitely worth a try. But, remember, there are not many seats, and the speed of food preparation can be slow. Therefore, make sure you first book ahead to avoid waiting for your food for too long. Kali Laska is definitely recommended if you are keen to try out authentic Belarusian food made by lovely owners with a great love for their dream restaurant.