While most mainland residents' impressions of Taiwan start with an article about Sun Moon Lake, most of our impressions of Taiwan food come from Taiwan-based China Entertainment TV. Hosts hop from one street to another on a gastronomic treasure hunt looking for clues on pieces of paper eventually leading to a food vendor.

Seeing is not necessarily believing, and I needed to taste for myself. Regular direct flights to Taiwan may be in the offing, but for now, the quickest way to taste Taiwan specialties first-hand is the Cross-Straits' Flavors buffet at Novotel Bauhinia Shenzhen.

Through May, the hotel's restaurant is serving a selection of Taiwan dishes along with other regional cuisines.

The signature Taiwan dishes include stir-fried finely minced "pounding pork," fried vermicelli with prawns, vegetable sandwich, shrimp and pork bun, tea-flavored goose, snail soup and seafood pancake.

One outstanding dish, "coffin plank," is finely deep-fried toast filled with seafood salad. It's crisp outside and fresh and juicy inside. "Coffin" may sound inauspicious but for the Taiwanese, coffin symbolizes wealth and power.

As Andy Lau (as far as we know, no relation to the pop-music king), the hotel's assistant executive chef, explained: "Mainland people give 'coffin plank' another name -- gold brick. First, we cut bread into chunks, then remove the inside bread and deep-fry the remaining part. Later we fill the fried bread with seafood salad and it's ready to serve."

A highly recommended appetizer is the vegetable sandwich -- tomato and Mexican chili slices between poached eggplant pieces. The dish tastes spicy but fresh.

I would also recommend the creatively prepared seafood jelly, not greasy or fishy tasting. Much to my delight, many choice Taiwan fruits are available after dinner.

Besides Taiwan food, diners also have the choice of Indonesian-style cake, Southeast Asian curries, Japanese sushi and Korean kimchi.

An unforgettable part of Taiwan food experience, the inviting melodies of classic Taiwan songs fill the dining venue.

Editor: Donald