"Wer Wurst, Brot und auch Schinken hat der wird noch alle Tage satt!" exclaims German master butcher Uli Lengenberg in describing his Uli's Euro Deli on Tienmou's Keh Chiang Street. I have no idea what it means, but never mind; the food is first rate in any language.

Bringing 14 years of sausage-making expertise from his native town of Siegen in the heartlands of western Germany, Lengenberg offers Taipei a bounty of bratwursts, Frankfurters, and other rich meaty treats to accompany the panorama of imported beers and cheeses that fill his shop.

A great place for a quick but hearty meal, the Euro Deli offers a decent menu, with dishes inexpensively priced in the NT$110 to NT$295 range, though vegetarians be warned: pretty much everything is made with meat. To wash it all down is the best imported brews, including the celebrated Warsteiner Beer, one of Germany's most popular. 

Among the specialties of the house is the Currywuerstchen sausage (two of them with homemade French fries for NT$160). This is a very juicy, white curry-flavored sausage topped with curry powder to underline the flavor. Ignorant Americans (like myself) who were raised on factory-made hot dogs will be surprised by the very tender consistency and strong pork flavor. The Currywuerstchen comes served next to a splattering of tomato ketchup, although you might want to waive that option since it seems to mask some of the robust taste.

And while the sausage is Lengenberg's prime mission, I was especially impressed by the chicken (a roasted half chicken with fries and mixed vegies goes for NT$295). The chicken meat was amazingly moist, with (and I know this will sound like a TV ad, but) all the flavor sealed in. The menu entry emphasizes the use of the restaurant's special spice mixture, and although it was cooked expertly enough not to need any seasoning at all, the spices were certainly a nice touch.

Last up was the Hamburger - capitalized in honor of its native Hamburg. Again, this dish bears no resemblance to the U.S. version. The German patty, served without a bun, (and, by the way, served with a pan-fried egg, sauerkraut and mashed potatoes for NT$225) is formed of very smooth, gristle-free meat. Lengenberg's recipe calls for an admixture of breadcrumbs soaked in broth, minced onion and some egg to be blended in with the beef and pork. Definitely worth trying.

Still, the restaurant is only the half of it. Some of the items in deli's specialty store can be found nowhere else on the island. If you like cheeses, the Euro Deli has Edamer, Roquefort, Port Salut, Swiss Gruyere, three kinds of Gouda, and pretty much anything else you've ever heard of. The sausages, of course, can be brought home for grilling or barbequeing and come in a German dictionary of varieties, from Nuernbergers to Wieners to bratwurst, not to mention the English Bangers and Cajun Andouille. Throw in a sundry of other items (sauerkraut, fresh baked breads and rolls, potato salad, chocolate-chip shortbread, fresh goulash, several types of ham, turkey, chicken, etc.) and you have yourself a party.

The Euro Deli is open daily from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., and if you can't make it up to Tienmou, they also operate a meat counter at Taipei's Far Eastern Department Store. For more information, you can access their website at www.uli.com.tw (although down-loading it is truly an exercise in patience!)