Pen and Paper. Peanut butter and jelly. Porcelain and food. If you think about it, the history of the last pair has been intertwined ever since humanity came up with the idea of cuisine. Porcelain is used to create not only the dishes which hold the food we eat, but also the toilets to hold the food we excrete. And now, from a culture that celebrates both porcelain and food, comes a restaurant devoted to the dual role of porcelain in our digestive cycle.

Marton Modern Toilet (Marton is derived from Matong, the chinese term for ‘toilet’) is a chain of a dozen or so theme dining establishments that revolves around toilets and urinals. Based in the Shilin district of Taipei and other major cities of Taiwan, this restaurant group stuns diners with interior decoration that continually remind them that the food we eat will eventually come out.

Before entering the arched doorway, patrons are greeted by a giant toilet bowl flanked on both sides by urinals. Inside, there are a hundred toilet bowls inside that act as chairs; instead of tables, there are large bathtubs and sinks with glass tops. Sink faucets and gender-coded “WC” (“water closet”-british slang for “wash room”) signs adorn the walls of the three-story facility, along with shower nozzles and urinal scones. Lighting is provided by neon-lit faucets and urinal-turned lamps. Even the serving pieces are shaped like sinks and commodes, complete with fake poop on the side. It’s enough to make the most traveled gourmand perform a double take.

It all started with local entrepreneur Eric Wang (Chinese name: Wang Tzi-Wei). A former executive of the banking industry who felt bored with his career, Wang turned to the food service to alleviate his restlessness. He came up with the concept of commode dining when he read a Japanese manga about a robot character who ate excrement with crackers. (Not surprisingly, the comic book is a hit with young readers; youth has always had a taste for so-called ‘brown’ humor.) Before coming out with a full-fledged eatery, Wang decided to test the concept with an ice cream stall that serves the frozen delight in special toilet cup holders of his own design. It was a runaway success; he sold 1,000 ice cream servings daily for 30 won (USD 1.20) per serving, 10 won more than regular ice cream. Wang realized from the experience that people were willing to pay a premium for such novelties. Encouraged, he continued with the first Marton branch.

The first branch proved such a money-maker that Wang was able to open a second branch just seven months later. Today, besides the 12 existing branches, Marton has expanded into Hong Kong and Japan.

The most popular dishes are the curry hot pot, curry rice, and chocolate ice cream. It’s no coincidence that these meals are the ones that most resemble poop. Diners are also able to choose different ingredients in the Shabu Shabu menu items, such as beef, pork, or vegetables.

Taiwan has seen its share of theme restaurants before, from the prison-type to the zombie-inspired, but many of these have eventually failed. Wang understands that most of them failed because the novelty wears off, so he decided to avoid this by instituting a loyalty program for Marton. Repeat customers gain to win a big toilet-shaped bowl if they patronize his restaurant chain enough, with a choice of a squat-style or traditional Western-type bowl.

So if you ever pass by Taiwan in your journeys, take a potty break…at Marton’s.

The price of the menu items range from 150 - 250 won (USD 6-10). Individual diners should set USD 6.25 for a 3-course set meal. Marton draws people between 15-35, as older people probably won’t get it, and infants aren’t potty-trained enough to realize the irony.

Toilet Bowl

Taipei Metro, Hsinpu Station, Exit 1

(02) 8253-7767

Direction: Taipei Metro - Hsinpu Station - Exit 1

(02) 8253-7767

Business hours: 10am - 11 pm (except for Saturday and Sunday open until 12am)

Posted in Attractions, Food, Taiwan

This entry was posted on Monday, June 2nd, 2008 at 1:56 pm and is filed under Attractions, Food, Taiwan. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.