在五零年代初期，兩岸情勢緊張，美軍派遣第七艦隊在台灣部署，並利用高雄左營作為海軍基地駐點，當時有所謂的美軍俱樂部，是只提供海軍軍官餐點的場所，幾位原本在這裡工作的廚師從美軍學到不少手藝，決定自己出來創業，與現在的經營者陳萬泓的大伯父合作，在民國52年於高雄著名的黑市-鹽埕區崛江(現為舊崛江)旁的國際商場開張，因此取名為「國際西餐廳」，於隔年移到熱鬧的銀樓街：七賢三路與新樂街口，更名為「新國際西餐廳」，經營二十四年後才搬到現址。
陳萬泓的父親陳國和，從日本留學歸國後，在台從事教職，因兩位哥哥相繼過世，決定接下兄長們打拼下來的事業。在牛肉進口數量相當稀少的年代，對以牛排作為主打菜色的「新國際西餐廳」是一項考驗，陳國和堅持親自挑選每一塊肉，只向台糖購買，對品質十分要求，成功帶領餐廳逐漸茁壯，全盛時期更達到五家分店，前總統蔣經國先生到高雄視察時，也曾造訪此處用餐。
餐廳的一大特色為過去從美軍學習到的套餐形式-「A餐」，包含：開胃菜、沙拉、麵包、濃湯、前菜、主菜、甜點、水果、飲料，在七零年代首次推出，為高雄第一家有此用餐方式的西餐廳，掀起了高雄西餐市場的一股食尚風潮，且未隨著時代的潮流而簡化套餐的形式。店內主廚採用師徒制，代代傳承，這五十年來，每個人都從最基層慢慢爬，要近十年的時間才能坐到主廚的位置，現在的主廚已做二十五年，相當於陪伴餐廳一半的時間。
During early 1960s, the cross-strait relationship was tense and the U.S. 7th Fleet was deployed to Taiwan using Zuoying, Kaohsiung as the naval base. At the time, the so-called American clubs were used by the U.S. Armed Forces for recreation and vacation. Several chefs who originally worked here learnt a wealth of culinary skills from the Americans, therefore they decided to start their own businesses in collaboration with the uncle of the current restaurant owner Wan-Hong Chen. In 1963, their restaurant was opened in an international market inside the well known black market at the time – Juejiang Market in Yancheng (now known as Old Juejiang) under the name of “International Restaurant”. The following year, the restaurant was relocated to the more bustling Jewelry Street at the intersection of Qixian 3rd Rd. and Xinle St. It was renamed as “New International Restaurant (N.I.R.)” and 24 years later, it was moved to the current address.
After completing his studies in Japan, Wan-Hong Chen’s father Guo-He Chen returned to Taiwan to teach. Since both of his older brothers passed away in succession, he decided to take over the business his brothers had created. In the era where imported beef was a rarity, it presented a tremendous challenge for the steak-house oriented N.I.R. Guo-He Chen insisted in handpicking the finest beef from Taiwan Sugar and his meticulous demand in quality has successfully taken the restaurant to prosperity, with five branch restaurants in its heyday. Former President Ching-Kuo Chiang also dined here when he visited Kaohsiung.
The major characteristic of the restaurant is the set menu approach that was learned from the U.S. Armed Forces previously. The A Set Menu includes: appetizer, salad, bread, soup, starter, entrée, dessert, fruits and beverage. The menu was launched in the 1980s to make N.I.R. the first Western restaurant offering full course cuisine, and it took the Western restaurant market in Kaohsiung by storm and started a new culinary trend. Furthermore, N.I.R. has not simplified the course cuisine with the changes in trend over time. The kitchen adopts a master-apprentice system where the chef position is passed down the generations. For the past 5 decades, every employee is required to start from the most basic position and work their way up the hierarchy. Reaching the chef position usually takes at least 10 years; the current chef has worked for 25 years in N.I.R., nearly half of the restaurant’s history.
面對眾多新式牛排館興起，「新國際」能保留傳統存活至今都歸功於現任經營者陳萬泓，原本無意接下餐廳的他，因不捨父親多年的心血就此消失，在七年前毅然放棄原本的工作，回家擔下已有五十年歷史的沉重包袱。陳萬泓先生打趣地表示，當時餐廳的經營情況只能用沉到谷底來形容，畢竟隨著時代變遷，年輕人追求新式的連鎖牛排館，較少注意到傳統的西餐廳，面對客人少服務人員也少的情況，陳萬泓先生決定將餐廳進行徹頭徹尾的大改造。他先將餐盤汰舊換新，但為了保存老顧客的回憶，仍保有過去從海軍艦隊時期就用到現在的鐵板；接著將廚房大改造、訓練服務人員，再重新裝潢外觀與內部的空間；也開始推出商業午餐、設自助沙拉吧，加上高雄捷運的啟用吸引許多外地的觀光客，地利人和讓「新國際西餐廳」重新活了起來。
在過去高級餐廳少的年代，公務員一個月僅兩百元的薪水，一客牛排就要價二十元，能到牛排館消費的人非富即貴，因此許多人挑選「新國際西餐廳」作為相親與初次約會的場所，兼顧裡子與面子，作為高雄現存唯一一家老字號西餐廳，「新國際西餐廳」也因此乘載了許多人的回憶。維繫與舊顧客的情感是這間餐廳長久經營的秘訣，有年長的顧客祖孫三代一同來用餐、甚至四代同堂到這邊用餐，就是為了重返舊地尋找回憶，陳萬泓常與客人進行良好的互動，一見面就能立即叫出對方的名字，感受到誠意的老顧客就會帶來新顧客，形成源源不斷的客源。
談到未來的目標，陳萬泓認為，現在正式的西餐廳越來越少，想讓新一代的年輕人體驗舊式西餐廳的氛圍，了解正統與流行西餐廳間的差異性，他也希望未來培養足夠的人才後，能帶著餐廳從高雄走出去，將餐廳發揚光大。
Faced with competition from numerous new steakhouses, the sustainability of N.I.R.’s tradition is attributed to the current owner Wan-Hong Chen. Originally reluctant to carry on the family business, he eventually quit his job 7 years ago because he didn’t want to see the half-century-old restaurant that his father worked so hard to establish disappear forever. Mr. Wan-Hong Chen indicates jokingly that at the time, the restaurant’s business could only be described as bleak, because with changes in trends over time, the younger generation is attracted more by the newer steakhouse chains rather than traditional Western restaurants. Confronted with the dilemma of very few patrons and staff, Mr. Wan-Hong Chen decided to give his restaurant a complete overhaul.
First, he replaced old crockery with brand new ones, but in order to preserve the old patrons’ memories, iron plates used since the navy fleet era are still used to serve steaks. Next, he renovated the kitchen, retrained the waiting staff, and redecorated the façade and interior space. In addition, business lunches were launched in conjunction with a salad bar cafeteria-style dishes. The opening of Kaohsiung MRT has also attracted a large number of tourists from outside Kaohsiung; with geographical advantage and support from the patrons, N.I.R. is once again resurrected.
Speaking about the future goals, Wan-Hong Chen believes that a formal Western restaurant is a rare breed in the modern era, thereby he hopes to let the new generation of young people experience old fashioned, Western restaurant ambiance in order to tell the difference between traditional and popular Western restaurants. He also aims to cultivate sufficient talents so that N.I.R. can expand from Kaohsiung to the rest of Taiwan and perpetuate the restaurant’s heritage.
澳洲菲力牛排：特色為在牛排外包一層培根，是當初美軍喜歡的吃法。配菜堅持一定要有澱粉類(馬鈴薯)加上當季的食材(紅花椒、青花菜、茄子)，並會隨季節做變換。
Australian tenderloin steak: With the steak’s exterior wrapped in a layer of bacon, this was the favorite combination among the U.S. Armed Forced at the time. Moreover, the side dish must consist of starch (potatoes) and seasonal ingredients (red pepper, gumbo, eggplant) that are changed through different seasons.
德國豬腳：挑選約五百公克的豬腳，先浸泡在用蔬果熬煮的高湯中12小時後、取出冷置，再放入已燒熱的黑鍋立著烤，表皮酥脆，擠出多餘的油脂，配上自己炒的酸菜與蜂蜜芥末醬，為店內人氣商品。
German pork knuckle sauerkraut: 500g of meticulously selected pork knuckle is immersed with vegetables and left to chill before it is placed inside the preheated black pot for roasting to give a crispy texture on the outside. Excess fat is squeezed out and the pork knuckle is garnished with homemade sauerkraut and honey mustard sauce. This is an extremely popular dish on the menu.
Aroma Gelato冰淇淋：創辦人陳國和在日本學習和菓子，將日本的技術帶來台灣，除了跟在做冰淇淋的親戚學習外，還去美國賓州學習義式冰淇淋作法，使用在地水果，強調低脂低熱量。
Proma gelato ice cream: When founder Guo-He Chen was learning wagashi in Japan, he introduced the Japanese technique to Taiwan. Besides learning the craft from his relative in the ice cream business, he also went to Pennsylvania to learn the Italian way of producing ice cream using local ingredients while emphasizing low fat and low calories.
洋蔥湯：炸洋蔥塊、洋蔥糊、洋蔥絲三種為材料，新鮮洋蔥絲從一鍋盆炒到剩一碗，直到水分炒掉變咖啡色，放入牛高湯與麵糊、洋蔥等一起熬煮，可搭配麵包一起食用。
Onion soup: The three main ingredients of this dish include: fried julienne onion, onion paste and julienne onion. The onions are stir-fried in a pot and reduced to roughly the volume of a bowl and until the color changes to brown before beef stock, paste and onions are added and stewed. The soup can be served with bread.
開胃前菜-帶殼鮑魚襯鮪魚洋蔥塔：因高雄鄰近港口，海產豐富，加上高雄人愛吃海鮮，故開胃菜一定會使用海鮮食材，並會隨季節做更換。
Starter – Abalone with shell garnished with tuna and onion: Thanks to Kaohsiung’s proximity to a harbor, the city is endowed with abundant seafood. Since the people of Kaohsiung love seafood, therefore the starter always consists of seafood ingredients that are altered through different seasons.
地址：高雄市前金區民生二路76號
電話：07-2618121
營業時間：11:30-15:00；17:00-22:00；除夕公休
招牌菜：厚切美國菲力牛排、酥烤德國豬腳、義式手工冰淇淋
交通方式：高雄捷運紅線中央公園站，再步行約5分鐘
Address: No.76, Minsheng 2nd Rd., Qianjin Dist., Kaohsiung City
Telephone: 07-2618121
Business hours: 11:30-14:00；17:00-21:00；Closed on Chinese New Year’s Eve
Signature dishes: US prime tenderloin steak, grilled pork knuckle sauerkraut, Italian handmade ice cream
Transport and directions: Take the MRT at Kaohsiung Train Station and disembark at Central Park Station. The restaurant is within 5 minutes walking distance.
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