November 05, 2009
Alohas Restaurant
Wife's mom and aunt were kind enough to take the baby for the evening, giving us a night to ourselves. We were too tired for an fancy, extended meal, but we wanted to at least get out of the house and go some place nice. Thankfully there are plenty of options nearby, so we could just head out into the alleys between SYT and ZhongXiao DunHua and see what restaurant inspired. We passed by Alohas, which I remembered that it's got some good recs on the Net, and the light-colored, well-lit space seemed attractive, so we decided to give it a try.
The menu is short but more innovative than the typical pseudo-Western place, with an emphasis on healthy, low-fat dishes. Got excited for a second when they brought out Pellegrino bottles, but it turned out they only used the bottles to hold regular water. Knew it was too good to be true.
The Ikea-style low-rent modern decor, with whimsical murals on the walls, is comfortable while subtly encouraging one to dawdle. The signature French-style onion-chicken featured juicy chunks of chicken and onions baked to sweetness all stuffed back into the hollowed out onion shell. Seasoned with provencal herbs and the mellow sweetness of the slow-roasted onion infusing the tender chunks of meat. Wife wasn't as pleased with her curry-vegetable fettucine. The pasta was fresh-made and there were plenty of veggies, but it wasn't as toothsome and satisfying as my chicken. But then she knew it was vegetarian when she ordered it.
The restaurant featured a long bar as well as tables, perfect for light meals during a quick lunch or after-work dinner. I like my fancy dining and all, but sometimes it's nice to still be able to have a nice meal out without busting my gut and my wallet.
àlohas 野草餐廳
台北市大安區延吉街138巷3號
02-87715430