吃飯了嗎？

Pizza Olmo

Hidden in a little community in Sanchih, the sprawling restaurant (converted from an abandoned vacation home) serves up wood-baked pizzas and a variety of pastas. The oven and the pizza station is located front and center right behind the entrance, the centerpiece of the restaurant. Each room of the converted house was decorated with bold, distinctive colors. We were stuck in a dim, blue-painted room at first but when we saw another party leave we moved to a window-side table and that was much better. We brought some strawberries from home which went nicely with the chocolate cake dessert.

The wood-fired pizza oven also gets put to good slow-roasting the German-style pig knuckles, slowly rendering out the fat but retaining the juices. Plenty of pickles, sauerkraut, and sausages came alongside. Good thing we had a big group to share.

Straightforward pastas, a pesto sauce with lots of shrimps, calamari rings, etc. Now we always order a red-sauce pasta for the kid, too, and he always enjoys the change of pace from the home-cooking. It was nice to see the pizzas being made and cooked right there, but the pies themselves were pretty average.

So the food was good enough, but it's really the location in the sea-side artist village that is the main draw. Reservations would be strongly recommended since it's quite a drive to get out there from Taipei. It would be amazing in good weather, unfortunately it was cold and drizzling so we couldn't really take the time to explore the other galleries and cafes. Instead we headed down the coast-side highway to 三芝小豬 for some of their famous cheesecakes instead. The kid approved of our itinerary.

Pizza Olmo
新北市三芝區芝柏路46號
02-26366758

Mozaic

The best part of southeast-Asian cuisine is suppose to be its local street-eats. But wife doesn't particularly like the spicing of Indonesian cuisine, and random food stalls are no-go with the fetus to worry about. Weren't particularly impressed with the hotel's restaurant for dinner. On the other hand, we didn't want to settle for some random tourist-trap place in town, either. So I decided to splurge and booked dinner at the supposedly nicest Western-style restaurant in town, and hired the hotel's shuttle van to take us there and back.

The restaurant was surprisingly large. The front of the house was just recently expanded into a lounge bar with low-slung sofas and tables and offering drinks and small plates. The outside sign also mentioned catering, cooking classes, and other offerings available. In the back was the lush outdoor dining area which was the primary restaurant seating on this pleasant evening. The crowd consisted mostly of monied tourists and well-heeled expats, so we blended in well enough. The primary garden space being mostly full, we were seated at an open-air pavilion looking down into the garden. That was fine with us, the pavilion roof and lights providing just a little more illumination than the garden, which was only dimly lit with a few atmospheric bulbs strung across the trees and candles on the tables.

First they brought out a tray of local ingredients like lemongrass, keffir lime, rambutan, etc. and explained that the menu would utilize each of the ingredients in turn. Despite that, the cuisine still felt quite Continental, maybe Nouvelle Cuisine, but not quite as aggressively fresh & local as Californian restaurants (foie gras? really?). Nevertheless, it was a fine meal and fits well with the whole Four Seasons vacation theme. Next time we'll do more seek out the local hole-in-the-walls, although that may be tough to do in touristy-Bali.

• Appetizers

  • Sashimi of Tasmanian Salmon; in Fresh Grapefruit Yuzu Jelly, Citrus and Pink Grapefruit Sorbet

  • "Sere" Grilled Yellowfin Tuna; in a Crab Bisque, Curry Corn Ragout and Lemongrass Relish

    

• Fish Dish

  • Hers: Seared Deep Sea Scallops; Earthy Beets, Liquorice Gelée, Smoked Milk and Black Olive Powder

  • Mine: "Daun Laksa"; Tempe Crusted Seabass Fillet, Baby Potato, Garden Vegetables, and Spiced Laksa Broth

    

• Savory

  • Crispy Seared Duck Fois Gras: Seasonal Plum Sorbet, Plum Gastrique and Candied Rosemary

  • Daun Korokeling: Rabbit Tortellini; Curried Green Beans and Parmesan Emulsion

    

• Mains

  • Wife's Main, Substituted: Beef Steak instead of Victoria Rack-of-Lamb
    Vanilla Caramel, Braised Belgian Endives, Pickled Peach and Almond Emulsion

  • Jeruk Purut; Kintamani Suckling Pork
    Kaffir Lime Leaf Dressing and Gelée, Spiced Almond-Fennel Salad

    

• Desserts

  • Imperial Mandarins Souffléed with 'Guanaja' Valrhona Chocolate
    Mandarin Reduction, Turmeric Agar Agar and Fresh Yoghurt Sorbet

  • Markisa; Fresh Passionfruit Cream Baked In Phyllo Pastry, Cardamom Caramel, Milk Agar Agar and Coconut Sorbet

  • Petit Fours: Sweet bites of chocolate and coconut things.

    

Mozaic Restaurant
Jl. Raya Sanggingan, Ubud, Gianyar - Bali 80571
Indonesia
+62-361-975768

Paul

I was hooked on Paul's authentic French croissants and viennoseries for a while, but the exorbitant prices got to even me. Unlike the French, Taiwanese folks certainly do not live on bread and butter alone. And after the initial wave had passed the store could've easily crumbled like so many other food fads before. Good thing that Paul's managed to find a stable business model by dressing up their shops as a fancy place for pastries & tea, as well as offering some light meals for lunching ladies.

Wife was supposed to pick up something from her sister, who was just leaving work late near Mitsukoshi. So the department store was a convenient meeting point, and a good excuse to eat out. Didn't feel like the basement food hall offerings, but the formal restaurants were too much trouble with it being later and just the three of us. So a light dinner at Paul offered an interesting alternative. Sis had a grilled cheese & chicken sandwich on baguette, wife had a savoury crepe with soup & salad, while I got by with a flavorfully cheesy quiche. Nothing too fancy, but not that easy to do well, either, and just a little bit different from the usual options. Not too expensive for a department store dinner, if one didn't quibble too much about portion size.

PAUL (信義店)
台北市信義區松壽路9號2樓 (新光三越A9館)
02-2722-0700

CalaCala 義大利廚房

Took the kid out to Nangang, where the Software Park is deserted on the weekend and the manicured grounds offer plenty of space to run around. The weather was nice and the coffee shop was even open for a drink after chasing the kid around. It was getting past sunset by the time the kid (and his folks) finally wore himself out.

Had the car with us, so it seemed easy enough to go somewhere for dinner. But not having done any research beforehand I had no idea what was available in the area. Some quick searching on the iPhone and the GPS devices pointed to this Taiwanized-Italian restaurant in Neihu as a decent option. Offered the suggestion to the wife, and it turned out that this restaurant has a sister branch in Sindian near her mother's place and she'd eaten there a couple of times. So no points for innovation, but with the kid along safe and reliable isn't a bad way to go.

Apparently we weren't the only ones who were looking for some spaghetti in the evening. The multi-level restaurant amongst the re-developed Neihu office parks was packed, with lines waiting out the door, and almost every table had a kid or three. We were out of other ideas, and a thirty minute wait isn't that bad. Thankfully the kid was a really good sport about it.

The restaurant was brightly lit with faux-timber tables and almost-kitschy country-style decor. The food was similarly cheerful and hearty. Was worried that the kid wouldn't like the strange new flavors, but when I shared my spaghetti in tomato-mushroom sauce he slurped it up and asked for more. He didn't quite have the patience to sit through the entire meal but with all the other families and kids in the house nobody minded our gyrations. The various cutesy decoration items were enough to catch his attention until the wife could finish her pesto-seafood pasta.

It's not sophisticated gourmet fare nor was it trying to be. It's not exactly the cheapest plate of pasta in town, either, NT400 for the full combo meal pasta+soup+salad+dessert. But with a 1.5-year-old in tow a pleasant, kid-friendly family-style restaurant was just what we needed.

caLAcaLA (內湖店)
台北市內湖區內湖陽光街240號
02-87523208

M On The Bund

Met up with wife's dad in Shanghai and wanted to take him some place nice to eat. Also wanted to walk around The Bund and Nanjing Rd. areas. Easy enough to combine both activitys, since there's more than enough fancy restaurants on The Bund these days, many opened by internationally-famous celebrity-chefs. But the M On The Bund was one of the first pioneers. The father-in-law is not a big fan of Western food, but we figured brunch would be a safe option. A prompt cocktail upon seating certainly helps to make a good first impression. A mimosa for the wife, and champagne + orange-liqueur concoction for dad and I. The room was mostly filled with foreign tourists, or locals treating Westerner friends. Big picture windows overlooking the Huangpu River brings in plenty of natural light, and affords a great view of the skyscrapers across the rivers. The view would be even better from the large patio, but the suffocating mid-day heat made it impossible to sit outside.

The brunch menu is less adventurous than the standard fare, but the dishes featured good ingredients well-prepared. Wife's dad had the fish-and-chips, which seemed nice enough but didn't get a taste because in the Confucian tradition one doesn't swipe food from one's elders. My Salad Frisée Aux Lardons was dressed with drippings from the thick strips of smoky bacon and the runny egg yolk from the poached egg on top was more than enough richness to offset the slightly bitter greens. Followed by the Eggs Benedict, one original and one Florentine style. Both were dressed with perfectly lemony and buttery Hollandaise sauce, with spinach or bacon on top of real English muffins. Wife had the signature M's Weekend Fryup which came on a huge platter with minute-steak, lamb chop, grilled sausage, crispy bacon, grilled tomato, sautéed onions, mashed potatoes and a fried egg, "of course."

That was enough food for the wife to give up her second brunch course to a shared dessert for the table. They referred to the pavlova "M’s Very Famous," so it behooved us to give it a try. The fame appears to be well-deserved. Lots of fresh fruit and whip cream on top of crunchy baked meringue. More importantly for Chinese palates, not too sweet. The single serving was more than enough dessert for the three of us to share.

As one of the first re-developers on the scene, M On the Bund chose No. 5 for a reason. The entire curve of the Zhongshan Road waterfront stretched out before us, when seen from the outdoor patio. Glamorous old-world buildings of The Bund contrasting with the modern cityscape across the river in Pudong. Heck it's actually more historically authentic to be enjoying a Western meal in the former Concessions area, isn't it?

M On The Bund (米氏西餐厅)
7/F, No. 5 The Bund (corner of Guangdong Rd.)
中国上海市外滩广东路20号7楼
+86-21-6350-9988

明月光 Faust Pizza

Finally got around to checking out the new pizza place that opened across the street from SYT Memorial Hall. The cooking is done right up front, open to the street, where one can watch the pizzaiolo work the dough and lay out the toppings. The dining room is in the back, closed off with air-conditioning for the comfort of the diners, simply decorated in that faux-Euro Ikea-chic style.

The 10" pizzas were a bit too much for one of us and a bit too small for both to share. But on this first visit we decided to be conservative with the order. Our Roman Pizza featured thinly sliced Italian salami, shitake mushrooms, onions, and olives on a thin-crust. Pretty good pizza and a good value for NT220. The brick kiln managed to do a good job, attractively blistering and crisping the crust, despite the slow-reacting electrical heating element. I guess having a wood-fired or even gas-fired oven just isn't possible in the heavily residential neighborhood.

The other main selling point, and indeed the namesake of the place, was their featured German beers from the Faust Brewery. A golden, slightly muddled Hefeweizen went quite nicely with the slightly spicy pizza. Plenty of other fine, tempting options were available, but for the price I might as well have had another pizza instead.

I'm not a big pizza snob. Near home I'm fine with Auntie Su's bready, stuffed-to-the-brim thick-crust all-everything pizza, and even Pizza Hut has some decent options on the menu. But it's sure nice to have a half-way authentic, quality pizza within walking distance. Next time we'll get one pizza per person and damn the leftovers.

明月光 Faust Pizza Lounge
台北市信義區仁愛路四段502號之1
02-2758-7687

Cuisine[s] Michel Troisgros

Got a decent travel package for a sakura-watching excursion to Japan. Except for the initial flight which landed in Tokyo in the afternoon so it didn't leave much free time after we reached our Shinjuku hotel. Decided to just relax and have a nice meal in the area for the evening, and they don't come much nicer than this. The signature restaurant at the Hyatt Regency Shinjuku is imported from France, an offshoot of the Michelin three-star Maison Troisgros in Roanne. The plural [s] added to the name of the Japanese branch signifies the fusion between French and Japanese cuisines, and it carries two stars of its own. So I made a later reservation, which left us enough time to go up to the Tocho tower's free observation deck to take in the view of the Skyscraper District, before crossing the street to the Grand Hyatt.

The clientele was mostly Japanese, dressed up for a special meal, as the menu is expensive even by Tokyo standards. But hey, we were already saving money in Tokyo by squeezing ourselves into tiny business hotel rooms, so we can splurge for the fancy meal. So splurge we shall. Two different tasting menu options for the wife and I to try everything they had to offer. They dressed up the room in the style of an intimate European library, with dark wood paneling and paintings on the walls. Unfortunately it's hard to fully disguise the fact that we're in the basement of a rather sterile building in the midst of a business district at night, without much scenery or street-life outside. The service was appropriately considerate, but our Japanese waiter's English wasn't really good enough to communicate the nuances of the dishes, so we had to rely on the flowery but limited descriptions on the menu to guide us.

Tomato with candied sesame shell, sesame coated rice cracker, thin slice of apple on spinach puree with a cheesey shortbread base.

It's a tomato salad. That's so not doing the dish justice. But I couldn't remember the details of the off-menu appetizer, not that our server's broken English was much help in the description, aside from its main ingredient

Scallops with sweet pepper and Yuzu Kosho, cucumber and crispy Daikon

Perfectly cooked scallops with a tasty fruity topping.

Shellfishes, quintessence of tomatoes and cuttlefish ink, fennel

Wow, that's a combination I wouldn't ever have thought of. A challenging array of colors, textures and flavors.

Sea bream with grapefruit nage, caviar, celery and basil

Sea bream (鯛) is a cornerstone fish in Japanese cooking, but the preparation is all French nouvelle cuisine. Made sure to scoop up all the little caviar bits with my fish spoon.

Roasted monkfish tail, liquorice and lemongrass

This was dressed with the most amazing beef consomme reduction. The flavor was familiar, almost like a Chinese roast 滷汁 sauce. But with all the richness and flavor of a top-notch French sauce.

"Embraced" Kuruma prawn and rabbit, lemon confit, bacon and sage

The rabbit was surprisingly chewy, almost as much so as the prawn. Fantastic pink color on the rabbit. Cooked sous vide?

Tofu ravioli with black truffle

Off the menu, but a signature of the restaurant's fusion intentions. The almost rubbery tofu skin covers a pool of intense truffle goodness. The black-and-white contrast of the tofu skin and truffle sauce is striking.

"Kuroge Wagyu" beef fillet, melting shallot, rucola and tarragon

Even at the price we're paying for this meal, the piece of wagyu fillet was not much more than a taste. But what a taste it was. One could enjoy the meaty taste of unadorned fillet, pair it with the slightly sour creme fraiche, or dip it in the herbaceous shallot-rucola-tarragon sauce.

The beet cubes on scallion stems were a cute accompaniment.

Calf's sweetbread with arabica sauce, raisin and carmine

"What organ is this?"

"Don't worry about it, just eat it."

Tender sweetbreads dressed with a coffee-flavored middle-eastern-style sauce.

Crispy canneloni with herbs

Beet juice and olive oil dressing, cool cheesey filling.

Truffled Brie

I am not usually a big fan of strong cheeses, especially near the end of a big meal when I'm already full with other rich foods. But this was really tasty without being overpowering. Getting a bread-refill to go with the cheese helped, too.

Citrus soup with mint and yogurt, underneath a won-ton crisp.

Ice cream with strawberry sauce in crisp meringue shells.

Our server suggested that dessert time would be best for a picture together. Excellent idea.

Crispy caramel and praline, ginger and yogurt ice cream

The crisp ginger-yogurt flavor nicely complemented the sweet caramel and praline.

Aerial mille-feuille with marinated strawberries, lemongrass ice cream

First time trying lemongrass ice cream. Works better than expected. Mille-feuille is a favorite dessert of the wife's so she got a large piece of it. A classic done classically well.

Mignardies: Marshmallow, sugar-donut, chocolate mousee, macha fiancier, and yuzu gelee.

We typically take away the petit fours after a large meal like this. But here they've mastered the Japanese portion sizes to fill you up perfectly without leaving you unsatisfied or bloated (if you were an average Asian person). And so we were able to still enjoy the mini-candies with our coffee and tea.

With our late reservation and sedate pace of consumption, it was getting near midnight by the time we paid the check. Living up to Michelin stars' standards of service, the maitre'd was willing to indulge our slightly annoying penchant for photos even as we were leaving late into the evening. It was a fantastic meal, beyond anything one might find in Taiwan short of L'Atelier de Robuchon. But I had to admit it hurt a little bit to watch all those 10,000-Yen bills flutter away. For our next trip I shall take value more into consideration over stars and such.

Cuisines Michel Troisgro[s]
東京都新宿区西新宿2-7-2
ハイアット リージェンシー 東京1F
Hyatt Regency Hotel Tokyo 1F
+81 3-3348-1234

Saveurs

I've not been all that impressed with French-cuisine in Taiwan (non-Robuchon division), but mostly because they tended to try too hard to be fancy and upscale and end up seeming old-fashioned instead. What's missing is the unassuming corner bistro that would be lost amongst the crowd in Paris, but would shine like a unique star in the alleys of Taipei. Well, what I missed others have found, as Hungry Girl In Taipei's Reader Poll Award gave the Best French award to Saveurs. Exactly the sort of little bistro serving authentic, non-haute, French cuisine at a fair price.

So when the baby was taking a long, late nap, we sneaked out for dinner and let the nanny hold down the fort. Good thing I'd done my research because it would've been easy to miss the unassuming restaurant hidden in a back alley behind the Renai-Fuxing intersection. A few tables outside in a courtyard inset from the alley offered overflow seating or even a first option on a nicer day. The menu covers were well-worn, but the inset contents were freshly printed, offering a varying menu of seasonal dishes. We usually only order one prix fixe set meal plus one entrée a la carte to share between us. But it was only a couple hundred NT more to add appetizer, soup, and dessert, and all the appetizer and dessert options looked good on the menu, so both of us got full meals this time.

Almost thought my appetizer was an entrée when it came out. Big grilled shrimps, on a layer of vinegared greens salad with mozzarella-parmesan cheese crisp on the bottom. Not fancy ingredients but cooked and arranged beautifully. Wife had escargot drenched with shockingly green parsley sauce, which thankfully isn't quite as strong as it looks. The fresh-baked bread with good butter and even better tapenade spread also deserve commendation.

I love how they translated Duck Confit as 功夫鴨 (Kung-Fu Duck), which works perfectly as a phoenetic transliteration, as well as evokes the slow-cooking process of the confit. Not much to the presentation, as it was just the duck leg on a plate with broccoli, carrots, and a round of potato-au-gratin. The duck itself was excellent, though, with crisp skin and flavorful meat, drizzled with pan juices. Wife had mushroom-and-gravy chicken, which one can find in almost every Western value-style restaurant in Taiwan. But here the sauce is a step up from the usual sweetened goop served in Taiwan, the French-trained chef doing it full justice.

Creme brulee was de rigeur and tasty enough but nothing special. The Île Flottante, on the other hand, is a very French dessert that's rarely seen around here. Soft, fluffy egg-white meringue floating on a lake of vanilla creme anglais. Simple and attractive, and not too sweet, which always appeals to the Chinese clientele.

It was a pleasant and satisfying meal, and a good value for under 1500NT. The business lunches are even cheaper, but our schedules do not allow us to take advantage of the deal. There's still plenty left on the menu that looked awfully tempting (rack of lamb! warm chocolate cake! etc., etc.), so I'm sure we'll be back at some point.

Saveurs 歐洲風味餐坊
台北市復興南路一段219巷14號
02-2751-0185

Cafe Grazie

Dad was back in Taiwan for Chinese New Year and we decided to take him and the baby out to the Shihlin Official Residence on a nice day to enjoy the gardens. Good thing we got there early enough to have some space for ourselves before the busfuls of mainland-Chinese tourists arrived. During the tranquil morning it's no problem to feed the baby from the bottle and let him take a nap, but as it got past noon-time us adults would like something to eat, too. Thankfully there are a number of chain restaurants around the tourist site that are already open after the CNY holiday and this one had seats open.

Cafe Grazie is a mid-scale Japanese-influenced (you can tell by the mintaiko dishes) Italian restaurant with branches all over Taipei. The colorful picture-menu offers a large variety of pizzas and pastas, with numerous up-sell combos to add side-dishes, appetizers, desserts, and drinks. As we usually do, we ordered a pizza a la carte, and got a couple of combo meals to share the side dishes. Typically wife takes the soup and I take the salad from the combo meal. But this time we chose a grilled vegetable side instead since wife and dad prefers their veggies cooked. The grill marks on the zucchini were cute, and made it seemed like more of an upgrade over the usual insipid iceberg lettuce salad.

Pesto-pasta is wife's default choice whenever we visit a new Italian place. The linguine is softer than al-dente for Chinese tastes, but otherwise the flavor is good and there was a fair amount of seafood. My paella is about as Spanish as I am, but there's a generous amount of goodies in the the sizzling skillet. The rice was plenty yellow, but I'm guessing that was more turmeric than saffron. Probably best to think of it as an innovative Chinese fried-rice dish rather than as an European creation. The pizza was a bit different without being over-the-top weird, except for the green peas. The hard-boiled eggs worked surprisingly well and adds a nice color contrast. It's cute that they cut the fresh-baked pie at your table, and the medium-sized pie is perfect for three to share.

The stark black & white decor with tiled floors was like an Asian take on a New York style Italian restaurant. Despite the crowd and the hard surfaces, baby was able to sleep peacefully through most of it and we could have a pleasant meal. Drank up the honey-lemon Italian soda quickly though, once he woke up and wanted attention. So Cafe Grazie isn't quite up to authentic foodie Italian standards, but it's a step up from the overly Asian-ized corner spaghetti shops, although it remains to be seen how well the different restaurants in the chain maintain consistency.

Cafe Grazie
義式屋 古拉爵
士林中正店
台北市士林區中正路122號1樓
02-2835-9890

Caprice

Four Seasons Hong Kong isn't just a fancy hotel, it's a fancy hotel that holds the distinction of the only hotel hosting multiple three-star Michelin restaurants. With just the two of us it's just not practical to eat fruitfully at a Chinese place like 龍景軒 Lung King Heen, where the cuisine is designed to be shared by a large crowd. Caprice, on the other hand, is the prototypical fancy French restaurant transplanted to the Hong Kong waterfront, perfectly suited for couples. More importantly, they offer an inexpensive prix fixe lunch, with a starter, main, and desserts at a very reasonable price of HKD420, or HKD380 without dessert (not that you should even consider passing on dessert, see later). They even include a glass of wine and bottles of bubbly Pellegrino water in the fare.

The restaurant is plushly furnished and well spaced, a rarity in and of itself for Hong Kong, where personal space is an unaffordable luxury for most. The Saturday lunch crowd featured an equal mixture of curious tourists and upscale locals. The table was impeccably set with silver salt & pepper shakers, a nice flower arrangement, and gorgeous plate settings, although the initial setting of beautifully gilted plates got whisked away when it actually came time to eat. The included wines aren't quite up to three-star standards, but our palates have been slightly spoiled by tastes of uncles' fine Bordeauxs so one can't quibble too much about the perfectly drinkable freebie.

I'd managed to book a window-side table with expansive views of Hong Kong Harbor and Kowloon across the water. However on a gray day the views weren't quite picture perfect, and the Kowloon harbor-front isn't as architecturally impressive as the Hong Kong waterfront seen from Kowloon-side. But we'll go check out the postcard view in Kowloon from TST when they have their light-show later in the evening. During the daytime with sunlight through the picture windows threw plenty of light on our table, so the massive crystal chandeliers serve more as decoration than illumination, but it's nicer to have natural light during the meal anyway. After all, Chinese folks still prefer a brighter restaurant space, compared to the dim, atmospheric lighting of a typical high-end Western place.

The wife's brown lentil soup didn't seem particularly appetizing at first. But the warm, hearty soup was just the thing on a cool day. The mound of crab meat is sweet and fresh. And the dab of shellfish emulsion contains the umami souls of untold number of shrimps and bivalves shells cooked down and concentrated into the rich buttery mix.

The small slice of toast that came with my big slice of oxtail-foie terrine wasn't nearly enough to absorb the flavorful oxtail meat and foie pate. Thankfully the waiter offered free refills from the bread basket. The olive whole-wheat bread was particularly tasty. Although the plain ciabbata complemented the dish better.

My Crisp-crusted Chilean sea bass with basil aroma, on a bed of crushed zucchini and yellow bell pepper coulis, wasn't designed to be a mind-bender, but it's still a perfectly executed Western seafood dish. The clean and subtle flavors accompanying the meaty white fish were very different from the soy-ginger-scallion flavor profile of Cantonese fresh-fish preparations. But both show the same attention to detail and freshness. The heavy knife they set out for the wife turned out to be superfluous as the wagyu beef shoulder has been braising in red wine for a dozen hours and it was fork-tender and infused with flavor. Seems a waste to cook wagyu beef in such a heavy sauce. On the other hand, even wagyu cows must have tough cuts, and the price we were paying for the meal wouldn't get us more than a small bite of the prime stuff, compared to the hearty chunk on her plate.

The relatively light meal left plenty of space for dessert, and ours eyes lit up when the waiter pushed over the cart with a huge silver tray filled with:

• Double-chocolate tart
• Giant lemon macaron
• White & milk chocolate mousses on almond crust
• Milk pudding with brown sugar cognac sauce
• Caramel-chocolate tart
• Blueberry and butter-cream mille feuille

We were thinking that it was going to be awfully hard to choose from amongst the six options, they all looked so good!

Then the server offered, "each of you may choose three."

Well that's easy then.

Like the food, it was all classical French desserts, done without much innovation but with impeccable technique and top-notch ingredients that shows in the taste where it counts. Amongst the tarts, cookies, and puddings featuring creamy, fruity, and chocolatacious flavors, the selection satiated just about every sweet craving that one might've had. Totally earned the stars there.

We were plenty full by this point, so we took the petit fours away with us to munch later.

Unlike so many other expensive Western restaurants in Asia, there was no big-shot star chef's name to help brand Caprice. But the large crew in the open kitchen looked like they knew exactly what they're doing, not afraid of letting diners see them at work. And it's no surprise they managed to impress the Michelin tasters on their home-turf cuisine. It's perhaps lacking the fiery creative spark that would drive a French 3-star, but that was okay with us, since we were exactly hoping for well-executed fundamentals for our visit. Given the quality, service, and setting, our mid-day meal was an excellent value, which is definitely no sure thing at Michelin-rated restaurants.

Caprice
Four Seasons Hotel 6F
8 Finance Street, Central, Hong Kong
中環金融街8號四季酒店6樓
+852 3196 8888‎

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

Il Ghiottone イル ギオットーネ

Kyoto is known for it's classical Japanese cuisine, sticklers for tradition. On the other hand, Japan also offers excellent Western cuisines, possibly the finest in Asia. Certainly better than anything we would find in Taipei, anyway. So I also did some research on Western restaurants in Kyoto. Hidden away amongst all the traditional Japanese restaurants is this modern fusion of kyo-ryori and Italian cooking.

The converted house near the Yasaka Pagoda doesn't stand out amongst from its surroundings and only a modest sign inside the porch confirms that we'd indeed found the right spot. The interior has also been renovated with high ceilings, warm wood floors, with upholstered banquettes as well as seats. The kitchen is open in the back, along with some more intimate booths. It would fit just as well in any European city, but the small garden outside the picture windows reminds one of the Japanese influence.

Puzzling through the Japanese website (damn Flash animation made translation websites useless), it looked like they opened reservations exactly one month ahead of time. Wanted to be sure so I made the international call on the appointed date. Thankfully the person taking the reservation spoke passable English and the booking was confirmed without issue. Turned out to have been a good idea since the place was fully booked even on a Thursday evening. The menu was hand-written with a cute design, but Japanese-only, offering prix fixe courses at a few different price levels as well as dishes a la carte. Wife wasn't in the mood for a full degustation, so we ordered one full course from the menu plus one entree and made it into a small-plate kind of thing. They were quite accommodating with the extra plates and silverware for sharing.

We started with a white peach and lobster tail salad, with a yogurt foam dressing. Sprinkled with green cucumber-enfused tapioca. Cool and refreshing to start the meal after a hot day walking about Kyoto.

Next was salmon confit, squash and shitake mushroom chunks. Topped with salmon roe and a salad of spicy greens. Purees of green and yellow peppers and tomato plus a streak of olive tapenade provided distinctive flavor highlights.

Nothing fancy here. Japanese beef slices cooked perfectly medium for the wife. Fresh Kyoto summer vegetables like squash, okra, and baby corn char-grilled. Not going to get blown away with the portion size, but you don't expect big slabs of meat when it comes to Japanese beef.

Edamame cream, steak tartar topped with edamame, and soy-milk panna cotta. Usually not brave enough to try raw beef, but it was a good thing I couldn't read the menu beforehand because the chopped beef was tender and spiced to enhance the natural beefiness, treated with the same respect and with a similar silky mouth-feel as a fine piece of sashimi. The soy-milk pudding was creamy and worked surprisingly well as a palate-cleansing savory.

Seafood spaghetti dressed with olive oil and Kyo-ryori style ingredients: mintaiko, cucumber, and shiso flowers. Wasn't quite sure what the tiny edible florets were until the first mouthful released the distinctive shiso flavor. A tasteful fusion of flavors and cuisines.

Hot risotto is dumped out of the hot pan into a block of Parmesan cheese and stirred to incorporate a bit of the cheese into the rice. A lot more impressive than shaving the cheese on top, that's for sure. A classic cheesey risotto with chunks of ham, chicken, and kernels of grilled sweet corn. The flavor's very Italian, but the rice grain's texture seemed a bit different. Asked the server and turned out they use Japanese rice instead of arborio rice. Cheap Taiwan pasta place uses local rice to make risotto and it's sacrilege. Expensive Japanese restaurant uses local rice for risotto and it's brilliant fusion. Go figure.

My entree featured juicy chunks of pork belly, with firm meat, crisp skin, and a silky but not overly thick layer of fat. Mixed with asparagus (green and white) and mushrooms. Too bad we couldn't put it over some white rice and let the rich lard soak into it.

Nothing says summer refreshment like watermelon. A red-watermelon sorbet, garnished with yellow watermelon chunks, topped with a gelatinized cream-soda foam.

Had a few choices for dessert. Decided on a grilled-banana tarte, with a scoop of caramel ice cream and caramel sauce. A good cappuccino went nicely with the dessert.

The wide bench and good spacing between the tables allowed enough space to set down my camera bag and the wife's breast pump, and let me snap away at the food with the DSLR without causing a fuss. Meanwhile other tables featured a group of nicely dressed ladies, a few couples on a romantic meal, and a family celebrating a birthday or anniversary. The food was tasty and interesting and unique to our experience. Very highly recommended.

Il Ghiottone
京都府京都市東山区下河原通塔の前下ル八坂上町388-1
Shimo-Kawaramachi-dori Tonomaesagaru, Yasakakamimachi 388-1
just N of Yasaka Pagoda

Paul Boulangerie

Could it be? A real croissant in Taiwan?

Taiwan bakeries follow the Japanese style of fluffy soft sweet breads stuffed with strange things like red-beans, taro paste, or tuna fish. I like those just fine, and in fact I get annoyed with the Euros who whine about the lack of "real" bread in Taiwan and Asia.

On the other hand, having experienced the fine artisanal bakeries of the Bay Area, it would be nice to have a solid loaf of crusty, natural-yeast bread once in a while. And actually, far as European-style baguettes, cibattas, and rustic loaves go, Taiwan's high-end bakeries have shown a great deal of improvement. Sure, they're not up to the level of Acme's au levain sourdough loaves yet, but still quite acceptable for a nice continental breakfast

Still, the one thing that even the finest Japanese transplant bakeries haven't been able to reproduce is the butter croissant, and associated flaky viennoiseries. So I was intrigued by the opening of the French chain Paul, which was supposedly importing all the key ingredients from Europe and doing everything exactly the old-world way. But the expensive prices and the location meant that we simply hadn't got around to trying it, until now that grandma's moved nearby.

Sure it's a bit pricey at NT35-50 per piece, but the croissant is legit. Compact, with a crispy crust and soft layers that ooze real butter. The pain-au-chocolat had the right amount of dark chocolate filling that was rich without being overly sweet. Unfortunately danishes don't hold up as well in the summer heat&humidity, the syrupy filling turned into a soggy mess in less than a day.

They also have a nice space perfect for brunches and afternoon tea, but I'd rather just take the bread home and make my own coffee. Lately they've started to offer a nice combo package: NT300 gets you half a baguette, a petit sugar loaf, a pain-au-raisin, and a generous slice of bread pudding, or some equivalent thereof. That's a few days' worth of breakfast taken care of, albeit at a bit higher cost than your typical hole-in-the-wall white-bread breakfast-sandwich shop.

Paul Boulangerie
台北市仁愛路四段107號（仁愛圓環）
02-2771-3200

(Also at XinYi Mitsukoshi A9 2F)

Eindhoven Markt Cafes

Arrived in Eindhoven about mid-morning and set down our luggage. Had just enough time to get some lunch before our meeting in the afternoon. But after a twelve-hour flight to an unfamiliar city in a distant country, even lunch seemed like quite the looming challenge.

Thankfully we were situated in the middle of town, and like most European cities, the central square is lined with cafes and restaurants. They were just starting to set out the tables and open up the umbrellas for lunch service. Coming from Asia the air was a touch chilly, but not too bad under the sunlight, so we chose a cafe at random and sat outside.

I must've been way too tired for my own good, as I made the worst mistake a visitor can make in a European restaurant: ordering a soda. Two fucking Euros for the tiniest glass of Diet Coke with three tinier ice cubes in it. Should've just got a cappuccino like Max did. It cost the same for a hand-made drink plus they give you a butter cookie to go with it.

Not surprisingly in Holland, the menu was heavy on bread, cheese, and ham. A brunch-y meal was perfect for us confronting jet lag, so it worked out nicely. I had the Chef's Toastie with sauteed onions, mushrooms, and peppers on top of a ham&cheese sandwich. Max goes like a Euro-version of a Grand-Slam-Breakfast with three eggs on ham, cheese, and tomato with toast

After an afternoon of tough meetings, we were even less inclined to seek out fancy restaurants. So we returned to the central square, choosing a different cafe this time. Of course, I manage to pick the one which didn't have an English menu, so we were left to sound out the Dutch words and hope they resembled some familiar English homophone. A couple glasses of cold Franziskaner beer and a plate of tasty bitterballen tided us over. Bitterball is crispy fried breading on the outside, creamy savory meat sauce on the inside, with a dish of mayo for dipping on the side. The perfect Dutch bar snack, which was about the only bit of foodie-research I had time for on this work trip.

The beef steak and stuffed salmon turned out to be safe, albeit unremarkable, entrees. Barely good enough to get stuffed and head back to the hotel for some sleep before jetting off to the customer's factory in Romania the next day.

Forchetta

Decided to take the wife out for one more nice meal before her due date. What she really wanted was shabu-shabu, but the iPhone failed me, as the address it found for the place I had in mind was out of date. So we walked a long way the wrong way, which did not put her in a good mood. Was just about to just hail a cab when we noticed Forchetta's sign peeking out discreetly in an alley. She'd read a good review, and fancy-fusion food instead of hot-pot was fine with me.

A dense wall of greenery was planted to shield the busy street and create a calm, cocooned interior despite the floor-to-ceiling picture windows. The kitchen is completely open, separated from the main room by a bar, with many crisply-dressed chefs already in action to serve the patrons. That doesn't leave much room on the main floor, but in the basement are a few more private spaces for larger parties and overflow. Thankfully on a Thursday evening we could walk in and still have a table in the main room, and we'd just come from work so we were not underdressed for the sharply decorated space, with shelves oh-so-casually populated with arty architectural books and precious wood-carving pieces.

The prix fixe menu featured many courses and many $$$. For a weekday dinner we were content to order one multi-course meal with an extra entree for her, sharing the appetizers beforehand, making it into more of a small-plate kind of experience, and they were quite accommodating with the extra plates and silverware for her throughout.

We started with a pumpkin soup with cream foam on top. The dramatically oversized bowl formed a dark background for the bright yellow soup and white topping to stand out. It was kind of ridiculous to be sharing such a small portion, but the cup in the bowl is deeper than it looks, and a few sips of the rich soup is more than enough to satisfy.

Chicken salad with an EVOO and balsamic dressing. Walnuts added a bit of crunch and gorgonzola for richness. Many strong flavors but they blended well and didn't overwhelm the delicate greens. Too bad my sucky cell phone camera couldn't capture the metallic sheen of the gold foil embedded within the bowl.

An Asian-fusion preparation as mushrooms and bamboo shoots were dressed with truffle oil, wrapped in won-ton skin to be seared crisp in butter. A couple larger stalks of the mushroom artfully arranged to balance the heavy wrap on the rectangular slate. An inky streak of balsamico, like a bold brushstroke, connected the two elements. It was like a really fancy spring-roll, infused in flavorful oil, instead of soaked in cheap grease like the typical take-out fare. The glass of crisp white house wine was a good palette-cleanser afterwards.

Wife ordered a steak (more protein for the baby). If she was only going to have the one entree, the accoutrements certainly made it seem like a worthwhile choice. As they brought out a tray of various flavored salts and spices to dress the steak. From left to right we have a Fleur de Sel, home-made garlic salt, a fantastic infused curry salt, and crushed red peppercorns. No blase iodine salt and black pepper here.

The meat itself was a good-old rib-eye steak. Cooked medium at her request, then sliced. The meat was tender despite the medium cooking. Garnished with grilled 筊白筍 mini-leeks and the ubiquitous mushrooms. The various flavored salts and the accompanying sauce gave a simple dish multi-dimensional flavors.

My entree was a white fish cooked en-papillote with white wine and extra-virtgin olive oil along with clams and baby mushrooms. The spicy olive oil and the clam juices offered clean, light flavors. Although I couldn't resist sprinkling some of the salts on the fish, too, just for fun.

I was miffed for a second because I thought the chocolate-dipped strawberry and single-bite-sized macha cake was the only dessert to finish the meal. Turned out there was still a real dessert afterwards so it's all good.

Considering the creativity already shown in the previous dishes, I was okay with a standard offering like tiramisu for dessert. However, if you're going to do the basics you should do it well. So I was a little disappointed to find plain sponge cake, a bit dry around the edges, instead of ladyfingers, and the coffee flavor was a bit weak. Although the actual cup-o-coffee alongside was quite good.

All in all it was a fine way to celebrate the end of our childless life. The chef obviously has a good idea of what he wants to do and the vision was executed well. The ingredients are as local as possible, organic, etc. Not gaudy or overwrought, but solidly high-end. I'll have to visit again with a decent camera next time to do the food picture more justice, although the iPhone camera did as well as it could considering the low-light conditions.

Forchetta
台北市大安區安和路一段127巷4號
02-07077776

Bruce Kitchen

The New Year conveniently extended into a long weekend, so it was a good occasion to get everyone together. Specifically, for the sis-in-law and her boyfriend to take us to their latest restaurant discovery. 布佬廚房 is located in the green hills of Xindian, above the suburbian crowd but still within easy driving distance. The converted house is arranged to insure all the tables and seating areas are open and airy, which was a bit cool in the wintertime but must be perfect in the summer. The atmosphere and inexpensive food attracts groups of students and other young folks puttering up the hill on their scooters, as well as young families in their SUVs.

Since we had such a large group, they seated us across the street in the covered terrace annex, where they could put a few tables together to more easily accommodate us. The food was mostly Japanese-style Italian. Since the SIL had been there before we let her order the food and shared amongst everybody. The pumpkin soup wasn't as subtle as one might hope, but it was warm and hearty, which was useful on a chilly day out on the terrace. Mushroom rissoto au gratin was the big hit with the kids, so much so we got a second order. The spicy seafood spaghetti had enough seafood to be worthwhile, but the sauce was a bit weak. The saffron paella was quite yellow, although most likely more due to turmeric rather than saffron. Plus a Coke. You know, for kids.

The food was decent for the price and the location was very nice. However didn't get to appreciate either as much as I should have since I was getting viciously sick on something which knocked me out for most of the following week. I was already feeling unwell during the meal, though, so it's probably not their fault, and don't take it as an indictment against BK.

布佬廚房
Bruce Kitchen
台北縣新店市車子路137號
02-8666-6181

Cacao et Chocolat

The wife is usually not a big chocoholic, but she was intrigued by the mention of this particular French import's Taipei opening, as mentioned on a celebrity blog. Plus she went to some pre-birthing classes which encouraged her to get more active in preparation for labor. So a short walk out to the nearby shop seemed like the perfect destination to get out of the house.

The little shop is tucked away in an alley off of 光復南路, next to a 7-11. The refrigerated glass case displayed the truffles and bonbons in a variety of exotic flavors, directly imported from France. Each were decorated in their own way with edible gold paint. A chocolate fountain was pouring out over itself for the choco-dipped strawberries, etc. Another big glass case in front showed off the chocolate macaroons. The side cases displayed packaged chocolate-coated nuts, candies, cocoas, and various gift boxes. Priced according how you'd expect for French-imported perishables would cost.

NTD 50-60 per candy was a bit too much for just a single bite. But they also offered some cafe-style sit-down options for a few small tables inside the shop. We decided to share a small pot of the chocolat chaud. The intensely concentrated European-style hot-chocolate was plenty to satisfy the both of us. They also offered us some taste samples of the other candies, too. Some fresh whipped cream like Anglina in Paris would've been nice, but that'd be too rich to handle, to be honest. On the other hand, they do throw in a shot of Grand Marnier on the side which you can add to your hot chocolate for an orange-liquer kick. Very nice touch.

So if you ever need to gift someone with expensive chili-pepper-flavored chocolate, this is the place for you!

Cacao et Chocolat
台北市光復南路180巷14號1樓
02-2775-1106

Eccolo

Wanted to go to Pizzaiolo and wasted a ton of time driving up and down Telegraph before giving up. Found out only later that it's not open on Sundays WTF. Ended up driving over to 4th St. to Eccolo, another place I've wanted to try, run by a Chez Pannise alum with a prime location anchoring the top end of the chic 4th St. strip.

The space is high-end California-casual. A warm interior in yellow with dark wood accents was classy and comfortable without being stuffy. Tables were nicely spaced and quiet on an uncrowded evening, a pleasant change in atmosphere compared to SF's hot spots.

Shared an appetizer and you can't lose going with deep-fried goodies. Been ages since we've had fried zucchini blossoms (first since Italy?). The fresh-made aioli went great as a dipping sauce for the fried bits and as a spread on the Acme bread.

We didn't want a super heavy meal so a pasta and a main were enough for the both of us. She found her penne ragu a bit too salty for our tastes. Our experiences in Italy tells us that is exactly the way they do it in the Old Country, though. We probably needed a contorni to go with it. My roast chicken, on the other hand, was impeccable. Tender and flavorful with a light sauce.

To be honest, I found the bill a bit much, so it fell a bit short in the value department, and Chez Pannise is still better. But it's still quite nice to experience the perks of the Bay Area, where one can simply walk into a restaurant and have a very nice experience, and it was fine as our last good meal in town.

Eccolo
1820 4th Street
(between Hearst Ave & Virginia St)
Berkeley, CA 94710
(510) 644-0444

雅朵碟子義大利廚房 - Piattini e Vini

Formerly the Osteria Rialto, reoriented from formal Venetian cuisine towards more small-plate, casual style more suited to the Taiwan audience. They did a good job in bringing a bit of authentic Italian flair to the restaurant. More importantly, an authentic brick oven in the kitchen to do the pizza crusts right, as shown best in the simple Pizza Margherita. Ponied up for the deluxe version with the Mozzarella di Bufala and organic tomatoes and felt like we got our money's worth.

I ordered the ricotta gnocchi. The potato dumplings were hand-made and fluffy, but the ricotta cream sauce was a bit one-note and congealed once it cooled off. A stronger cheese like gorgonzola would've made a more interesting dressing but I can see how the stinky cheese might be off-putting to the Asian palate of the typical clientele.

They were tearing up the streets and sidewalks right outside the restaurant at the time which must've murdered their business as we were the only ones there on a Sunday evening. However, now that the street's been repaved business seemed improved when we walked by again. Hopefully they'll stay around (unlike their late sister-restaurant in the Neo19 complex), since a good neighborhood Italian restaurant is certainly not to be taken for granted in Taiwan.

雅朵碟子義大利廚房
Piattini e Vini
台北市松山區光復南路260巷5號
02-27781536

法德吉歐法料理

The restaurant has been there in the nearby alley for almost twenty years, without appearing to change much. I've never eaten there, and it never seemed to do much business when we wandered by at night. But one day I went by during the day on a work-day and apparently it makes a good living doing business lunches for the office-workers. To have survived for such a long time in this fiercely competitive area it must be doing something right. One night we finally had the right combination of wanting a meal out but feeling too lazy to go anywhere to end up here.

The restaurant is surprisingly large, with multiple dining rooms and private rooms available, but on a lazy Sunday night only a couple of the main rooms were needed. Decorated in a pseudo-Germanic-lodge style with dark wooden doors and Romantic paintings in gilded frames along the wall. We were seated next to a family with young kids, who were mostly well-behaved, thankfully. The generous space definitely seems like a good option for young families.

The menu offers a variety of pastas and Taiwan-Western standard entrees, with the option available to add salad, soup, and dessert to make a set-meal out of it. Decided on two entrees with one set-meal addition, since we could have the soup and salad as two starters. The simple green salad had a few slices of abalone draped on top to gave it a touch of class, even though it's probably canned. The soup was a hearty chowder filled with good stuff. The SO loved it enough to ask for seconds, which the boss gave us without complaint or surcharge. She totally thought it was the best part of the meal.

I had the pork cutlet with pate and red-wine sauce. It was old-fashioned Taiwanese-Western food at its best/worst. The wine sauce was a bit sweet but not bad at all, and the slice of pate helped to show off the plain pork. SO had pan-fried white fish covered with pesto cream sauce alongside roasted chicken leg in brown sauce. Quite a substantial dish but she was counting on me to help finish it anyway. The fish wasn't the greatest seafood in the world but the meaty pieces made a fair carrier for the sauce. The meat sauce was rendered with prunes to also give a touch of sweetness, and a drizzle of pine nuts was a nice garnish on top.

Dessert was good-old vanilla ice cream, served in a classic steel ice-cream bowl that was totally precious. All the little touches demonstrate how the place has stayed in business all this time. Sure, the food is old-fashioned and out-of-style, but it's quite apparent that they insist on doing this food the best they can, which is totally admirable and worth supporting. Will have to try the hand-made pastas next time to see if they're more in-line with modern tastes.

法德吉歐法料理
Fine Herbs
台北市信義區逸仙路32巷17號
02-27580294

巴黎廳1930 (Paris 1930)

The flagship restaurant at the Landis Hotel is widely acknowledged as the finest formal Western restaurant in Taipei, and priced accordingly. However, at the last tourism convention show, the hotel was offering vouchers at 10% off face value, and who can resist a nice discount? Actually we resisted for a long time, until the one year due date of the vouchers was almost expired. So much for saving it for a special occasion, let's just pick a convenient Friday night and go already.

The menu is set up to offer various multi-course meals, such as a seafood meal, a chef's menu, a vegetarian menu, and the obligatory over-the-top extravagant selection. I chose the seafood and she had the chef's menu.

The menu speaks for itself, the pictures not so much, due to the dim lighting. Still can't quite let myself bust out the DSLR at formal restaurants. The service was certainly up to the expected standards, with the added bonus that the wife could converse easily with the waiter, and the live piano/violin added a bit of liveliness to the atmosphere without being obtrusive. It'd be perfect as the can't miss proposal restaurant. There were also more than a couple of birthday cakes delivered to the other tables during the meal. However, the entire meal just wasn't as good as other places we've been, like L'Atelier de Joel Robüchon, which offered a more casual atmosphere and finer preparation all at the same time. They offered much the same frou-frou techniques, but the foams at the Michelin-starred restaurant were just a bit finer, the jellies had that much more flavor, and the seafood just a bit more umami. On the other hand, plane tickets to Tokyo don't come all that cheap these days, either.

• Amusé:
  Pâté mousse on roe. Greens dressed with aged balsamic vinegar.
  

• Appetizers:

  Toro Carparccio and Kumamoto Oyster
  Squid Ink Jelly, Sour Cream and Spiced Cod Roe Chantilly, Red Pepper Wafer, Lemon Thyme and Anchovy Oil Capsule
  

  Sakura Prawns and Spanish Ham
  With Melon Jelly Cube, Sweet Pepper "Yolk" and Manchego Dentelle and Herb "Mille Feuille"
  

• Soup Course:

  King Prawn
  Celery Leaf and Watercress Tempura, Shellfish Consomme Flavored With Aromatic Herbs and Clam Fondue
  

  Poached Digby Scallops
  Clams, Orange Essence and Crispy Chorizo With a Potage of Tomato al la "Basque"
  

• Fish Course:

  Mine:
  Flounder Filet
  With Tarragon Butter, Carrot Orange and Polenta Puree and White Asparagus

  Hers:
  Butter and Thyme Poached Lobster and Shitake Ravioli
  With Vanilla Bean Oil, Saffron Emulsion and Ragout of Snails, and White Hon Shimeji
  

• Savory Course:

  Scallops Poached in Lemongrass and Coconut Oil
  With Yellow Curry and Sea Urchin Emulsion, Enoki, Chinese Cured Ham and Cabbage Spring Rolls
  

  Foie Gras
  Peking Duck Broth, Creamed Onion and Parsnip, Pea Greens and Carrot "Air"
  

• Entree:

  St. Pierre "Barigoule"
  Cauliflower, Frothy Bacon Cream and Saffron Aioli With Artichokes, Mussels, Confit Pear Tomatoes and Dried Parsley Salt
  

  Lightly Smoked Whole Roasted Pigeon
  Lemon Sage Flavors with Wild Rice, Bacon, and Morel "Pilaf", Cumquat Relish and Celeriac Puree
  

• Desserts:

  Seasonal Sweets
  Raspberry sorbet, chocolate cake with apricot gelee, fresh fruits.
  

• Extra Touch:

  New York style cheesecake, as we pretended it was our anniversary dinner.
  

• Mignardies
  

巴黎廳1930 - 亞都麗緻大飯店
Paris 1930 At The Landis Taipei Hotel
台北市民權東路二段41號
41 Min Chuan East Road, Section 2, Taipei
02-2597-1234

Ristorante Fernando

Every tourist destination has a restaurant famous to tourists as the "authentic" purveyor of the local cuisine, but locals look down upon as a tourist trap. Fernando's restaurant is kinda like that in Macau. I'm not usually a fan of touristy places, but Fernando's is a local institution, and it's not as if we had anything better to do in Macau until our late flight out, after I got wiped out at the gaming tables.

It was an expensive cab ride from The Venetian in Cotai out to Hac Sa Beach on the very edge of Coloanne. Got there just as they were opening up for lunch and there wasn't any of the big crowds that some reviews had warned about. The restaurant is just as famous for its relaxed beach-side setting as for its rustic Portuguese food, but it had rained hard earlier in the morning so it wasn't quite practical to sit outside. The red-checked plastic tableclothes and cheap pitchers of sangria wouldn't be out of place along Portugal's Atlantic coast, although the Cantonese-speaking waitresses break the illusion a bit.

We ordered a simple salad, a quarter roast chicken on fries, and a plate of Macau-fried-rice with Portuguese sausage. Nothing fancy, but solidly satisfying, and it's unique enough to us. The meal comes with excellent gluten-rich home-baked bread. And a whole big pitcher of cool, fresh-mixed sangria, complete with half a bottle of red wine and a couple shots of brandy.

I should've just ordered glasses of the wine punch instead, but we managed to finish the entire pitcher by the end of the meal. The fruity sweetness of the mixed punch and the cool drink in the sultry air fooled the wife into chugging way too much sangria. Thankfully the beach was nearby so we could rest on a bench and let her peacefully sleep off the alcohol in the seaside breeze.

Ristorante Fernando
Praia de Hac Sa, 9
路環黑沙海灘9號
Colôane, Macau
+853-28882264

A Lorcha - 船屋葡國餐廳

Macau's colonial Portuguese heritage combined with the Chinese love for food creates a unique culinary mix, offering Old World European cuisine in the heart of Asia. A Lorcha is one famous example next to the A-Ma Temple, and our first stop right after landing in Macau and checking into the hotel. English, Portuguese, and Cantonese all cheerfully spoken by the polyglot staff. Mandarin, not so much. Didn't have reservations so had to wait until 2:00 for a table, but it was well worth it for the food and atmosphere.

Caldo Verde is a barely thickened soup flavored with slice of Portuguese sausage and cooked with greens. Bacalhau fritters were solidly packed with the reconstituted salt-fish, a Portuguese classic. A bottle of cold Portuguese beer hit the spot on a hot day, although I should've just gone with the Carlsberg on tap for the quantity over quality.

The Galinha Africana (African Chicken) is a juicy half-chicken smothered in a slightly spicy sauce full of exotic spices. Very tasty and would've been great over rice except we had a tough time finishing the big portions as it were.

Feijorada is a hearty pig-knuckle and beans stew. Despite the Portuguese name, the dish didn't taste all that foreign to us since we're used to chomping on pig's feet.

The fresh-baked bread was excellent, too. The plain, crusty bread is such a refreshing change from the oily, soft Asian take on bread.

A Lorcha (船屋葡國餐廳)
289a Rua do Almirante Serigo
澳門河邊新街289號
Macau
+853 313 195

La Douceur 品悦糖

Went with the SO to the NSO ticket office to pick up her membership card and thought it'd be appropriate to go to this nearby cafe known for its hi-fi setup and authentic French-style desserts.

The cafe was full of posh ladies gathered for coffee and desserts. In the background are the massive Dynaudio Evidence Master pumping out the background music for $85K a pair, powered by Accuphase gear commensurate with the high-end speakers. Le Cordon Bleu graduation certificate hangs on the wall to show off the chef's French training. Obviously the cafe's a labor-of-love since audiophile gear don't come from pastry chef salaries.

I had a Montmartre underlaid with an authentically-French almond paste biscuit and loads of whipped cream on top along with a cappuccino to wash it down. By then the SO's already demolished her apple-Napoleon with hazelnut creme. Too bad since it was an exquisitely constructed symphony of layers, flavors, and textures.

Unfortunately it's not a terribly convenient location for us to hit on a regular basis. But considering the calories inherent in the creamy, buttery desserts it's probably all for the best.

La Douceur
品悦糖
台北市大安區信義路二段18號
02-33222833

私處 - Coté a Coté

We went looking for a place to eat after walking through the Lantern Festival at the at SYS Memorial Hall. Got away from the crowd and wandered through the back alleys between the 國父紀念館 and 忠孝敦化 MRT stations which are packed with all sorts of restaurants and lounges. Was just about to settle for a random roadside food stand when I noticed the converted house of a restaurant set back behind a walled garden which seemed like a good spot for a light dinner. They don't have many tables in the first-floor dining room which was full, but it turned out that they had a big basement, too. The basement smelled a bit musty, though, so we sat outside on the patio. We could hear the crowds passing by but there was enough foliage and wall to provide privacy.

The menu consisted of light European fare with an emphasis on seafood, mostly French style with a few pasta dishes thrown in. The prix fixe seemed like a good value for the money. We started with a couple of seared scallops for the SO and I had a dish of zesty marinated calamari rings. I was impressed to see frisee and endive in a cheap prix fixe salad, which worked nicely with a simple vinaigrette. There was even real crab meat on top to qualify it as a real seafood salad.

For the mains, I had the halibut with a tomato Provençal sauce, with mashed potatoes and grilled vegetables on the side. The spicy tomato sauce provides the acidity and the flavors for the tender white fish. SO had the spaghetti two-ways: spicy seafood and mushroom medley. Both simple and tasty in the Mediterranean way.

All in all an excellent value for the money. Way better cooking than one would expect for a mid-low-priced Western restaurant around here. Some nice touches like the fancy greens and real crab meat to give the food a real bit of class. The big brown husky in the courtyard was a bit worrisome for the SO, but he seemed friendly enough albeit bored by the confinement. Thankfully somebody took him out for a jog around the block so we could make our escape unmolested.

私處
Coté a Coté
台北市大安區光復南路280巷50號1樓
02-2772-2826

Trattoria Mah

Got into Nagoya around 8pm and by the time we checked into the hotel it was pushing 9pm. Wanted to have a relatively nice meal for our last night in Japan but didn't quite know where to go and it was a bit too cold&dark to be wandering aimlessly around Nagoya Station.

The department stores always feature nice restaurants so we went with that fall-back option. Went up the Nagoya JR Central Towers and wandered in circles a bit before deciding on the Italian option.

The food certainly wasn't inexpensive at Trattoria Mah, with the emphasis on a soothingly dim room of blues and burgundies, each tables lit more brightly by halogen spots. We kept it light with a salad, a pizza, and a glass of Itlian wine. The Nippon-Italian food was of good quality, although I'm not sure if the Italian-style thin-crust was quite sufficient to hold all the toppings on the signature pizza. I mean there was seafood, vegetables, and even a hard-boiled egg tossed in for good measure. Definitely safer to eat with knife-and-fork on a plate.

Trattoria Mah (トラットリア マッ)
愛知県名古屋市中村区名駅1－1－4　タワーズプラザ12F
052-589-9555

Olé Madrid

Jet lag finally got hold of AC after a long day, so Udo and I strolled down Goethestrasse for an evening meal at a decent Spanish restaurant nearby. Ordered a platter of various tasty tapas as a combo starter. In Spain, a tortilla is a potato frittata, not the Mexican flatbread. Presumably not as good as a beachside meal on Tenerife, where Udo was on holiday recently, but plenty good enough for me.

The Dorada Royal daily special came highly recommended by Udo, so we both went with it. The lemon, salsa, and aioli on the side gave us a variety of potential flavors for the simply grilled whole fish.

Olé Madrid
Häberlstraße 15
80337 München
089-537716

Schneider Weisses Brauhaus

Lawyers can be pretty insufferable as it is, but far as arrogant asses go it would be hard to beat German lawyers. At least it kept the meeting short as they threw us out in less than half a day, leaving us some free time in Munich. Just in time for lunch.

Our lawyers (who are nice guys, btw), recommended the nearby brewhouse for some genuine Bavarian food. Schneider Weisses is one of Munich's historical brew-house restaurants. The well-worn wooden floors and heavy wooden tables added to the old-world atmosphere.

Already bustling with tourists and locals during the lunch rush. Our German colleague ordered the lighter Tegernseer hell beer for us instead of the house-special original hefeweizen which I would've loved to try. Oh well.

They had the Münchner Aventinusbierbrat`l, Munich-style beer-roased pork, with sauerkraut and potato-egg pancakes. I had Kalbskron gesotten, slow-simmered beef cheek meat with grated horseradish and boiled potatoes on the side. The pork looked good, with a crispy skin and a thick layer of fat underneath. The beef cheek was a surprisingly familiar dish for me, as we eat pork cheek meat at home all the time. The meat was super-tender from the slow cooking and all the gelatinous stuff in the cheek. The fresh-grated horseradish was a bit of shock at first but it's no worse than wasabi and it added a bit of necessary kick, backed up by the jars of spicy mustard on the table.

Our waitress was quite familiar looking, and we couldn't resist asking. Yep, she was Chinese. Her German's quite fluent, though, and she had no problem taking our order from Udo. So they put us upstairs with all the other tourists, but it was a good atmosphere with good food and good beer. Plus Udo was nice enough to pick up the tab. So it's all good.

Schneider Weisses Brauhaus
Tal 7
Munich, Germany 80331
(89) 290138-0

L'Atelier de Joel Robüchon

We hit the ground running in Tokyo. We hit Harajuku, Omotesando, and Roppongi Hills right after landing. Unfortunately most of the shops were near closing by the time we got to Roppongi, but the main attraction Tokyo CityView stayed open late, so we had time to get something to eat before going up. I'm normally all for experiencing the local cuisines, but L'Atelier is right next to CityView, the big name is attractive, and the Japanese are perfectly capable of producing high-end Western food.

Thankfully no reservations were necessary at the deliberately informal bistro. The interior in black and red is dominated by a long bar surrounding the impeccable open kitchen populated by eager young Japanese chefs. The prix fixe menu offered just enough variety for two at a fair (but high, yes) price. The amuse set the tone, a shot glass of custard with a purple dollop of port sauce topped off with parmesan foam. The foam offered the character and flavor of the cheese without the hard saltiness to overwhelm the soft richness of the custard.

My appetizer was a lobster mousse on top of a crepe cracker with some avocado bits underneath. The basket of different mini-rolls went nicely with the smooth spread. SO gets the tomato salad with greens and fresh tomatoes on a bed of tomato jelly. My richer morsels was concentrated umami goodness, but the salad had its own simple Californian-style appeal. For the soup/fish course I had a perfectly soft-poached egg in a martini glass topped with foamed champignon soup. The soft egg took the creaminess of the cream-of-mushroom soup over the top. Fresh scallops don't need to be embellished much, and SO's big, pan-fried scallops were very fresh and very tasty sitting on a pool of herb-oil for some variety.

I ponied up the supplement for the fois gras main. Yeah, it's duck not goose, but it was still full of livery goodness. The bed of risotto soaked up the leaking fat and I wiped up any leftover juices with a Japanese-soft mini-roll. SO had pan-fried herb fish fillet on a pool of clam-based jus. Felt the herbal flavors was a bit strong for the fish, but that's a bit of East vs. West attitude toward how fish should be treated.

Desserts were simple affairs. Mine was vanilla ice cream on wine-simmered cherries, hers was tangy yogurt ice cream on cranberry gelatin garnished with fresh cranberries. A light way to close out a satisfying but not gut-busting meal. The room was about half foreigners/tourists, which was fine with me in this case. Foams and jellies and such things may no longer be El Bulli material but coming from the gastronomic backwater of Taipei seeing and tasting the basic techniques done well was almost enough to bring a tear. The cool but unpretentious atmosphere was the perfect way to celebrate the start of our trip.

L'Atelier de Joel Robüchon
Roppongi Hills Hillside 2F
6-10-1 Roppongi Minato-ku
Tokyo 106-0032
03-5772-7500

Wendel's German Bistro

SO's cousins wanted to treat us to a meal in exchange for going out of our way in Italy to bring back Prada goodies for them. They chose the well-known German bakery and restaurant in Tianmu. A leafy courtyard provided a calm buffer to the main dining room, lit with a mix of natural light from the full-wall windows and a few well-placed spotlights. Tables were set with burgundy and white real tableclothes, well-spaced and fully occupied with families out for a Sunday brunch or foreigners looking for a taste of home.

The menu featured a good selection of German-European standards, and some good-looking breakfast specials. The ladies went nuts and between the six of us ordered six entrees, three with the set-meal extras, and tossed in a mixed-sausage platter on top. The food was almost American in the portion size, but we actually managed to clean the plates, give or take some of the sides. The bread deserved a special mention, too, not surprising considering the place started as a bakery. A basket of various slices of legitimate European-style bread. The mixed-grain was especially fragrant and tasty after a quick toasting.

The rundown:

• I got the Hungarian Pork Goulash which came with spaetzl and a surprising decent green salad as sides. It's recommended as chef's favorite home recipe and the dish did have its homey charm, a simple meat stew colored deep red by paprika. Did find the pork a tiny bit on the dry side, though.
• Perhaps I should've just gone with wienerschnitzel which is my default option for Germanic restaurants. SO's sister did get the jagerschnitzel, which is just the same port cutlet pan-fried with a mushroom sauce instead of breaded and fried. The naked port cutlet was a bit dry, too, but the rich gravy helped. Probably easier to keep the thin, lean slice of pork meat with breading and frying instead.
• Pig's feet has always been considered a delicacy in Chinese cuisine, so it's not surprising that the rustic German-style pig knuckle has become a popular dish here, perhaps more so than its original homeland. A big chunk of pork feet, bone-in and slow-roasted to crisp the skin and render out the fat, which bastes the meat to make it rich and moist.
• I usually pass on sirloin steaks since they're usually just there to offer a cheaper alternative to the good cuts of meat. Wendel's treats it right, though, grilled perfectly medium rare and smothered with good gravy and fresh-fried onions. Would've totally taken it over my own main had I known since it's not easy to get a good steak around here.
• The SO wanted something a bit lighter, and she likes pesto, so she chose the salmon fillet with creamy pesto sauce. A thick slab simply pan-fried and drizzled with the green cream sauce for flavor. Nothing fancy but the portion was generous, and the stuffed sweet pepper side was interesting. Roasted potatoes aren't interesting, but still tasty.
• So that was an entree for each of us (one of the cousins got the goulash, too), but how can you go to a German restaurant and not have a sausage, so we ordered an assorted sausage platter. The platter contained good mix of red and white sausages with sauerkraut, and yellow mustard for condiments, and a big mound of mashed potatoes on the side. Despite a mostly female audience and the American-sized entrees, we still managed to carve up and finish off the additional plate of meat. And tasty meat it was.
• We ordered three set meal combos added to the entrees, which got us additional soup, salad, and dessert to share amongst us. The green salad wasn't anything special but the veggies were fresh and refreshing in the face of the heavy mains. The mushroom cream soup had good chunks of shrooms and wasn't too salty which is about as much you can ask for from these deals. The dessert plate was a good piece of blueberry coffee cake with a scoop of mango ice cream on the side, so even with half portions it was plenty for each of us to have a good bit of sweets to end the meal.

All in all it was on the expensive side of the value line, but hey I wasn't paying. There were plenty of horror stories about poor service on the net but we were served at least adequately, although perhaps not quite up to a level consistent with the decor and pricing. Unfortunately we were off to do other things otherwise I would've loved to have picked up some pastries and breads at the bakery counter to take home, too.

溫德德式烘焙餐館
Wendel's German Bakery and Bistro
台北市士林區德行西路5號
02-28314592

Bellini Pasta

According to people who'd know, Mother's Day the busiest day for restaurants around here. So there we were on the day before before mother's day, and all the restaurants were swamped with lines out the door. Our lost wanderings took us over to the Vieshow movie theater, formerly known as the XinYi Warner Village. Typically the Bellini's inside the theater is one of the busiest places in the area as it's ideally placed for a decent meal before the show if you wanted something a step up from the food court. But I guess moms don't go for Italian and there was a lull anyway as we were there just after the 8pm showings started, so there were plenty of good seats available.

Bellini is a mid-priced chain out of Japan, serving Nippon-ified Italian food, probably with a further bit of Taiwan-ification thrown into the local incarnation. The salads looked interesting, with dressing drizzled over an entire heart of romaine, but we didn't feel like a big meal, so we just ordered soup and pasta. The cream of mushroom soup was fairly tasty without being too salty.

The place is known for its large portions, so we decided to order the two-pasta combo of two half-portions instead. Decided to go with the distinctly Japanese-influenced choice of Spaghetti with Tomato Sauce over Tonkatsu, and Spaghetti with Yuzu Mentaiko and Calamari, with a light mound of nori strips on top for that final Oriental touch. The tonkatsu was nice and juicy and let's face it breaded-and-fried meat will go with just about anything. The marinara was a bit sweet for my tastes but that's how the Japanese/Taiwanese like it. The calamari was tender and the cream sauce wasn't bad. I found the mentaiko made the sauce a bit too fishy for me. Although the addition of preserved fish roe into pasta is actually not inauthentic, being similar to the Sardinian bottarga.

Wanted a light meal so no desserts or anything like that, but did splurge for the refillable lemonade. The lemonade tasted fresh and lemony, but for some reason they decided to color it blue. Why mess with fresh lemonade? Unless it wasn't that fresh? Regardless, the citric acid provided a zing to keep the pasta from getting cloying.

Bellini Pasta Pasta (Vieshow Theaters)
110台北市信義區松壽路16號2樓
(other locations)
02-27586096

Rome, Part 2

Armando al Pantheon

Heard good things about this place on the Fodors and Chowhound boards, which is usually a safe endorsement. We huddled under the roof of the Pantheon to stay out of the cold drizzle until we saw the lights turn on at 7pm. Gave them another 15 minutes to set up before dashing over. We were cold, hungry, and desperate for a bathroom so didn't care that we were unfashionably early for an Italian dinner. That ended up being a good thing as we were able to snatch up a table before the tiny restaurant filled up with tourists and locals (we ended up sharing our table with an American mother-son couple).

The salumi antipasto plate ended up being quite a big portion of salty, spicy, fatty meat for me as the SO didn't care for the cured flavor. A half-bottle of Sangiovese and plenty of bread helped to moderate the strong flavors. It sure ain't your typical grocery store lunch meat. Spaghetti carbonara was simple and good, although the egg-sauce got a bit gooey as it cooled. Noted that the ideal Italian al dente pasta is a bit rawer than what we're used to.

GF had the Chicken in White Wine. Simple description of a simple but authentically Roman dish. Browned chicken with a wine reduction sauce. Good flavor although it's impossible for the entire chicken thigh to be thoroughly cooked without the thin bits ending up a bit dry. I had the osso bucco with peas and mushroom gravy. Definitely hearty down-home food. The meat is fork-tender and the bit of marrow in the bone caps off the rich meal. Also had the chicory veggie sauteed in olive oil and garlic. The slightly bitter, fibrous chicory was a good complement flavor and texture-wise to the rich entrees.

Enoteca Cul de Sac

After another long day of walking the cobbled lanes of Rome we were tired and looking for a place to sit down and have something to eat at a normal hour instead of waiting 'til the Italian dinnertime. The oldest wine bar in Rome seemed like the perfect place for a pick-me-up.

The bar sits in a piazza between Piazza Navona and the Pantheon. Befitting the name, the space itself is a narrow lane barely wide enough for two rows of tables. The wine bottle sat in long shelves above our heads and the waiters came around occasionally with long retrievers to snatch a bottle. As expected, the wine list is a massive tome, and there's a casual menu of pastas and antipasti to go with the wine. It was mostly filled by tourists, but then it was early, plus even the tourists were a cosmopolitan bunch so it was still plenty interesting to look around. Unfortunately we're just not up to a full bottle for ourselves, so it was a glass of red Nobilo for me, and a glass of prosecco for her. I had a plate of assorted salumi to go with the red wine, and SO had a bowl of hearty onion soup to drive away the blustery day.

Armando al Pantheon
Salita Dei Crescenzi, 31
06.68803034

Enoteca Cul de Sac
Piazza Pasquino, 73
+39 6 6880 1094

Rome, Part 1

The grocery store and open-air markets were filled with cured meats and all sorts of cheeses.

Italians leave work, then hit the local bar for a drink and snack before dinner, which is why restaurants don't even bother to open until almost 8pm. Wanted to check out Caffe Greco right on Via Condotti and paid dearly for the privilege (that's a 12-euro Campari aperitif, folks). We skipped the afternoon bar breaks from then on.

Ristorante alla Rampa near the Spanish steps was a bit made-up for the tourists but it was close to our hotel and a bit of extra atmosphere ain't a bad thing for our first meal in Rome. The gray-haired waiters who've obviously been doing the job for a million years added to the environment and transacted smoothly in English. SO had the spaghetti pomodoro and I had the veal scappoline. Not brilliant but plenty good enough. Unfortunately we missed out on the famous antipasto bar but we weren't really that hungry.

We were wandering around Termini station looking for a place to eat. Pastarito was obviously a chain but it was clean and neat, a rather rare trait near the central station, and offered plenty of choices foodwise. Nothing fancy and not high-end, but the bruschetta had plenty of tasty topping on freshly charred italian bread. They delivered the pizza quatro stagione in one big pie and it was a bit of a pain to slice it with our butter-knives to share but we managed.

Ristorante alla Rampa
Piazza Mignanelli, 18
+39 06 678 2621

Caffe Greco
Via Condotti, 84
+39 6 679 1700

Pastarito Pizzarito
Via Gioberti, 25/35
+39 06 4882252

Jack's Topia 創意廚房

Noticed that it's been months since we've gone to a memorable restaurant. Now that it's my birthday and Valentine's Day and our imminent engagement it seemed liked an appropriate time to splurge a bit. I had ran into this restaurant before and was intrigued but saw the price tag and balked at the time but bookmarked the page for reference which came in handy now. The room was only half full, surprisingly empty considering it was the last weekend before Valentines, but this type of establishment isn't the type for packed tables and multiple turns anyway, and a quiet room was certainly fine by us.

Only imported bottled water here. As long as we're paying for the fancy H₂O we might as well get the CO₂, too. A slice of lemon brightened up the Pellegrino even more and the waitress was prompt to fill the glasses.

Asked for the winelist and recognized quite a few names from uncle's fancy wine collection. However I wasn't about to pay the 2-3x markups on those already high-priced vintages, and we can't possibly finish a bottle by ourselves anyway. So a glass of the house red (an Australian McWilliams Cabernet Sauvignon) will do. GF had a sip of the house Pinot Grigio and passed. Sticking to the fancy water may have been the right idea in any case as we weren't terribly impressed with the particular single-glass selection.

A couple of thin and crispy poppy-seed cookies came in a glass standing up embedded within a layer of sesame seeds. Nice presentation to demonstrate off-the-bat that it's not just a wannabe Western restaurant.

The triple-play amuse bouche was another pleasant surprise. The Hokkaido scallop had the sweet fresh seafood flavor and the wasabi mayonnaise added color and kick. The morsel of smoked salmon sitting on a rosette of a corn crisp (taste reminded me of a gourmet Frito) was a bit of salt and smoke to perk the appetite. The chunk of potato on a spoon... tasted like potato. They can't all be winners.

Can't help choosing the fois gras appetizer when I saw the choice. There were perhaps more creative choices available. But the fatty richness of the seared duck liver is still seductive, and I could soak up the excess duck fat with the good dinner rolls. The tomato confit was an interesting touch. It was a bit sweet for my tastes although I understand that's the way to go with fois gras.

I had the lotus-root salad while the GF had the cream-of-mushroom cappuccino soup. The salad consisted of the thinnest possible slices of lotus root forming an attractive base layer, with finely chopped frisee and endive sprinkled on top for color, all dressed with a balsamic vinaigrette. It's not bad, but I could just imagine mom freaking out if she saw how much we were spending for such a trivial amount of food, even if the materials are imported and organic and all that. The cappuccino soup is also a fun presentation, served in a coffee cup with a thick layer of milk foam on top. GF though the soup was a bit too milky but I thought it was just fine if you didn't suck in all the foam. The foam also helped to keep the soup warm. But the foam and the small cup also meant that there wasn't much more than a few sips of (very tasty) soup.

Had to wait quite a while for our mains as the kitchen was busy handling the table of eight sitting downstairs. From their boisterous conversation GF noted that they were doctors with their wives, the traditional bedrock of Taiwan's upper-middle class. I was fine with the delay since we were moving at a European pace anyway and they've been good at pacing the different courses between my full prix fixe meal and GF's fewer a la carte selections. GF's fish course was two thin filets of white fish pan-seared for crispy skin and moist meat. The fish sat on a mound of shredded cabbage sauteed just enough to bring out the natural sweetness while maintaining the crunch. The plate was attractively dressed with light green olive oil and chunks of red tomato. I was looking forward to a hearty and savory wine-braised beef cheeks, but it was more lukewarm which was a minus. The chunks of meat were spot-on in flavor and tenderness, though. The mashed potato was very good too, although I shuddered to think how much butter was added to make it so rich and smooth.

It's officially a fancy meal when you get both petit fours and dessert. The former consisted of a green-tea mini-biscotti, an almond praline, and a truffled white chocolate. I think we both liked the classic praline best. The biscotti was hard (duh) and although the green tea color was nice it didn't bring much macha flavor. We've never tasted the supposedly wondrous fungus that is the truffle, so the earthy, slightly fungal flavor mixed with the white chocolate was distinctive and challenging but not necessarily pleasant. Although it wasn't nominally included with her a-la-carte meal, they comped the GF the tea and candy so she wouldn't have to sit and watch me drink my tea as we shared the dessert. Basic but highly-appreciated bit of service considering it's only some hot water and a few pieces of candy.

The dessert was perfectly made for sharing as we delicately split the four tasty morsels. There were mango and chocolate mousses, a gelatin topped with a blackberry confit, and a bite-sized cream puff stuffed with more chocolate mousse which I got to pop into my mouth as the GF was done. They steamed the milk when I asked for milk to go with tea, which was a nice touch but I burned my mouth when I didn't get the usual cool-down effect from the milk, which just goes to prove I'm an idiot.

All-in-all not cheap, certainly not if you care about quantity at all, but not that expensive either, if one considers a restaurant to be in the service industry instead of a simple feeding station. Too bad we finished our meal late, though, because we could've gone 'cross the street to get a Beijing-style beef da-bing to help fill the GF up.

Jack's Topia Gourmet Restaurant
創意廚房
台北市東豐街38號1樓
02-2325-6561

Burgundy

Been a while since we've gone somewhere nice for dinner. Been meaning to check out the upstairs restaurants at the new Eslite XinYi flagship store. The Chinese place was packed and not really suitable for a two-person table. Wasn't hungry enough for the all-you-can-eat buffet, no matter how upscale. The medium-priced Western restaurant would've been good except it was booked for a private event. Meanwhile, Burgundy sat empty of diners, although a quick look at the menu showed that the lack of popularity was most likely due to sticker shock rather than any deficiencies in the food. But the fancy menu certainly looked good enough to eat, and we were coming from work and not totally under-dressed, so what the heck.

There is the choice table next to the window looking out into the Xinyi night scene, but it was reserved for later by a fancily dressed couple out for a special date. All the tables in the small space are perfectly nice though, and the restaurant even featured some private rooms to satisfy Asian sensibilities. The room did fill out but never crowded as the night went on. Could've got more value and more food with the prix fixe selections, but didn't feel like that many courses so we ordered a la carte. GF ordered Beef Consomme for the starter with the Seafood Risotto main, and I had the Spinach Salad (with organic spinach, yes I know) and a duck-plus-fois main. With a name like Burgundy, the wine list is obviously a selling point, and I flipped through the weighty tome many times before picking a half-bottle Burgundy red which was good but a bit young (2001 Nuit-St. George, "Les Didider"), not to mention extravagantly marked up, but then so was everything else on the list. The wine was decanted (kinda silly with a half-bottle but what the heck) and served in high-quality Schott crystal. The silverware was also fancy German, too, in WMF.

The server was with it enough to be able to express the special points of the dishes as we dithered, and was properly apologetic when he told us the seafood risotto was unavailable due to shortage of fresh shrimp. GF switched to the mushroom risotto, but expressed her disappointment and the server was smart enough to throw in a giant scallop on top of the 'shroom risotto for a bit of seafood goodness. Many bonus points for the service there.

A clear soup isn't what we'd normally order but GF skipped the seafood soup because she thought she was getting it in the risotto. Nevertheless it was a good opportunity to sample something which appears simple but is actually hard to do well. And there's nothing wrong with a hot bowl of soup on a blustery day, with the scent of a few drops of brandy added at the end to stimulate the appetite. The spinach salad was simple, maybe a bit too simple, with just spinach leaves and some shaved parmesan cheese dressed with a balsamic vinaigrette made with mellow aged balsamic vinegar. Good stuff used well, but for a high-end place I was hoping for a bit more creativity.

The mushroom risotto was a bit of a brown lump sitting on the plate, but even without meat it was rich and toothsome. Maybe a bit too toothsome as I thought risotto should be a bit softer. My main was a pretty fan of sliced duck breast accompanied by a luscious hunk of seared fois gras. The duck was lean but the fois more than made up for that, oozing rich fat as soon as I cut into it, perfect with the duck and a sip of the Pinot Noir or to be sopped up with the bread (the server was happy to bring extras), although the bread already came with a spicy Spanish olive oil for dipping.

Ordered our dessert off the get-go because the menu warned that the souffle took some time to make, and our foresight was rewarded as the fluffy confection came soon as we finished the entree. Poked through the perfect golden brown skin and poured in the vanilla cream sauce. The fluffy insides soaked with cream was like a warm pudding, which went nicely with a good cup of coffee.

Paid the bill (ouch) and still felt like we had enough appetite to hit the night-market for some squid balls and stinky tofu. On the other hand, there's nothing wrong with paying good money for a good meal without having to blow out the gut every time. Not as if I was saving any calories by soaking in all that fois fat. Far as fats go, fois gras fat definitely rank higher on the tasty scale than the night-market mystery vat.

Burgundy
台北市信義區松高路11號6樓
(誠品信義旗鑑店)
02-87893388

Olala

Wanted to have a nice meal with the GF on a Saturday night but didn't want to get too extravagant. Olala is a short walk away, and any place known for fois gras is most likely on the upscale side. The restaurant is tucked away in an alley behind the leafy RenAi Rd. thoroughfare, set aback at the base of an residential complex. The dark lighting, generously spaced tables, and the European (but Chinese-speaking) hostess gave the place a Western flavor. Dramatically red walls and an electronica beat for some vibes.

We get the token Chinese waiter, who was competent enough so no problem. No need for the set meal, share a couple of appetizers then a couple of mains, with a glass of fruity red wine. The spinach salad was interesting, garnished with artfully rolls of thinly sliced cucumbers and sprinkled with walnuts and freshly shaved parmesan, dressed with a balsamic vinaigrette. The flavors were well adjusted and the components well-selected, it was just that the spinach itself was a bit disappointing. It was more like late-adolescent spinach rather than baby spinach. Sure do miss the fresh California organic salad greens. The ciabatta-like bread was plenty fresh though, and the dimsum steamer-basket to hold the bread was a cute touch.

Ordered an appetizer portion of the fois gras. The piece of seared goose liver seemed very small on the large plate decorated with a berry sauce, sitting on a round cake of polenta. Took very small bites, which is all one needs to enjoy the rich and juicy fowl innard. The bread helped to soak up any leftover juices. It was good, but it's questionable whether it's that (as in NTD500) good.

No such doubts about the mains, though. GF had scallops in a rich lobster sauce, which looked to be made with lots of cream and butter and one could really taste the lobster essence with a hint of bitterness from the innards. The visible strands of saffron provided the color. The scallops were cooked with respect, the center almost cool to maintain the delicacy. I had the sirloin, generously sliced in a robust but not overpowering wine and mushroom sauce. The meat was nicely medium-rare and one could tell the sauce was made from the meat drippings and juices to maintain the natural flavor. The sirloin was a bit chewy, would've been great if we could get the same preparation on a tender slab of American rib-eye.

Shared a Grand Marnier crepe for dessert, which probably seemed a bit stingy since it was just a couple pieces of flambeed crepe with a small scoop of ice cream on top. Nevertheless, the warm crepe was infused with the orangey flavor of the GM, and the cool vanilla ice cream made for contrast in temperature and texture but perfectly complimentary in flavor. Demonstrates that there's no need to stuff oneself with massive sugar-rush desserts every time out.

Sure, any old place in Paris would be better for the price, but unfortunately one won't always have Paris. Even if there were some small quibbles here and there, the food was done correctly in each case, which is a comforting thing to know.

OLALA法式餐廳
台北市大安區仁愛路4段371號1樓
02-27739577

Osteria Lido

Was in the mood for some Italian food but was tired of the cheap pasta places. Have been to the Osteria Rialto near SYS Memorial Hall, which was plenty good enough food-wise, but really a bit too expensive for what you get and probably full on a Saturday night anyway. Remembered that Rialto had a sister restaurant nearby in the Neo19 complex at a lower price point to appeal to the younger crowd in the area. The Warner Village, Mitsukoshi, Neo19 area usually is even more crowded with people, but the movie dinner crowd had thinned a bit by the time we got there so we were able to get a table without waiting.

The ceiling was typical unadorned industrial piping and the furniture was sparely modern, but the room was shaped with curvy walls and warmly lit with a big chandelier in the middle to add a touch of class. The kitchen was visible behind the bar and allowed the smell of freshly baking pizza to waft out into the room.

The Evian-for-30-bucks they push in your face was a bit off-putting but not that big a deal in the greater scheme of things. The combo meal addition of bread, salad, drink, and dessert for an extra NTD220 didn't feel worthwhile when the mains were in the 300-450 range. Decided to split a bruschetta appetizer instead. Three slices of Italian bread with a creamy tuna-cheese sauce (like at Herbs), a creamy pesto, and a fresh tomato-olive. The bread should've been toasted a bit to officially count as a bruschetta per se, but it still managed to carry the toppings well. Tomatoes are good right now, so that was the favorite, although the sauce-toppings were tasty, too.

GF ordered the Spinach-Bacon Pizza. Since that's a good-sized medium pizza and a bit more food than one normal Chinese girl will eat, I just ordered a simple pasta with meat sauce to share as a change of pace. The pasta was thick strands of perfectly al dente hand-made noodles, taking advantage of the sourcing availability of a high-end restaurant group. Wasn't all that impressed with the ragu, though, as the taste bore a disconcerting resemblance to the lunch-line spaghetti from the old middle school cafeteria. Maybe I just don't know what the hell I'm talking about, but it's no Olivetto, that's for sure.

The pizza, on the other hand, was just about perfect. Italian-style thin crust with edges blistered from the hot oven, cooked just enough to wilt the baby spinach and cook the bacon. The bacon was lean enough to not make it greasy, although smokey pork fat was certainly an important flavor component. The spinach cancels the saturated fat in the nutritional self-justification calculus. I think it may be the best pizza I've had in Taiwan, not that there's been a whole lot of competition. Only downside was that it got a bit heavy once it cooled down and the fat congealed. Not that it stopped me from taking the leftover cold pizza to work as lunch the next day. I should really push to have a microwave put in.

Service was competent and quick enough. Only thing I noticed was that the pizza platter was unheated, which was too bad because the heavy ceramic would've held the heat and kept the pie warm for a long time. Still, a good choice for a good-casual meal with a date or friends. Now if they only did pizza delivery we'd be all set.

里朵義大利餐館
Osteria Lido
台北市信義區松壽路22號2樓
(Neo19 Building)
02-2758-7868

The Villa Herbs Restaurant

Don't usually visit the Far Eastern area much since it's not near an MRT stop, but GF was in the mood to go some place different, and we had plenty of time on a lazy Sunday. GF had longer to go, so I had time to do a quick search on the Net and walk around the densely-restauranted area a bit before we met up. Situated in a quiet residential alley, Herbs appealed to passer-by with lush foliage. The main room is light airy with large wall-windows and on this warm spring day the entire side could be opened to the outside seating. A second floor is available but not open during the Sunday lunch so we sat outside. Chairs were substantial and well-stuffed, more like lounge sitting chairs, and the tables were also covered in black faux-leather. The plants and burbling fountain kept the outside sitting area cool and serene.

They crack open a bottle of Evian as soon as you sit down, and charge NTD30 a head for the privilege of drinking fancy imported water in a smudgy glass. The Mediterranean menu was interesting with the emphasis on the herbs and spices, some of which is grown on-premise, although I struggled a bit with the Chinese names of the herbage. Ordered a glass of the house white to go with the food and was informed they were out. Can't they just open any old bottle and just call it the house wine? Decided to go with a Belgian fruit beer instead. Originally wanted the peach but they were out of that, too, but that's okay since cherry is really the classic flavor anyway.

I had the prix-fixe meal with soup, appetizer, main, dessert, and a drink. GF ordered a pasta and we figured we could share the rest. The appetizer was a cold cuttlefish dish. Strips of tender cuttlefish dressed with an inky vinaigrette. A bit of romaine, frisee, and white onion added color and texture. It was interesting and good, although there was the concern of ink-stained teeth. The soup was a tomato-ey broth with carrots and onion bits and flavored with chunks of sausage. Nothing special although the sausage spices did give it a bit more complexity than the usual cheap bowl of soup. Couldn't exactly share soup, so they comp-ed the GF a bowl of soup to keep the pace of the meal balanced, which was a real classy move. They also sent out a mini-scoop of peach granita before the main. The bit of icy sugar water hardly cost them anything, but the unexpected amusé was a good palate-cleanser before the entree and gave the service a high-end touch. Props to whoever designed the meal service.

GF had the seafood linguine in spicy tomato sauce. The sauce was a touch sweet for my tastes, but it wasn't overwhelming and in fact was quite balanced with the other flavors. The "spicy" was mild but no need to burn up the taste buds for a Sunday lunch. I had the snapper-wrapped scallops in caviar cream sauce. An impressive presentation of a stack of two fat scallops, each wrapped with thin filet of snapper with just a bit of skin on for color. Tender baby asparagus for scaffolding and greenage, all sitting on a white wine cream sauce. Dabs of red and black mini-caviar provided dramatic contrast to the mostly white dish. The seafood was fresh and well-cooked, the sauce was rich and the tiny fish eggs were little bursts of briny saltiness to punch it up a bit. Only oversight was that the serving dish wasn't pre-warmed, so the rich sauce cooled off quickly and congealed a bit by the end.

The dessert was suppose to be a brownie, but it ended up being a crepe roll filled with pastry cream. That was fine with me, although all that cream scared off the GF a bit. So we were all done with our fine meal, then we had to wait... and wait... even though it was getting later in the afternoon and lunchers were al well on their way out. I should've gotten rude with the waitstaff a lot earlier. Stupid me for expecting reasonable service around here, I guess. Nevertheless, despite parting on bad terms, the restaurant is a success in almost every other way, and we'll give it another chance sometime.

The Villa Herbs Restaurant
#32 Lane 11 Leli Rd., Taipei
台北市大安區樂利路11巷32號1樓
02-27323255

Goethe Gourmet Gasthaus (哥德德式創意美食)

Was in the 公館 area near NTU, near the GF's old house before they moved to Xindian. The old place was still there, but the shops and restaurants have undergone plenty of turnover. Funny how it's the undistinguished, even dingy, little food stalls and sundry shops that have stood the test of time.

The Gasthaus is definitely one from the new school. Located within an interior alley and next to a small park, it manages a bit of tranquility in a bustling area. The furnishings were simple and spare without appearing cheap, although it probably is. The front of the room featured their baked goods like multi-grain dark breads and rolls and a freezer case of their home-made ice cream. A bar for the espresso machine and plenty of different glasses for the various German brews. And Taiwan beer, of course. I wonder what glass they use for that?

The menu is sort of nouveau-Deutsch when compared to other Taipei German restaurants, with other European influences like various pastas and a gyro-sausage. They were pushing the full multi-course meals, but it seemed way too much food even by my American sensibilities. So we went with the smaller set-meals, which still featured bread, salad, and dessert along with a smaller main. The bread was the afore-mentioned multi-grain rolls, which were surprisingly good, just about as good as the breads I actually had in Germany, with just a touch less gluten in comparison. Too bad they sandwiched the rolls with generic garlic-bread spread. A bit of salted plain butter would've been better. The salad base was the blah iceberg salad, but they did dress it up with some red cabbage and carrot shred for color, and a real balsamic vinaigrette dressing for flavor. Good way to do more with less.

I had the dual-sausage plate with a bratwurst and weisswurst, with a side of hand-made spaetzle dressed like a light pasta dish in herbs, olive oil, and multi-colored bell peppers. And a big scoop of sauerkraut, complete with caraway seeds, to give it that authentic touch, even if I couldn't eat all of it. I would guess most of their customers won't like it that much either. The sausages were juicy and flavorful with spices. A bit of ketchup and mustard on the side provided a change of pace. The thick, short spaetzle noodles were perfectly al dente, although the light olive-oil sauce kinda gets overwhelmed by the strong sausage flavors. Still, a really good side dish, and I wouldn't mind having the noodles by itself sometime. Washed it all down with a tall glass of Erdinger Unfiltered witbier. Can't go wrong with beer and sausages.

GF had the Chicken Cordon Bleu. Didn't have the heart to tell her it's not really German, although the preparation was a bit different than what I'm used to. Rather than breaded and fried, the chicken thigh, cheese, and ham was wrapped in pastry and baked. The pastry wrap kept the meat perfectly tender. A bit too salty for our tastes, but not out-of-line.

Had a scoop of palate-cleansing lemon sherbet for dessert, simple and good, although I would've liked a bit more acidity. Talked the GF into getting a slice of the apfelkuchen (i.e. German apple cake). The pie-like filling had big chunks of crunchy apple, but the crust was a thick, dense layer, almost like the crust of a Chinese pineapple snack-cake (鳳梨酥). It seemed a bit dry and come out of the cold case didn't help it, although whip cream can almost redeem any dessert. There's plenty of other cakes, pies, and ice cream flavors to try, though. There's plenty of food that'll be worth trying, too.

Goethe Gourmet Gasthaus
哥德德式創意美食
No. 11, Lane 283, Roosevelt Road, Section 3
台北市大安區羅斯福路3段283巷11號
02-23620060

Parkhotel Niderrhein

Didn't really have time during the trip to go out to eat, so we stuck to the hotel restaurant during our time there. Dark wood paneling and cozy booths made the restaurant a relaxed and quiet place for dinner. I usually make the effort to stay away from veal on general principle, but being my first time in Germany, I couldn't resist the wienerschnitzel with roasted potatoes. The perfectly breaded pieces of pan-fried veal cutlets were meant to be paired with beer. Went with the local brew, of course, a tall glass of dark, malty Diebels Alt Bier. Each cutlet was topped with a slice of lemon and a piece of anchovy, which was a surprise to me but I was told that it's a normal garnish. The meat and potatoes were generously seasoned as it were, and the salty fish almost pushed the saltiness past the scale. Hey, that's why we have beer. Good sign that our German guys ordered it the next night, too, although they got fries instead of roasted potatoes. Would've loved to have some pomme frites done right.

The hotel also offered a free breakfast. The buffet featured an impressive array of breaks, coldcuts, and cheeses. Along with fruit, yogurt, and different sorts of cereal/mueslix. Eggs cooked-to-order, too. Solid way to start the day.

Parkhotel Niederrhein
Neuendickstr. 96
47475 Kamp-Lintfort
+49 2842/21040

Luna d'Italia (月之義大利)

GF noticed the place getting good reviews in the Taipei foodie blogosphere. It's an intimate place tucked into an alley near the Far Eastern area. Decided to go with something simple and got a Pizza Magherita. After a good experience with the dish the last time I convinced the GF to go with the mushroom risotto special. The spinach salad featuring fresh baby spinach in a Japanese-style dressing to better fit the local taste, but in a good way. The pizza is legitate Italian style, thin with a blistered crust. I was expecting fresh basil leaves on the pizza but there was only a sprinkle of dried basil, which took away a bit from the flavor. The pizza slice itself was a bit limp near the tip due to a bit more sauce than standard. So I had to take a big bite right as I picked it up, still points for a good try, though. Went well with the glass of Sangiovese. The mushroom-asparagus risotto was good, rich but still light, although the 'shrooms weren't as fancy as the Eos version.

Desserts were good. A well-done and tasty creme brulee always goes well with the cup of coffee. GF had the signature dessert which was the almond-crunch semifreddo. It was interesting and good in its own way with good almond flavor without being too sweet. But it's a bit less sweet, a bit less creamy, and a bit less cold than what I prefer in a dessert (e.g. a creme brulee). The service had been prompt and courteous all the way 'til the end, when we were waiting for our check. The first sitting were leaving, including a couple of big groups and the second sitting were eager to order. Us in the small two-person table near the door felt a bit neglected. I bet we could've snuck out with one of the big groups and they wouldn't have noticed. Still, the food and service were more than a few notches up from the typical Taipei spaghetti joint and we'll make a note to be back to try some of the other good-looking pastas and mains on the menu.

Luna d'Italia
月之義大利
台北市大安區敦化南路2段265巷3號
02-27339635

杜蘭朵 (Turandot Pasta)

The Taipei Idee department store is near GF's workplace and it's along the same MRT line I take from work, so it makes for a convenient place to get together on a weekday. It's convenient for lots of other people, too, especially on a Friday night. Didn't do my research beforehand so we wandered about for a while but nothing caught the eye, so we ended up back inside Idee. Of course, all the restaurants were full, but the GF's been to Turandot before for lunch with co-workers and liked it okay, so we we left a cell phone number and had some time to wander around the store before they called us in.

A mirrored wall on one side makes the space seems larger than it is, dark red curtains adds a dramatic element. Nevertheless the entire side is open to the store so the noise filters in, plus I had my back up against a cosmetics counter. An open kitchen helps to assure that everything is on the up-and-up.

GF's green salad was the typical goop-on-iceberg, but my calamari salad was actually very interesting. Thick chunks of squid on real greens (albeit a bit limp), with a warm bacon-onion dressing. Pig fat always makes things tasty. Cream-of-mushroom soup had plenty of mushroom chunks in it but not quite the amount of flavor that would imply. Liked the bacon theme so much that I got the spicy bacon-and-shrimp angel hair. GF had the salmon-cream pasta. A few Thai red chilis gave the spicy pasta some serious heat. The bacon is rich enough to stand up to the heat, but the shrimps kinda get overwhelmed by the other ingredients. The salmon seems to be smoked which was an interesting twist to that dish. Both pastas would've been quite good except they were way too dry, such that the noodles were sticking in lumps. The problem could've easily been fixed with a couple of tablespoons of pasta-cooking water. The fact it wasn't showed that the people in the kitchen were drones cooking to a formula and not real chefs. Which wasn't a surprise, really, but the formula would've been good if they'd just followed through.

Split a desert which was a mutant fruit tart where the tart shell was filled with sponge cake instead of pastry cream, plus a cream puff on top. It was okay, but at least it was a different kind of okay.

So it ended up about average, but with potential to be better. GF said lunch was less crowded which would help. There must be better alternatives nearby, though, and we'll be better prepared next time.

杜蘭朵 (Turandot Pasta)
104台北市中山區南京西路15號B1樓 (衣蝶S館地下室)
02-25675225

Giola Pizzeria

Had to take the BMW out for a drive anyway after having to get a jump from AAA to revive a dead battery, so it was as good an excuse as any to go get lunch. Was in a pizza mood and almost turned toward the Cheeseboard, but decided I wanted some meat on my pizza so I turned toward Westbrae instead to Giola's instead. They have four prepared flavors, pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, and random, which on that day was goat cheese and baby broccoli. Was going to get three slices, but dad wanted that fourth slice, so we got a taste of all four. They take the cooked slices and warm it up in the oven when ordered, which we shouldn't have bothered with since the slices had cooled by the time we got home and I didn't want to reheat them again. But there was still a bit of warmth left, and cold pizza is good in its own way.

The pizza was thin but not cracker-thin, and the generous crust was just a bit charred on the outside and chewy inside. The slice seems in danger of drooping over when you pick it up, which just encourages you to take a big bite right away. The slice is big enough to easily cut in two for dad and I to have a good taste of each one. You wouldn't think broccoli would make much of a pizza topping, but the hint of bitterness in the young florets was a nice contrast to the richness of the cheeses. But as I said, I was in the mood for meat, and Giola uses the best pepperoni on their pizza. Big slices of tasty, all-natural cured meat, so unlike the mystery-meat-product in the chain pizzas. The sauce and cheese are similar quality and compliments the topping, without any one element overwhelming. The sausage meat is also good in its own way. No bland buttons for the mushroom pizza, Giola uses creminis cooked down to the tasty fungus essence. All goes great with a glass of wine or a can of Coke.

Gioia Pizzeria
1586 Hopkins St
Berkeley, CA 94707
(510) 528-4692

Eos Wine Bar and Restaurant

The acclaimed fusion place is literally down the block from Sam's place but they'd never gotten around to trying it. My illustrious presence was as good an excuse as any. They gave us a 7:30pm reservation, but we went over early and they were able to seat us without trouble.

The space was industrial in that it had high ceilings, tall windows, with steel braces and cables forming the geometry above. But they also maintained the warmth by building thick wood beams across the room lower down along the wall to add intimacy and still maintain the airiness created by the high roof. The pistachio green walls graced by local art remain muted up close but gives the overall room some pop when you walk in the door. A large bar area makes it a good place to drop in, hang out, or have a sit-down dinner.

The schtick is Asian-fusion small-plate action. They were participating in the Dining Around Town promotion, which in their case was three small plates (each with 2-3 choices) and a dessert for $35. There weren't quite enough choices for each of us to all get a different DAT lineup, plus that'd be way too much food anyway. So Sam nominally went with the DAT choices and we picked three more plats for all to share, avoiding plain things like "Spicy Pan Fried Chinese Long Beans" (a.k.a. 乾扁四季豆, which is good but probably done better at a good Chinese place).

The bar's part of the deal, so it behooved us to have some drinks to complement the food. The Lemon Drop was a bit too fruity for Sam's masculinity, but the Sake Kamikaze was tasty yet manly. Michelle and I split the Varietal Hodgepodge white wine flight, which was four half-pours of very different wines for not much more than the price of a single full glass.

• Pircas Negras Torrontés, Famatina Valley, Argentina, 2005

Rich, honey taste without being sweet or oaky. Very unique and tasty.

• Lucien Albrecht Pinot Blanc, Alsace, France, 2004

Austere, minerally, and almost bitter. Not crowd-pleasing but good with the right foods.

• Schlossgut Diel ‘Dorsheimer Pittermännchen’ Kabinett Riesling, Nahe, Germany, 2003

Riesling works well with the lighter Asian flavors. Fruity but not sweet.

• Peñalolen Sauvignon Blanc, Limari Valley, Chile, 2005

Light and drinkable South American SB.

The tuna from the Seared Rare Ahi Tuna Tower starter wasn't going to match the sheer purity of the maguro sashimi from 吉園, but the additional flavor and construction of the dish more than compensates. The barely cooked slices of tuna and microgreeens on fried wonton skins flavored by an Asian-style miso viniagrette. A bit more fish woulda been nice, though. The salad was a Japanese-style soy-sesame dressing, over a lacquered bowl full of fresh Californian greens.

Usually not a big squash person. Don't particularly like squishy sweet-ish savory things. But I did like the Red Curried Kabocha Squash, and besides we needed some starch, otherwise it'd kinda hard to fill up on the small plates (emphasis on small). The red curry provided spice and a bit of heat, and the yogurt sauce added richness to make a complex mix of flavors with a little of just about everything. The wild mushroom risotto is pure savory goodness without being heavy at all. Although mom would probably faint at the thought of twelve bucks for a small plate of fancy 稀飯.

The Grilled Korean Style Short Rib (geez, it's SF, people know what kal-bi means) had two big meaty slabs of beef rib meat sitting on a bed of kimchee. The meat is high-grade and the flavor was there, but it's really just a yuppiefied version of a regular Korean dish. And the kimchee was totally weak sauce, which we will grudging accept in the name of harmony with the more delicate dishes. In comparison, the Grilled Green Curry Marinated Mahi Mahi (with pinapple-habanero salsa) was different and good. Even when I was in Hawaii I would run into dry mahi-mahi. This, on the other hand, was an oh-so-juicy piece of fish with grill marks on the outside, but with just the barest hint of translucency in the middle. One bite of the fish just by itself, and one bite with some salsa for an additional zing. Sometimes sharing sucks.

Sam had his eye on the Mango Panna Cotta as soon as he saw the menu. The PC was creamy smoothness with good flavor, but couldn't but feel that the two-dollar mango pudding at the dim-sum places was the better deal. Also got a warm berry-apple cobbler topped with chunks of sugared bread cubes (kinda like sweet croutons) and a scoop of coconut ice cream. Now I usually wouldn't go for such a heavy dessert after a big meal, but the small-plate approach left just enough room for dessert so we could dig in without going bust.

In the end, got to taste a lot of different flavors, and walked feeling pleasantly full with a good buzz on top. And all for a not-cheap-but-reasonable price, at least according to Sam, who picked up the bill. Thanks.

Eos Wine Bar and Restaurant
901 Cole St.
San Francisco, CA 94117-4315
415-566-3063

Crepes On Cole

Didn't have lunch before driving over with Sam to his place in the City, so we were looking for something to eat, but it was mid-afternoon so we didn't want anything heavy either. Crepes On Cole was right down the block and crepes seemed like a good choice for a light late lunch. I had the Mediterranean Crepe, with eggplant, roasted red bell peppers and other veggies topped with pesto and cheddar. It was exactly what I was looking for, tasty and filling without being heavy. Would've liked a bit more pesto, but if I really wanted pesto I should've just got the Pesto Crepe instead but I wanted the veggies, too. Sam had the strawberry jelly crepe with ice cream. I suspect he was in it more for the ice cream than for the crepe. Felt a bit ripped off on the $2.50 hot apple cider when I found out it was just a bottle of apple juice steamed by the espresso machine and poured into a pint glass with a cinnamon stick stirrer. But the warm drink sure hit the spot on a blustery day, and I got over the San Francisco cost-of-living sticker shock soon enough. A comfortable place on the street corner with plenty of space for the diverse crowd: studentes studying, tourists refueling, and locals just hanging out.

Crepes On Cole
100 Carl St.
San Francisco, CA 94117
(415) 664-1800

Beauregard's California Bistro

Rivoli and Lalimes, my 1 and 1A options for a nice Berkeley dinner, were all bokked up for a Saturday night, and Chinese restaurants were going to be packed for CNY, too. So I figure I'd give this Solano place a shot. The room was large, dressed up in a warm Mediterranean look, and they had a big round table which easily accommodated our party of six.

The crowd was a diverse lot. Large family get-togethers like us, couple of friends having a casual dinner, couple of couples having a friendlier dinner, and a big table of high-schoolers dressed up for the formal (which explains the splotlights lighting up Albany High). Auntie donated a bottle of the '95 Cos d'Estournel which was well worth the $15 corkage. Michelle had a simple squash soup and apple-gorgonzola salad. Hard to screw that up. Sam had wine-braised ribs with polenta which was good and savory but not particularly our favorite flavors. Aunt got the grilled vegetable platter which looked good but not something terribly hard to do right. Dad and Will chose the grilled NY steak special with the chimichurri sauce, which was definitely the tastiest thing at the table. Nicely medium-rare inside and bits of charred crusty goodness on the outside. The acidic herbaceous sauce provided some zing compared to the usual A1.

We'd already gone out for lunch, so I didn't want to get a big main. Tomato-basil angel hair looked good but it's hardly tomato season, and Kung Pao Linguine sounded just insane, so I picked the Spicy Shrimp Linguine for something different. I was expecting pasta and shrimp, perhaps grilled and dusted with spices. Instead I got a big bowl of soupy noodles with chunks of bland tomatillos and red bell pepper, with some meaty but unremarkable shrimp mixed in. The linguine more resembled Chinese soup noodles than pasta al dente. Thankfully dad wasn't going to finish the entire steak anyway so I got something meaty to chew on. I totally should've sucked it up and got the bacon-wrapped cedar plank salmon, or go small with the smoked salmon pizzeta as the main. Real shame that we didn't get something out of the wood-fired brick oven. Place was worth trying, but I don't think it'll become a first-option type of place unless I need the big room.

Beauregard's California Bistro
1373 Solano Avenue (at Ramona)
Albany, California 94706

Il Cantuccio

Visited Amit and Joanne's very nice loft in the Mission. The NFL conference championship games was the nominal excuse for the get-together. But by the end of the 3rd we conceded that the game was done. Amit had to catch up on work, but he recommended the nearby restaurant for Sam, Michelle, and I to have dinner. It's a narrow space, half taken up by the bar, half by a row of tables. The place wasn't packed like the trendier places nearby, but the people spoke with a legit Italian accent and the food was legit as well.

Wasn't in the mood for a heavy main, more looking for something pasta-ish, so I finally had an excuse to get gnocchi. The gnocchi in the Gnocchi Alla Coda was light, but the hearty tomato-oxtail sauce added the richness that complemented the glass of Sangiovese. I found Michelle's pumpkin Mezzelune Alla Zucca raviolis a bit sweet, but I guess that's the way they're supposed to be. The one bite I had of Sam's Braciole Di Maiale was super-tasty, but then it's hard to go wrong with the layer of mozzarella over prosciutto-on-pork for the piggish goodness. I suspect I wouldn't have managed to finish the whole thing if it were mine entree, though. Desserts were tiramisu and panna cotta. Not exactly going out on a limb there, but perfectly solid versions of the standards, which was exactly what we were looking for.

IL Cantuccio
(415) 861-3899
3228 16th St
San Francisco, CA 94103