It turns out, the news isn’t quite as bad as it appeared!

While heading out to On Tap for some fish and chips the other night with some coworkers, I was surprised to see a huge line of people waiting for something on Section 4, Zhongxiao East Road, just before the intersection with Yanji Street.  This was still a few blocks ahead of the dance clubs on Zhongxiao, and the crowd was a much more diverse mix than you’d expect for a club, so I knew it couldn’t be for that.  But what was it?

I apologize in advance for some of the photos – I was not expecting this find and only had my phone with me!

As the taxi drew closer, I saw the sign that made my day…Ice Monster is Back!

Only open again since May 29, we decided to brave the line to try out the new Ice Monster after our dinner.  What better dessert could you imagine than some iconic Bao Bing and Xue Hua Bing?

The line went pretty quick, we were around 30 people back and our wait was only around 20 minutes.  There were staff at the front of the line handing out the menu and taking orders in advance of your entering the shop, so that helps the line run smoother.  They also don’t let people into the shop when there are no seats available, unless you tell them you just want to order for take away, then they may let you cut into the shop while those wishing to dine in wait longer in the line.  There are around 50 total seats in the shop, so turnover is fairly quick, and being indoors, it’s much more comfortable than the old exterior seating of 15 Yongkang Street.

The Ice Monster menu has four main sections; Avalanche for the Bao Bing shaved ice, Sensation for the Xue Hua Bing snow ice, Mocktail for mixed juice drinks, and Freeze for the frozen drinks.  Many of the menu items seem to be more similar to those that were on offer at Yongkang 15, not quite back to the offerings of the original Ice Monster.

We ordered two Mango Avalanches for the three of us, we actually wanted one to be a Fresh Mango Sensation, but I misordered! The avalanche was a delicious mix of shaved ice with sweet condensed milk and brown sugar syrup, a mango jelly and a scoop of mango ice cream, with a heaping serving of fresh mango mixed in for good measure.

I do not know why, but the staff could apparently see our enjoyment of the avalanche, and perhaps thinking this was our first / only time stopping in, they decided to sample out some other wares on us!  We were each also given a scoop of their lemon ice, a scoop of melon sorbet to share, and they even gave us a small Fresh Mango Sensation to share as well!

The Mango Avalanche and Mango Sensation were both outstanding, but I have to say, I think the lemon ice was one of the best I’ve ever had!  This tasted exactly like the Italian ice I used to get as a kid, and I thought the only thing that could have possibly made this one any better would have been the little white paper squeeze cup I remember from my youth.  I’ll definitely order one of the lemon based items on my next visit to Ice Monster, most likely the Lemon Jasmine Tea Sensation which caught my eye.

Ice Monster
1F., No. 297, Sec. 4, Zhongxiao East Road, Da’an District
+886 2 8771 3263
http://www.ice-monster.com
Hours: Monday – Sunday / 10:30 – 23:30

My obsession with xiaolongbao (soup style dumplings) continues, and this week I had the opportunity to try some utterly divine ones at the Shangri-La Hotel in Taipei. Their signature Shanghai Pavilion, is said to serve some of the best Shanghainese cuisine in the city. I have to admit I was pretty impressed — enough to eat there two days in a row. These xiaolongbao were the very traditional pork with crab roe. The crab roe was so subtle and did not overpower the pork flavor like so many do.  And since I’m craving xiaolongbao yet again, I think I know what I’m ordering for dinner tonight!

Disclaimer: Shangri-La’s Far Eastern Plaza Hotel, Taipei hosted my stay, however, all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

In the continuing quest to eat every macaron known to man, I am easily swayed when passing a patisserie with these delightful treats. I had not been to this particular one in Taipei yet, however, our friend Janice, e*ting, from Hong Kong has raved about these on several occasions. Patisserie Sadaharu AOKI is not surprisingly from Paris, but as you might gather from the name “Sadaharu Aoki“, he is originally from Japan.

During an afternoon lunch at BellaVita with several other foodie friends, I ended up bringing home an entire assortment — one of each flavor….about $50 US in Macarons. Doh! Worth every Taiwan Dollar.

Would I say something stupid? Would I even be able to say anything at all? Am I dressed ok? What happened to the five words of French I knew at some point in my life? Will I open my mouth to speak and have food in my teeth?

For days leading up to what could be billed as the greatest dining event each year in Taipei now, I was quite nervous.  After missing last year’s gala dinner because we were out of town, I was an excited ball of nerves in the days leading up to this.  One of our local foodie friends, Stephanie (@smallching), who we met on Twitter just over a year ago, also joined us for this special event.

We were quite lucky to secure a spot for three at the prized counter for this event on December 3, ensuring we had prime viewing opportunities. Thank you Vincent, the manager at L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon, who facilitated our reservation just through a status message exchange on Facebook!

Not having any idea what the menu included for the evening, I was excited to unroll it and noticed right away it was personally signed by Chef Robuchon already!

Before I even had much of a chance to peruse the menu, something caught my eye — Chef Angelo Agliano was headed our direction holding several rather large white truffles.

Before we started on the menu, Chef Joël Robuchon and Chef Philippe Braun arrived.  We felt quite honored that Benoit brought them over right after their arrival to talk with us.  Strangely, all my nerves melted away as Chef Robuchon and Chef Braun were two of the nicest people I’ve met. I’m not sure why, but I expected him to be very formal and reserved, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. Right from the start, everyone was joking and the atmosphere was very light-hearted.

POUR COMMENCER

l’emulsion mousseuse de courgette sur une royale de dashi tremblotante aux champignons
The emulsion foamy zucchini with mushroom flavor

Pairing: Bruno Paillard Champagne

The zucchini emulsion had a piece of uni (sea urchin) inside — while the combination of flavors on paper may sound a little odd or less than appetizing, they worked well together.

LE FOIE GRAS D’OIE
une symphonie soyeuse sous une fine gelee a la feuille d’or
Foie gras mousse in a white truffle flavor with gold leaf

Pairing: Z007 Domaine Zind Humbrecht Zind

Without a doubt, this was my favorite course. On top of the foie gras was a jelly layer made with chicken juice jelly.  The white truffles were so sublime with the foie gras mousse and everything literally just melted in my mouth. This I could’ve probably eaten ten courses of!

On the side of the plate was a small piece of focaccia bread with praline — almond pieces caramelized with red sugar.  Benoit said this was a traditional French way of serving the dish.

The Zind wine is a blend of two-thirds Chardonnay and one-third Auxerrois.  The bright yellow wine had slight aromas of lemon with a hint of sweetness on the palate. A wonderful blend from the Alsace, but cannot be called such because of the addition of Chardonnay, a non-authorized varietal.  The vintage is 2007, which is also forbidden given the rules, which is where the unique touch of the “Z007” comes in.  See, I did not make a typo in the pairing!

LA NOIX DE SAINT-JACQUES
a la plancha, condiments au kumquat et au caviar
Sea scallop a la plancha with a sauce of kumquat and caviar

Pairing: M. Chapoutier Domaine des Granges de Mirabel 2007

This was quite an interesting course with scallops “a la plancha” (grilled on a stainless steel griddle with olive oil) on top of kumquat sauce and caviar. The red drops are spicy red pepper. With a sauce that has acidity, Benoit paired a wine that was fruit forward, but still respected the delicacy and richness of the scallops. His choice was a M. Chapoutier Domaine des Granges de Mirabel 2007.

LE BLACK COD
avec une mousseline de daikon au yuzu
Black cod filet marinated with sake, mirin, and miso in a yuzu flavored turnip hot soup

Pairing: Bourgogne Hautes -Cotes de Nuits Clos Saint-Philibert Monopole

One of my favorite dishes from Nobu is the legendary miso cod so I was quite interested to try a similar version.  There was a small piece of daikon radish in the soup and I was instantly greeted with the sweet aroma from the caramelization on the black cod. I liked the contrast of the tart broth and the bit of spiciness from the pepper sauce against the caramelization and natural sweetness of the black cod.

If you haven’t heard of yuzu, it is prevalent in Japanese cuisine, and is being used more often in western cuisine as well. It typically has a tart flavor, resembling a combination of a grapefruit and mandarin orange.  The fruit itself is not commonly consumed, but it is often used for a zest or the juice in a sauce.

The wine Benoit chose was an interesting pairing — Cotes du Nuits is a region in France primarily renowned for its reds, but he had a white wine from Burgundy. He shared that the winemaker was taught by Henri Jayer, one of the most important vintners to the Burgundian region. He brought many innovations to the Burgundy style of winemaking, but passed away in 2006.  His Pinot Noir wines are highly sought after and often fetch thousands of dollars for one bottle.

One of Jayer’s most famous statements, which has been adopted by vineyard owners and winemakers around the world, was, “A great wine is crafted in the vineyard; not the cellar.”

During the break between courses, Chef Braun and Chef Robuchon came around so people could take photos with them.  Vincent was using a digital camera to take photos of each group of guests, but we also had the staff take a couple photos with my camera. Unfortunately, one shot came out pretty bad, but I was able to crop and salvage Chef Braun and me from it.

LE COCHON
cuit en cote au plat avec un gel de mais au curcuma
Roasted pork chop and corn jelly with fresh white truffle and homemade tagliolini

Three Pairings:
Chateau Duhart-Milion Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite) 1998
Gevrey-Chambertin 2005
Casa De La Ermita Jumilla Crianza 2004

The pork chop was roasted with butter, slow cooked for a long time, and then finished on a Teppanyaki grill. The pork was incredibly tender and buttery rich. The homemade tagliolini is easily some of the best pasta I’ve ever had — with Chef Angelo’s Italian roots, this is where he really shines. And more white truffle – enuf said!

Benoit knows we love red wine so he did three pairings for this and the following course and the three of us shared.

All three of these wines were divine and so different, yet each paired so well with the rich pork dish.  I am still learning loads about Old World wines through our favorite sommeliers in town, and Benoit has done a marvelous job in introducing me to practically all new wines each visit. Pairing three totally different wines — a Burgundian Pinot Noir, Spanish Rioja, and a Bordeaux — with the same dish proved how hard and fast rules in wine pairing may not always apply. We sat with three vastly different wines ranging from the light Pinot to the bold Cabernet, yet all three were spot on.

My favorite was the 98 Bordeaux blend, Brett was partial to the Spanish Rioja, and Stephanie was enjoying the 05 Pinot Noir.

LA TRUFFE BLANCHE
d’Alba sur un risotto <<mantecato>> au vieux parmesan
White truffle risotto “mantecato” style with parmesan cheese and olive oil DOP

Pairing: Chateau Puech-Haut Saint-Drezery 2007 Coteaux Du Languedoc

More Alba white truffles! The truffle risotto “creamed” with Parmesan cheese and olive oil containing the DOP designation. DOP stands for “Denominazione di Origine Protetta” or Protected Destination of Origin.  Olive oils containing DOP have met rigorous standards to earn the right to include that designation.  DOP certification ensures that every aspect of making the olive oil occurred in the certified area and followed traditional production processes.

Benoit poured a glass of white to pair with this to see which we preferred. He chose a Chateau Puech Haut Saint Drezery 2007 Coteaux Du Languedoc.

Before starting on the dessert courses, Angelo brought around another white truffle for us to photo. Sadly, I wasn’t able to abscond with it.

LE POMELO
doux de <<Tai-nan>> en kirsch-fizz menthole
Tainan produced pomelo with beer flower jelly, kirsch mousse and mint flavored jus

We had been watching Chef Narita, the Executive Pastry Chef, working on prepping the first dessert course earlier in the evening so we were quite curious to see what creations he came up with for this special event.

This was a pomelo from the city of Tainan, which is in the southern part of Taiwan, and made an interesting dessert.  It was light, fresh, and definitely cleansed the palate.

LE MARRON
onctueux <<Belle Helene>>
Pear souffle with chestnut pudding and pear sorbet, dressing with vanilla-chocolate sauce

Pairings:

1950 Banyuls

Muscat Beaumes de Venise Domaine des Bernardins

2003 Clos du Bourg Vouvray

We had been told earlier in the evening to expect something fun with the dessert course and Chef Narita told us he would be plating ours at the counter.  We’ve become rather spoiled by him as he’s prepared some impressive desserts on the fly and incorporates special touches that continue to blow me away each and every visit.

True to his word, Chef Narita brought out our souffles and plated them individually at the counter for each of us.  Brett managed to capture the whole thing on video as well.

This main dessert course as you hear in the video is a pear souffle with chestnut pudding and pear sorbet, along with a vanilla-chocolate sauce.  Thank you again Chef Narita for the special personal plating!

Benoit paired three different dessert wines for us to try — a 1950 Banyuls (always fun to try anything that is a vintage older than your birthyear!), a Vouvray and a Muscat.

LE CAFE EXPRESS OU LE THE
escorte de macarons
Coffee or Tea

Finished off the night with a cappuccino and a French macaron.

The evening had come to a close and it was time for us to head out — the last ones in the restaurant as usual. Getting to see Chef Robuchon and Chef Braun with Chef Angelo and Benoit was a dream come true. I’ve mentioned in other posts that the synergy with Benoit and Angelo in the kitchen is remarkable and it was an honor to have Chef Robuchon and Chef Braun present to chat with.

During the course of the meal, Robuchon had told me to let him know when I was in Vegas next time as he would make a reservation for me at his restaurant there, which I have been wanting to try.  In addition, Chef Braun made a reservation for us at the new Champes Elysees location in Paris for the following week as we were flying out the following day for Europe.  Full review to follow on that one — what a memorable night!

When leaving the restaurant, we always end up taking a few photos with Angelo and Benoit — which I have quite a collection of now. Certainly can’t complain having too many photos with such incredibly handsome and talented men! Ooo la la!

On a side note, the next day at the airport I was rushing from the lounge to the plane and I spotted Chef Philippe Braun in an electronics store.  I knew he was flying to New York that day, but had no idea he’d be in the airport the same time we were.  Turns out, he was taking the long way there, and he was on our flight to Amsterdam! We had not upgraded on the flight as they told us Business Class was full so we were stuck literally in the back of the plane (something like row 60), so imagine my surprise when Chef Braun appeared at our seats to say goodbye and confirm our reservation for the following weekend in Paris as guests of Chef Robuchon himself.  Just further confirmation of how down to earth, approachable, and real he and Mr. Robuchon were.

Gala Dinner price $10,000 NT per person, not including wine

Thank you again to Angelo, Benoit, Chef Robuchon, Chef Braun, Chef Narita, Vincent, Grendy, and the rest of the L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon staff that take such good care of us each and every visit.

This week, we finally got to check out the hot newcomer on the Taipei dining scene — STAY Simple Table Alleno Yannick at Taipei 101. Full review to follow, but a big thank you to Chef Sebastien Lefort and Head Sommelier Yohann Pinol for the incredible dinner, perfectly paired wines, and the after hours tour of the kitchen and restaurant. One of the highlights on the tour was spotting this huge tray of Tahitian vanilla beans — chef Lefort only uses Tahitian vanilla, a reminder of his days working on the beautiful island of Bora Bora.  Definitely made me long to be back in French Polynesia again!

While hot desserts are eaten year round in Taiwan, understandably, wintertime is the peak season for consumption of these sweet treats.  Also called tofu pudding, douhua is a Chinese dessert made with a very soft tofu. In Taiwan, it can be served with a variety of toppings, including red beans, mung beans, and my personal favorite, tapioca balls. It also includes a sweet sugar syrup, sometimes almond or ginger.  During the summer months, you will find douhua served with crushed ice while winter months call for it to be served warm.

Well, this week’s photo is a great one!  I started to tweet this one from the iPhone alone, but thought it was quite deserving of a photo of the week post instead.  Given the post title, you might assume fish balls, as in balls of minced fish, or squid, which is quite common in Taiwan.  The milky white consistency in the photo shows they are not those kind of fish balls!  Instead, these are true fish balls — as in testicles!   And you know what?  They were quite tasty.  This picture is actually my second order!  The testicles are from a local fish found in the waters off Taiwan, and they are only available in wintertime.  Since I am traveling all next month, there is no way I would get to try these again until November, so what the heck – why not go for a second order!

Since we left the restaurant, all that has been going through my mind is the Dr. Demento song, “Fish heads, fish heads, roly poly fish heads…fish heads, fish heads, eat them up, yum!” with a slight alteration of course.  I need to get the Chinese translation for the sushi restaurant, but it is in Taipei, on Xinyi Road, section 4.  The restaurant is only about six months old and has been recommended to us by several wonderful foodie friends and our favorite Taipei chef, Abu.  I will write up our entire dining experience as the sushi was some of the best we’ve had anywhere in Asia, but for now, I thought the fish testicles were deserving of their own post!

Someone from Robuchon called several days prior to confirm our Christmas Eve reservation and find out if we had any food allergies.  Brett asked to have a copy of the menu emailed, however, it never arrived so we showed up with zero idea of what the menu included for $300 per person.  No worries though — it’s Robuchon, how could any of the courses be bad?  We’ve read some interesting reviews lately that suggested the quality of food was not worth the price and they were from the last days of Suga’s tenure so my curiosity was definitely piqued.

Upon arrival, we were directed towards the end of the counter where we had minimal visibility into the kitchen, but we could still see a little of the inner workings.  At least I had an empty seat next to me for all my camera equipment so I was set!

The special Christmas menu was already at the place settings, printed on silver metallic paper, and rolled up with Joel Robuchon signature ribbon.  We opened the menu to discover it was a ten course dinner featuring some delectable sounding dishes.  Prior to arriving, we spent a little time researching the new sommelier, Benoit Monier, and decided to put our trust in his hands and go with his wine pairings for each course.

Not pairing wines with a degustation menu of this caliber is where many diners go wrong.  I realize the dinner is rather pricey, however, if you are willing to shell out $300 a person for dinner, spend the extra to get the right wine(s)!  Ordering a cheap bottle of wine does a disservice to the chef’s menu and your overall dining experience.  Picking the wrong wine can alter the taste of your food, leaving you less than enthused with the cuisine.  Sommeliers are trained to find the best wine for your taste, budget, and the foods you are ordering.  It is quite a misconception to assume that a sommelier will immediately pick the top priced wines on the wine list.  Many will ask your budget — if they do not and price is a major concern, let the sommelier know what your budget is!

In our case, Benoit suggested we split a glass of wine for each course, which was fine with us.  The glass of champagne included with the special Christmas menu was a Bruno Paillard Brut “Premier Cuvee” served from a magnum.  As Benoit explained, Champagne houses prefer the magnums over 750ML bottles.  It seems that the magnum size allows the wine to age more slowly, allowing for a fresher, more crisp taste.

L’Amuse Bouche

Our first course was “amuse bouche” which is basically a bite-sized hors d’oeuvre.  For this dinner, our amuse bouche was a shot of pureed onion and some type of Taiwan vegetable, topped with onion foam and Espelette chilies.  Espelette is a small village in the Pyrenees region of France noted for its special chilies.  These are harvested by hand and strung on cords.  Benoit said the signature element of this tiny village is the countless strands of chili pods adorning the building walls during harvest time.  I would imagine the contrast of the white buildings and red chili pods would be a sight to behold!

La Saint Jacques

The next course was Hokkaido scallop carpaccio with Oscietre caviar.  Oscietre caviar is also known as Ossetra, which comes from the Caspian Sea and has a stronger taste than Beluga.  With this course we finished off our glasses of Paillard Champagne since champagne pairs beautifully with both scallops and caviar.

Le Crabe – Paired with 2007 Louis Cheze Marsanne

The next course was “crab steam egg with saffron mousse”.  For this, Benoit suggested a 2007 Louise Cheze Marsanne.  Marsanne grapes are most commonly found in the Northern Rhone region.  I was a bit worried about this course as it had egg and Brett does not eat eggs, but he was a trooper and seemed to enjoy this course.  The plating was so simple, yet elegant.

Le Foie Gras – 2006 Wwe Dr. H. Thanisch Riesling

Foie Gras!!!  The Menu description said seared foie gras with caramelized Marsala flavored seasonal vegetables.  Benoit suggested a nice Riesling from the Mosel Valley region — one of our favorite wine regions in Germany.  The Rieslings found in Germany far surpass nearly every one we have tried from New World wine regions.

Although the English translation on the menu noted vegetables, the plate (and French translation) had fruits, which were fine with us and certainly paired nicely with the Riesling.  The soft creaminess of the foie gras with the crisp Riesling was such a nice contrast.

Le Risotto – 2004 Domaine Michelot Meursault

The next course was a pumpkin and red shrimp risotto.  Given the new executive chef is Italian, I figured this would be one of the best risottos we’ve sampled and it certainly did not disappoint.  A nice touch was the crunchy pumpkin seeds added to the risotto.

Benoit paired the risotto with a Domaine Michelot Meursault “Les Grands Charrons”.  Meursault is from the Cote de Beaune subregion of Burgundy in France.  We were somewhat surprised every course had been paired with whites so far, but we really enjoyed the wines Benoit paired with them.

Le Merou – 2005 Bourgogne Hautes Cotes de Nuits

This course was a seared groupa (assume grouper) with Bouillabaisse.  According to the French notes on the menu, it was to have more of the Espelette peppers as well.  I was excited to see the plating for this course — sounds weird, but this was one of my favorite dishes from our first visit.  The bowl is so simple, yet elegant and has jagged gold edges.  The juxtaposition of the delicate fish and broth served in this giant edgy bowl was very attractive.

With the grouper, Benoit paired another white from the Hautes-Cotes de Nuits.  This is a sub-region in Burgundy, known mostly for reds and roses (Pinot Noir) and whites with Chardonnay as the main grape.

This was another excellent pairing.  The fish was so delicate with a nice crisp.

Le Boeuf

This was the course Brett was most looking forward to.  He spotted the Pan seared Australian Kobe beef right off the bat.  Since we had not tried any red wines yet, we were prepared to ask Benoit if he could pair a couple wines with this course, but he beat us to it!  Before we had a chance to say anything, he suggested we try two different reds with the Kobe.  In talking about the wines and the contrasting picks for this course, we ended up going for three different ones as we were curious on his New World choice.

The first wine was a 2006 J.M. Boillot Pommard.  The second wine was a 2003 Chateau Tour Seran Medoc.  The New World wine pick was not what we expected.  It was a 2006 Meritage Table Wine from Hahn Estates, located on California’s Central Coast.  Benoit suggested we try them in the order above and it was quite evident how the wines progressed.  The table wine from California was much stronger and spicy over the other two French wines.  The Pommard was soft and silky, while the Medoc was definitely bolder.  But when compared to the Hahn, the Medoc was still much softer and more well-rounded.

Le Yuzu Vert

This was basically the palate cleanser before dessert.  This was quite tart, but nice.  It was Verbena jelly and yuzu granite with cachaca mousse.  The tartness came from the yuzu, which is basically like a small grapefruit.  Cachaca is the distilled alcohol used in Brazil’s famed caipirinha.

Le Chocolat Noir

The dessert course was a heavenly chocolate delight.  It was a flowing chocolate coulant with coffee mousse and milk ice cream.  When the plate arrived, there was also an orange flavored sorbet and a dusting of pistachio nuts on the plate.  Unfortunately for Brett, he’s allergic to pistachios.  He is not severely allergic so he was able to eat around them with no issue.

For the dessert course, we opted to each get a glass of dessert wine and wound up sampling two incredible wines that were complete opposites of each other.  The first was a Muscat that Benoit suggested we try with the orange sorbet.  The second was a great surprise — 1979 Pedro Ximenez Gran Reserva.  We absolutely love Pedro Ximenez and actually became engaged over a glass of it! LOL!  Trying a 1979 was quite a treat and definitely a bottle I want to track down more of.

Le Cafe Express

Sadly, we had come to the end of dinner and it was time for the coffee and macaron.  The night had flown by!  For one last treat, Benoit brought us something rather unique to try — Guatemalan rum matured in barrels used to produce Bourbons, Sherries, and Pedro Ximenez wines!  The rum was quite strong, but smooth.  I am not a fan of rum straight up, but this was nice.

As usual, we were one of the last two parties in the restaurant.  I felt bad since it was Christmas Eve, but was relieved when Benoit pointed out there was another couple finishing up dessert.  Being one of the last has always seemed to work in our favor as we often get the opportunity to chat with the chef and this was no exception.  The new Executive Chef, Angelo Agliano, came out to say hello and we had a few moments to chat and thank him for the ultimate in Christmas Eve dinners.

Both Chef Angelo and Benoit were definitely highlights of our evening.  Sitting at the counter, you have the opportunity to watch staff interactions and how the kitchen progresses, and without a doubt, Benoit was running the show.  From helping bring out plates and staying on top of courses for the next wine pairing, to engaging in banter with a majority of the restaurant patrons, Benoit is a definite asset to Robuchon.  He brings such a down to earth attitude to wine and will be the first to help educate you on the wines versus judge you.

We’ve met a number of chefs and restaurateurs over the years, and Chef Angelo is one of the most down to earth.  Working for Robuchon, who is one of the most decorated chefs in the world, you might expect Angelo to be aloof, but he is anything but.  To give you an idea of how personal he is, both Angelo and Benoit walked us out to the elevators to say goodbye.  Gourmet dining is not defined by the food alone.  The staff, sommelier, executive chef, and attention to detail play a big part in whether the entire experience is a success.  Chef Angelo and Benoit bring all the class you would expect from a branch of a renowned Michelin starred restaurant, but with the personal touch and comfortable feel of hanging out with them at your favorite neighborhood cafe.   They are genuinely nice people, not because they are expected to be.

In comparing this visit to our first, we were even more enchanted this time around.  At least for the special Christmas menu, there was definitely more emphasis on French and Italian cooking styles versus the heavy Asian influence under Chef Suga.  Our last menu had a heavy influence of strong Asian flavors that are not always appreciated by western palates.

As I mentioned initially, we’ve read reviews and interesting reports on Robuchon’s success after a year and there was discussion about lowering prices as the reception by the Taiwanese market was not as great as expected.  I question whether it was really the prices or the menu offerings.  The people who frequent Robuchon are not looking for seaweed infusion in every course, but looking to experience fine French cuisine.

We are looking forward to visiting Angelo and Benoit again soon.  We are definitely not waiting another year before coming back — hopefully we will visit again in March after we return from our upcoming travels.

Previous post on our Robuchon visit: L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon Taipei: Our First Visit After Opening

Drunken chicken is a common item in Chinese cuisine.  It originated in the Zhejiang province of eastern China.  The chicken is marinated in and then cooked in Shaoxing wine.  Another version involves steaming the meat and then marinating overnight in the refrigerator.  The chicken is served cold as an appetizer and has a liquor flavored gelatin that results from the mixture of alcohol and the cooking juices.

This is quite a unique dish and if you are not a fan of chicken with the skin on, you may not like it.  I can take it or leave it – the gelatinous texture with the fatty skin is a little much for me.

I’ve written several articles about Abu Authentic Cuisine thus far, both in my Asian Cuisine and International Travel columns, and I really cannot say enough good things about him and his mastery of fine French cuisine.  His restaurant has been open about a year and he serves a packed house every afternoon and evening.  You need to make reservations at least 5 days in advance and I would recommend longer for a special occasion or bigger party.  The restaurant is small by western standards – the main dining room seats about 30 and there is a private room downstairs that can hold 10.

Abu is one of the nicest and most genuine people you will find in the restaurant business.  His passion for his craft is evident in every aspect – from the trendy decor and regal place settings, to the extraordinary prix fixe menu offerings and his over-the-top dessert souffle presentation.  Although he has been voted by some to be the best new restaurant in Taipei and serves local celebrities and wealthy businessmen, Abu remains very down to earth, always coming out to mingle with guests.

We arrived with one of our special wines – our signed 2004 Hendricks Reserve Cabernet from Hope and Grace Wines in Napa, California.  We tried this Cab last May just before I left to move here to Taiwan and we were lucky enough to have the winemaker sign our bottle the day we were in tasting.  This is a powerful Cabernet, with a dense fruit flavor and incredibly soft, silky texture.  2004 is one of my favorite Napa Cab vintages due to the early harvest year, which yielded less fruit, but with a more concentrated flavor.  The wine’s strong nose, combined with the exceptional fruit on the palate, make this one of my favorite 2004 wines.  With a case production of only 200, I am hoping we can get our hands on another bottle or two when we are in Napa later this year!

Since we had just visited Abu on our wedding anniversary less than two weeks prior, my husband asked ahead if there was any way he could make a special birthday cake since we just had the souffle.  Mind you, I struggled with this decision since his decadent souffle is out of this world.  When we arrived, we met the new manager Michael and quickly found out we were not only getting a special dessert, but a whole special meal as well! We entrusted our beautiful Cab with Michael to decant, and ordered a nice glass of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc to start.

Sitting down, diners are instantly aware of Abu’s  creative talents with the fancy place settings and signature silverware engraved with “Abu”.  Completing the effect, every table at Abu is set with ingeniously displayed bread chips, perfectly spiced and just enough crisp to easily break apart.

After devouring the bread chips, the basket of evil carbs, err bread, always arrives.  The variety of breads served is excellent and includes a wide range of flavors, from squid ink to sweeter berry or raisin breads, depending on the day.  Included is a small dish of accompaniments – olive oil, rich French butter, and some type of spread.  Previously, Abu made an exquisite eggplant caviar (which was also for sale in the restaurant), but due to some production issues, he did not have any at the time of this visit.  Instead, we had a tuna spread, while still excellent, my heart will always belong to his eggplant caviar!

Our meal started with a large spear of white asparagus in a white truffle sauce with mixed greens on the side.

Next was a course of warmed lobster with a creamy cauliflower sauce.  Normally, I am not a huge fan of cauliflower, but it was mild enough as to not overpower the softness of the lobster.

The warmed lobster was followed by a soup course – a mushroom cappuccino.  Mushrooms have always been one of my least favorite things growing up, but I have learned to like them and appreciate their taste when served in something other than greasy delivery pizza!  This soup was probably one of my favorite courses of the night.  The rich and creamy consistency, combined with the subtle hint of mushrooms definitely left me wanting more.

The next course to arrive was Dover sole topped with risotto and  a lobster foam.  The sole was slightly crispy and the risotto absolutely melted in my mouth.

In between courses, Brett surprised me with a wonderful birthday gift!  For Valentine’s Day he had bought me a Tiffany & Co. charm bracelet and tonight gave me another charm to add on!  I get so excited whenever I see one of those little blue boxes!

The palate cleansing course was next.  Abu makes a delicious organic rose granita, similar to a sorbet and popular in Italy.  This is one of the my favorite and most creative platings I have seen in a restaurant.

Normally, this is when the main course arrives, but we were being treated to an extra special course.  Foie gras and pasta – the holy grail!  Although a controversial dish in many places, I have always liked foie gras although it is not something I eat regularly.  Of the numerous times I have tried it around the world, no one does it as nicely as Abu.  Two weeks ago we had a starter course that was a foie gras and quail sandwich – the blend of the crispy quail and the creamy richness of the foie gras was perfect.  The pasta topped with foie gras was a delicious combination as well, as the mild pasta did not take detract from the rich, buttery foie gras.

We were told earlier in the meal that the main courses would be beef and duck.   Brett loves duck so I let him have the duck and I would take the beef.  The mains were excellent and were a great pairing for our hefty Cabernet.  The beef was a steamed truffled tenderloin with red wine sauce and mashed potatoes.  Brett’s was a roasted duck breast with a reduction sauce.  I had a bite of Brett’s duck which was excellent, but I really loved the beef.  It was so tender and cooked perfectly so it pretty much melted in my mouth.

After finishing our main courses, it was only a matter of time until I got to see what spectacular display Abu prepared for dessert.  I had been told by several staff members it was definitely impressive.  We started with the first dessert course, which was almond milk and a homemade orange cookie.  I’ve had his almond milk once before and I could probably drink it in unthinkable amounts.  I definitely do not want to see the nutritional content on something like that!  Notice the plating – slabs of slate. I love it – such an edgy and fun way to serve these small courses.

While enjoying our dessert courses, I had to get one of Abu’s cappuccino’s.  Normally I do not drink that much caffeine so late, but it’s such a great accompaniment to the richness of the dessert courses.

The next dessert course arrived shortly thereafter.  It was a trio of sweet delights.  The first was a small chocolate tower with mousse, topped with fruit.  The center was a small jelly candy, and the last was a spoon of fresh pineapple with rosemary.  We still had a little wine left and the rosemary in the pineapple stood up nicely with the last of the Cab.

After enjoying a short break and enjoying our coffee and cappuccino, I saw Brett smiling as Abu and a member of his wait staff were carrying a large display.  On it was the most beautiful cake, complete with hand spun sugar strings extending high above the cake.  I was utterly in awe at his creativity and the time he must have spent in preparing such an elaborate dessert for my special day.

After we cut the cake, Michael took it to the back so Abu could plate it.  When he brought the plates back out – Abu had decorated each individual slice with chocolate and spun sugar curls.  It’s important to point out that Abu’s plating for his souffle is nearly as extravagant as this birthday cake (see other articles for pictures of the souffle).

One would assume after all this we would be done, but Abu had a couple more surprises left.  The staff brought out glasses of port for us to enjoy and shortly thereafter followed our last course – 36 month aged Gouda cheese, homemade raisins, and a special honey for dipping.

I cannot thank Brett and Abu enough for everything and making this one of my most unforgettable birthdays ever!

Abu Authentic Cuisine
28 Siwei Road in Taipei
(02) 2707-0699
Hours: noon – 3pm for lunch and 6pm – 11pm for dinner