Michelin SCA yesterday released its second Michelin Guide Taipei, awarding 24 eateries for culinary excellence, recognitions that are bound to boost their revenue and customers by double-digit percentages.
The 260-page book, cosponsored by the Tourism Bureau, has helped attract food lovers from around Taiwan and the world, lending force to Taipei’s gastronomical presence on the global stage, Deputy Minister of Transportation and Communications Chi Wen-jong (祁文中) said.
For this year’s guide, 127 dining establishments were reviewed, 24 of which were given from one to three stars based on reviews by anonymous food inspectors, Michelin Guide international director Gwendal Poullennec said.
Le Palais (頤宮), the Cantonese restaurant of Palais de Chine (君品酒店) near Taipei Railway Station, was again awarded three stars, the highest honor, which indicates a restaurant with exceptional cuisine that merits a special journey, Poullenec said.
Le Palais’ revenue has doubled over the past year, despite a 25 percent cut in the number of seats to allow guests more space and comfort, a communications official told Taipei Times by telephone.
However, net income has held steady, as the restaurant has hired more staff and used more costly ingredients, the official said.
Le Palais has no intention of raising its price, which currently averages US$100 per head — likely the lowest for three-star restaurants worldwide, the official said.
Five restaurants won the two-star recognition that suggests excellent cooking worth a detour: Tairroir (態芮), RAW, Sushi Amamoto, Shoun RyuGin (祥雲龍吟) and Guest House (請客樓), Poullenec said.
This is the second time that Guest House of Sheraton Grand Taipei Hotel (台北喜來登大飯店) earned the honor, which helped increase revenue and guests by 10 to 20 percent last year, stronger than a 7 percent gain in food and beverage sales for the same period, a communications official said.
Average prices at Guest House are NT$1,500 per head, as guests can just order noodles and side dishes, the official said.
Eighteen establishments, including Hotel Landis Taipei’s (亞都麗緻大飯店) Tien Hsiang Lo (天香樓), a Chinese restaurant that focuses on Hangzhou cuisine, won one star for high-quality cooking in their own category, the guide said.
Revenue at Tien Hsiang has soared 30 percent and guests have had to make reservations weeks ahead of time since the restaurant earned a one-star designation in March last year, a marketing official said.
Similarly, Ya Ge (雅閣), a Cantonese restaurant at Mandarin Oriental Hotel Taipei (台北文華東方酒店), has seen its business grow 27 percent after winning the one-star honor last year, and has won the honor again this year.
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