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Restaurant of the week: Zorba Garden Italian Restaurant

By Max Woodworth
STAFF REPORTER
Friday, Aug 16, 2002, Page 19

Lasagna al fresco in Taitung. It can't get any better. PHOTO: MAX WOODWORTH

Most people concur that the Hualien-Taitung Highway is the most breathtaking stretch of road in Taiwan. On one side are the crystal clear waters of the Pacific and on the other is a dramatic range of steep, lush mountains that burst almost vertically out of the sea. Why this area has not yet been developed into the Riviera of Asia is a complete mystery.

There is one spot along the highway, however, that will remind visitors of the ritzy Mediterranean coast and that is Zorba Garden located about 10km north of Taitung City. Most restaurants along the coastal highway are of the fish-tanks-out-front, plastic-stools-inside variety, but Zorba is something entirely different. It is classy, romantic, serves excellent Italian food and is the most delightful respite from high-decibel, fried-food eating halls.

The restaurant is the brainchild of Tuscan-native Andrea Tognocchi and his wife Jenny Hu (胡晶晶), who designed and constructed the building using locally procured wood on a spectacular spot of land directly on the beach. Most diners make a beeline for al fresco dining on the deck, which is shaded by trees and catches the salty breeze coming off the ocean. When those seats are filled, which is often, sitting inside isn't bad either. The interior of the restaurant, which is entirely of wood, has lots of quirky decorative details and odd angles that make it an architectural curiosity.

And then there's the food, which will transport the mind to the Tuscan coast even quicker than will the sea breeze or the tasteful architecture. Start a meal with a refreshing Caprese salad, a green salad or a selection of gnocchi. For a main dish, the choice widens to include pasta favorites, like spaghetti with a range of sauces, ravioli and generous portions of oven-baked meat and vegetarian lasagna. There are three different cuts of steak and a delicious baked chicken, or for diners with smaller appetites there are several panini.

"I learned these recipes from my grandmother growing up in Italy. Every family has their own recipes, so these are our family's recipes. I've made a few changes here and there too," Tognocchi said, adding that the team of three cooks to whom he's passed down his culinary knowledge can now prepare the dishes even better than he can.

It would be a crime to have a meal at Zorba without trying the tiramisu, or without washing it all down with a nice glass (or bottle) of wine. Choose from Spanish, French or South African varieties.

Travelers with a taste for Italian food must add Zorba to the list of places not to miss because spots as nice and relaxing as this are few and far between, even in picturesque Taitung.
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