Walking to VVG Bistro is like visiting the home of an old friend. Passing through the dense foliage enshrouding the entrance, you can hear the banter of the half-dozen staffers, patrons and Grace Wang, the good-humored and charismatic proprietor who is the major source of the restaurant's intimate atmosphere.
The casual yet tasteful decor and mellow jazz tracks invite diners to take their time enjoying their dinner.
Set up three and a half years ago by a group of interior designer and architect friends who enjoy good food as much as they do good architecture, VVG used to be relatively exclusive. Its food, made by these amateur chefs, was decent but didn't live up to its name -- an acronym meaning "Very Very Good."
Wang took charge of the place six months ago. A former senior marketing specialist, she expected a great deal of the restaurant. She hired a graduate from Le Cordon Bleu, France's famous cooking school, as the chef, who then designed its menu of creative dishes. "We call these dishes kung fu dishes, meaning a lot of work has been put into them. They require careful and meticulous preparation," Wang said of VVG's mainly Italian cuisine.
Roast stuffed chicken thigh with mushrooms (NT$360) is an example. The fresh and tender chicken thigh is first skinned, degreased and flavored. The skin is then prepared and wrapped back around the meat. The ensuing juiciness of the meat is enhanced by a spiced cream sauce. Great care has been taken with the accompanying vegetables. Stewed eggplants, sweet peppers and sour cucumbers seasoned with an array of herbs leave a lingering fragrance in your mouth.
"The most important element in cooking is the balance. .... The effect when you bite into the food and how it tastes is crucial to good cooking. For that, it takes quality ingredients. Only after achieving this do we talk about the music, decor and the atmosphere of the restaurant," Wang said.
Another kung fu dish is salmon tartare with egg salad (NT$250), an ingenious appetizer. Fresh salmon is blended with egg to create a rich but refreshing taste. Added to that is a light cream sauce sprinkled with dried fruit and bits of flowers used in fruit tea -- a unique touch of creativity.
VVG's list of drinks is one of the city's most interesting. Lassi (NT$180) with pineapple or mango is a popular choice. Indian spiced milk tea (NT$160) is flavored with nutmeg and boiled for up to three hours to bring out the taste of both of the main ingredients. As winter is around the corner, Wang recommends vin chaud (NT$220), stir-boiled fine red wine with cinammon, cloves, lemon juice and other flavorings.
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