Restaurant: Chateau Lisa 盛鑫歐法餐廳

By Vico Lee
STAFF REPORTER
Friday, Aug 08, 2003, Page 19

Chateau Lisa's pork knuckle is good enough to stand alone. PHOTO: VICO LEE,.TAIPEI TIMES

Well hidden inside a quiet and leafy alley among apartment buildings off Anhe Road, Chateau Lisa looks so much like the garden apartments next to it that many people living in the area have not yet noticed it, although it has been open six years. "That's exactly the intention," said Chen Chun-hung (陳俊宏), manager of the restaurant, "because we want to create an environment where you discover a hidden wonderland in the concrete jungle."

The warmly-lit interior is decorated with an eye to 19-century French design, with plenty of mahogany furniture. It is an easy environment in which to forget about tiresome office matters and your busy schedules.

Since the first Chateau Lisa opened in the Tianmu area 28 years ago, the restaurant has now expanded to four branches, including two in Taichung city. They are frequently mentioned alongside Chez Jimmy and the Landis Hotel's Paris 1930 as among Taiwan's most popular French restaurants. The secret to Chateau Lisa's success is a combination of French method with a wider range of ingredients, especially the spices, to cater to the local palate.

German pig's knuckle with sauerkraut (NT$690 for a set, including soup, appetizer, salad buffet, drinks and desserts) is a favorite among restaurant regulars. Chateau Lisa's cooks, who all attend regular training in France, prepare this dish in the complicated, traditional manner, which includes boiling, baking, and deep-frying. The flesh inside is tender and juicy and not at all greasy. The accompanying mustard sauce and other dressings are served separately, and even without the dressing, the pork is delicious. "All dressings are served separately because we are confident that we bring out the best flavor of the meat. Nothing else is required," Chen said.

Lamb chops in herb butter (NT$590 a set) is another popular item, no surprise after one whiff of its rich herbal fragrance. Like other items at Chateau Lisa, it comes in generous servings.

Pan-fried sole with lemon and grapes (NT$490 a set) is highly recommended. The fish is light and refreshing and the accompanying vegetables are fresh and aromatic. The restaurant pays as much attention to its salad bar as to its main courses. Here you can find unusual items such as taro with French butter, marinated pear with red wine and Italian Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.

Chateau Lisa's specialty is French crepes, prepare at the table.