For diners with a zeal for panoramic extravagance and fine fare, the Far Eastern Plaza Hotel's Marco Polo Restaurant is an ideal place to visit.
Located on the 38th floor of the popular Taipei hotel, a window seat offers diners stunning vistas, while executive chef Claudio Cattarin adds to the dinning experience with a remarkable selection of traditional and modern Italian cuisine.
"When I design a menu, I like to mix traditional dishes, dishes that my mother would make, with modern, less heavy variations of them," said the head chef.
Offering diners several menus from which to choose their food, the restaurant's extensive set of choices means that there is something for everyone. A great way to start a meal is to opt for the triplet of succulent and contrasting flavors that come on one plate with the pan fried duck foie gras, tuna medallion, with a scallop and honey balsamic vinegar sauce (NT$620). A well-balanced starter, the dish offers diners an interesting balance of flavors that sees the semi-sweet sauce complementing both the seafood and the foie gras in a modest and appetizing manner.
Another way to start a meal is to sample the hen consomme with passatelli and parma ham (NT$390). Light and yet big on flavor, the rarely found bread dumplings, which are made by combining Parmesan cheese with bread crumbs, bone marrow and egg and spiced with lemon and nutmeg, are a must-try.
Diners are also spoilt for choice when it comes to choosing their main course. Traditional dishes like the rich and hearty "Bigoli" homemade thick spaghetti in a traditional treviso goose ragout (NT$480), and the interesting and slightly sweet grilled baby cuttlefish Venetian style on fresh polenta (N$580), will satisfy diners looking for a pleasing meal.
Those with a yen to experiment with their repast will find dishes like the rack of lamb confit with lavender and mashed potato (NT$820), and the roasted young duck breast with fresh foie gras and light Italian spicy fruit sauce (NT$860).
As strawberries are now in season, diners looking to round off their meal in a seasonal style should look no further than the wine panna cotta with strawberry and brown sugar sauce (NT$360) -- a dessert that looks almost too good to eat.
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