Taipei's too many lounge bars have new competition in the form of Little Mansion, a newly-opened establishment off Zhongxiao East Road, with surprisingly good food.
If Little Mansion looks familiar, it should come as no surprise.
It was designed by Chou Li (
During my most recent visit, a friend commented that the real decor was all the beautiful people that were packed into the place. He's right; Little Mansion does seem to attract it's share of stars. It's even rumored to have become a favorite hangout for the owners of other bars and clubs.
They're probably jealous of the food. Long before it became Little Mansion and packed in stars every night of the week, this place was a much-overlooked restaurant run by a chef named Ho Ye (候爺). Chou had dinner there one night, the story goes, and was so impressed with Ho's stir-fried Hakka dishes that he sat down with him and offered to take over the business if Ho agreed to stay on and cook.
It's a good arrangement. Little Mansion distinguishes itself from Taipei's bevy of lounge bars by offering a full menu of dishes you won't find in other bars or clubs. Some 60 dishes in all, ranging from simpler stir-fries like kung-pao beef (NT$240), to more extravagant offerings like a red wine fillet of beef with garlic (NT$500) or dried-salt pork knuckle (NT$700).
And the Hakka stir-fries are delicious. Getting fried into one of Ho's Hakka dishes is a noble ending for a pig. The dishes are on the expensive side for a place that doesn't bill itself as a restaurant, and with a beer that costs NT$200 or more, you're not leaving with a thinner wallet.
You're going to pay a 10 percent service charge, too. In the three times I've been to Little Mansion, I've not been overly impressed with the service. The tables and chairs are packed in and making your way through them can be hard. The service staff, at times, don't seem to try.
Bottom line: If you're meeting friends in the neighborhood for dinner and drinks, Little Mansion offers both, though a bit on the expensive side.
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