Named after a town near the city of Toulon, France, Hy?res opened its doors two years ago. Located in a quiet side street off Hsinshen S. Rd., the restaurant's combined appeal of exquisite cuisine and quality live performances has helped it steadily build a loyal clientele among the staff of neighboring National Taiwan University and Taipei's literati.
The restaurant has its live performances to thank for a great deal of its Mediterranean-styled menu. "At the restaurant's opening, we invited the Mi Huo Flamenco Dance Workshop (
PHOTO: DAVID VAN DER VEEN, TAIPEI TIMESN
Diners will be treated to a spectacle of Flamenco dance on the second Saturday evening of each month and can soak up the sounds of classical and Flamenco guitar performances on the fourth Saturday evening of each month. As Hy?res is usually booked solid on these evenings, making a reservation is highly recommended.
Among the customers' favorite Spanish dishes, ranging in price from NT$250 to NT$590, are paella and squid-ink pasta. The paella arrives at the table a pleasant orange color with saffron rice, shrimp and mussels. So as not to offend local taste buds, the rice is fully cooked instead of half-cooked as it is in the original version and does not use much cheese, creating a light yet refreshingly spicy taste.
The squid-ink pasta is covered with the culprits themselves and coupled with bright green and red peppers, making it pleasing to both the eye and palate. The smoothness of the squid and pasta is complimented by the crispness of the peppers.
The menu of the spacious yet cozy restaurant is updated every few months to ensure patron's taste buds never grow weary.
To round out the evening's meal and adding to the Mediterranean atmosphere, the staff offers a small but sufficient selection of Spanish wines, with only the Torres Mas la Plana coming in at four figures.
For dessert, Li rightly recommends the refreshingly tart panna cotta or the taro cream pie, whose mixture of mashed taro and cream goes well with its crispy crust. For drinks, the hot ginger cappuccino is not to be missed, and is a refreshing departure from coffee. These desserts are Li's take on traditional French desserts, and provide Hy?res with another unique touch.
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