Among the diversions of The Combat Zone, it might be easy to overlook the Imperial Hotel's Sonoma Grill, home to what some consider the best steak in town.
Daniel Lan (
PHOTO: ADAM ULFERS , TAIPEI TIMES
Currently victim to a Taiwan ban on US beef imports, Sonoma Grill has had to find a different distributor. Its substitute, akin to the acclaimed Kobe beef of Japan, is Australian Wagyu beef. Australian certified Wagyu beef herds are raised in clean air, on a formulated diet and are known for the pampering they receive -- as a prelude to the fine dining they will provide.
The elegant mahogany backdrop and comfortably dim lighting creates an ambiance that successfully creates an undeniable meat lovers' haven. Because you can expect to spend somewhere between NT$1,500 to NT$2,500 a person, the restaurant focuses on dinner from 5:30pm until 10pm, but is also open for lunch between 11:30am and 2:30pm.
The chef grills six different cuts of the featured Wagyu New York strip steak as well as Matsusaka steak, both delectable. You would, however, be doing yourself an injustice to visit and not order the Wagyu Gourmet Cut. Accompanied by a small starter, or not, it is best
complemented by a house red or white wine.
There are also set menu options, consisting of the Chef's Tasting Gourmet Specials and the Teppanyaki Specials. The Chef's specials include teppan-steamed live lobster and the Wagyu prime cut, while the teppanyaki specials highlight the teppan fried rice with vegetables and the Matsusaka Steak.
If you are a not a red meat person, the lobster, or an assortment of the smaller portions among the side orders such as king prawn Caesar salad, traditional French onion soup and sauteed Shiitake Mushrooms make tantalizing alternatives.
The accommodating and friendly staff will keep your glasses full and provide some of the best service to be found in Taipei. The restaurant was previously located in Tianmu, but has since been relocated to the Imperial Hotel on Linsen North Road.
"Business is quite good, better since the move and we frequently see celebrities eating in our restaurant," Lan said. So if you are looking for a delicious loin, or a chance to spot your favorite movie star you can't go wrong here.
That US assistance was a model for Taiwan’s spectacular development success was early recognized by policymakers and analysts. In a report to the US Congress for the fiscal year 1962, former President John F. Kennedy noted Taiwan’s “rapid economic growth,” was “producing a substantial net gain in living.” Kennedy had a stake in Taiwan’s achievements and the US’ official development assistance (ODA) in general: In September 1961, his entreaty to make the 1960s a “decade of development,” and an accompanying proposal for dedicated legislation to this end, had been formalized by congressional passage of the Foreign Assistance Act. Two
Despite the intense sunshine, we were hardly breaking a sweat as we cruised along the flat, dedicated bike lane, well protected from the heat by a canopy of trees. The electric assist on the bikes likely made a difference, too. Far removed from the bustle and noise of the Taichung traffic, we admired the serene rural scenery, making our way over rivers, alongside rice paddies and through pear orchards. Our route for the day covered two bike paths that connect in Fengyuan District (豐原) and are best done together. The Hou-Feng Bike Path (后豐鐵馬道) runs southward from Houli District (后里) while the
President William Lai’s (賴清德) March 13 national security speech marked a turning point. He signaled that the government was finally getting serious about a whole-of-society approach to defending the nation. The presidential office summarized his speech succinctly: “President Lai introduced 17 major strategies to respond to five major national security and united front threats Taiwan now faces: China’s threat to national sovereignty, its threats from infiltration and espionage activities targeting Taiwan’s military, its threats aimed at obscuring the national identity of the people of Taiwan, its threats from united front infiltration into Taiwanese society through cross-strait exchanges, and its threats from
March 31 to April 6 On May 13, 1950, National Taiwan University Hospital otolaryngologist Su You-peng (蘇友鵬) was summoned to the director’s office. He thought someone had complained about him practicing the violin at night, but when he entered the room, he knew something was terribly wrong. He saw several burly men who appeared to be government secret agents, and three other resident doctors: internist Hsu Chiang (許強), dermatologist Hu Pao-chen (胡寶珍) and ophthalmologist Hu Hsin-lin (胡鑫麟). They were handcuffed, herded onto two jeeps and taken to the Secrecy Bureau (保密局) for questioning. Su was still in his doctor’s robes at
RSS