Spot
Address: 58, Ln 233, Dunhua S Rd Sec 1, Taipei City (台北市敦化南路一段233巷58號)
Telephone: (02) 2775-4117
Photo: Dana Ter, Taipei Times
Open:Daily from 11am to 10:30pm
Average meal: NT$300 to NT$700
Details: Menu in Chinese and English, credit cards accepted
photo: Han Cheung, Taipei Times
When the California-bred restauranteur Eric Wang (王大洪) moved to Taipei, his initial idea was to open a brunch place as he says the trend in this city’s food and beverage industry is to go with the grain. Luckily, he worked up the guts to bust out of this mold and did what he always dreamed of doing: opening a New American restaurant in the heart of bustling Zhongxiao Dunhua.
New American cuisine touts itself as being a more upmarket rendition of American food which infuses elements of culinary traditions from other cultures, and the food at Wang’s restaurant, Spot, is indeed a type of fusion that works. The smoked salmon carpaccio (NT$180) is a solid appetizer. Neither too dry nor too moist, the thinly-sliced salmon served with delicately cut cucumber is a savory seafood lover’s delight. Fried capers and dills make for aromatic garnishing, while the citrusy yuzu cream brings all these flavors together.
If you’re absolutely starving, try the fried chicken and waffle sandwich (NT$405). The spiced-rubbed chicken is juicy and succulent, while the waffles boast a sweet flavor. Pickled onions add a zesty dimension, but it’s the salty, spicy chipotle aioli sauce that really does it.
Photo: Ho Yi, Taipei Times
Puro Puro
Address: 265, Bade Rd Sec 2, Taipei City (台北市八德路二段265號)
Telephone: (02) 2778-4818
Open: Everyday except Sundays. Lunch (2nd floor) from noon to 2:30pm, afternoon tea (1st floor) from 2pm to 5pm, dinner 5:30pm to 10pm (2nd floor), 5:30pm to 11pm (1st floor)
Average meal: NT$1,000 to NT$1,500
Details: Menu in Spanish and Chinese, credit cards accepted, last order one hour before closing
This classy, atmospheric joint offers two experiences for Spanish food-lovers: the tapas bar on the first floor, with a elegant spiral staircase leading up to the full-course dining area. The best way to sample a variety of dishes in smaller portions is to head up to the second floor and order the set meal (NT$1,000 for lunch), which includes a salad, soup and main course.
The pipirrana de atun is a must-order, which is a salad of chopped tomatoes, onions, green and red peppers on top of sheets of raw tuna sitting in a mixture of olive oil and sherry vinegar. Slightly sour with a crisp texture, the dish was very refreshing. The flavors were balanced, and the tender tuna rounded everything out as the black olives provided a kick.
The mero a la salsa verde, a Basque dish featuring fresh poached grouper, clams and shrimp with onion and peas in a semi-clear broth seemed a bit thin for a main dish, but it’s actually very rich and hearty as the bits of onion and garlic flavor provide fullness. The best part about this place is the subtle flavors and complex textures that pass through your mouth throughout the meal, making the dishes fun to eat.
Brookhurst Seafood Bar
Address: 43, Ln 308, Guangfu S Rd, Taipei City (台北市光復南路308巷43號)
Telephone: (02) 2741-4857
Open: Tuesdays to Sundays from 5:30pm to midnight
Average meal: NT$500 to NT$1,000
Details: Menu in Chinese and English, credit cards accepted
Another Californian has set out to change Taipei’s restaurant scene one Hokkaido scallop at a time. Wendy Wu (吳欣穎) envisioned Brookhurst Seafood Bar to be a casual family-style joint where customers can “grub and chug.” The concept is simple: don a bib, slip on disposable gloves and reach in a plastic bag for chunks of shrimps and lobsters swimming in herb and garlic sauce.
The idea came to Wu while dining at a similar restaurant in Los Angeles and upon returning to Taipei, she spent months perfecting the sauces.
Speaking of sauce, the lemon zing is recommended for those with lighter palates, while the Brookhurst bang and Cajun sauces are better suited for those who can handle garlic.The smallest combo, the shrimp and shells (NT$999), feeds two people. The mussels in this combo are soft and chewy. Lightly seared on the outside, the Hokkaido scallops are warm and cod-like on the inside. By contrast, the white shrimp has a robust natural sweetness. The Brookhurst bang sauce that it came with is a delightful blend of spices, herbs, garlic and butter. There are hints of paprika, pepper and ginger, making it bold and flavorful.
Stone House (常青廬)
Address: 63, Zhuzihu Rd, Taipei City (台北市竹子湖路63號)
Telephone: (02) 2861 2453
Open: Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays from 11:30am to 7:30pm, Sundays from 11am to 7:30pm
Average meal: NT$350 to NT$600
Details: Menu in Chinese and English, cash only
Nestled high up in the cloud-covered forest along Zhuzihu Road (竹子湖路) in Yangmingshan (陽明山) is an old, gray stone house. Inside, gourds, cookie cutters and traditional wooden cooking utensils hang from the walls, creating a rustic, homely vibe fit for serving home-cooked Taiwanese food.
Stone House’s (常青廬) specialty is the stewed tofu pot (NT$260). Served in an earthenware pot atop of a portable stove, soft egg tofu is dipped in a rich, yolk-based sauce and topped with spring onions. The tofu is slightly charred and silky, while the sauce is a tad sweet and very thick and runny.
Seafood lovers will love the clams with basil (NT$280). With the Tamsui River (淡水河) at the foot of the mountain, the clams are large, freshly-caught and delectably chewy. They are soaked in a thick-broiled sauce which boasts a natural, tangy sweetness that compliments with the basil and spring onion.
Chang Ju Cantonese Cuisine (常聚)
Address: B1, 25, Renai Rd Sec 4, Taipei City (台北市仁愛路四段25號B1)
Telephone: (02) 2751-6116
Open: Daily from 11am to 2:30pm and 5:30pm to 10pm
Average meal: NT$1,200 to NT$1,500
Details: Menu in Chinese and English, credit cards accepted
There are many things that one may find attractive about Chang Ju Cantonese Cuisine (常聚), an establishment nestled in the basement of a luxury office building on Taipei’s Renai Road (仁愛路). Its extensive menu includes banquet-style dishes and dim sum classics, drawing from both its culinary heritage and contemporary trends. The food here is arguably as tasty as that served at high-end restaurants in international hotels, but costing less.
A visit to Chang Ju would not be complete without tasting its signature crispy barbecued pork (脆皮叉燒, NT$420). The reason behind the hype is the restaurant’s chef, Yang Hua-chih (楊華志). A younger brother of the inventor of the famous dish, Yang is said to have mastered the recipe, which involves repeatedly applying cane sugar to the thin layer of fat and roasting the pork until its skin becomes caramelized and crisp.
Expect to see Yang gliding through the dining room, greeting and chatting with customers, while sometimes recommending dishes and personally taking orders.
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