168 Prime steak house, Victoria Hotel, 2011, Jan.

Haven't gone to any steak house in Taipei for more than probably 10 years. Most of them used to be expensive and not good at all. Recently, it seems like enjoying top quality beef is becoming a new Taiwanese fashion, and there are suddenly a lot of them imported from US, Japan and Australia, so I decided to give it a try again.

Dan was performing in the Victoria Hotel for an end of the year dancer's party, so I went with him to try the recently very hot "168 Prime" in the same hotel. Turned out to be pretty nice.

My favorite bubbly mineral water with meal

bread with herbs and olive oil-vinegar sauce

Paul Jabulet

Crozes Hermitage

Les Jolet"Blanc 2008"

100% Marsanne from 25 year-old vines

Getting better at the end, almost creamy, with a hint of licorice aroma.

Pairing well with shrimp cocktail.

Shrimp Cocktail

Shrimps cooked just right in ginger white wine added boiling water, very fresh and juicy, good with  diced avocado and tomato.

Open working area, you can watch them preparing your food.

Famous "Forge de Laguiole" Beef Knife

This shinning colored series were designed by Jean Michel Willmotte, who's an architect.

Assorted mustard and salt:

English and French style mustard, mustard seeds.

Rose salt, bamboo salt, fleur de sel.

Didn't use any of them because the beef itself was so good.

Ceretto Barberesco Asij 2006

Very balanced and elegant red from Piedmont, long and beautiful finish, better than some very famous ones from Barolo.

3 kinds of sauce, didn't use any.

Beautifully roasted beef with a whole garlic and tomato.

(USA Snake River Cap)

Hearty baked potato with sour cream and bacon.

Very good "by the glass" selection.

Muscat de Beaumes de Venise

Le chant des Griolles 2007

Light and refreshing, nice peach and exotic fruit aroma.

Perfect match for the warm apple tart.

Couldn't resist to take a bite, almost forgot to take a picture.

Very good apple tart, not too sweet, you can still taste the freshness of the apple.

Brownie, not the traditional kind but still good.

Caramelized bananas, vanilla ice cream and mint leaf.

Should go well with a Port.

"illy" coffee beans are usually good and inexpensive, but they didn't make it right. This double espresso tasted like warm stale regular coffee.

Tea from pretty famous French brand. Not good, either. The water wasn't hot enough to bring out the flavor.

Wine tasting machine. First saw it in the central coast Californian wineries.

Now it's being used in several places in Taipei.

Champagnes

Beef selection

Johnson was introducing their cellar.

The restaurant's one year anniversary special event:

Tasting DRC Echézeaux 2004, Gaja Barolo '99, 

Chateau Mouton Pauillac '94, Opus One 2004.

The DRC Pinot Noir first tasted sour and stale, but getting rounder and nicer later on. Although the

 aroma was better at first. Mouton was the opposite, first plush and fresh, seemed to be able to age 

longer, but then getting bitter and losing it's aroma. Gaja was pretty dry and full bodied, also got a bit

bitter at the end.  Opus One was sunny, lots of bouquets, smooth and warm, didn't change too much

during the meal. Although it was a product Franco American, it was pretty much a  typical Napa

style.

Wine glasses hanging on the wall.

Outdoor swimming pool by the garden.

There's a very nicely landscaped garden by the restaurant. Although there's also 4 outdoor heaters, it

was still too cold that night. Should be nice to have a glass of Champagne in the garden before dinner

when the weather is warmer.

Simple but cozy settings in the dinning room.

Working area and their giant oven.

You can also book a private room.

The entrance.

Parking lot white marble restroom.

Parking lot elevator