Wine Tasting Dinner

It was really windy and pouring rain because of the number two typhoon this year, plus nobody had time to accompany me. But curiosity overcame everything, I just called a cab and went alone.

I am pretty familiar with the French wines they offered tonight, including Burgundy, Champagne and Bordeaux. Therefore, I was more curious about the place than the wines.

The restaurant is located in the Dwen Hua (敦化) SOGO, B1

The Entrance

Displaying various truffle products.

In the main salon, they put a "tree" in the middle,

tables and chairs scattered around, represented truffles which grow under the tree.

Haleakala

They have a very nice balcony, but it was a bit stuffy today, and my sister never wants to sit outside anyway. Too bad for me.

This is a great place to come when the weather cooperates: breezy and partially sunny. Light menu with a glass of wine or beer, you could spend a whole afternoon with friends or just bring a book and read alone.

Menu

NT$480

Includes assorted appetizers, a soup, one main course and coffee or tea.

Personally, I prefer their old menu which included also a glass of Champagne, wine or beer.

The knife is quite interesting, you have to balance it just like the way it shows in the picture. 

The indoor part was actually pretty nice, too. 

"Kanpai" series

Although it's been very popular recently, Japanese style grill's never been my favorite until I found " Kanpai Classic" in the A9 (One of the department store buildings in Xing-I area, Taipei). Most of these types of restaurants are usually dark inside, sometimes even smoky and greasy. This one is completely different, it's bright and joyful, the staff are well trained,  friendly and willing to chat with you. (Most of the same type of places do have this kind of atmosphere, though.)

There are tables, private rooms as well, but the most comfortable and interesting area is the bar. They prepare everything for you and the air circulates better there. (In the table or private room area you still have to grill your food yourselves when they are too busy. Unless you are one of the clients who prefer to do it yourself.)

The beef quality is pretty good here, I recommend the thin sliced type, it's better and cheaper than the steak. (Although they pull a cart and have a Japanese chef slice it beside your table, it's more a show than the real quality.)

To pair with your meal, they have really good draft beer, both dark and light, Sake's not bad either but more pricey. Serve wines as well.

Smokey Joe's, Cana Garden Restaurant and Howard Plaza

Our Kenting trips?

Yes, we went so many times, for the air, the ocean breeze,(although sometimes it could be so strong that you can hardly call it a "breeze") the only tropical atmosphere in Taiwan, for a while the surfing, and recently the only place that serves the very good chicken burritos and Margaritas.

Our daily routines?

Swimming, doing yoga for about 3 hours by the excellent Olympic size pool overlooking the ocean before brunch, resting, reading, practicing trumpet(Dan), playing with the rabbits in the afternoon and repeat the swimming, yoga routine while watching sunset before dinner. Sounds therapeutic and healthy? Yes, very. Then, it's time to reward ourselves: go to dinner and get drunk!!!

The Marco Polo Lounge, Chef Antonio Tardi and Sous Chef Micheal Lin

 Ouverture:


Brought a book with me, waiting for my nephew to finish his violin lesson, although it was probably the coldest and the most rainy day of the whole winter, sitting in the hotel's 38F lounge, enjoying a glass of light Italian white, some appetizers and the misty view of Taipei, could be still pretty romantic.

Verdicchio White Wine

You got picture windows all around.

Foggy today, quite suitable for James Joyce.

Cava Sparkling Wine Tasting Diner

Kimi called to inform me about this event. Spanish wines have improved a lot this recent decade and

I've never tried the house chef David Gaveau's cuisine, so this was a chance to satisfy my curiosity.

Lables are quite interesting.

Amuse Bouche:

Gillardeau Oyster

Smaller than usual but was fresh and had a more intense flavor than those big fat ones.

Chilled Oscietra Caviar, Sea Urchin and Cauliflower "Soufflé"

Served with Créme Fraiche and Blinis

Not a bad dish but I couldn't taste the sea urchin at all.

The pairing wine was PAGO DE THARSYS BRUT NATURE

80% Macabeo and 20% CHARDONNAY

Golden colored, flora, orange and dried fruit aroma, fine bubbles, creamy finish.

My favorite tonight.

Lawry's The Prime Rib

Got a bit more brave to try steak houses after the nice experience at Prime 168, since I'm around Xin Yi area (信義區) a lot, and there's one newly opened in the Song Ren(松仁)105 building, decided to give it a try.

Although it's located in B1, there's a very nice outdoor area, indoor part has very high ceiling. They could have make the whole place splendid, but unfortunately, the colors they used were all wrongly matched and the way tables were arranged were quilte wierd, too.

Dining experience? A lot of performing but the food wasn't good. And honestly, I've nener tasted any steak which was worse than this. The wines in the list were all the cheapest you can find to buy(although sometime it's great to do this if you can find good value wines and sell them at reasonable prices, then it's good for both the restaurant and the clients, but this was certainly not the case) and they weren't that good. Overall, the diner wasn't worth the price at all.

Le Blé D'or

This was one of the two Taiwanese brewery restaurants I've tried. Using imported ingredients to make the beer, they actually did a pretty good job, especially the honey flavor one.Quite interesting decorations in the restaurant, too.

Eslite bookstore B1

Outside view of the restaurant

Korean Barbecue and roast chicken

This is an old family favorite we've been going to for more than 40 years, a korean barbecue restaurant which is among the first ones existing in Taipei. Back then, during some period of time there were a lot of them here, just like beer houses 20 years ago, Japanese style barbecue nowadays and so on, sort of a Taiwanese fashion, everything's hot for a while and then it's finished, unlike in Europe, you can find the same things you like even centuries later, food, drinks, clothings, etc,......

This was considered a chic place to go when we were little, and ladies who served there were always pretty and elegant, probably this was one of the reasons my dad loved to take us there, so he could have the pleasure to chat with them.

When we were older, my siblings and classmates went all over the world to study and work, some of them even settled down outside of the country, but this restaurant remained a "must go" for all of us when we were back here visiting, although it was never an authentique Korean style.

Today it's changed a bit, no more beauties to flirt with, service became a little careless, and the price remained almost the same as several decades ago, but food here is still very good, along with so many year's memories during the time when we were growing up.

"Tea Room" and "Library"

Dan had a rehearsal at BS, dropped me off at Eslite. Wanted to get a new French dictionary and check out some "new arrivals"(books, magazines etc...)

Often forgot about the time until my legs started to feel something. They do have nice sitting benches and the like but I'm usually more used to just walking about and reading whatever there is in sight before choosing anything. Plus the music is pretty interesting most of the time. It was some very perfectly performed piccolo trumpet music that afternoon.

Stopped at the 3rd Floor Tea Room 2 hours after to rest and have a before dinner drink.

Always nice to have a view.

It was a rather cold afternoon,

so I ordered a "Matured Beer" from Austria.

It had a sweet aroma but didn't taste sweet.

They offered me a piece of dark orange chocolate to pair with it,

but it wasn't quite a good match because they were both kind of sweet.

It was tempting to get some appetizers to go with the beer,

but they only serve sandwiches which were too filling,

or otherwise desserts.

The alcohol percentage was quite high,

(Although the strongest one I've tried was 18%)