Showing posts with label #mumeTaipei. Show all posts
Showing posts with label #mumeTaipei. Show all posts

Friday, March 26, 2021

news: 5 TAIWAN RESTAURANTS NAMED 2021 ASIA's 50 BEST



Five Restaurants in Taiwan named to Asia's 50 Best Restaurants list

Chefs across Asia celebrated together, but separately as the 2021 Asia's 50 Best Restaurants was announced in a virtual ceremony rather in an onsite awards celebration for the second year in a row. 

A record number of 5 restaurants repping Taiwan were named to Asia’s 50 Best, making us proud- Mume (15), RAW (21), new entry Logy (24), JL Studio in Taichung (26) and Shoun Ryugin (45). Team @logy.tw joins the list for the first time at #24 and chef Ryogo Tahara says “it’s a dream come true. It’s because of my team I can accomplish this goal.” 

Congrats also to Singaporean chef Angela Lai, named 2021 Asia’s Best pastry chef. You can currently try her desserts at two Michelin star restaurant Tairroir. 

I’ve been thinking about what it means that The Chairman is the first Chinese restaurant to be named number 1 restaurant in Asia, especially after a year where anti-Asian and anti-Chinese hate has risen around the world after a difficult year for everyone around the world. The world is a complicated place- and the gap between America where I grew up and Asia which is my home now has become so large. But to see the cross cultural camaraderie between the chefs, to witness their dreams come true, the recognition by #Asias50Best for many restaurants in Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, Thailand, Taiwan and more is a celebration for all the restaurants that have survived and strived to be places we hope to go to after we can safely travel again. It’s not a competition to see who can be best, rather it’s a way to push and lift each other up and forward, and that's what we will need to do after the pandemic. 

  1. THE CHAIRMAN, Hong Kong
  2. ODETTE, Singapore
  3. DEN, Japan
  4. LE DU, Thailand
  5. GAGGAN ANAND, Thailand - New Entry - Aspire Lifestyles Highest New Entry Award 2021
  6. SUHRING, Thailand
  7. FLORILEGE, Japan
  8. LA CIME, Japan
  9. NARISAWA, Japan
  10. MINGLES, South Korea 
  11. SORN, Thailand
  12. SAZENKA, Japan
  13. LES AMIS, Singapore
  14. BURNT ENDS, Singapore
  15. MUME, Taiwan 
  16. VEA, Hong Kong - Gin Mare Art of Hospitality Award 2021
  17. NEIGHBORHOOD, Hong Kong
  18. INDIAN ACCENT, India
  19. L’EFFERVESCENCE, Japan - Beronia Highest Climber Award 2021
  20. NUSARA, Thailand - New Entry
  21. RAW, Taiwan
  22. FU HE HUI, China
  23. ZEN, Singapore
  24. LOGY, Taiwan - New Entry
  25. 25. BELON, Hong Kong
  26. JL STUDIO, Taiwan
  27. ODE, Japan
  28. CAPRICE, Hong Kong
  29. MINISTRY OF CRAB, Sri Lanka
  30. LA MAISON DE LA NATURE GOH, Japan
  31. CLOUDSTREET, Singapore – New Entry
  32. MASQUE, India
  33. 8 1/2 OTTO E MEZZO BOMBANA, Hong Kong
  34. 7TH DOOR, South Korea - New Entry
  35. NIHONRYORI RYUGIN, Japan
  36. BORN & BRED, South Korea – New Entry
  37. AMBER, Hong Kong
  38. TA VIE, Hong Kong
  39. ANAN SAIGON, Vietnam - New Entry
  40. LABYRINTH, Singapore - New Entry and Winner of Flor de Cana Sustainable Restaurant Award 2021
  41. EUPHORIA, Singapore – New Entry
  42. JAAN BY KIRK WESTAWAY, Singapore
  43. HANSIKGANGGAN, South Korea
  44. MONO, Hong Kong – New Entry
  45. SHOUN RYUGIN, Taiwan
  46. GAA, Thailand
  47. LUNG KING HEEN, Hong Kong
  48. SEVENTH SON, Hong Kong
  49. TOYO EATERY, Philippines
  50. WING LEI PALACE, Macau





Wednesday, March 29, 2017

news: TAIWAN RESTAURANTS LAND ON ASIA's 50 BEST

Finding Asia's 50 Best Restaurants in Taiwan
Good luck getting reservations at RAW, named Taiwan's Best Restaurant by Asia's 50 Best

Asia's 50 Best Restaurants were counted down earlier this year at an awards ceremony in Bangkok, where chefs eagerly waited to hear what place they had earned on this year's list. Nominees invited know they are guaranteed a spot in the top 50, but they do not know where on the list they rank until is announced at the ceremony. 


"Even the regional chairmen don't know who the voters voted for, or who got the votes. So it is very exciting for chefs to attend." said chef Richie Lin from Mume, a new entry on this year's list from Taiwan. 

RAW's chef Zor Tan recalled, "It is the time of year when you want to see your report card to know if you outdid yourself the previous year." 

This year, Gaggan, a progressive Indian restaurant in Bangkok, Thailand, retained his spot at number 1 for the third year in a row- an impressive record considering that Asia's 50 Best has only been around for five years. Gaggan will be familiar to those who have seen him on Netflix's "Chef's Table" series, or spotted his emoji menu or Japanese influenced, modern Indian tasting menu on Instagram. 


Taiwanese chef Andre Chiang's Restaurant Andre in Singapore moved up one spot to number 2. Third place is Amber in Hong Kong. The list includes restaurants from Singapore, Thailand, Japan, China, Taiwan, Korea, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Philippines. Chef May Chow from Hong Kong's Little Bao was named Asia's Best Female Chef of 2017 and Otto E Mezzo's Umberto Bombana was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award.

Chef Zor Tan who is involved with both Restaurant Andre and RAW said, "It's a gratifying feeling knowing both restaurants got into top 50 and best restaurant in Singapore and best restaurant in Taiwan. I am humbled that both restaurants are well accepted by our audience. It is a team effort that is recognized by our fellow peers in the industry." 

Unlike the Michelin Stars Guide, which awards highly coveted stars given by anonymous food critics in specific cities, Asia's 50 Best held a series of events where the chefs could eat, party and gather together. Chef Zor Tan, "This is where we pause for a moment from our busy schedule and gather." 


"The most valuable part of this experience is to connect, a chance for all the chefs to meet each other from different countries, share ideas and exchange knowledge." said chef Richie Lin. 

But both lists skew towards fine dining, higher priced restaurants that serve intricately plated dishes rather than the casual, mom and pop restaurants that could arguably also be a "best" restaurant on a list. Some critics also point out the lack of restaurants helmed by female chefs, as well as voter bias towards restaurants already on the list or in cities where tourism boards actively woo voters. 

Taiwan landed three restaurants on this year's list, with RAW (number 24), Le Mout in Taichung (number 28), and Mume, debuting at number 43. RAW jumped ahead from last year's 46th place past Le Mout to take over the title of Best Restaurant in Taiwan. Reservations at RAW are already nearly impossible to get through their online booking system, and with the additional publicity, diners will have an even tougher time. 


Without flying to another country, you can also try the Taipei branch of Ryugin #7 and L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon which placed for its Bangkok and Hong Kong restaurants, at #40 and #41. Keep an eye out for pop ups and "four hands" collaborations with chefs from other countries, such as Restaurant Andre (#2) at RAW, or Den (#11) at Mume. Regent Taipei has also brought Sri Lanka's Ministry of Crab #29 and Seoul's Jungsik #25 to Taipei. 

First time hearing about this list and these restaurants? Here's a brief introduction to the Taiwan's best restaurants, according to Asia's 50 Best. 


RAW #24


Who are the chefs at RAW?: Andre Chiang, Alain Huang and Zor Tan. 

What is the menu like?: RAW has a seasonal menu that changes every few months and has featured a Best of the Year menu at the end of the past two years. Comprised of eight courses, the menu lists just three key ingredients for each dish on a word puzzle like sheet. Dishes such as beef tongue shavings on top of a beef tongue cracker or miniature bbq corn are inspired by Taiwanese snacks with a modern gastronomic twist. Every menu highlights local produce, sourced with the island's local farmers, such as the spring 2017 menu's sliced tomatoes with green chili sorbet and gazpacho foam, with tomatoes from Yilan, Nantou and Yang Ming Shan.


How to make reservations: Book at a table though RAW's website Reservations can be made two weeks in advance and are released at 12Noon everyday. Try your luck with the waitlist by messaging RAW through "Contact" on the page to snap up last minute cancellations. For an upgraded menu (at a slightly higher price) and view of the bustling kitchen, or if you have a larger party, try to get chef's table seats, which are usually released on the first Tuesday of every month at 3PM.


Check out this video interview by the Culinary Institute of America with RAW's chefs Alain Huang and Zor Tan, featuring dishes All About Duck, Taco Tako TACOS, Onion Onion Onion and Mango Snowball. I worked on this as a location producer/Taipei fixer last year for the CIA and they captured everything so beautifully. 


LE MOUT #28


Who are the chefs at LE MOUT: Lanshu Chen,  Jimmy Lim and pastry chef Makito Hiratsuka. Chef Lanshu Chen was named Asia’s Best Female Chef in 2014.  

What is the menu like?: Modern French dishes such as Blaze mushrooms, veal sweetbread, dried tangerine rind, chestnut, rice essence or American prime filet with French goose foie gras poele and sautéed chanterelles topped with a green peppercorn sauce.


How to make reservations: Make reservations on http://www.lemout.com
59 Cunzhong St, West District, Taichung City, Taiwan 403 +886 4 2375 3002 

MUME #43


Who are the chefs at MUME: Richie Lin, Kai Ward and Long Xiong

What is the menu like?: The Modern European menu features Snacks, Small, Bigger and Sweets on an a la carte menu. Signature dishes include the waygu beef tartare with clam mayo, confit egg yolk and preserved daikon; summer salad of nearly 30 different vegetables from local producers dressed with fermented black beans and crispy amadai with 


How to make reservations: Book a table through the reservation tab/link “Book a Table” on Mume's Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/mume.taiwan/). Call (02) 2700-0901 or e-mail: info@mume.tw for private dining room reservations, which seats 8-12 people serving a set menu only.


Check out this video interview by the Culinary Institute of America with Mume's chefs Richie Lin and Kai Ward . I worked on this as a location producer/Taipei fixer last year for the CIA's World of Flavors and love how these videos turned out. 

No. 1 GAGGAN, Bangkok, Thailand

No. 2 RESTAURANT ANDRÉ, Singapore 
No. 3 AMBER, Hong Kong, China  
No. 4 8 1/2 OTTO E MEZZO BOMBANA, Hong Kong, China
No. 5 NAHM, Bangkok, Thailand
No. 6 NARISAWA, Tokyo, Japan 
No. 7 NIHONRYORI RYUGIN, Tokyo, Japan
No. 8 ULTRAVIOLET BY PAUL PAIRET, Shanghai, China 
No. 9 ODETTE, Singapore
No. 10 BURNT ENDS, Singapore 
No. 11 DEN, Tokyo, Japan 
No. 12 L'EFFERVESCENCE, Tokyo, Japan
No. 13 SUHRING, Bangkok, Thailand
No. 14 FLORILEGE, Tokyo, Japan
No. 15 MINGLES, Seoul, South Korea 
No. 16 LES AMIS, Singapore
No. 17 LUNG KING HEEN, Hong Kong, China
No. 18 QUINTESSENCE, Tokyo, Japan
No. 19 BO.LAN, Bangkok, Thailand
No. 20 WAKU GHIN, Singapore
No. 21 ISSAYA SIAMESE CLUB, Bangkok, Thailand
No. 22 LOCAVORE, Bali, Indonesia 
No. 23 CORNER HOUSE, Singapore
No. 24 RAW, Taipei, Taiwan 
No. 25 JUNGSIK, Seoul, South Korea 
No. 26 SUSHI SAITO, Tokyo, Japan 
No. 27 TIPPLING CLUB, Singapore 
No. 28 LE MOÛT, Taichung, Taiwan
No. 29 MINISTRY OF CRAB, Colombo, Sri Lanka
No. 30 INDIAN ACCENT, New Delhi, India 
No. 31 EAT ME, Bangkok, Thailand
No. 32 JADE DRAGON, Macau, China
No. 33 TA VIE, Hong Kong, China
No. 34 HAJIME, Osaka, Japan
No. 35 GALLERY VASK, Manila, Philippines
No. 36 THE DINING ROOM AT THE HOUSE ON SATHORN, Bangkok, Thailand
No. 37 LE DEU, Bankgkok, Thailand
No. 38 LA YEON, Seoul, South Korea
No. 39 THE TASTING ROOM BY GALLIOT, Macau 
No. 40 L'ATELIER DE JOËL ROBUCHON, Bangkok, Thailand
No. 41 L'ATELIER DE JOËL ROBUCHON, Hong Kong, China
No. 42 JAAN, Singapore
No. 43 MUME, Taipei, Taiwan 
No. 44 SHINJI BY KANESAKA, Singapore
No. 45 RONIN, Hong Kong
No. 46 WASABI BY MORIMOTO, Mumbai, India
No. 47 THE CHAIRMAN, Hong Kong, China 
No. 48 FU HE HUI, Shanghai, China 
No 49 NIHONBASHI, Colombo, Sri Lanka
No. 50 TAKAZAWA, Tokyo

Monday, July 11, 2016

modern/european: I strongly recommend MUME summer 2016

 

MUME 
No. 28, Siwei Rd 
四維路28號 
(02) 2700-0901 

MRT: DaAn or XinYi/AnHe 

website: Mume's FB page

Hours: 6PM -12AM (last order at 10PM). Closed Mondays

$$$-$$$$ (about NT$2000-3000 per person) 


kid friendliness: can't say that i've ever seen kids eat here. maybe if your kid is a gourmet baby and you get an early reservation.


Visit reviewed: 6/18/2016
previous visits reviewed: 8/2015 and 12/15/2015



SINCE MUME HAS OPENED ITS DOORS IN 2014, I've learned more about New Nordic cuisine and Noma*-- both things that influence Mume, and so I think I've come to understand Mume a little better. Watching Noma's Chef Rene Redzepi's fervor and dedication to creating a sense of "time and place" on the plate helps explain what New Nordic cuisine is- using ingredients that are in season, local while combining old techniques like smoking and curing with the new. The first time I ate at Mume, I don't think I had ever eaten anything like it before- it wasn't French, it wasn't fine dining, it wasn't completely gastronomy,  it wasn't Taiwanese, but used some Taiwanese ingredients- but I knew I wanted more. Since my first meal there, I've been a number of times, each time admiring the creativity by the chefs at Mume, but also the taste- loving the unexpected flavor combinations, beautiful presentation and when I got it, the stories behind the ingredients or the dishes. For me, dining at Mume is an adventure- it made me think about the food, it made me ask questions, it made me remember what I ate a few days later. I don't think Mume is for everyone- I've heard negative reviews from friends of friends even before I visited, but if the photos and menu intrigues you then you should definitely give it a try.  *(Thanks in part to Netflix's Chef's Table and the Noma documentary, My Perfect Storm, both recommended watching to those obsessed with food)


Mume's menu is in English only and is divided into Snacks, Smaller, Bigger and Sweets. Dishes range from NT$300-900, so I think it's priced quite reasonably for the portions, especially when I think about similar modern restaurants and menus in LA, HK or even pop ups that come to Taipei. For your first time, I recommend coming to Mume for their regular menu, not a special set menu or guest chef pop up, which will be more expensive (usually in NT$2800+ range) and has smaller tasting menu portions. Personally, I think the best way to enjoy Mume is to go with two to four people and share as much as you can on the menu. If you don't have the budget to try everything, then opt for a majority of "Smaller" plates rather than ordering a "Bigger" main dish per person. The "Smaller" plates are more unique and much less expensive and you'll get to try more things to know what to reorder for the next visit. Since I can eat, I've tried most of Mume's menu over the past few years, so I was excited to try the latest dishes that Mume was offering for the summer. 

This is Mume's menu as of summer 2016. The menu has evolved quite a bit since they opened, which at first was set menu only. I want to write another post featuring dishes on older menu vs current menu, but this post will spotlight almost all the dishes on the SMALLER section of the menu, since I ordered all but one on my last visit.



My cocktail of the evening- Pomme Pomme, yummy Apple cocktail



SMALLER


Scallop ceviche- shaved daikon, shiso vinaigrette, ginger, wild pepper (NT$380)

Gorgeousness and deliciousness. Are those real words? I don't care. 


Cobia Crudo- 'ajo bianco', black buddha hand, black pepper oil (NT$380)


We take turns dipping each "petal" of cobia sashimi into the sauce, (made of cucumber juice and chinese almonds according to @little_meg_siu_meg, and inspired by Spanish ajo blanco soup), before eating it. Would have never thought to pair raw fish with thinly sliced grapes, but Google also says grapes are usually an ingredient in ajo blanco, and it unexpectedly works well all together. 


Waygu Tartare- clam mayo, confit egg, preserved daikon (NT$420+NT$80)


One of my favorite dishes of Mume's menu is the waygu beef tartare with grilled toast. It was my first time trying beef tartare or any kind of raw beef so it surprised me how much I liked it. Mixed with the clam mayo, confit egg yolk and Taiwanese pickled daikon, it did taste just like steak with the texture of sashimi which paired perfectly with the buttery crispy thin toast slices. The only complaint I have is that there used to be toast included with the dish, and now it's separate because many people didn't eat the toast. Ideally, Mume could ask if people want it so they can opt out rather than take it away from the dish. 

Burnt cabbage- roasted hazelnut, smoked salmon roe (NT$320)


Burnt cabbage never looked so pretty. The cabbage's texture is nearly melt in your mouth- like the silkiness of cabbage that's been cooked in hotpot for a long time- except the flavor is caramelized instead of lost, and each bite is peppered with bursts of salty salmon roe and crunchy hazelnuts. Love the pop of color from the bright blue peaflower.


Beef tongue- oyster emulsion, brussel sprouts, grilled pineapple, pistachio (NT$420)




Love love love the new dish -super tender tongue brightened up by the sweetness of the pineapple, green of the brussels sprouts and crunch of the puffed rice. If you've never had tongue before, don't let it scare you, it's so good. 


(Coincidentally, beef tongue is also on RAW's summer 2016 menu and their rendition of the beef tongue cracker is one of my favorite bites ever from RAW. )


Blush shrimp, shrimp brains sauce, shaved yam bean (aka jicama) cooked in honey, and liquid nitrogen'd ricotta cheese snow (comped)

This dish isn't on the menu yet, but luckily I got a sneak peek. I LOVED the intensity of the shrimp brains and the sweetness of the shrimp combined w the crunchy curls of yam bean and icy cold ricotta melting in your mouth. We used the bread to wipe up the remaining sauce on the plate. This dish is made for people (like me) who like to suck the brains out of the shrimp, but without getting your hands dirty. This dish was freaking AMAZING. Please put it on the menu ASAP @richie_lin.










Crispy amadai- roasted red pepper, tomato raisin, toasted almond (NT$980)


Crispy amadai isn't new on the modern european scene in Taipei-- had it at at least 4 other restaurants in Taipei (Robuchon was my first, then Ducky, C'est La Vie and at a sushi bar) with the slicked up rows of crunchy scales- but paired with my love for sweet roasted red pepper, I devoured this dish despite being full already. The buttery red pepper sauce, toasted almonds, crispy Taiwanese bacon bits and subtle touch of spice complimented the velvety flesh of the amadai


Lovage porridge- slow cooked egg, sweet peas, sunflower seeds (NT$540) 


Another new summer menu item with a new approach for their porridge. Lovage instead of mushroom for the porridge, the slow cooked egg in a bed of sweet peas makes it feel like springtime. Chef Kai said they wanted to make it like risotto without Parmesan cheese, so they used a dehydrated fermented tofu. Feels more like a spring dish than summer, but I still enjoyed it. It's less heavy than the mushroom porridge. 



SWEETER

Cocoa crisps- smoked vanilla ice cream, roasted white chocolate, orange (NT$300)

Dense chocolate mousse hides underneath a roof of sugar and chocolate tiles- the way that each pieces melted on our tongue is a fun sensation.




Peaches and cream- Lala Mountain Peach, Osmanthus, Whey (NT$300)

If I had to pick one dessert from Mume's menu as my favorite, I would pick this one. Bite sized pieces of icy Taiwanese peach hiding underneath a layer of snowy cream. Almost like an upscale modern version of the popular Taiwanese snowflake shaved ice.



Busy busy kitchen with Chefs Kai Ward and Richie Lin plating up for a full house. Advance reservations recommended for Mume. If you have a larger party, you'll get seated in the room downstairs with a mandatory set menu, but I prefer to order off their menu a la carte for the best experience. Mume will do a collaboration/pop up with chef Zaiyu Hasegawa from Den, winner of the One to Watch award, later this month-- it's too bad I won't be in Taipei to check it out. 



Tuesday, November 17, 2015

modern/gastronomy: i strongly recommend MUME



MUME
No. 28, Siwei Rd
四維路28號
(02) 2700-0901

MRT: DaAn or XinYi/AnHe

website: Mume's FB page

Hours: 6PM -12AM (last order at 10PM). Closed Mondays

Visit reviewed: 8/2015



Seeing that I am playing a never ending game of catch up on my blog, I'm going to work backwards with Mume. By the time I've posted this, Mume already has a bevy of new menu items to drool over and try, but I still would like to post the previous meals to compare and contrast. For those of you who haven't heard of Mume yet, it's a "modern European restaurant" for casual fine dining, founded by Hong Kong born chef Richie Lin, Australian chef Kai Ward and Asian American chef Long Xiong, opened almost a year ago in December 2014. They bring to Taipei their experiences from Noma in Denmark, Per Se in New York and Quay in Sydney, and sometimes their colleagues, such as when they let Per Se's Chef Frederico Ribeiro take over the kitchen and do essentially a pop up menu of collaborative creations. 


I luckily got some last minute seats at Mume for Chinese Valentine's Day back in August (yes, that's a thing), and you can't have a Valentines day without a "special menu" (translation- more expensive than usual. Half joking!). It's kind of cool that each of my visits has been quite different- my first visit was in the first few opening months when they still did a set menu (memorably with duck hearts and beets). My second visit was when they first started doing their a la carte menu. My third visit was during Per Se's Chef Frederico's take over, and now hearts and champagne and delicious oysters and shrimp brains and chocolate cookies.


The Valentines day tasting menu started off with Gillardeau oyster, cauliflower couscous, Taiwanese bacon and celery. Yum.



Shrimp toast using fresh prawns, baby avocado, pickled peppers and salsa verde. 




I liked this a lot, but wished the toast was more like toasted bread rather than a crouton (if I had to nitpick that would be one of the only things I could say about the meal). Despite the description it wasn't spicy at all so you could taste the sweetness of the prawn. Got a sneak peek at the baby seedless Taiwan avocado which was long like an small eggplant, but cut into miniature circular slices, perfect for finger food. It was creamy and not stringy like typical Taiwan avocados and so it made for a perfect pairing. So fascinating! Will have to look for it at the market Chefs Richie Lin and Kai Ward found it. Served with the prawn heads so we ate the shrimp brains.




Mume's delicious hot out of the oven country bread served with beer butter, sea salt and smoked beef fat butter


Drunken chicken - zucchini / chicken consomme gelee / ginger cream. Delicious. 




Loved this next dish, could have licked the bowl clean. Instead used my last bite of seared scallop to mop up all the sweet caramelized carrot purée underneath. With crispy kale, crunchy watermelonradish and edamame



Hard to pick a favorite dish of the night but might have been this one- crispy amadai / charred cucumber and brussel sprouts / smoked ricotta. Wanted more of everything, especially the brussel sprouts. This version was for last night's special set menu, but thankfully they have amadai on their regular a la carte menu.





Short rib with black garlic sauce, lily bulb stem and Tokyo turnip. 

I've had variations of this short rib before and the sauce was a bit oily for me for the already marbled short rib. I liked the black garlic sauce though that had a smoky sweetness.



Refreshing dessert with jasmine ganache, fig leaves ice cream and apple granita. Gently tap the shell to reveal the ice cream inside.




Ended the amazing dinner with brownie like warm triple chocolate freshly baked cookies. The perfect ending to an awesome dinner.



This was my fourth visit to Mume and definitely not my last. Mume is a worthy replacement for the space on Siwei Road which previously housed one of my favorite restaurants Abu, who was doing French techniques with local ingredients before the craze of RAW and Mume. Mume's dining area is not large, so if you have a bigger group you might have to sit in the private room in the basement or make early arrangements. They are also only open for dinner, so sometimes it can be hard to get reservations.

I often get asked, where should I go RAW vs. Mume? And the answer is, Taipei is lucky to have both and you should go to whichever one you can get seats at. I like going to places that are under the radar and while RAW got a lot of the attention early on, Mume has been building equal footing. I think being able to order dishes ala carte and sharing them with friends helps since you are able to try more dishes, while RAW has been continually a set menu. Mume's menu isn't overwhelming long, so with a few friends (or one hungry one) you could potentially try everything on the menu. Mume's desserts are also consistently wayyy better than RAW's. RAW is notoriously difficult to get reservations for, but their menu lasts a few months before changing to the next one.

Mume was recently voted as one of the top 101 restaurants in Asia by dailymeal.com panelists (including me), but as with any review, you should try the restaurants for yourselves to see if it's your thing. And with a wave of new restaurants like Achoi, Savor, Ephernite, and Roots Creative, doing modern casual fine dining and "bistronomy" in Taipei (and Le Mout in Taichung), you don't have to choose between just RAW and Mume for your gastronomic dinner date. Pretty soon, I'm thinking Taipei might have some Michelin stars of its own. 


:)