CLOSED/korean: I recommend MAJOR K

MAJOR K 主修韓坊

No. 116, AnHe Road, Sec. 2

大安區安和路二段116號
(02) 2736-3737

MRT: LiuZhangLi

website: MajorK.com.tw

hours: 11:30AM- 2:30PM; 6PM - 10PM

$$-$$$

Kid friendliness: high chairs available, room for strollers; lots of kid friendly items

Visit reviewed: 12/14/2013

Is it just me or have a ton of exciting new restaurants opened up in Taipei in the last year- gastropubs, wine bars, salad cafes, sourdough chowder bowls and lobster rolls... Major K brings modern, trendy Korean to Taipei with a menu of both classic and dishes that have a new take on the familiar. The interior is sleek with black and wood accents with a bar in the center for soju and shots.

Major K's menu is full of soups and stews, along with some appetizers, meats and rice/noodle dishes ranging from NT$280-NT$1300. Major K worked with CJ Group, Korea's largest food conglomerate (Founder of Bibigo which some of you might have seen in LA or Bejing), to help train their chefs in Korea and advise on the menu, so you know the menu and food's foundation is legit.

The Major K Sweet and Spicy Rice Cake (NT$320) was one of my favorite dishes and one I would recommend as a must order. Instead of the typical slices of fish cake you usually get mixed in with the rice cakes, there are long strips of sweet potato. Both have a caramelized outside from being grilled and is coated with a honey and chili sauce that is addictive. It's carb heavy to order as a main dish, but perfect for sharing.

SO good!

Another must order dish is the Mandoo Soup (NT$380) which comes with a robust, eggy chicken broth with accents of scallions and seaweed. I loved the broth as much as I did the dumplings which were large and plentiful. While I haven't been a fan of the mandoo dumplings I've had in the past in LA/OC which came with more watered down broths, but this I would order again and again.

The Ginseng chicken soup (NT$780) was also a hit at the table with the therapuetic broth and fork tender chicken.

Royal Glass Noodles (NT$280) aka japchae comes topped with lots of bell peppers and spinach.

Fried White Chicken NT$260

The assorted pancake delicacies (NT$580) comes with 9 small pancakes that are seafood, kimchi and fishcake (?) flavored. I wouldn't order this again despite liking the kimchi pancakes because the pancakes are so small for the the price- almost US$3 each if you do the math.

Instead you could try the regular seafood pancake (NT$400) which offers up eight thick shrimp and squid filled pieces for less.

Hot Stone Bimbimbap (NT$430) with fresh cucumbers, soy beans, carrots, shiitake mushrooms, egg and beef to mix together with the rice and gojuchang sauce I asked for on the side. The rice didn't get very crispy in the bowl, but the veggies were bright and fresh.

I didn't get to try any of the meats as we already had a table full of food, but I definitely want to try some next time. There's a lot to choose from- from braised bbq short ribs and kimchi pork to bulgogi, grilled LA galbi and ribeye. Meats are grilled in the kitchen rather than on the table so those looking for Kbbq will still have to look elsewhere.  

Some dishes also took awhile to come out of the kitchen, as we went during the soft opening, so the kitchen was still figuring itself out. But Major K feels and tastes different than any other Korean restaurant in Taipei (which are mostly soondubu tofu stew or korean bbq or local takes on Korean), so it's worth a try, but be sure to make sure to order one of my must order dishes. 

CLOSED italian/fusion: i still recommend FORCHETTA

CLOSED a/o 2014

FORCHETTA 叉子餐廳

No. 4, Alley 127, AnHe Road., Sec 1
台北市安和路一段127巷4號
(02) 2707-7776

MRT: Zhongxiao Dunhua (is the closest, but still about a 15-20 walk from the station)

hours:  Lunch 12pm to 2pm

Dinner: 6pm to 10pm

$$$-$$$$ (about NT$1300-1600/person for lunch set menu)

Kid friendliness:  no high chairs spotted, mostly fine dining type dishes

Visit reviewed: 12/28/2012

The last time I visited this cozy bistro hidden behind a curtain of greenery was probably the last time I wrote about it- over six years ago in 2007. But thanks to my Instagram friends, their recent photos spurred my curiosity and appetite to pick it for a lunch meeting with a friend from Hong Kong.

When the weather is nice, Forchetta is a nice place to grab a table near the the front. Or you could have a table in the back with an eye on the semi open kitchen in the back.

Set lunch menus run about NT$880-1500 depending on what main dish you choose. Forchetta sources quite a few things locally and notes it in the menu- duck and chicken from Miaoli, shrimp from Yilan, fish from Keelung. 

The complimentary bread is still wonderfully addictive, served with a garlic aioli and tomato sauce. The last time I came for dinner, they served fresh tomatoes to rub onto the bread. This is a bit less messy, but a bit less fun.

Organic duck gizzard with corn mash, served cold - two spoonfuls and it was gone. Sweet, creamy with the chewy cubes of gizzard.

Local fresh fish from Yilan, daily carpaccio, homemade air dried tomato and black olives - I liked this- fresh, delicate and beautifully plated.

Abalone, milt, fish stomach in duck consomme - this was my least favorite course. I didn't like the gummy texture of the the fish stomach and milt..

Yilan red guava sorbet - palate cleanser in an unique presentation. Kinda frou frou, but so the experience.

Grilled Australian lamb chop with rosemary and nuts (NT$1500) - There were a lot of great options for the main dishes. I considered the beef cheek (but just had it the night before), lamb shank (thought it might be too heavy) or duck confit, but I ended up ordering the lamb chop. Perfectly grilled at a suggested medium rare.

Dessert of the day- crumbled chocolate cookie with pineapple mousse - I thought I wouldn't like this dish because I didn't think pineapple and chocolate would work together and I usually don't like mousse, but it wasn't too acidic or sweet, so it was fine.

The thought of spending so much money on lunch prevents me from coming more often, but hopefully I'll be back before another six years passes by. 

afternoon tea/fusion: MIA CAFE

MIA CAFE 米兒咖啡洋食館

No. 235-2, Dunhua S. Rd, Sec. 1 

台北市敦化南路一段235之2號1~2樓 

(02) 2741-8080

MRT: ZhongXiao Dunhua

website: Mia Cafe's FB page

hours: 11:30 AM - 10 PM 

$$ 

Kid friendliness: lots of space, seating area on second floor with stairs only.

Visit reviewed: 9/25/2012

Mia Cafe sits across from the Dunhua Eslite bookstore, a gleaming storefront at the base of one of those new high rise office/apartment buildings. The first floor holds only the dessert shop area, for people who might want to browse and takeaway. Diners head up to the cafe on the second floor, where the hostess asks if you have a reservation or not. We didn't have reservations, but luckily there were still some tables in the quite full space.

Small yellow chandeliers adorn the large open room seating area, while a large bar is the face of the kitchen where the drinks and food come out. 

I had heard nothing about Mia Cafe, only spotted it in passing, so the fusion menu was a surprise to me.

On the first few pages were sushi rolls, chirashi bowls and Japanese food which was unexpected for a ladies who lunch cafe. Then after some rice/pasta/noodles there were pages and pages of desserts - photos of fat hotcakes, fruit tarts, macarons, macaron cakes, ice cream, cakes, and coffee and tea.

If I wasn't so full, I might have ordered a roll or two. They were doing a photo shoot in the corner and we could see styled plates being shuttled over to the photographer.

Sweet or "sabory" hotcakes which looked like overfed pancakes masquerading as desserts. There were of course, also waffles.

The fresh fig and peach tarts looked interesting and something I might try if I came again.

Cold or hot coffees, lattes, cocoas and teas are available as well as smoothies, yogurt drinks and fresh juices.

I had just finished lunch with my cousin at a Sanuki udon shop behind Dunhua Sogo and was quite full, otherwise we were both saying how the rolls looked good.  My cousin ended up ordering an iced coffee and I got the fresh fruit tea (cold) (NT$210).

Presentation wise, the drinks reminded me a bit of Coffee Alley, with a frozen coffee ice cube and serving the drink, milk and sugar syrup on a tray.

The iced fresh fruit tea had the usual super sweet passionfruit and citrus flavor and came in a large carafe with a spoon and straw. I asked for a separate cup to pour my tea into, but I ended up drinking almost the whole thing anyway.

We were both amazed at how crowded it was in the late afternoon, even though the dining room was quite large. It was definitely mostly tables of women, with 1-2 men spotted. Was it the location? The food? The atmosphere?  Maybe it was the fusion and mega dessert menu, offering something for everyone.