tasting menu/bbq: I strongly recommend FIREPLAY TAIPEI

 

FIREPLAY TAIPEI

No. 6號, Lane 128, Fuhua Road, Shilin District, Taipei 

台北市士林區福華路128巷6號

MRT: Zhishan 

website: Fireplay FB page

hours: 6PM - 12AM; closed Monday and Tuesday  

$$  (dinner tasting menu NT$2400 + 10%)

Visit reviewed: 3/2021 (I was invited, but opinions are my own.)

street eats: I strongly recommend SPRING ONION PANCAKE VENDOR

SPRING ONION PANCAKE VENDOR 

corner of Anhe Road, Sec. 1 and Lane 102

near Ben Teppanyaki

$ 

Kid friendliness: you will see a line of kids waiting their turn afterschool 

Visit reviewed: 3/2021

When ordering spring onion pancake from a street vendor in Taipei, you will have to make a series of decisions. First decide if you want a half sheet (NT$30) or whole sheet (NT$60), then decide with egg or without, then lastly with sauce or without and if you want it spicy or not. Don't take too long to put in your order, otherwise you might have to wait an extra 5-10 minutes if others put in their order first. 

This street vendor often has a gaggle of kids and parents patiently waiting while he griddles, flips and rolls out new batches of dough with his magic rolling pin. After he's done rolling the pancake flat, he pulls out thin wooden center to fold half of it over again, so when he has to lift it, he can just lift the whole thing rather than try to scrape it off, and stand the outside of the pin on its side so it doesn't roll away. Kind of genius. 

I love the spring onion pancake here because it's just the right amount of doughy, chewy, crispy and hey all those hungry kids spending their pocket change on their afternoon snack can't be wrong. 

western: i still strongly recommend LAWRYS TAIPEI

LAWRYS TAIPEI

at Bellavita, 6F

28 Songren Road, Xinyi District 

(02) 2729-8555

MRT: Taipei City Hall

website: Lawry's FB page 

hours: 11:30AM - 3PM; 5:30PM- 10PM

$$$

 

Kid friendliness: high chairs and kids meals available 

Visit reviewed: 3/2021 (this meal was comped but opinions are all my own)

previous visit: 11/2011 

Lawry's Taipei moved to Bellavita last fall, its third and newest home in Taipei since opening in 2002. The new space is brighter with floor to ceiling windows and makes for much better photos than its previous basement location, and you might even get a seat with a view of Taipei 101. 

When I posted on Instagram earlier this week, many followers exclaimed they didn't even know Lawry's existed in Taipei. It's true I hadn't posted about Lawry's for ten years even though I had been a loyal customer since 2007. It was hard to take an appetizing photo there, and the plate always looked consistently the same. 

In recent years, the competition for steak in Taipei has gotten fiercer. Just in the Xinyi District alone, there is Texas Roadhouse, Morton's and Smith and Wollensky (which all show up as related searches on google when you search for "Lawrys Taipei"), and that's not even mentioning places like Top Cap, Wildwood or Muchoyaki. 

But for prime rib... Lawry's is still the best. 

The spinning salad with extra cold fork. The creamed corn. The Yorkshire pudding. The creamy and original horseradish sauce. The Lawrys' seasoned pepper and salt. The huge silver cart with prime rib cut to order with au jus and scoops of mashed potato. All the ritual of the classic Lawry's experience is still the same even after all this time. 

I like to get the prime rib "a la carte" which still comes with bread and butter and salad. If you upgrade to the set, you get an appetizer, soup, salad and dessert, but usually that makes the meal longer and I just want to get to the prime rib. The 10 ounce Lawry's Cut (NT$2590) should be plenty for most people, but if you're really hungry you can go for the 16 ounce Diamond Cut (NT$3690) or pack leftovers for prime rib sandwiches the next day. There's also the California and English cuts (6-7.5 ounces) or the 5 ounce Taipei Cut available only during lunch, 

Don't forget to mention if it's your birthday or anniversary and get a souvenir photo to take home. They used to have polaroids but now it's printed from an iPhone. I wish it was still Polaroid, but you can't 'complain about a complimentary service. 

PS. Yay for birthdays- this post was typed up and photos uploaded from my new MacBook Air. 💝 Let's see if we can keep posts going in 2021. 

I love this salad. the dressing, the beets, the bits of egg and crispness of the romaine.

creamed corn and creamed spinach

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

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

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A post shared by Joan (@hungryintaipei)

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