french: i strongly recommend L'ATELIER DE JOEL ROBUCHON

L'ATELIER DE JOEL ROBUCHON

at Bellavita

No. 28, SongRen Road, 5FL, Xinyi District
(02) 8729-2628

MRT: Taipei City Hall

website: robuchon.com.tw

hours: 11:30AM- 2:30PM; 6PM- 10PM 

$$$-$$$$ 

Kid friendliness: not sure if there is a no kid policy, but have never seen kids there. 

Visit reviewed: 10/25/2012

When I saw that Chef Joël Robuchon was going to be in town for a week at the Taipei L'Atelier, I made reservations about a month before the dinner.  I had heard about him being in town before, but never managed to plan ahead, so I was excited to book enough seats for a group of friends dining there for the first time. After all, if you're going to splurge on a meal, it might as well be when the most Michelin-starred chef in the world was in town and everyone in the kitchen should be hustling to deliver.

Opened in 2009, L'Atelier de Joel Robuchon was the first restaurant opened in Taipei by a Michelin starred chef. It kicked off the wave of Michelin starred chefs in Taipei that followed- STAY at 101 by Chef Yannick Alleno, La Festa by Chef Igor Macchia, or visiting chefs like Chef Trincado or Chef Batavia. When it first opened, I honestly wondered if there were enough people in Taipei who would want to (and could afford to) dine at Robuchon to keep it in business. I heard good things, but the price tag somehow kept me from going until I felt like there was a special enough reason to go.

Each of the L'Atelier de Joël Robuchons around the world (Paris, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Las Vegas, Singapore and London) feature sushi bar style counter seating in front of an open kitchen, said to be inspired by Robuchon's time spent in Japan. The Taipei branch has dramatic red and black decor, from the moment you step out of the Bellavita elevator onto the 5th floor.

You could sit at the tables along the wall, but it's not as fun as being one of the diners that have a front row seat to the bustling kitchen.

On this night, we were asked to look at three different set menus and choose in advance, to expedite service since the restaurant was fully booked and we had a large group of 9 people. Half of us decided on getting the six course Menu Plaisir (NT$4280), and the other half ordered the eight course Menu Decouverte. Luckily, I got to taste both menus by splitting with a friend, as well as drink the bubbly that was ordered. Everything was divine and there is nothing better than sharing good food with great friends. We oohed and aahed at the plating, the flavors and the company. I was probably the most excited about getting the night's menu signed by Chef Robuchon and our group photo with him.

So here's a look at the Menu Plaisir. Hope the photos from the 4s capture the dishes... I wanted to be quick, so I didn't use my DSLR that night.

L'Amuse Bouche- foie gras mousse, port wine gelee and parmasean foam. Served warm, the sweet and savory flavors mingle together to start the meal. 

L'Hamachi - hamachi tartare with tomato juices and mustard seed. 

Le Potiron- pumpkin soup with country bread crouton and olive oil

Le Cabillaud- pan seared cod in a vierge sauce with a brandade croquette and mashed parsley

Le Boeuf- red wine braised beef cheek with polenta puree. This was pretty amazing.

I was a bit annoyed to find out that despite making reservations a month in advance, and asking for the best night that we did not get the "gala" night and menu, so L'Atelier graciously upgraded those of us with the Plaisir menu with the chocolate sphere instead of the pineapple dessert that came with the set.

It's always exciting when there's pouring action.

Let's crack this baby open...

Yum. Perfect ending to wonderful dinner.

For an all out splurge, go for the Menu Decouverte tasting menu (NT$6880) with 8 courses. There were definitely dishes on this that I felt wowed by over the other menu when you put them side by side. Since I had ordered the Menu Plaisir, and sharing the Decouverte, there were definitely dishes that I wish I could eat the whole plate instead of only half, like the scallops and the foie gras.

La Noix De Saint-Jacques- sea scallop carpaccio with caviar, lemon dressing and chives. Perfection.

Les Palourdes- "Lorighittas" pasta with clams, bottarga and tomatoes flavored with basil concasse. This was really nice. Fresh pasta, not too heavy. The braided shape was unusual and gave for a nice bite.

Le Homard- Steamed lobster ragout with girolle and peas in a bisque

Le Foie Gras- Roasted duck foie gras with carmelized seasonal fruit and almond. 

Yes, thank you.

L'Amadai- Shallow fried Amadai in a fine yuzu flavored daikon consomme with lily bulb.

At first glance, I thought the fish was covered in panko crumbs, but the server explained that it was actually the skin of the fish. 

When fried, the paper thin scales crisp up for a crunchy contrast to the perfectly cooked, tender snapper.

It was quite a trip, trying it for the first time. Definitely more exciting than the cod in the other set.

Le Porc- Pan seared iberico pork with shishito and shallots confit. 

I didn't love this dish, probably because I'm not a big fan of shishito. I ended up eating more of the beef cheek from the other set.

Le Pamplemousse- Fresh grapefruit sorbet with lime jelly. The beginning of the end.

La Vanille- Madagascar vanilla in profiteroles with rum flavor and bitter chocolate sorbet. 

This sculpted dessert was gorgeous, but how can you beat a dome of chocolate? 

Le Cafe Express- Coffee or tea with a macaron.

I had a much more memorable experience this time than I did last summer, when I had a three course lunch and felt slightly underwhelmed by the service and the food, perhaps having too high expectations for my first visit (comparing it to my meals at Abu Authentic and Tutto Bello). I think to dine at a place like L'Atelier, you have to indulge in a tasting menu to get the full ride.  The vibe was also different with the energy of a full house, in contrast to last year where my dining date and I noticed one of the chefs doing a little yelling at the other chefs, one downfall of an open kitchen, I suppose. 

For a mini Robuchon experience, diners can also try SALON DE THE de Joël Robuchon (Bellavita, 3F) which has a more casual menu and afternoon tea, as well macarons and breads available to go. 

Au revoir until we meet again.

Don't forget to vote for your favorite Taipei restaurants in this year's Readers' Choice Poll!

5th ANNUAL 2012 Best of Taipei Restaurants Readers' Favorites Poll

Woo hoo! I didn't forget about the Reader's Choice poll this year, I've just been a little crazed. Let's see if we can get more votes in this year. Will the previous winners take the top spots again? Or will your new favorite ramen/cafe/chirashi spot/coffee shop/bistro win the votes for being one of the favorites in Taipei?

VOTING

Voting will be open from November 28, 2012 - December 20th, 2012. There must be a minimum of 5 categories filled out (with different restaurants) in order for the vote to be counted. For example, you cannot fill out the same restaurant in 3 categories and nothing else. But if you really love that restaurant, vote for it in the applicable 3 categories and fill out 4 other categories, then it will count.

It's okay if you haven't tried everywhere in Taipei! No one has. It does not have to be a restaurant I've reviewed. So just vote for your favorites! So hope all of you that have been reading and learning where the best eats in Taipei can take a few minutes to vote!

You don't have to have a google account to vote. Just enter your name or initials and fill out the boxes underneath with your answer and hit submit at the end.

Also feel free to campaign for your restaurant or favorite eatery on Facebook, Twitter or your website with a link to this page. But only votes on this post will count.

I will tabulate and hope to announce the winners with a write up by end of January 2013 (fingers crossed!).

Remember there must be a minimum of 5 categories filled out (with different restaurants) in order for the vote to be counted. For example, you cannot fill out the same restaurant in 3 categories and nothing else. I reserve the right to cancel out votes that look like cut and paste by the same person/people.

taiwanese/chinese: i strongly recommend LU SANG YILAN DELICACIES

LU SANG 呂桑食堂 (or LV SANG)
No. 12-5 Yong Kang St.
台北市大安區永康街12－5號
(02) 2351-3323

MRT: Dongmen

website: lvsang.myweb.hinet.net

hours: 11:30AM - 2PM; 5PM- 9PM

$-$$ (about $200-300/person)

Kid friendliness: high chairs available

Visit reviewed: 3/29/2010 & 8/22/2010


Yong Kang Street is even more accessible now with the opening of the DongMen MRT stop last month, and will strengthen Yong Kang Jie as a "must eat" tourist destination for Taipei. Adventurous diners looking for real Taiwanese flavors should definitely include Lu Sang on their list. I first tried it a few years ago, as it was one of grandma's favorite places to go for Saturday night family dinner. She loved ordering a whole table full of eats and then treating everyone, exclaiming that the whole dinner was cheaper than than a few dishes at other fancier Chinese restaurants and the food was just was good, if not better. Quite a few other people felt the same way, as it was always crowded when we went for dinner, often with people waiting in front for a table on one of the two floors.



Earlier this year, HungryinTaipei was featured in the CNNGo's article of top 40 Taiwanese eats (look for one of my favorites at number 30). While the list can't cover everyone's favorite, you can find a great bowl of  lu rou fan or braised pork rice (number 1 on the list) Lu Sang, as well as a number of under the radar dishes.

The menu of Yilan dishes is on the wall- brightly lit to point and order. Or you can check out the eats on the counter top. Once you order, the food comes quickly to the table. The selection can be intimidating for a newbie with the large selection and names only in Chinese... I've been there multiple times and sometimes I still have to double check the wall when I go.

There's a lot on the menu to explore, but here are my top 3 eats that I must order everytime I come to Lu Sang (and that I think you should too).

(1) Gao Zha or deep fried chicken broth

With all the deep frying craze in the US (deep fried oreos? twinkies? avocados? butter?!), this is something you might imagine seeing at the county fair or at a Michelin starred restaurant, plated prettily with some foam. But instead you can enjoy this Yilan delicacy at Lu Sang.

The first time I tried it, I thought it was fried tofu, but it was a bit too creamy, too silky, too tasty. When my relatives tried to explain to me what it was, they couldn't quite do it. Some internet research showed that gao zha is chicken broth mixed with flour, chilled and sliced into cubes then coated with flour to deep fry. Don't make my previous mistake and accidentally order the fried tofu since the photos look quite similar.. it's definitely not as good. Just remember gao zha!

The result is amazing, though very very hot, so be careful with your first bite. I often cut mine in half to let the steam out and then take a bite of the crispy exterior and let the rest melt in my mouth.

(2) Sliced pig's liver (NT$100) To me, this tastes like a chilled foie gras- with that same creaminess and sweetness to be savored. It's one of those dishes that tastes much better than it looks. 

(3) Sliced cold chicken (NT$180)- usually very tender and juicy, each slice covered with the gelatinous textured skin. One of the more accessible dishes for those that don't want to eat livers or intestines. The meat is similar to Hainan Chicken, but the skin is almost crunchy.

If you order those dishes, you should be good to go, but here are few other dishes to give a try to round out the family style meal

Red Rice Wine Ang Chow Pork (NT$150) -the sauce is sweet and you can slightly taste the alcohol from the glutinous rice wine that's used to make it. I've had times where the pork is very tender (like a roasted char siu) and other times where it was a little tougher/drier.

Pork intestines- fatty and chewy and good

Taiwanese minced pork noodles

Soup noodles

Steamed pork with pickled cucumber with salted egg yolk is like a sweet and savory mini meatloaf, best paired with a bowl of rice- sweet from the Taiwanese style pickled cucumbers and savory from the soy sauce and creamy salted egg yolk atop. I like this dish, but no one else at the table really appreciates it and it's too big for me to finish myself.

Bamboo shoots

Mini hotpot with vegetables and seafood (NT$180)

Fresh vegetable salad with hu feng dressing 

Instead of tea, there's complimentary hot kumquat tea available to self serve in the back. Bottles of the syrup are available to purchase to make at home.

You could always make it a mini meal on an eating tour of Yong Kang Street, instead of lining up for Din Tai Fung, you could hit up the Knife Shaved noodle or the dumpling place and then grab the gao zha and pig's liver and then getting some mango ice. I've never seen any non Taiwanese diners at Lu Sang, but maybe after this post, I'll be seeing a few of you there.