western/steak: i recommend LE BLANC

LE BLANC

No. 183 DaAn Road, Sec. 1
台北市大安區大安路一段183號

(02) 2700-7770

MRT: DaAn

website: Le Blanc's FB page

Hours: 11:30AM- 2:30PM; 6PM - 9PM

kid friendliness: short menu, so mac and cheese and fries for broccoli for kids unless they like steak and lobster

Visits reviewed: 12/29/2015 & 3/16/2016

Le Blanc is a new steak and lobster joint in town, just opened a few months ago in December 2015. The restaurant for the gleaming white Swiio Hotel next door, Le Blanc functions as a breakfast for hotel guests, but for lunch and dinner, they have the same menu- steak frites or lobster or both. Chef Long Xiong is from Boston/NY and wanted to bring some east coast flavor to Taipei, moonlighting from his other restaurant a few blocks away, Mume. 

The menu is short and sweet- Boston lobster (NT$1400) or steak frites (NT$1000 for 10 oz) and optional classic sides and desserts like truffled mac and cheese, mushrooms, creamed spinach or broccoli. There is no shortage of steak places in town, as a ton of new ones have opened in the past year (TK Steak and Seafood, Mortons, Top Cap), but I can't think of (m)any steak frites places in Taipei. 

Each meal includes romaine salad and warm popovers, and lobster can be chosen to be grilled or steamed. I like their popovers- they aren't as dry as the Yorkshire pudding from Lawry's and they even give you a pat of good butter if you need, though the popovers are seasoned already.

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The caesar salad included is a full portion that would cost you a couple hundred NT a la carte elsewhere, with flakes of parmesan cheese, hardboiled egg and candied walnuts. It was a nice touch that they grill the romaine for the winter season. Or you can opt for a bowl of the daily soup.

The whole Boston lobster (NT$1400) comes along with a lobster bib, scissors and skinny forks to scoop out the meat. If you don't want to get your hands dirty, then opt for the grilled lobster which is already cut in half. But I quite like the taste of sweet steamed lobster dipped in butter. You have to use a little elbow grease for unlocking the whole steamed lobster (and use the bib cuz it gets messy, with lobster brains squirting around), but the scissors cut through the shell easily, even for newbies like us who needed a little bit of direction from the server (pull off the head and cut down the center back). But I did get some lobster juice on my shirt because I didn't wear the bib! And the lobster brains- I forgot to take a photo of it because it got stolen away from me at the table, it's so good! 

Whole Boston lobster, split in half and grilled, with steamed corn, French fries and drawn butter.  The lobster from my first visit was on the smaller side, as the waitress asked me if I still wanted lobster when we ordered. Since I was sharing half with my date and eating some of his steak, I didn't get my fill. But during my second visit, I thought the steamed lobster was great size and very satisfying... maybe partially because one of the girls didn't eat any lobster so I had extra. Hah!

On my second visit, Chef Long stated that they will no longer accept lobsters less than 1 1/4 pounds from their vendor, so hopefully the issue no longer exists.

For my second visit to Le Blanc, we reserved two lobsters and ordered one steak frites, which was enough to share with three other lighter eaters. Of course if you are with a bunch of dudes, which I was on my first dinner there, then everyone will appreciate that they get to have 10 oz to themselves. I'll have to be honest- my first visit to Le Blanc, just a few weeks old at the time I was a little bit worried for them. The sides were terribly salty, the steak was a bit tough and the lobster was on the small side, but the restaurant seems to have worked through its growing pains and everything was on point for my second visit. 

Steak frites (NT$1000) you get to choose one choice of sauce from classic béarnaise, spicy horseradish or green peppercorn. The servers recommended the béarnaise to us. The fries can also be refilled upon request. I wonder if the roasted garlic can be too? haha. Love roasted garlic- it brings out the sweetness. The server recommended that we get the steak at medium rare (level 3 doneness) and it was perfectly done on my second visit. 

Truffled mac and cheese (NT$180)-- my girl friends said that they usually don't like mac and cheese but they liked this.. With a bit of bread crumb crust, the truffle flavor is not strong, but the gemelli pasta is bathed in hot, cheese sauce. I also like the roasted mixed mushrooms (NT$180). It's great to have steak frites in Taipei when you don't want to pay an arm and a leg for full set at a steakhouse. 

Creamed Spinach (NT$180) 

Le Blanc's placemat/menus from my first visit

The chocolate mousse (NT$180) was surprisingly good. I usually don't like mousse, but this was more fudgey and thick. Would totally order this again with chocolate lovers.

Almond clafoutis (NT$180)  I don't think this on the menu anymore since now they are serving freshly baked cookies, but this was tasty as well.

All in all, I think Le Blanc can find a place in Taipei's busy dining scene if they can serve consistently good food with good service. Down the line, it would be great to see an option for steak salad or lobster salad in the NT$600-700 range? The space is quite large and suitable for big groups, although it's quite odd you have to go to the hotel side and down the elevator or stairs to go to the restroom. I will be back to try the freshly baked cookies as well as get my lobster and steak fix. 

indian: i recommend KHANA KHAZANA

KHANA KHAZANA  

No. 366 Keelung Rd, Sec. 1 

臺北市信義區基隆路一段366號

(02) 8786-9366 

MRT: Taipei 101 / World Trade Center 

website: khanakhazana.com.tw

Hours: 11am-2:30pm; 5:30pm-10:30pm 

Visit reviewed: 4/13/2016 & 2/12/2014 & 10/21/2013

It's been a while since I've been to Khana Khazana, but I've been wanting to retry their lunch sets.  They are one of the few Indian restaurants in Taipei offering lunch sets under NT$200, as well as a halal menu. It's not very far from the original branch of Mayur's Indian Kitchen, also on Keelung Road, across from Grand Hyatt Taipei. You can see the bright orange sign when you are approaching, and huge photos of the owner with Ang Lee, who shot Life of Pi in Taiwan.

Inside is decorated with jewel colored tones, Khana Khazana seat about 40 people, but I've never seen it very crowded in the handful of visits I've gone over the past few years. The menu is sprawling and varied, but what sets Khana Khazana apart is their business lunch set menu. Good options for vegetarians with over 20 vegetable dishes on the menu. 

The set comes with a curry, chickpeas, pakora, rice and naan. Chicken set is NT$180 and vegetarian set is NT$160. Beef and lamb are also available. I had good impressions of the vegetarian lunch set as well as the chicken tikka wrap from the last time I went, so lunch with mom was a good excuse to go back. Thanks to my instagram to remind me what I thought back then in 2014. 

I decided to get the chicken set, even though in the past I haven't had the best of luck with lunch sets in Taipei. Usually it's a watered down, cheaper version of their regular food, especially for the meat curries because they have to sell it such a low price. But I wouldn't know until I tried it. I was debating on whether or not to add a butter chicken to my order, but the server (owner?) dissuaded me, telling me that the set would be filling for one person. (Little did he know who he was talking to! Lol!)

Vegetable curry set (NT$160)

The sets came out fairly quickly and were slightly different than my last visit. Instead of aloo gohbi, this time it was a vegetable curry for my mom; the salad was instead chopped onions and the hot fried samosa type dumpling was instead pakora. 

Chicken curry set (NT$180)

The good? You really do get a lot of variety for the lunch price since meals at many Indian restaurants can add up since they are portioned and priced to share. The naan was great, and more chewy than I recall than at other places.  

The bad? My mom disliked that the pakoras (fried onions) were not served hot and the chickpeas were a bit sour (is that typical?). She also disliked how big and thick the samosas were, although I had no problem with it. I told her that usually people like it when they are getting a big portion for the price. Lol. 

Samosas (NT$90 for 2) stuffed with curried potatoes and peas. meat option available too. I liked the samosas as they are similar to the ones I've had in the states, but it's very filling.

When the food came, I still ended up having to add an ala carte butter chicken since the chicken in the set was a bit bland, being chicken breast, and not tandoori chicken, and there were only two pieces. Come on, I needed the butter chicken curry to dip my naan in and be satisfied! Of course, altogether it ended up being too much to finish, (along with adding the samosas), but I packed leftovers to go for later.

Butter chicken (NT$350) 

In the future, I'd probably share veggie lunch set with my mom (neither of us finished the naan) and add butter chicken (NT$350). I wouldn't mind getting the chicken tikka wrap again, or inviting a bigger group of friends to share more dishes. 

In terms of how Khana Khazana ranks with other Indian restaurants, I think Balle Balle and Saffron are still my favorites, along with Joseph's Bistro. I do want to try MIK 4ever (Mayur Indian Kitchen's buffet style restaurant). I wish one of the Indian restaurants in Taipei would figure out a way to do lunch set with choices-- so that I could opt for the butter chicken curry or whatever I wanted, add a side of veggies or two and choice of naan and rice, like they do in the states or Singapore, so it's portioned for one person, but charge a little more than they do for the lunch sets they have now. If it was good quality and portions, I wouldn't mind paying NT$250-400 for that.

taiwanese/dessert: CHILDHOOD ICE

CHILDHOOD ICE 小時候冰菓室 
No. 39, Lane 51, DaAn Road, Sec. 1
台北市大安區大安路一段51巷39號
(02) 8771-9521

MRT: ZhongXiao/DunHua

website: Childhood Ice's FB page

hours: 1PM - 10PM

$-$$

Kid friendliness: yes for fruit and shaved ice lovers

Visit reviewed: 3/28/2014

Opened for almost one year, this shaved ice shop in the East District has a retro feel complete with a Street Fighter arcade game in the front. My eyes were first drawn to the cans of condensed milk stacked on the tiled counter then to the simple red and white menu above. When I tried to decipher the menu, they pointed me to the photos of their popular bowls taped up on the wall behind me. The decor is simple, but themed- reminders of our youth- with faded movie posters of A Better Tomorrow and hopscotch squares chalk outlines on the cement floor accompanying a few metal tables with colorful stools.

I was here for the strawberry adorned shaved ice I had spied on instagram, with strawberry halves carefully laid out in rows atop a small mountain of shaved ice. Other options include mango (when in season), peanut milk ice, green mung bean milk ice, red bean milk ice and fruit smoothies.

Strawberry shaved ice with condensed milk and panna cotta (NT$200)

The shaved ice was like eating a huge bowl of crunchy, small shards of ice rather than the finer kind that melts in your mouth. The ice itself was flavorless despite being soaked in brown sugar and condensed milk, and because it wasn't powdery, it didn't absorb the sweetness. I also prefer it when the condensed milk touches the ice rather than the fruit, but since the strawberries weren't super sweet, it probably needed the extra boost. If you are the type of person who likes to crunch the ice in their drinks, then you won't mind this kind, but we ended up not finishing half the bowl, and we can usually finish a bowl of shaved ice. If I came back, I would try the smaller matcha strawberry ice available for half the price at NT$100, although the texture of the ice would probably be the same. So I'd probably end up back at my favorite, oldie but goodie Tai Yi Milk King, or at one of the snowflake ice shops instead. 

At least I got in a couple free games of Street Fighter afterwards. Funnnnnn! Definitely reminds me of my childhood.

news: IN-N-OUT TAIPEI POP UP 2016 (PART 2)

my lucky friend S's double double. she got a 12PM bracelet at 9:30AM and started waiting in line at 11:30AM and sat down at 1PM.  she let me use her pic because i told her about the pop up! 

By chance, I got a heads up about today's In-N-Out pop up in Taipei and so I did a blurb on the blog yesterday and posted it on Facebook. And man, were you guys excited. 53K excited. Over 53,000 of you saw and shared the Facebook post and hundreds of people showed up at Goodies Cuisine this morning. 

So many people were in line that I could even see the long line from the RenAi circle while I was going somewhere else. So I had to stop by and get some pictures since SO MANY of you guys were so crazy about it (and some pissed off that it was on a freakin' Thursday since you weren't about to ditch work or school for a burger. Even for In N Out). 

The In-N-Out event was advertised for 11AM, but the event manager told me that the people who got the first batch of wristbands had started lining up at 6AM. The last batch of wristbands were completely given out before 10AM. So people who showed up even an hour before the event started were out of luck. One wristband per person, one burger per wristband. Those who got their golden ticket wristbands in the morning and came back to wait in line to order and get their burgers around their designated time slot. Few brands could inspire such devotion-- if In N Out did ever open permanently here, odds are that there would be four hour plus waits like there were for Krispy Kreme when they first opened.

Today was a HOT day to be waiting in line around the block, but everyone seemed patient in their anticipation. In the 10 minutes I was there taking pictures, I overheard several people who dropped by being turned away by the In N Out door bouncer, since they did not show up early enough to get a wristband. 

Without a wristband I couldn't go inside, but I grabbed these shots through the glass door at the front. The bright red and white menu should look familiar to anyone who has been to In N Out and they even offered to do burgers "Animal Style" or "Protein Style," (both phrases I believe they have trademarked.) Prices are extremely reasonable-- NT$100 for a double double, NT$160 for a double double combo-- although they couldn't do the In N Out fresh french fries here and served potato chips instead. I feel like even the casual burgers here are not that cheap considering the prices --Burger and Co is NT$180 for a cheeseburger, Burger Ray is NT$195, Burger Fix is NT$185, Bing is NT$300 cheeseburger with fries, 1885 Burger is NT$195 with fries, Diner NT$310 cheeseburger with fries (approximate prices). Of course, you can't price it too cheaply, otherwise you'll go out of business, even if the food is good ie Burger Stop.

Why does In N Out do these seemingly random surprise pop ups in Asia on the other side of the world? The last few years has seen In N Out pop ups in Manila, Sydney, Hong Kong, Singapore and even London.  In N Out says it's to "promote and expand their brand and determine the best way to continue reaching customers around the world" (as they stated in their response to my Facebook inquiry about the event's authenticity on In N Out's official Facebook page) but essentially they are peeing on their territory, ie their trademarks, outside of the US. They want people in Asia who have never heard of In N Out, much less tasted it, to see this frenzy and know they are the OG and the real deal.   Raise false hopes that one day there might be a permanent In N Out in Taiwan, so that copycats can't try to use their trademarked menu names like "Animal Style" and "Double Double" without a fight. You can thank Caliburger for that. 

So did any of you get a burger today? Where are you going to get your burger cravings satisfied until your next trip to California? My unofficial poll on instagram showed a lot of love for Burger Ray, and runner up, Burger and Co.  I guess I know what my next post should be!

News: IN N OUT TAIPEI POP UP 2016

Luckily I had a friend give me a heads up about the In N Out pop up tomorrow. TOMORROW APRIL 7TH! YES, it is a real thing, not an April Fools' joke. The last time I heard about it a few years ago (thanks to Instagram), my friends went running and got their burgers after a few hours. I can't make it tomorrow, but if you have the patience and the cravings you can try your luck tomorrow at Goodies Cuisine (and that means showing up at least at 10am). Report back here if you succeed!  You're welcome!