western/italian: i recommend VVG THINKING

VVG THINKING
at Huashan 1914 Cultural Creative Park
No. 1, Bade Road Sec. 1
華山文創產業園區．
紅磚六合院 / C 棟 ( 杭州北路．北平東路口 )
(02) 2322-5573


MRT: ZhongXiao/XinSheng

website: VVG's FB

hours: Noon- 9:00pm

$$

Kid friendliness: room for strollers. pastas and risottos and dessert fare

Visit reviewed: 1/25/2013

Sometimes you need a quiet place to be alone with your thoughts, with a cup of coffee and some atmosphere. Where to find that among the hustle and bustle of crowded cafes and diners and food courts in Taipei? 

Deep inside the Huashan 1914 Creative Park is VVG Thinking, the latest restaurant from the VVG empire, which may be the biggest, most eclectic and hipster of them all. I was meeting friends there and got a bit lost as VVG Thinking wasn't on the map as there are two sides to Huashan Park. A phone call and some directions led me to a row of red bricked buildings and a pair of angel statues to point me to the entrance.

Once inside, you might find your eyes wandering up as the ceiling at the entrance, at the grand two story ceiling and the industrial meets vintage chic warehouse space.  VVG Thinking transformed the former factory space into a first floor bistro and second floor shop. I didn't even know there was a shop upstairs until my friends mentioned that I should check it out, so be sure not to miss it.

And in true VVG fashion, presentation sets the tone for the meal. Even the potato bread comes in an aluminum tin can, wrapped in layers of paper.

The menu has various lunch sets available at NT$880-1480 (available only from 12noon to 2PM), depending on how many courses you choose, as well as a la carte soups, pastas, salads, risottos and main dishes, mostly around NT$300-500. But the portions run on the small side, so you might find yourself ordering more than one dish to be full, or thinking about a post meal snack elsewhere, so you might consider ordering a set.

The salads come in a glass tumbler, capped with a wooden lid so you can shake and mix the dressing in. It's really a cool way to present the salad, which doesn't look as fancy when it's poured onto the plate with the slim toppings.

The pink shrimp and grapefruit salad (NT$320) comes with a spicy Thai chili dressing which did have a kick to it. We also tried the apple and prosciutto salad (NT$320) which came with long paper thin shavings of apple and a shiso and yuzu dressing. Between the two, I'd order the apple and prosciutto again first.

The dishes slowly made their way to the table one by one and we were getting a bit impatient and hungry. So prepare to share a bit of your food, or don't come too hungry. 

The mentaiko, scallop and mushroom linguine (NT$420) came drizzled with mentaiko sauce (mayo?).

I thought the scallop and mushroom risotto with white truffle oil (NT$420) would be a good dish to share, as the waitress said it was one of the more filling dishes, but it turned out to be a quarter the size I thought it would be. The flavor was on point, but for the price I wished there was a lot more than a few spoonfuls. (For a fuller plate of risotto, check out Bianco or Sonnetor Cafe)

The porcini linguine with white truffle oil (NT$380) came with more greens and pepper seasoning than my friend expected.

The zucchini and shrimp linguine (NT$360) was fairly light, but probably more filling among the dishes we ordered.

Time to go explore...

Looking up at the loft like shelves and second floor...

Looking down at the desserts...

You could instagram here the whole afternoon and not have to post one photo of the food.

Always love thumbing through cookbooks.

All in all, a very cool place to explore and maybe do a bit of thinking, browsing, eating and have a conversation with friends.

Western/French: VVG BISTRO

VVG BISTRO (or HAO YANG)
20, Alley 40, Lane 181, Zhongxiao E Rd, Sec 4,
(02) 8773 3533

Weekdays 12am to 11pm
Weekends 11am to 11pm

$$-$$$

visit reviewed: 4/26/2006

Finding VVG Bistro is like finding a secret - it's one of those restaurants tucked into a alley lane off a main street, there is no signage declaring the name of the restaurant, and there is a garden-like deck patio out front, so that you might miss the entrance to the restaurant. Inside it's like as if someone from MOMA created the interior design- plastic wavy lights deck the ceiling, cardboard sculptures line the walls, usually there is jazz or pleasant ambient music in the air.


The food is usually very, very good, or VVG, but I have to admit that in my most recent trips there, I have been more increasingly disappointed. Is it because the owner opened another restaurant a few doors down, VVG TABLE, and splits her time to the detriment of both places? Or is it because they change their menus with the seasons and I have to rediscover what I like? Honestly, I think it was I wasn't in the mood that day for their leisurely service, which seemed to be at a s-u-p-e-r s-l-o-w snail's pace that afternoon.

The menu changes every few months and features a few appetizers, soups, salads, some pastas and meats and desserts. Their food is always beautifully presented and encouraged to share family style, though the portions are smaller than you would find at an American style restaurant.

When we sat down, we requested their pesto and bread (NT$60) to start, which features fresh pesto and toasted bread. Even though the restaurant was virtually empty, it took them awhile for it to get to our table. The pesto is pretty addictive, with the basil, garlic and olive oil mix that is the right combination of each to spread on your warm slice of bread.


In past visits, I really enjoyed their mushroom soup, which was like a buttery puree of mushrooms that melted in your mouth. This time, the soup looked beautiful - presented in a martini glass, but tasted sourly bitter.


The server said that it might be the cognac and the new type of mushroom they were using that I was tasting, instead of the old version that I was used to, which had been served in a cappucino cup. So instead she offered to replace it with the tomato soup which actually was a hearty tomato mushroom broth soup with lots of different mushrooms in it, including shiitake, porcini, oyster mushrooms.


Their soups (NT$150-180) are typically pretty good- so my friends' pumpkin and watercress soups were very tasty as well. Flavorful, not too creamy or watery, but colorful and pureed so that you wonder what different elements went into making such a good tasting soup.


The caesar salad (NT$280) comes in an oversized clear bowl and is enough to share with 2-4 people.


My favorite main dish is probably the roasted chicken dome (NT$540) though this time it was stuffed with water chestnuts which I don't like. The baked chicken is tender and juicy and the skin is crispy. It was served with angel hair and a delicious pile of mushrooms and mushroom sauce. After this visit, it was still VVG.


The roast duck leg (NT$520) was also roasted, though not as tender as the chicken. It came with a tiny side of green tea infused rice, which was bit on the dry side.


The filet mignon (NT$750) was very soft. I do not frequent French food often, so I don't know if this just the way that filet mignon is served or if it's the beef they have here or if it's the medium rareness of it? Anyways, I find it mushy for steak which was also the case with my experience at Bolero which is also a French restaurant in Taipei. Hmmm. Perhaps more seasoned French cuisine eaters can shed some light for me?


Someone in our party had the lemongrass linguine (NT$320) which I had a small bite of it. It was very citrus and light, which the pasta had a good bite. It came in a deceptively wide and deep plate bowl, which made the portion look small, but it was actually a healthy amount of linguine.


The desserts also disappointed this time, perhaps because the open kitchen took away the mystique of it all. I saw them heat up the rice pudding (NT$120) in the microwave, and it wasn't even that warm when it was consumed on the table. It was like a dense custard with soggy carmelized rice krispys on the bottom, and the top looks as if it should be crispy, but it is not.


The carrot cake (NT$180), while topped off with fresh cream cheese frosting and was tasty, it was TINY. Smaller than a cupcake and definitely not worth the price they charge. But the candied walnuts on top and cream cheese frosting left you wanting more.



Again, I was unhappy with the pace of service that day. Not with the time the food came to the table because I know that takes time to be prepared, but before and after our meal, we had to wave someone down and ask three times for our check. Because the restaurant was not close to being crowded the day we went and they have an open kitchen, I expected decent servcice. I could see other workers busy with kitchen duties, who were very non-attentive and maybe it's not their job to serve us, but if there is only one server and she has disappeared then they should keep an eye out for their customers. There is one person who usually serves us and she is very good, but when she's not there then expect to wait. If Grace, the owner is there, definitely get her recommendations.

They have a weekend brunch, but I haven't tried it. I have tried the brunch at their sister restaurant, the newer VVG Table, and it's definitely worth the trip out to find it. We used to take a lot of people here to enjoy the atmosphere and food, especially since you wouldn't typically expect bistro food like this in Taiwan. As I said, finding VVG Bistro is like having a secret, but once you know, it's up to you whether or not you want to tell anyone else.

snapshot/brunch: i recommend VVG Table

VVG TABLE
No. 14, Lane 40, Alley 181, ZhongXiao E. Road, Sec. 4
(02) 2775-5120

MRT: ZhongXiao/DunHua

Hours:11:30 am-9:30 pm
Brunch: Saturday/Sunday 11 am-4 pm

$$

Visit reviewed: 12/13/2009
Last visit written: 3/2006




VVG Table still offers a weekend bento-ish brunch for those who are tired of plain old eggs and pancakes. Instead- you get grilled pork over couscous, a soft boiled egg, a crepe and baked half pear stuffed with cherries. Not to mention the latte in a bowl and cinnamon red wine and the huge grape/berry juice. It's different every time I come, so it's sort of a surprise each time.

One thing that has stayed the same is the starter- be sure to try all the different sauces and breads- nutella, honey, marmalade and fruit preserves. I have witnessed the nutella spoon being licked, but luckily not on this visit.



We were advised to eat the soft boiled egg first, and how I do like a soft boiled egg.



I was pretty excited to have couscous, but not excited to see raisins and have to pick them out. Ugh.



Everything tasted lovely as usual- delicate and with finesse. If only brunch at VVG Table weren't so dang expensive- (about NT$500-600) I could eat here more often. But despite the price, the eclectic space is full of people, some others also armed with cameras. If you don't get a seat without a reservation, you can try VVG or VVG Bon Bon.



I had a fun tweet up with two new friends. Perhaps we'll brunch again soon.

snapshot/brunch: i recommend weekend brunch at VVG BISTRO

VVG BISTRO or HOW YANG
20, Alley 40, Lane 181, Zhongxiao E Rd, Sec 4,
(02) 8773 3533

$$

snapshot with iphone: 3/14/2009
previous review: 4/2006

The more I eat at the different brunches around town, the more I appreciate the variety and inventiveness and flavors of weekend brunch at VVG Bistro. While it's not a traditional pancake and eggs breakfast by any means, it's a changing set course that always manages to surprise and delight me.

This particular set is a flashback to earlier this year in March, and included fat, crispy crab cake and cheese, mushroom, sausage omelette.



If you can't get a seat at VVG Bistro, they might just redirect next door to VVG Table whose brunch is equally good, or the nearby girly VVG Bon Bon. Brunch is available weekends at a leisurely 11am until 4pm in the afternoon.


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