a³ Bar and Restaurant

Visit: Mar. 2, 2012
Address: 台北市信義區松仁路28號 1F (Bellavita)
Number: (02) 8729-2866
Website: http://www.bellavita.com.tw/store.php?d=70

After my slight disappointment at SALON DE THE de Joel Robuchon, I was itching for something impressive. Since, a³ always comes up as one of the options when I search for afternoon tea restaurants, my friend and I decided to try it out. I could barely hold my excitement :D

Afternoon Tea Set Menu

Afternoon Tea Set Menu

Classic High Tea Set (for two) $980 NT

Classic High Tea Set for two

Top Layer

Top Layer

Lobster Salad - Sandwich (龍蝦沙拉)

Lobster Salad Sandwich

When I saw the sandwiches on the menu, I was expecting a really cheap-tasting mayonnaise filled sandwich. Instead, the lobster was cooked just right, and the sandwich had a nice rich creaminess.

Smoked Chicken & Cucumber - Sandwich (熏雞肉黃瓜)

Smoked Chicken & Cucumber Sandwich

 Once again, I was impressed with the way a³ made its sandwich.

Mini Beef Burger (迷你牛肉漢堡)
I've seen so many pictures of the burgers at a³, and all of them gave me the impression of a dry patty. When I bit into the burger though, there was meat juice dripping out of the juicy patty. The pickle in the burger also added a nice touch to the taste.


Insalata Bruschetta (義式番茄乳酪麵包)

Insalata Bruschetta

The topping of the bruschetta may taste relatively normal even though I definitely enjoyed the cheese, but the most impressive part of it all was the bread it was served on. I've had too many bruschettas served on floppy pieces of toast. a³ though, took the time to toast the bread so that the bruschetta had a really nice crunchiness.

Middle Layer

Middle Layer

Raisin English Scone (葡萄乾英式史康)

Raisin English Scone

 I'm not sure if it was because I took too long to get to the originally warm scone, but when I got to it, the scone was just too dry. To me, it lacked greatly in texture because the outside wasn't even crumbly!

Walnut Cup Cake (核桃杯子蛋糕)

Walnut Cup Cake

 When I got to this, I began to realize that maybe cakes aren't their strong suit. The cup cake though was okay, it was still a bit dry for my liking.

Savory Snack - Fried Shrimp on Bread (鹹味小點 - 炸蝦)

Fried Shrimp on Bread

 This was like a tempura on top of fried bread. When I first had it, I could feel the greasiness filling my mouth, but once I started chewing, I realized that it was all worth it. The fried shrimp on top as well as the fried toast on the bottom were both so unbelievably awesomely crispy.

Bottom Layer

Bottom Layer

Assorted Sweets - Brownie (綜合甜點 - 布朗尼)

Brownie

 There was a bit of an almond taste to the brownie - something that I've never had before until today. The brownie wasn't as sticky or chewy as an American brownie, but instead tasted a little bit like a yummy madeleine cake.

Assorted Sweets Mille-Feuille - (綜合甜點 - 千層派)

Mille-Feuille

 The chestnut cream on top fit really well with the mille-feuille. I have a bad habit of separating my cream from the pasty, but in this case, it tasted so much better with the two together.

Fresh Fruit Tart (水果塔)

Fresh Fruit Tart

It might look like a cupcake, but the out side is actually a tart shell and the inside some kind of cake. The crust was so awesome and the tart itself was filled with moist pound cake-like texture and an almond flavored center. This was definitely my favorite pastry of the entire set.

Almond Cake (杏仁蛋糕)

Almond Cake

 For some reason, I kept tasting hazelnut...but the menu said that it's almond cake. I liked the crispy almond on top but the cake itself was a little too creamy and rich for me. I liked the nutty aftertaste, but it was my least favorite dessert.

Caramel Macchiatto (焦糖瑪琪朵咖啡) ($180 NT without set)

Caramel Macchiatto

a³ provides one free refill for those who order the coffee.

Long Cheng Tea (龍井茶) ($200 NT without set)

Long Cheng Tea

 I loved how the waiters constantly refills my teapot (:

Out of all the afternoon tea sets I've had, a³ is definitely my favorite. I've encountered so many mayonnaise filled sandwiches, stale pastries, and nastily creamy cakes, but a³ seemed to be able to not fall into that trend. With waiters constantly refilling the teapot with water and clearing the clutter of plates from the table, I really enjoyed the service as well as the sophisticated atmosphere. If you're looking for some afternoon tea, a³ is definitely one you should consider!