SALON DE THE de Joel Robuchon

Visit: Feb. 26, 2012
Address: 台北市松仁路28號 3F (Bellavita)
Number: (02) 8729-2626
Website: http://www.robuchon.com.tw/salon/desserts.php

Tea Set for 2 (下午茶組 - 二人份) $1200 NT
Tea Set - Vegetarian Tomates Confites, Courgette et Mozzarella (蔬菜起司三明治) + $100 NT

Vegetarian Tomates Confites, Courgette et Mozzarella

 The tea set included a choice of sandwich, but none of the options suited my sister, so despite the additional cost, she decided to get this. The bread was really unique because it wasn't the normal toast or bread, instead it was extremely thin and crispy. For someone craving something lighter and salty, this might not be the best option because the inside was a little oily from the cheese, and sweet from the red pepper.


Tea Set - Le Cappuccino (熱卡布奇諾) , Madaleine (檸檬瑪德蓮), Chocolate Macaron & Sesame Macaron (巧克力 & 芝麻 馬克龍), Tarte Chocolat- Caramel (焦糖巧克力塔), and Opéra (歐培拉)

From top left: Le Cappuccino, Madaleine, Chocolate Macaron & Sesame Macaron, Tarte Chocolat-Caramel, and Opéra

 Tea Set - Madaleine (檸檬瑪德蓮)
The Madaleine cake was good but not spectacular. I really liked the caramelized outside, but the inside wasn't special at all.


Tea Set -  Chocolate Macaron & Sesame Macaron (巧克力 & 芝麻 馬克龍) ($80 NT each without set)

Form left: Chocolate Macaron and Sesame Macaron

 Unlike usual macarons, these macarons had a little something special inside. The chocolate macaron though wasn't bad, was a little mediocre while the sesame macaron really brought out the sesame flavor. Compared to the macaron I just had at Patisserie Sadaharu AOKI though, these were just not as good.


Tea Set - Tarte Chocolat-Caramel (焦糖巧克力塔) ($190 NT without set)

 The caramel on top completed me <3. Between the caramel and the tart was a layer of whipped cream which was a little unnecessary and just made the dessert a bit too heavy. The chocolate within the tart was also a bit too creamy even though the tart itself was awesome. Overall, the tart was good except... there were peanuts in the tart...whole peanuts. When I bit into them, I must have had a pretty weird expression on my face because I was definitely not expecting peanuts to be in my dessert. Maybe I'm overreacting, but who puts whole peanuts in pastries? The waitress could have told me about them when I asked her what was in the tarte chocolat-caramel. The peanuts were just out of place, and completely destroyed and degraded the dessert.

Tea Set - Opéra (歐培拉) ($200 NT without set)
I was really impressed with the number of different layers in the cake. The outside was of dark chocolate, while the middle layers consisted of coffee, chocolate, cream and probably a lot of others. Although the dessert looked impressive, I didn't really enjoy it that much. At the first few bites, the cake was pretty yummy, except when it's for me to finish the entire piece, I started to feel really grossed out. This is something I'd share with a few other people, but I definitely cannot take the creaminess alone.


Tea Set - Wedding Imperial (皇家結婚進行曲) ($250 NT without set)

Wedding Imperial

 The caramel scented tea was a really nice and refreshing fit for afternoon tea.

Tea Set - Le Cappuccino (熱卡布奇諾) ($200 NT without set)

Le Cappuccino

 I didn't try this, but according to my sister the cappuccino was a little heavy. Not sure if it actually was, or it was because of the desserts we had.


A few other items we ordered...

From left: Brioche au Sesame, Canele, and some sort of pastry

Brioche au Sésame (芝麻布里歐)
The Brioche au Sesame just tasted like regular bread with a little bit of white sesame filling. Although I really liked the sesame filling since it wasn't overly sweet, I really wished that there was a lot more of the fTilling.


Canelé (可麗路)
The Canele was very ordinary. I felt like the insides were a little too moist and packed, while the outside wasn't caramelized enough. After finishing the Canele, I suddenly missed the Canele from Le Gout.

Galette Bretonne (小圓酥餅)
I really liked this cookie-like/pie-like pastry. It tasted like crumbly pie crust except with a more cookie-like texture. Actually, now that I think of it, it reminds me a little bit of some of the yummy Chinese cookies.


Mille-feuille à la Fraise (草莓千層派)

Mille-feuille à la Fraise

I'm starting to realize that it's hard to stop people from eating or butchering the dessert before take my picture.The crispiness of the dessert as well as the natural tart flavor from the strawberries really balanced each other out. As I chewed on the dessert, I actually smiled because I haven't had such a good mille-feuille in a long time.

I think I've heard too much about SALON DE THE de Joel Robuchon for it to ever live up to my expectations. Although the tea set and pastries were a little on the pricey side, the breads were surprisingly reasonable. If you just simply want something good to go with your drink, I think that focusing your attention on the bread would actually be a good idea. I definitely recommend SALON DE THE de Joel Robuchon for those looking for a nice place to enjoy some afternoon tea.

Ton 28 [同28]

Visit: Feb. 26, 2012
Address: 台北市信義區松仁路28號 6F (Bellavita)
Number: (02)2722-2888
Website: http://www.bellavita.com.tw/eng/store.php?d=35

I wasn't really in the mood for a set on a Sunday afternoon, so instead of getting a set like the rest of my parents, I just ordered a few of the dishes I was in the mood in.

Fried Burdock (Complimentary)

Fried Burdock

 There was actually more than what's in the picture because I couldn't stop the rest of my family from snitching a few pieces before I could whip out my camera fast enough. The fried burdock was lightly salted and crispy, but without being greasy. It was a really nice way to start the meal.

Tempura (Complimentary)

Tempura

 I have no idea what the exact name of this dish was, but it was definitely some sort of tempura. Although the tempura was good, the sauce was a little too salty. I also felt like they should have served the tempura and the sauce separately so it wouldn't be as soggy when I finally got around to enjoying it.

Salad ($880 NT Set)

Salad

 Although I didn't have the chance to sample the salad, my parents really liked the piece of cheese and the salad seemed to be okay. The only thing I was able to try was the scallop in the salad. The scallop was way too overcooked and was chewy and rubbery.


Assorted Sashimi ($880 NT Set)

Assorted Sashimi

The sashimi was pretty fresh except for a few pieces with tendons in it. There was this one piece wrapped with onions inside, mmm... it was good.

Steak with Black Pepper Sauce ($880 NT Set)

Steak with Black Pepper Sauce

 I tried some of the steak and was so disappointed. The steak was overdone and I felt like I was chewing on cheap pepper sauce soaked rubber. I know it's a bit harsh, but I felt like I might as well have been in a food court, with the steak served on the teppanyaki plates. I was half expecting a scoop of rice and an egg served on the side.

Broiled Fish ($880 NT Set)

Broiled Fish

 As a replacement for the steak that my mom and grandma switched out, they served the broiled fish. I felt like the fish was a little dry, but maybe I'm overthinking it.
 
Salmon Rice ($880 NT Set)

Salmon Rice

 The rice didn't have a lot of flavor and I wished that there were a lot more salmon pieces so I didn't feel like I was just eating soggy overcooked rice.

Pickled Vegetables ($880 NT Set)

Pickled Vegetables

 Personally, I like pickled radish or pickled vegetables in that matter. But the pickled cabbage was way too salty :/

Miso Soup ($880 NT Set)

Miso Soup

 The miso soup was so salty!!! That's all I remember though.

Broiled Buri Chin (鰤魚下巴) $460 NT

Broiled Buri Chin

 I was craving some fatty fish with crispy skin, so I decided to get the broiled buri chin. The chin was pretty good, but my cravings were definitely not satisfied because the fish didn't have as much oil content as usual. There was more meat than normal chin portions though. Sometimes, I could taste the salt patches, but other than that, I really liked the fish. The broiled fish tasted so good with lime slices, so remember to ask for more!


Assorted Sashimi (季節性盛合刺身) $680 NT

Assorted Sashimi

 This is what the a la carte sashimi looks like. There were around 9 pieces if I remember correctly.


Crispy Tofu (脆皮豆腐) $180 NT

Crispy Tofu

 There were actually six pieces in the serving, but I just couldn't get my camera out fast enough before my family started eating. Although the dish didn't taste Japanese at all, it was certainly fried to awesomeness. The outside was just so crisp and and the tofu was really light. Although the sauce isn't necessary, the sauce itself was really good too.

Broiled Threadfin Fish (午仔魚) $1000 NT 

Broiled Threadfin Fish

 The fish was mediocre and although it wasn't bad, I don't think it's worth the price at all. The buri chin was definitely better.

Fruits & Wood Ear Soup (Complimentary)

Fruits & Wood Ear Soup

 Seeing that I finished three bowls of the wood ear soup, it's obvious that I really liked it (: In my defense though, the bowl was only one third filled. The soup wasn't too sweet and the wood ear was cooked just right.

When I made reservations at Ton 28, I was expecting more of a fine dining experience with really good food. The food wasn't bad, but it was just a little bit slightly overpriced for me to fully be able to enjoy mediocre food (except for the crispy tofu). At a mall like Bellavita, I was really disappointed in the service. The waitress and waiters though were somewhat attentive, didn't seem very professional or friendly. I guess if you wanted to try Ton 28, go for it, but if not, there are many more nice Japanese restaurants around Taipei.

The Diner

Visit: Feb. 24, 2012
Address: 台北市信義區松壽路12號1樓 (Att4Fun)
Number: (02) 7737-5055
Website: http://www.thediner.htm.tw


Banana Chocolate Pancake 香蕉巧克力美式煎餅 ($330 NT)

Banana Chocolate Pancake

 This three-layer pancake was a bit of a frightening sight when it was first served. The seemingly abundant chocolate sauce drizzled on top of the warm pancakes promised to satisfy my sweet tooth; however, because the pancakes were a little dry and did not have as many chocolate chips as I hoped there would be, the chocolate sauce still wasn't enough. The whipped cream might seem like a gigantic portion, but you'll definitely clean off every last bit due to the huge portion of pancakes. The Banana slices that covered the surface area of the pancake  not only worked with the pancakes, but also helped me convince myself that this was a healthy meal.

Chicken Jambalaya 紐澳良什錦飯 ($390 NT)

Chicken Jambalaya

 When my friend got this dish, I was expecting a huge yummy portion of Spanish food. However, the Chicken Jambalaya was a disappointment. The pieces of Spanish ham though was flavorful, its quality did not extend to the overall dish. The most disappointing part was that the rice was so soggy that it just wasn't appetizing.

Brownie + Vanilla Ice Cream 巧克力布朗尼+香草冰淇淋 ($130 NT)

Brownie + Vanilla Ice Cream

I love it when brownies are served warm! The two generous scoops of ice cream contrasting the huge serving of warm brownie and chocolate sauce was just the thing to satisfy my sweet tooth. With chunks of walnuts within the moist brownie itself, I just couldn't stop myself from reaching for more of the brownie. Even though I shared the dessert with a friend, at the end of the dessert, I felt a little grossed out by the sugar from the vanilla ice cream and the the brownie.

I definitely recommend the diner to those craving some American food. The Diner offers a wide selection of breakfast dishes as well as sandwiches and burgers. Although I really enjoyed my brownie this time, I would definitely go back for the pecan pie and apple pie that I was eying the whole night.

Coffee Alley [咖啡弄]

Visit: Feb. 24, 2012
Address: 台北市松壽路12號三樓 (Att4Fun)
Number: (02) 7737-0700
Website: www.coffee-alley.com.tw 

Decaf Coffee (低咖啡因咖啡) $120 NT

Decaf Coffee

I know I seem like an old woman when I get decaf coffee, but hey, it was late at night. The coffee itself was okay, but the sugar cookies tasted a little cheap.


Strawberry Mille-Feuille (法式草莓千層派) $120 NT

Strawberry Mille-Feuille

 This definitely is not on my list of favorite desserts. The cream basically butter and too thick and heavy. The pie itself although was crispy, left a pretty oily aftertaste, which was not pleasant at all. When I got the Strawberry Mille-Feuille, I was expecting a light and airy late night dessert, instead I left coffee alley feeling a little sick.


Overall, Coffee Alley was just a bit disappointing. Like Dazzling, they have a pretty weird policy of a minimum charge of a drink per person even if you order food or dessert. Although my experience wasn't that great, I still want to go back and try out their Ice Cream with Cotton Candy & Espresso. As of now though, I wouldn't recommend Coffee Alley.

Patisserie Sadaharu AOKI

Visit: Feb. 26, 2012
Address: 台北市信義區松仁路28號 B2
Number: (02)8729-2759
Website: http://zh-tw.facebook.com/pages/...AOKI-Paris.../204868869857

Salted Caramel Macaron (鹽味焦糖) $90 NT

Salted Caramel Macaron

I have always thought that macarons were overrated until today. The salted caramel macaron from Patisserie Saharu AOKI was so airy without seeming overwhelmingly sweet. Contrary to my initial disgusted impression, the salt really did the macaron justice by balancing out the sweetness of the caramel. I'm thinking that maybe I've only been having cheap/bad macarons all along. I definitely recommend Patisserie Sadaharu AOKI even if it seems a bit overpriced.

Robin's Grill

Visit: Feb. 18, 2012
Address: 台北市中山北路二段41號2F
Number: (02) 2523-1321
Website: http://www.grandformosa.com.tw/EN/Dining/RobinsGrill/ 

I know it seems like I'm forever celebrating my birthday. But hey, birthdays are big events (or simply an excuse to go eat). This time, I went to Robin's Grill with my friends.

Dinner Menus

Dinner Menu

Dinner menu: Bone-in Beef

 Robin's Grill is half buffet style. Once you order a main course, they serve appetizer, soup, coffee/tea and chocolate truffle and with that, you get full access to the small salad, appetizer and dessert bar.

Appetizer - Salmon Tartar on Cracker with Caviar

Salmon Tartar on Cracker with Caviar

 This cute dish was served on a slab of flat stone plate. The salmon tartar wasn't that great, everything was just a bit mediocre. The plating was cute though.

Bread - Garlic Bread, Cheese Bread, Rye Bread

From left: Garlic Bread, Cheese Bread (top), Rye Bread (bottom)

 The toasted garlic bread was really good and crispy when it was still warm, so make sure you eat it right when it's served! The cheese bread was sadly only cheese bits on the outer layer, the insides was just plain bread. The rye bread was from the buffet area so it was a little dry. I wish that I could have toasted it!

Soup - French Onion Soup au Gratin, Cream of Wild Mushroom Soup, and Lobster Bisque with Whipped Cream

French Onion Soup au Gratin

Cream of Wild Mushroom Soup

Lobster Bisque with Whipped Cream

I got the Lobster Bisque with Whipped Cream. This was a rich cup of soup with pieces of lobster in there. The creamy texture was very yummy, but if you aren't in the mood for something heavy, you might not like this.

Main Course: Fillet of Seabass ($1500NT), Seared Tuna Steak au Poivre ($1650NT), 8oz US Rib Eye Steak ($1650NT), and 6oz US Fillet Mignon ($1900NT)

Fillet of Seabass

Seared Tuna Steak au Poivre

8oz US Rib Eye Steak

  The rib eye was tender and done just right.

6oz US Fillet Mignon

At first glance, I thought that my fillet mignon seemed to be more medium than medium rare. But when I cut into it, the red perfection within made me smile. The fillet mignon was tender and was not as fibrous as the rib eye. I really liked the fillet mignon because it felt like it basically melted in your mouth (: The onion ring on the side was also the crispiest onion ring I've had in a while. It tasted more like onion chips.

Dessert - Buffet

Dessert

Dessert

Dessert

Dessert

 I know, we went a little crazy on dessert. The girls and I had all the different types of desserts (except for the Haagen-Dazs ice cream), and my conclusion? They're all pretty good. There were a few that needed improvement, but overall, it definitely satisfied my sweet tooth.

Coffee &Truffle

Coffee

 The coffee was a standard cup of brewed coffee. The truffle was jasmine flavored I think. While some of my friends liked it, I thought it was just a little weird.

Birthday Cake - 6in Cheesecake ($920)

Cheesecake

Cheesecake

 The plating was so cute!!! The cheesecake was really rich and creamy. Unlike the usual Taiwanese cheesecakes where it's a little bit airy, this was firm and dense. I'm not really a cheesecake person, but I really liked this. The only thing I wished was different was the crust. Instead of the usual crumbly cookie crust, this cheesecake had a little-firmer-than-cake-crust.

I was really impressed with Robin's Grill. The price of the steak was definitely reasonable and is definitely a steal with the amount of food we had. If you think that the steaks seemed small, think again because I didn't upload the pictures of the salad and appetizers from the buffet. The quality of steak was also amazing and surprisingly comparable to that of prime 168 (Ruth's Chris butter steak is a little different). Although I got one of the private rooms, the small environment outside seemed really cozy. I only wish that the buffet wasn't so far away from the dining area, but I guess that way, your dining atmosphere won't be destroyed by people constantly clinking utensils on plates at the buffet. This is somewhere I'd definitely visit again.

Ruth's Chris [茹絲葵]

Visit: Feb. 5, 2012
Address: 台北市松山區民生東路三段 135 號 2 F
Number: (02) 2545-8888
Website: http://www.ruthschris.com/Steak-House/10037/Taipei (Not Taiwan)

For me, the most desirable steakhouses have always been: Prime 168, A-Cut (I have yet to go) and Ruth's Chris, so when my parents announced that we will be dining at the restaurant of my choice, Ruth's Chris was my first option. Although I liked Ruth's Chris the first time I was there, I secretly dreaded my second visit, fearing that I wouldn't enjoy it as much. But I was wrong.

Bread Basket (麵包籃)

Bread Basket and Olive Oil & Vinegar

 I really liked the warm crispiness of the bread but I felt like it lacked moisture. Instead of a crispy outside but a warm, moist inside, the bread was just a bit too dry. To spare ourselves from ultimate unhealthiness, I requested olive oil and vinegar instead of the butter. The vinegar ended up tasted so bad and cheap :/.

For the dishes, they set everything up by your table, then serve the food.

The setup Clockwise from the right: Ribeye (12oz), Ahi-Tuna Stack, Cowboy Ribeye, Creamed Spinach, Hollandaise Sauce, Mashed Potato and Asparagus

Mashed Potato (馬鈴薯泥) $230 NT, Creamed Spinach (奶油波菜) $230 NT and Fresh Asparagus and Hollandaise (新鮮蘆筍配荷蘭醬) $250 NT

Mashed Potato, Creamed Spinach, Fresh Asparagus & Hollandaise

The mashed potato was awesome with its creaminess, silkiness, smoothness and its buttery taste. It was just awesome. As for the spinach, I still like Lawry's Creamed Spinach more where the spinach is denser and completely chopped up, but I guess the two aren't the same kinds. The Asparagus by itself was good since it's just a bit seasoned and it tasted really fresh. The hollandaise sauce wasn't so great though, it felt too much like mayo.

Ahi-Tuna Stack (香煎鮪魚) $890 NT

Ahi-Tuna Stack

Unfortunately, I don't remember what the sauce tastes like. All I remember is that the crab meat went nicely with the tuna. The crab was cooked and salted without being too dry. The tuna was seared just right. While the outside layer was cooked, the inside still retained the texture.  

Cowboy Ribeye (帶骨助眼牛排) $1890 NT

Cowboy Ribeye (Half)

They serve all their steaks on a sizzling hot plate with butter. I got mine medium rare, but maybe I should have had it done a little more rare because the plate actually cooked it a little more. The cowboy ribeye is just a little thicker than the normal ribeye. Personally, I liked the cowboy one more, but unlike my portion, my sister's half of the cowboy ribeye had a lot of tendon.

Ribeye 12-Ounce (助眼牛排) $1290 NT

Ribeye 12-Ounce

 The ribeye wasn't bad compared to the cowboy ribeye, it just wasn't as good. But a real turnoff was that there was so much fat in the meat that you weren't able to enjoy the whole or most of the 12 ounces.

Warm Apple Crumb Tart (蘋果派) $280 NT

Warm Apple Crumb Tart

The dessert altered my perception of Ruth's Chris from amazing to extraordinary. The apple tart was served warm topped with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce. Within the tart, there was a faint cinnamon as well as tangy apple taste. The shell was so crumbly that it complemented the crumbly bits on top. Definitely a must order!

Complimentary Birthday Cheesecake (招待的起司蛋糕)

Complimentary Cheesecake

The cheesecake they surprised me for my birthday was amazing as well. The body was rich and creamy with cookie-like crust that just held the creaminess together. I don't actually remember what the white sauce was though.

 I went on a busy Sunday night, so the waitress wasn't able to give us her all attention, but the service was still okay. Other than that...well, it's obvious that I'll definitely go back again! So far, Ruth's Chris is my favorite restaurant. When you want to celebrate, or have the opportunity to splurge (: go try Ruth's Chris!