Fourplay Cuisine

Visit: July 24, 2012
Address: 台北市大安區東豐街67號
Number: (02) 2708 - 3898
Website: http://www.facebook.com/FourplayCuisine

I've heard a lot about this bar that serves really fresh cocktails and whatnot. So I finally went to fourplay with a couple of my girl friends.

Menu

Menu

(Thai Crispy Chicken) 泰式暴力脆雞 $300 NT

Thai Crispy Chicken

The chicken was surprisingly good and also at a good price. The meat was really really moist and the skin was also really crispy.

Drinks $250 NT - $450 NT

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.
Well since I went there for the drinks, it's only logical that I show you the ones we ordered. The cocktails all tasted really good, and the bartender can cater to basically whatever flavor you want. There weren't just fruity cocktails, but there were plenty of coffee based ones as well as this tiramisu one.

I would definitely recommend fourplay. It's a really nice place for dinner and for friends to meet for drinks.

Barcode

Visit: May 21, 2012
Address: 台北市信義區松壽路22號 5F (Neo 19)
Number: 0920-168-269
Website: http://www.facebook.com/Barcode.Taipei/info

This was mu first time at barcode, and when my friend told me that we must order the beef noodle soup, I must've had a wtf look on my face.

Beef Noodle Soup (牛肉麵) 350 NT

Beef Noodle Soup

I always thought that it was odd that a bar would have amazing beef noodle soup, but I guess that does happen. I liked both the soup and the tender beef, but the noodles were just okay.

Although the beef noodle soup was delicious, it's extremely overpriced. I'm not sure if I'd go back just for the beef noodle soup I simply don't think beef noodle soup should be this expensive, but the drinks are nice though.

The Villa - Herbs

Visit: April 27, 2012
Address: 台北市樂利路11巷30,32號
Number: (02)2732-3255
Website: https://www.facebook.com/thevillaherbs/info

Menu (partly)
 
Deep Fried Baby Chicken Legs Stuffed Olive (酥炸橄欖鑲雞腿) $280 NT

Deep Fried Baby Chicken Legs Stuffed Olive

 The fried chicken came looking very normal served on top of Doritos.

Cut Open Fried Chicken

 However, when you cut into it, where the bones were supposed to be, were instead replaced by olives and dried apricots. It's the most spectacular little surprise (: The chicken was pretty tender and crispy, but the most awesome part was that you didn't need to work your way around the bones, because it is now replaced with something yummy and edible.

Braised Lamb Shanks in Herbs White Wine Sauce (白酒風味凱莉茴香燉煮小羊膝) $580 NT

Braised Lamb Shanks in Herbs White Wine Sauce

 At a restaurant borderline lounge, I was expecting all the food to be fried and salty. The lamb shanks though, was served light in watery white wine sauce without being too bland. Although the lamb shanks had a little bit of a smell, it wasn't too bad. The soft texture of the lamb made up for the smell.

Braised Veal Ossobuco and Black Eyes Bean in Red Wine Sauce (勃根地紅酒燉煮小牛膝，季節食蔬及黑眼豆) $580 NT

Braised Veal Ossobuco and Black Eyes Bean in Red Wine Sauce

 The veal, like the lamb, wasn't too heavy though the lamb was still a bit lighter. The veal was good, but I still thought that the texture of the lamb was much softer.

Tiramisu (提拉米蘇) $180 NT

Tiramisu

 I really wanted to get the apple pie, but my date for the evening was allergic to walnuts :(, so instead we got the tiramisu. The tiramisu was supposedly the restaurant's specialty, and I guess it wasn't too bad. The mousse part of the tiramisu was yummy, but the cake layers would have been soggy had it not been for icy frozen texture. It was also a little weird that the tiramisu was a bit frozen, but not really. Overall though, the tiramisu wasn't too bad.

What I really liked the most about The Villa - Herbs is its atmosphere. Unlike most dark and lounge-like restaurants, the food was actually pretty decent and not overly heavy. I would recommend The Villa -Herbs to anyone interested in grabbing a decent dinner with drinks.

On Tap - Restaurant & Bar (Visit #3)

Visit: March 28, 2012
Address: 台北市大安區忠孝東路四段216巷11弄21號
Number: (02) 2741-5365
Website: http://www.ontaptaipei.com

 I've been to On Tap so many times, and yet, I never seem to get bored of it.

Classic Nachos (自創玉米脆片) $190 NT

Classic Nachos

I couldn't really taste the guacamole for some reason, but other than that, the nachos were good.


The Classic Burger (經典牛肉漢堡) $230 NT

The Classic Burger

 I had a bite of my friend's burger, and the patty was surprisingly thick and juicy.


Chicken with Pesto Penne Pasta (雞肉青醬筆管麵) $260 NT

Chicken with Pesto Penne Pasta

There pasta was good, but there wasn't really anything special about it.

After so many visits, I would still recommend On Tap. It has better than just decent food, and an atmosphere that's rare to find in Taipei.

On Tap - Restaurant & Bar (Visit #2)

Visit: March 16, 2012
Address: 台北市大安區忠孝東路四段216巷11弄21號
Number: (02) 2741-5365
Website: http://www.ontaptaipei.com

Craving an all-American (not exactly) night after Bravo Burger, I found myself at On Tap once again. 

10 Chicken Wings with Zesty Honey Chili (炸雞翅 配蒜味蜂蜜辣味醬) $200 NT 

10 Chicken Wings with Zesty Honey Chili

The chicken wings were a little disappointing but only because I was expecting something phenomenal and it turned out to be simply good. I also think I should have just stuck with my original plan of ordering BBQ sauce instead of feeling adventurous and ordering my wings with zesty honey chili. The zesty honey chili wasn't bad, I just don't think it worked as well as the BBQ sauce could have.

What I love most about On Tap is the really laid back atmosphere it provides. I would definitely recommend On Tap for both its food and its atmosphere.

Jolly - Brewery & Restaurant

Visit: Mar 9, 2012
Address: 台北市松山區慶城街29號B室
Number: (02)8712-9098
Website: http://www.jollys.tw/net-city/front/bin/home.phtml

I've been wanting to try Jolly for the longest time. I've heard a lot about the good food as well as the awesome beer, so when I heard that Jolly would be the venue for our gathering, I was extremely excited.

Pale Ale (淡色愛爾啤酒) & Pilsener (皮爾森啤酒) $265NT/600mL (large)

from front: Pale Ale, Pilsener

  Personally, I liked the pilsener more. The pale ale was a little too bitter for my liking, but honestly, both were really good. I don't usually enjoy beer, but Jolly's brewed beer wasn't just usual...it was awesome.

Complimentary Bread & Curry

Bread and Curry

 It's really nice how they serve the bread and curry. It's like a preview of what is to come...

Rice (白飯)

Rice

I think this was complimentary as well.

Crab Fried Rice (蟹肉炒飯) $270 NT

Crab Fried Rice

 The crab fried rice was good but not spectacular. The crab meat was cooked really nicely so it wasn't overcooked, and the rice was also seasoned so that it wasn't too salty. My only objection to this dish is that the seaweed/fried rice pairing just seemed a little off.

Yellow Curry Beef (咖哩牛肉) $295 NT

Yellow Curry Beef

 It's really interesting how they serve toast or some sort of carbs with basically everything...and it actually works. The curry was good, except I would have preferred it to be much much much spicier. I could barely taste the chili in the curry. The beef was also a little overcooked, so it ended up being a little too chewy.

Water Spinach with Shrimp Paste (蝦醬炒空心菜) $160 NT

Water Spinach with Shrimp Paste

 This was your standard Thai stir fried water spinach with a lot less of the spiciness.

Green Papaya Salad (涼拌木瓜) $210 NT

Green Papaya Salad

 After so many dishes of non-spicy Thai, my chili craving was finally satisfied with the green papaya salad. I really liked how the papaya salad in cabbage leaf acted as a balance to the rich and heavy curry.

Grilled Chicken (碳烤雞腿) $275 NT

Grilled Chicken

 Out of all the dishes, this was one of my favorite dishes. The chicken was just so tender and nicely seasoned that we ended up ordering another dish of it. When you put the chicken inside the bread, make sure that you add the pickled onion as well as a lot of the sauce. It's so good!

Red Curry Beef (紅咖哩椰汁牛肉) $290 NT

Red Curry Beef

 This was also another one of my favorites. The beef short rib was stewed and seasoned nicely so that a few pieces practically melted in your mouth. However, I certainly wished that there were more of those pieces though, because some of the beef were actually a little tough to chew on. Personally, I'm also not a big fan of peanuts, so it was annoying trying to avoid the copious amount of peanuts in the curry.

Stout Tiramisu (黑啤酒提拉米蘇) $190 NT

Stout Tiramisu

The mousse on the tiramisu was really good... but the cake was a little too soggy for my liking.

When I got there on Friday night, the restaurant was completely packed, so make sure to make reservations beforehand. Overall, I would definitely recommend Jolly. Although the food was a little bit mediocre and the waiter a little hard to flag down, none of the dishes were bad, and the atmosphere as well as the beer really made up for it.With multiple TV's broadcasting sports channels, the atmosphere was a lot younger and much more lively.

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!

Chili's Grill & Bar

Visit: Mar. 2, 2012
Address: 台北市忠誠路2段200號2樓(Mitsukoshi)
Number: (02)2875-4838
Website: www.chilis.com.tw

I really wasn't planning on having dinner after my afternoon tea at a³, but after getting dragged to Chili's by my parents, I couldn't resist the temptation to enjoy the good food.

Side Salad - Garden Salad (翡翠沙拉) $180 NT

Side Garden Salad

 This was my attempt at a healthy dinner, but my attempt completely fell apart in the end as more and more yummy dishes materialized before me. I liked this simple salad with because between the cheese and the croutons, I was could easily eat the greens without the dressing. However, the honey mustard dressing I got was really yummy. Unlike most honey mustard dressings in Taiwan that just tastes like sweet mayonnaise, the honey mustard here tasted pretty good.


 Hot Spinach & Artichoke Dip (熱奶油波菜洋薊沾醬) $280 NT

Hot Spinach & Artichoke Dip

 I've always wanted to try the hot spinach and artichoke dip. When they served the dish, I think my eyeballs were about the fall out of their sockets when I discovered how large the portion of chips was. The dip itself was really really rich with the cheese as well as the butter, but that suited me just right. I liked the dip (even though Lawry's creamed spinach is still my favorite) but the acidity of the tomato made the dip taste a little weird. One thing that really bothered me about the dish though was a really weird after taste, but I couldn't tell if it came from the dip or the chips.



Classic Fajita (經典卡式達)

Classic Fajita

 When I first saw the steak, I thought that it might have been overcooked, but because the steak was a little fat, the beef was able to retain its tenderness. My favorite part of the dish though, were onions that were practically caramelized (:


Mushroom Jack Fajitas (蘑菇傑克法士達)

Mushroom Jack Fajita

 I loved the melted cheese and bacon bits in the fajita except I wish that the cheese was even more melted and served hotter. The mushrooms were also really good and the chicken was extremely tender. Even though Chili's always serve chicken breast, I've realized over my visits, that their chicken breasts are always extremely tender.

I've been to Chili's so many times, and yet, I'm still continuously impressed by the food. Chili's serves such a huge variety of food that I still haven't tried all of their dishes. I would definitely recommend Chili's for anyone craving some American food.

Dozo Izakaya Dining Bar

Visit: Feb. 11, 2012
Address: 台北市大安區光復南路102號1F
Number: (02) 2778-1135
Website: http://www.dozo.com.tw

The last time I've been to Dozo was quite a while ago, so when my friend suggested it for some fusion Japanese, I was extremely excited to revisit the awesome experiences I've had there.

Salmon Coated with Caramel Sushi (焦糖鮭魚箱壽司) $380 NT

Salmon Coated with Caramel Sushi http://pic.pimg.tw/joycewu1120/1314468098-9cd53a5a52c3eeb0d1133a16cd77c159_n.jpg

I was so busy talking, that I forgot to take a picture of this dish, so just bear with me. I have to say, out of all the fusion salmon sushi's I've had, the Salmon Coated with Caramel Sushi was not the greatest. The yellow mayo on top though is supposed to give the sushi the caramel flavor, only added to the greasiness of the sushi without the caramel upside. The salmon though was cooked to perfection: the balance between cooked and raw. The salad on the side was also really nice since its dressing is replaced by the salmon roe.

Charcoal Grilled Beef with Garlic Sauce (蒜味炭燒生牛肉) $360 NT

Charcoal Grilled Beef with Garlic Sauce

I apologize for the missing corners of the picture...we just couldn't wait to get our hands on the beef. This is definitely a must order for anyone out there! The beef is grilled to about medium rare, which gives it a chewy texture. It's also seasoned so that the final product has all the properties of awesomeness: a bit of sweet, salty, peppery and garlicky. The mayo on top also adds to the overall texture of the beef so that it slides its way down your throat, and the crispy slices of garlic are just yummy!

Deep Fried Pork Chop Baked with Cheese (披薩豬排 碳香味)

Deep Fried Pork Chop Baked with Cheese

 Hum, I must say that the pork chops were just a bit normal. I guess the meat was tender enough, but it just tasted like any other cheap fried pork chop dish. The cheese on top though definitely made the dish stand out a bit more from the normal fried pork chops. Remember to eat it while it's still hot, or else it actually tastes a bit disgusting.


Okonamiyaki/Japanese Pancake (DOZO 特製大阪燒) $180 NT

Okonamiyaki/Japanese Pancake

This is actually quite a fancy name for a standard dish. In reality, this is just stir fried udon noodles. It's really interesting when the dish was first served in the hot plate because you get to see the dried fish flakes on top just wiggling around from the rising steam. Out of the crab meat, squid and cabbage in the noodles, my favorite part was the crab meats. It was just simply delicious. Other than that though, the dish was a little too oily for my liking.

After reading this review, you might think that this time's visit was disappointing, but honestly I would still definitely go there again. Out of all the times I've been there, some dishes might have been mediocre, but nothing has ever screamed nasty or disgusting. I think I should have done a better job with ordering this time, but I really did not want to always stick with what I always ordered (even though the mochi and grilled beef are amazing).  With the darkened surroundings, the atmosphere is awesome as you take a bite of food, take a sip of Sake while watching the live drum and flute performances.

On Tap - Restaurant & Bar

Visit: Jan. 15, 2012
Address: 台北市大安區忠孝東路四段216巷11弄21號
Number: (02) 2741-5365
Website: http://www.ontaptaipei.com

One morning in the midst of boring biology class, my friend strongly recommended on tap, an American restaurant and bar. Since then, it has climbed higher up my food list as I heard more an more good things. I’m not sure if it was because of my reunion with old friends that day, because I was pretty buzzed, or because it really was good food. All I know is that I had an awesome time.

The same friend who recommended on tap also loved their gravy cheese fries, but I ended up getting the chili cheese fried instead. What was awesome about the fries was that unlike usual Taiwanese cheese fries servings, most of the fries were able to get at least an edge of cheese if not covered yummily in them. The fries themselves were mediocre though because I would’ve liked them crispier. The same mediocrity applied to the chili, but then again, I’ve never been a fan of oily chunks of minced beef wallowing on top of my crispy fries.

My friend also got calamari salad which was a simple salad with fried calamari rings. I felt like the calamari could have been much crispier, but other than that, this was your typical salad.

From the left: Gin+Diet Coke, White Russian, Vodka+Sprite

 At on tap, I was also fortunate enough to visit during their happy hour. Out of all my $90 NT drinks: gin+diet coke, whiskey+diet coke, rum+diet coke, i definitely liked gin+diet coke the most. I also tried a bit of my friend’s white Russian which featured a sweet creamy white chocolate drink. I would definitely recommend it to all the sweet tooths out there. I also tried some of the margarita, except it wasn't frozen...so that felt a little gross. From all the diet cokes, I guess it’s quite obvious that I made a failed attempt at cutting calories because the gravy fries were obviously not enough, I finally caved in to tasty vodka red bull and brownie~~~

Brownie & Ice Cream

 My perspective might have been a little skewed from the alcohol, but I’m pretty sure my taste buds were telling me that the brownies were somewhat fudgy and yummy. These aren’t the super soft and moist ones, but were mildly chewy without being overly dry. With vanilla ice cream drizzling its essence onto the warm brownie propped nicely on the warm plate, this was the grand finale to the awesome experience.

I would definitely go to On Tap again for a relaxing drink or just food with friends. As of now, I would go back to On Tap rather than to Chilis or Outback simply because the fries were good and the atmosphere amazing at a reasonable price, but I have yet to try On Tap’s burgers which might just tip the scale to its disfavor. After this experience, I guess the only thing I really want to say is that mixing so many different kinds of alcohol is a bad bad idea.