Amansara (Cambodia)

Visit: June 15-17, 2012
Address: No 262, Krom 8, Phum Beong Don Pa, Khum Slar Kram Siem Reap, Kingdom of Cambodia
Number: (855) 63 760 333
Website: http://www.amanresorts.com/amansara/home.aspx

So this summer, my whole dad's side of the family has decided to go to Cambodia for a little relaxing but culturally abundant vacation. As much as I've been enjoying all the beaches, it was actually quite a nice change to go visit temples and other historical sites. For the duration of the trip, we stayed in Amansara, a resort from the well regarded Aman group. For all of our dinners at Cambodia, we ate within the resort. And there's only one restaurant in there, so I'm sure you won't be wondering which restaurant it is.

For every meal, I've included the menu so you get a sense of what meals are like there. The chef changes the menu every single day, though you can certainly request what you'd like to have beforehand. Each day, there is always a Western option as well as a Khmer option.

Day 1
Menu

Menu: Day 1

Western entree - Lime Vichyssoise with Salmon Caviar

Lime Vichyssoise with Salmon Caviar

Western entree - Ricotta Ravioli with Bacon & Walnut

Ricotta Ravioli with Bacon & Walnut

Mmmmm, this was SO GOOD! There was enough ricotta inside the ravioli and the bacon plus walnut just added so much to the taste. Besides, the ravioli wasn't in overly heavy and creamy sauce.

Khmer - Somlor Tompeang: Fish soup with bamboo shoot & coconut cream

Somlor Tompeang: Fish soup with bamboo shoot & coconut cream

I'm not a huge fan of fish soup, but the watered down curry tasting soup was nice.

Western main - Seared Sea Bass with Sauteed Spinach, Red Wine Sauce

Seared Sea Bass with Sauteed Spinach, Red Wine Sauce

The seared sea bass was very enjoyable, though the salmon (as you will see later one), was still better.

Khmer - Larb Sach Moan: minced chicken salad, Curray Sach Kou: beef curry, Cha Trei Spei Teur: stir fried fish with pak choi & oyster sauce, Cha Katna: stir fried kailan leaves with garlic 

Clockwise from bottom left: Larb Sach Moan: minced chicken salad, Cha Katna: stir fried kailan leaves with garlic, Curray Sach Kou: beef curry, and Cha Trei Spei Teur: stir fried fish with pak choi & oyster sauce

My first night at Cambodia, i was dying to have some Cambodian food though I soon regretted my decision. While the Western options just seemed so mouth watering, the Khmer cuisine was quite...unexciting.

Western dessert - Vanilla Rice Pudding, Raspberry Sorbet

Vanilla Rice Pudding, Raspberry Sorbet

The vanilla rice pudding tasted very much like the Tapioca Custard I made a while back. The raspberry sorbet was neither too sweet nor too sour.

Day 2
Menu

Menu: Day 2

Western entree - Antipasti

antipasti 

I thoroughly enjoyed the antipasti. I loved how there were so many different kinds of appetizers for me to taste.


Western entree - Tuna Tartar with lemon, Chives & Greens

Tuna Tartar with lemon, Chives & Greens

The tuna tartar has just enough acidity to prevent the tuna from being too seafoody.

Western main - Poached John Dory with Pickled Fennel & Orange Emulsion

Poached John Dory with Pickled Fennel & Orange Emulsion

Poached dory was an excellent creative fish dish from Amansara.

Western main - Seared Lamb Rack with Ratatouille Couscous & Harisa

Seared Lamb Rack with Ratatouille Couscous & Harisa

Seared lamb was a very pleasant pink minus the disgusting lamb taste.

Western dessert - Coconut Panna Cotta

Coconut Panna Cotta, Mango Granite

I wasn't really expecting the panna cotta to be much... until I tried it. The mango granite seriously made the panna cotta come alive.

Day 3
Menu

Menu: Day 3

Western entree - Spicy Tomato Soup with Cucumber & Cream Cheese Crostini

Spicy Tomato Soup with Cucumber & Cream Cheese Crostini

I don't remember this being particularly spicy...


Western entree - Crab Salad with Avocado & Pickled Radish

Crab Salad with Avocado & Pickled Radish

The crab salad was delicious and the pickled radish arranged in a flower fashion below the salad was delightful.


Western main - Horseradish Crusted Salmon, Leeks & Bechamel

Horseradish Crusted Salmon, Leeks & Bechamel

Okay, this would be the salmon that I was referring to back from day 1. The salmon was definitely "crusted" and awesome. My sister wasn't planning on having dinner until she had a taste of my mom's salmon...then it all changed :D

Western main - Pancetta Wrapped Chicken Breast with Balsamic Lentil

Pancetta Wrapped Chicken Breast with Balsamic Lentil

I wanted to try chicken since the chef has done such a nice job with the rest of the meats, but the chicken was such a disappointment. It was simply too dry and the lentils were just very normal.

Western main (from day 1) - Poached Beef with Gnocchi & Mushroom

Poached Beef with Gnocchi and Mushroom

On the first day, my uncle was the only one who ordered the beef &gnocchi, and from then on, we all pretty much regretted it. Just by asking in advance to have the beef & gnocchi for the evening even though it wasn't on the menu, the chef happily agreed to make it for my dad.  The dish did not disappoint with its pink juicy center and cheesey gnocchi.

Western dessert- Tonka Bean Creme Brulee, Passionfruit Sorbet

Tonka Bean Creme Brulee, Passionfruit Sorbet

Although the creme brulee wasn't exactly creme brulee, I think that the taste and the sorbet definitely made up for it.

The caliber of food served at Amansara was very very surprisingly high. I honestly didn't expect much from a hotel/resort restaurant until I tasted the food. The first night, I thought that the chef lucked out, but I eventually realized that he couldn't have lucked out with his food so many nights and dishes in a row. Not only was the food awesome, but obviously, as Amansara promises, the service was superb.

Haagen-Dazs - Crunchy Romance

Visit: May 13, 2012
Address: 台北市忠誠路二段55號 B1
Number: (02) 8866-3093
Website: http://www.haagen-dazs.com.tw/

I'm pretty sure that I've been fantasizing about this cake for a few months now. I laugh at the memories of me trying to convince my mom to get Crunchy Romance at any possible occasion. I finally succeeded after such a long wait when mother's day rolled around.

Crunchy Romance (香脆濃情) 1800 NT

Crunchy Romance

So this is how Crunchy Romance works: 1 part coffee ice cream, 1 part Belgian chocolate ice cream, 1/2 part crunchy crust and perhaps 1/8 part of chocolate outer shell + whipped cream. Gah, the formula to ahhmazing. I'm usually not a big fan of ice cream cakes but Crunchy Romance is a huge exception. I just love how the coffee ice cream puts a twist on the sweetness of the cake and most importantly, it's not just chocolate ice cream but Belgian chocolate. Plus, with my love for chocolate and crust, I'm not sure how I can say no to the crunchy chocolate cookie crust that the layers of ice cream were served on.

Crunchy Romance Cross Section

 Okay, the picture of the messy cake doesn't look all that appetizing, but I promise it will be a wonderful gustatory experience. 

The post isn't all that unbiased so it's probably obvious that I would definitely definitely recommend the cake. Haagen-Dazs may often be overpriced, but I think good food is always worth it. I leave you with my final words of wisdom: go get Crunchy Romance now.

Milo Milo [迷路.麋鹿]

Visit: May 10, 2012
Address: 台北市光復南路308巷42號
Number: (02)2740-3066
Website: http://www.milomilo.com.tw/

Ever since I've tried Flavors, I've been on the lookout for Swedish restaurants. When I looked online, Milo Milo seemed to get pretty decent reviews, so I decided to give it a try.

Menu 


Corn Soup + Bread - Set (玉米濃湯 + 麵包 - 套餐)

Corn Soup and Bread

Neither of these stood out at all. Both were standard although the corn soup was a little too watery for me.

Salad - Set (沙拉 - 套餐) 

Salad

 Once again, the tiny salad was just a standard fresh salad with the Japanese sesame dressing... I wasn't completely sure how that was Swedish.

Pork Knuckle with Sauerkraut (香烤豬腳) 420 NT

Pork Knuckle with Sauerkraut

I was a little surprised with how hard and uncrispy the skin of the pig knuckle was. The deep fried pork knuckle seemed to have been in the pan for too long or something. However, the meat wasn't all that bad as I expected it to me, it was actually quite moist. The mustard on the side and the sauerkraut tasted really weird though.

Rib Eye - Set (肋眼牛排 - 套餐) 480 NT + 150 NT

Rib Eye

My dad ordered the rib eye medium rare, but when it came, it was cooked medium. The rib eye wasn't that great, but the fries were really crispy and yummy. The sauces that supposedly go with the rib eye felt a little bit like concentrated canned soup.

Blueberry Custard  + Coffee - Set (藍莓奶酪 + 咖啡 - 套餐)

Blueberry Custard and Coffee

Honestly, I thought that I would hate the blueberry custard, but it was pretty good. The blueberry sauce on the top wasn't overly sweet and the custard on the bottom was a little bit frozen so it retained the slushy sort of texture. The entire cup was a really refreshing dessert.

Brownie with Ice Cream (巧克力布朗尼) 130 NT 

Brownie with Ice Cream

 I don't think that this should be called brownie... it's more like a cake. The cake was a little dry and I just wished that they served more of the fudge to add to the chocolatey of the cake.

When we entered the restaurant during lunch that day, the restaurant was completely empty. For half the meal, my dad and I were the only customers in the restaurant with one waiter. Despite the fact that the restaurant was so empty, the waiter seemed to be spacing out and I had to constantly walk to the bar he was standing at to get his attention. Overall, I would not recommend Milo Milo as the restaurant is unauthentic without even being good. Flavors is a much better restaurant to consider. 

Soft [軟糖自烘咖啡館]

Visit: April 28, 2012
Address: 台北市士林區中正路213巷2號
Number: (02) 2883-2252
Website: tw.myblog.yahoo.com/joycehsu10052009

After some Japanese barbecue at Nanajyoutatsu, I was still craving some dessert...or more specifically, honey toast. The only place I knew of though is dazzling cafe, but I was nowhere near any of its branches. I ended up wandering around the ShihLin MRT station with my friend looking for a cute coffee shop. Buried deep inside one of the alleys, I ACTUALLY FOUND MY HONEY TOAST!

Menu


Complimentary Gummy Bears

Gummy Bears

 It's really cute how they serve complimentary gummy bears (:
 
Honey Toast with Ice Cream (冰淇淋糖酥) $180 NT

Honey Toast with Ice Cream

 I honestly don't know how dazzling cafe gets all its publicity because their honey toast is actually pretty bland and dry. The honey toast at Soft though, was surprisingly crispy on the outside, and soft and moistly buttered on the inside . The caramel sauce was also really tasty. With one spoonful of ice cream or whipped cream and a bite of toast, this was just heavenly~
 
Milk Tea (軟糖特調奶茶) $130 NT

Milk Tea

 The milk tea tasted really fresh without being too sweet.

This was definitely an unexpected find for me. I can't believe that by wandering from coffee shop to coffee shop, I actually found a small homey place with awesome food. I definitely recommend this reasonably priced and quiet little coffee shop!

Osteria by Angie

Visit: March 19, 2012
Address: 台北市大安區光復南路280巷33號
Number: (02)2711-0385
Website: http://www.osteria.com.tw/ 

Finally, I convinced my parents to take me to Osteria :)

 Complimentary Bread

Complimentary Bread

The bread was just a little bit too dry.

Selezioni di formaggi - Assorted Italian Cheeses (綜合義式起司拼盤) $780 NT

Selezioni di formaggi

The assorted cheeses were all very good. My favorite would be the mozzarella, but honestly, this is just personal preference. The very yummy chewy but not dry bread slices served on the side is just like a plain pizza without the cheese. The platter was also served with cauliflower and bell peppers in some sort of vinegar as well as olives, marinated tomatoes and nuts. This was a nice way to start off my meal.


Fegato grasso - Pan seared duck foie gras with mushroom, glazed apricot, Chianti reduction (煎鵝肝搭配磨菇 杏桃 紅酒醬汁) $520 NT

Fegato graso

The seasoning of the foie gras and the mushrooms were really nicely balanced. The glazed apricot also went really well with the goie gras. However, the felt that the foie gras was a little too oily.


Agnolotti Plin - Piedmont style agnolotti filled with veal and pork, porcini mushroom sauce (手工義大利餃 內餡小牛雞豬肉 搭配牛肝菌醬汁) $550 NT

Agnolotti Plin

I really liked the agnolotti and how the minced pork and veal was not overpowered by the sauce it was cooked it. I can't imagine how much work it must have taken to make all of these.


Risotto ai funghi - Risotto mushroom with braised beef shank in red wine (磨菇牛肉紅酒燉飯) $500 NT

Risotto ai funghi

The risotto was extremely disappointing. Although the seasoning wasn't bad, the texture of the rice was just off and resembled nothing like a risotto. In the end though, we didn't even end up finishing and instead returned it because my dad discovered a little piece of rock in the risotto with the help of his teeth. It was a pretty loud crunch.


Prosciutto e rucola - Tomato, mozzarella cheese, rocket salad and Parma ham (番茄醬汁 水牛馬芝拉起司 芝騰葉 帕瑪火腿) $600 NT

Proscuitto e rucola

 The pizza wasn't bad, but I wasn't a huge fan of it either. There was nothing special to it in terms of its taste and it was a little too oily for my liking. The crust though, was amazing.


Osteria - Black truffle, seasonal mushroom, frisee lettuce, Parmigiano Reggiano (夏日黑松露 時節磨菇 綠捲鬚萵苣 帕瑪森起司) $2000 NT

Osteria Truffle Pizza

 This would be the most expensive pizza I have ever ordered or tasted in my life...but I would say that it was worth it. There were generous amounts of black truffle slices over the pizza and contrary to usual truffle dishes, I could actually smell the black truffle. The slices of cheese also went really well with the pizza. Although the pizza was still a little bit oily, I definitely did not mind it because the seasoning and the texture of the entire pizza was just awesome.


Selezione di dolci della casa - Osteria dessert combination (for 2 persons) (綜合家常甜點平盤 2人份) $580 NT

selezione di dolci della casa

 I've realized that recently, I've had my fair share of bad tiramisu's. However, the tiramisu at Osteria was neither soggy nor overly sweet. Finally, a tiramisu I enjoyed. Out of the two scoops of chocolate and coffee ice cream to the left of the tiramisu, I enjoyed the coffee one the most. It had a really strong coffee taste and wasn't disgustingly sweet. The chocolate cake above the ice cream was warm and slightly molten inside. Eat it before it cools down!The panna cotta to the right of the chocolate cake was just your usual panna cotta over slices of fruit.

I would definitely recommend Osteria. The restaurant was small with attentive waiters and had a really chill and laid back atmosphere. The food was good even though the price range was a little higher than normal. And if you're up for it, ordering the black truffle pizza wouldn't hurt!

Salut [灑綠茶館]

Visit: March 11, 2012
Address: 台北市仁愛路四段266巷8弄2號
Number: (02)2325-6878
Website: http://www.salut.com.tw/main.htm

On this particular afternoon, my friend made reservations for Salut to celebrate her birthday. Knowing me, I had already researched Salut before entering the restaurant and sadly did not like it. However, I decided to attempt to enjoy this afternoon with an open mind.

Menu
 
Afternoon Tea Set for 2 (灑綠下午茶 2 人份) $580 NT

Afternoon Tea Set for 2

Afternoon Tea Set -  Egg Salad Sandwich (玉米蛋沙拉三明治), Tomato Bruschetta (義式番茄片) and  Seafood Quiche (海鮮酥盒)

Egg Salad Sandwich, Tomato Bruschetta, Seafood Quiche

Our of all of these, the sandwich was my favorite. I really liked how they toasted their bread with a waffle maker. There's also a lot of substance in the sandwich instead of a simple slice of ham and cheese. The seafood quiche was also quite enjoyable.

Afternoon Tea Set - Cookies (手工餅乾）, Madeleine Cake (瑪德連）and Fruit Tart (水果塔)

Cookies, Madeleine Cake and Fruit Tart

 The madeleine cake was way too dry for my liking, and the fruit tart wasn't all that yummy either. Out of the three, the cookie was the only decent one.


Ａfternoon Tea Set - Mont Blanc (蒙布朗) and Lemon Cheese Cake (香檸起士)

Mont Blanc and Lemon Cheese Cake

When I looked at their collection of cakes, I was so disappointed with how everything consisted a significant amount of mousse. I tried ordering the lemon cheese cake to get away from the mousse, but even over half of the cheese cake was made of lemon mousse. The mont blanc was also pretty horrible, because it just tasted like sweet whipped cream.

Afternoon Tea Set - The a l Opera （歌劇綠茶) +20 NT and Fresh Fruit Tea (水果茶) + 30 NT

The a l Opera

The tea was good, except I wished that there were tea leaves in the pots and that they would refill the tea pot instead of simply pouring tea in our teapot when they first served it.


Fruit Waffle Set (水果鬆餅) $160 NT 

Fruit Waffle Set

 The waffle was decent but had nothing special to it.

Quiche Set - Spinach and Bacon (菠菜培根鹹派) $130 NT

Spinach and Bacon Quiche

 I enjoyed the crust of the quiche, but overall, the quiche was just okay.


Tiramisu (提拉米蘇) $90 NT

Tiramisu

 The bottom layer of cake was soggy and the mousse was pretty greasy.

Chocolate Mousse (巧克力伯爵幕斯) $90NT

Chocolate Mousse

 Once again, this was just greasy mousse. There's a really tiny piece of cake in the middle of the chocolate mousse, but it definitely wasn't enough to offset he greasiness.

Berry Mousse Cake $90 NT

Berry Mousse Cake

 I was expecting a lighter version of the other cakes, but this was once again pretty heavy. By now, I felt pretty grossed out by all the mousse.

Molten Chocolate Cake (岩溶巧克力蛋糕盤）$120 NT
before

Molten Chocolate Cake

after 

Molten Chocolate Cake

The molten chocolate cake was yummy and was my favorite cake out of the huge selection we ordered.

Beef Lasagna (茄汁牛肉千層麵) $280 NT

Beef Lasagna

 The beef lasagna didn't exactly taste like a lasagna. It wasn't bad, but it had a pretty weird taste.

Baked Rice with Chicken in Red Coconut Curry Sauce (紅咖哩雞焗烤飯) $270 NT

Baked Rice with Chicken in Red Coconut Curry

 The only thing I enjoyed about this dish was the cheese on top. The rice was soggy, and I could barely taste the curry sauce. The chickens were kind of random scattered throughout the rice.

Salut is definitely not somewhere I would go again or anywhere that I would recommend to anyone. You do get a lot considering how much you pay for the food, but there are yummy but cheap places out there. I would've liked cakes without mousse and actual salty food instead of things they sprinkle cheese on then stuff into the oven. Although I had a pleasant day at Salut with my friends, I wasn't satisfied at all with the food.