Tasting Journey #55 - 萬華龍都冰店

萬華龍都冰店
台北市廣州路168號
02.2308.3223

Located across from the MRT Long Shan Temple station, it is a 40 year-old traditional shaved ice store that serves both hot and cold desserts.
The dessert is decent, but I'm not sure why it is so popular. I would say that it's worth stopping by if you're in the neighbourhood, but not really worth the trip to go just for the dessert.

Tasting Journey #54 - 東門餃子館

東門餃子館
金山南路2段31巷27號
02.2341-1685
02.2393.9978
http://www.dongmen.com.tw/


Recommended by a foodie co-worker, this place serves 酸菜白肉鍋 and real tasty pot stickers.
This place is extremely busy, so reservation strongly recommended even on a week night.

I must say that their 酸菜白肉鍋 is served the northern chinese way - in a metal pot with a central tall cylinder where burning charcoal is used to boil the broth. Broth is excellent.
The pot stickers are always quite unique.  Unlike most fillings where it is a combination of meat & cabbage, this pot sticker is mostly meat - soft & juicy. In addition, I learned that the real northern chinese way of eating dumplings is with fresh whole garlic.  I've never been to a restaurant that offered bowls of complimentary full garlic. Quite an interesting combination, but I probably wouldn't want to talk to people after this meal, haha.

The stir-fry cabbage that we ordered was a "special-made" dish.  We asked them to stir-fry it with the Kung Pao chicken sauce. Tasty as well.

Overall, it is not a pricey meal compared to "restaurant-style" places. However, it does fall within a slightly higher end of the dumpling range (typically dumplings are at NTD$10/pc. This place is NTD$11/pc), but I would still say that just the hot pot is worth the visit.

Tasting Journey #53 - Belgian Beer Cafe

Belgian Beer Cafe
ATT 4 Fun
02.7737.8388
http://www.belgianbeercafe.com/doorpage?destination=news/belgian-beer-cafe-liege-opens-taiwan

Located on the 6th floor of ATT 4 Fun in XinYi District, Taipei, this place serves Belgian breakfast all day.
Price seems reasonable until the dishes were served.  Given that it's Belgian, I was expecting the portion to be quite large, like a true European. No, this restaurant has been "asianized".  (We ate at 1pm... but I had to eat dinner at 5:30pm coz I was hungry already)

Maybe because non-asian (japanese, korean, vietnamese, thai....etc) cuisine is not as widely accepted as asian food, if you are looking for a place for a bite to eat in the hustling bustling downtown Taipei during meal hours, this is the place for you. No line-up necessary despite hour long waits in all the other asian restaurants in all the malls in this area.

Tasting Journey #52 - Miso東京風日本料理

Miso東京風日本料理
4樓, No. 1承德路一段 Datong District, Taipei City, Taiwan 103
02.2558.3056

Located on the 4th floor of 京站廣, right next to the main taipei 轉運站(terminal station) is this bustling Japanese bistro. There is a 1.5hr time restriction, but they will not force you away if there are no one waiting. Food is very nicely displayed. Service is busy so I would recommend making a reservation especially on a weekend.
Decent priced. Definitely will go back again.

We had a 2-people special menu that included 6 courses where each course had 3 options to choose from.  This menu also included drinks.

 

Tasting Journey #51 - 鍋爸刷刷鍋

鍋爸刷刷鍋
台北市長春路382號
02.2545.2588 
http://www.gobar.com.tw/branch_2.html

Great all-you-can-eat buffet.
Unlike most other hotpots where the emphasis is on meat, meat, meat, it offers many selections of fresh vegetables. This place also serves quite a variety of desserts.
A must-visit for shabu shabu lovers.

Tasting Journey #50 - B-One, Sherwood Hotel

B-One, Sherwood Hotel
台北西華飯店

No.111, Sec.3,Min Sheng East Road

Taipei, Taiwan

02.2718.1188

http://www.sherwood.com.tw/dining/b-one.htm

Hotel buffet that offers a great selection of food, including bottomless red wine/white wine/beer.
Food selection includes sashimi, stir-fries, and grills. On the table are wooden clips where you can drop off the clips at stations and they will cook and serve it to your table.

I totally forgot to take photos of the savoury food, but off my memory, they have really good chirashii-don.
Their creme brulee is heaven.

Tasting Journey #49 - 大倉久和 歐風館自助餐廳

大倉久和  歐風館自助餐廳
台北市南京東路一段 9 號
02.2523.1111
http://www.okurataipei.com.tw/?Nsn

$1,500 + 10%

This buffet is well known for its buffet, but it is honestly very disappointing given the poor quality and the selection.  Regardless the high price, I wasn't expecting a buffet as extensive as this to not even find enough satisfactory food to fill my empty stomach.   Not to mention that the ambiance and the interior deco looked more like a burger joint. 

Of all the savoury dishes I had tried, the only note worthy mention is the amaebi sashimi, and sadly, beef sukyaki. Dessert-wise, the only dish that was satisfactory to my taste bud was the panna cota.

  

Tasting Journey #48 - 平田壽司

平田壽司
http://www.hiratasushi.com.tw/

This is a chain sushi store, with one located in the Eslite Book Store in the Taipei Main Train Station.
It is a kaiten sushi that offers a selection that is very similar to 爭鮮壽司. Quality-wise, I do not see it any better, and the price is higher as well.

I wouldn't recommend it unless you are starving and needed to eat something before getting to your next stop (which is why I had stopped by).

The mackerel sushi (both grilled & nigiri) were great. Salmon wasn't.

Tasting Journey #48 - 小樂天餃子館

小樂天餃子館
台北市信義區忠孝東路五段151號1樓 
02.2753.0793
http://www.ipeen.com.tw/shop/23117-%E5%B0%8F%E6%A8%82%E5%A4%A9%E9%A4%83%E5%AD%90%E9%A4%A8

Dumplings, pot stickers are all really tasty.
Fillings in the dumplings are very flavourful. Therefore, no sauce is needed to compliment the dumplings.
Pot stickers are probably made of the same filling. If you are looking for a bit more grease, then I would opt for pot stickers over dumplings.

Beef noodle soup is good, but it uses round noodles - something that is just not to my favour, more of a personal thing. If you don't mind it, then definitely try the beef noodle soup. I'm sure you'll enjoy it just as well.

Tasting Journey #47 - HK Trip - 翠華, 添好運, 永華麵家, 滿記甜品

I spent a week in HK for the L&D Training. I had the priviledge of spending this week with a foodie co-worker, who did a lot of researching prior to visiting HK. So we were able to visit quite a few popular restaurants.

  

永華麵家 - I forgot to take a photo of this restaurant, but it was recommended by Anthony Boujrdaine - a well-known American chief. I ordered a bowl of their famous shrimp wonton noodle soup. It was pricey, $5.

The noodle, apparently was pressed and cut by bamboo sheets.  The broth is really good. Definitely worth trying out.

滿記甜品 - I love their 楊枝甘露涼粉. Hui Lau Shan (許留山) also has similar desserts, and both are extremely tasty.  Pomelo, mango....etc....

 I didn't get a chance to try this one, but it is considered a Michelin 1 star restaurant known for dim sum.

  

添好運 -  Rated Michelin 1-star, it is a place that offers quick eat, and decent quality dim sum. Honestly, I have to say that Vancouver Dim Sum quality is still by far, better. However, of all the dishes I tried, one dish that is worth mentioning, is the fish paste stuffed jalapeno pepper. Spicy and flavourful.

 

 

 翠華 - HK-style cafe that serves both congee and HK-style western food. We had spaghetti, risotti-type of dishes... all very tasty but I do have to say that because of its popularity, the price is slightly higher than what you would expect for a HK-style cafe.

正斗 - The restaurant that serves best congee ever! Ever since I started connecting flights in HK for business, I would always, ALWAYS, take the time to visit 正斗 for their congee.  If you are a congee lover, you HAVE TO try it. It is crazy expensive, but it is goo~~~d. So good. 

Tasting Journey #42c - Toshi Sushi

Toshi Sushi
181 E 16th Ave
Vancouver, BC V5T3B4
604.874.5173
http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/14/181856/restaurant/Mount-Pleasant-Main-Street/Toshi-Sushi-Vancouver

The infamous Toshi Sushi.  Opens at 5pm, and already a line up.
The restaurant offers authentic and fresh Japanese sushi.  Well known within the Japanese lovers.
I've always wanted to try this place, but every time I drove by, the line up is always crazy long.
I had to try it before I head to Asia.  Therefore, I made special arrangements to ensure that I arrive just past 5pm so that I would be able to get a seat without having to wait an hour long.
 

Tasting Journey #42b - Purple Olive Grill

Purple Olive Grill
850 Thurlow St, Vancouver BC
604.558.2103
http://purpleolivegrill.com/

I have always driven by this place whenever I'm in downtown. So when I saw that this restaurant had a deal on groupon, I bought it right away.
With the groupon deal, it was definitely worth it because we had a two 3-course meal for the price of one.

Shrimp Caesar's - lots of shrimp.
Ribs - very tender and tasty!
Soup - quite salty but still decent.

Tasting Journey #42a - Indochine Kitchen + Bar

Indochine Kitchen + Bar
1 East Broadway
Vancouver, BC V5T 1V4
604.568.0828 
http://indochinekitchen.ca/

Totally forgot to log this when I was in Vancouver... well, here it is... back paddling a bit, and trying to catch up, so I'm gonna keep this short & sweet.
I was told that this place is owned by the son of Phnom Penh, Cambodian cuisines - one of my favourite restaurant. At Indochine, you will also be able to order Phnom Penh's infamous dishes such as the fried chicken wing, luc lac, and butter beef.... Well, because Indochine is a fushion restaurant that is catered more towards hip young guests, the dish is better presented, smaller portioned and at a higher price point.
I do have to say that the chicken wing is definitely better at Phnom Penh.