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COMPASS MAGAZINE, June 2006

AH-YAT ABALONE RESTAURANT Zhe Abalone Chinese Restaurant (04) 2465-6555 78-3, TaiZhongGang (Taichung Harbor) Road, section 3, 2F (Windsor Hotel) Hours: 11:30 am-2:30 pm, 6:30-10 pm Credit cards accepted. Parking available. 10% service charge.

--By Douglas Habecker, translated by Jean Huang

No doubt the most famous abalone restaurant in the world, Ah-Yat Abalone Restaurant has opened its first Taiwan branch right here in Taichung, on the second floor of the new Windsor Hotel. Hong Kong founder and chef Yeung Koon Yat has gained renown and numerous international awards for his abalone, which he has prepared for over over 30 heads of state, from the French president to Jiang Zemin. Yeung and his Taichung head chef, William Wang, were present May 5 for the opening of the Taichung restaurant, a very tastefully-decorated establishment that includes seven VIP rooms holding four to 16 people each. Given its exquisite fare and very expensive main ingredient, diners at Ah-Yat need to be prepared to pay appropriately. A variety of four eight-course abalone set meals range from NT$3,800 to NT$10,800 (plus 10 percent) per person. A la carte abalone ranges from NT$4,800 for a 24-gram abalone to NT$36,000 (85 grams) and even higher. There are also nine shark's fin entrees (NT$1,000-NT$2,200), 15 bird's nest selections (from NT$600), and a long list of marine and live seafood delicacies, from Braised Pigeon Stuffed with Shark's Fin to Stir-Fried Lobster. Many of the soups, "home-cooked specialities", and rice and noodle dishes are much cheaper, in the NT$200-300 range.