Getting
there:
From National Freeway 1, take the Sanyi exit. Take the
main woodcarving street (JhongJheng Rd.) into older
downtown Sanyi and turn right onto GuangFu Rd. at the
OK convenience store. Cross under the freeway and continue
on County Highway 130 about 1 km, bear right at the
Y intersection and it's on the left. |
Mimi's
Palm Spring: A 5-star oasis in the countryside
By Douglas Habecker Translated
by Ann Lee
205, Shuang Lien Tan, Shuang Tou tsun
(village), Sanyi xiang (township), Miaoli County; (037)
879-769
Hours:11 am-9 pm
Credit cards accepted.
10% service charge. Parking lot.
http://www.mimis.com.tw
Both North America and Europe are home
to a number of famed five-star restaurants which are
extraordinary by virtue of their remote locations, typically
in some place of great scenic beauty. Mimi's Palm Spring
introduces the same concept to Taiwan.
A drive on a small winding road through the pretty Miaoli
County countryside just outside the woodcarving town
of Sanyi brings you to a beautiful white Spanish mission-style
building. Inside, you are greeted with an exquisite
setting, complete with chandeliers, dark rattan chairs,
red-tiled floors, classy dishware and utensils, white
tablecloths and napkins, formally-attired wait staff,
subdued classical and jazz music, and French-style windows
and doors that open onto an palm-shaded wooden deck
overlooking a small lake.
The Western cuisine here matches the
ambiance, thanks to Chef Nick Chen. Chen, who came to
Mimi's after previous stints in San Francisco and Kaohsiung,
has a varied background in vegetarian, Japanese, Taiwanese,
Italian and Western cooking. In his words, the result
is a "cuisine without boundaries", with his
versions of traditional dishes. He notes that his menu
covers a broad range to please everyone, including steaks,
pastas and a kids' set meal (NT$360).
"Sanyi is an artistic town and
the cuisine reflects that. Because we're in a scenic
area, my goal is to have a relaxed, comfortable ambiance
with a formal setting and high-quality food, mixed with
city-class service," says the chef.
The menu starts with an eight-course NT$490 Luncheon
Special with main-course options like a six-ounce New
Zealand Fillet Steak or White Wine with Salmon. For
something bigger, there are several full-course (including
red/white wine) USDA Prime Beef Steak sets, from the
U.S. Rib Eye (12 oz., NT$1,480) to the Pan-Fired Goose
Liver with Fillet (NT$1,680) or Abalone with Fillet
(NT$1,880). Reasonably-priced pasta entrees start as
low as the NT$250 Bolognese Sauce with Spaghetti or
NT$280 Smoked Salmon and Cream Sauce with Spaghetti;
just add NT$150 for a set meal.
Weather permitting, guests typically
dine inside before taking their dessert and coffee on
the outside deck. A NT$320 English-style teatime special--complete
with three-tiered cake/biscuit stand--is also offered
with teas from Taylors of Harrogate or Bristot coffee.
Whether it's a romantic getaway, a family outing or
a relaxing personal retreat from the city, Mimi's Palm
Spring is an exceptional, almost-hidden jewel that should
not be missed.
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