fM Restaurant & Bar

By Uvia Chang
Translated by Cheryl Robbins

fM Restaurant & Bar was recently opened by two young, dynamic Americans, Fred Harold and Mike Armstrong, who also happen to be brothers. This restaurant's name, fM, comes from the first letter of their first names, the f being lower case to signify that Fred is the younger of the two.

"Mikey" Mike is a skilled bartender who has served up drinks all over the world and has become well-known for the same thing in Taichung over the past several years. In the course of his travels and bartending, Mike spent much time researching the characteristics and qualities of different liquors in order to create his own unique drinks, such as the Mojito (NT$180), a very delectable drink that combines the tastes of citrus and mint.

The Rumbo Jam (NT$180) is made with pineapple juice, cranberry juice and light rum, perfect for the summer. Other drinks that are exclusive to fM include Just Peachy, Chocolate Martini, Orgasm, and Cosmopolitan. If you are not sure which cocktail to order, ask Mike for one that fits your style.

Fred is both suave and friendly. In his teens, he began his career in the food and beverage industry as an apprentice chef in a five-star hotel. By the age of 25, he was the Chef de Cuisine of Compass Restaurant for Hyatt Regency Phoenix, a testament to his cooking skills and innovative recipes.

It is very obvious that both Mike and Fred enjoy their work. Their natural romantic and artistic qualities spill over into every aspect of fM, including the cocktails, dishes and interior decoration. The decor is a mixture of North American and European styles and graces a wonderful white stucco building that once housed Salt & Pepper Restaurant.

Since taking over the restaurant building, Mike and Fred have changed many things. The bar area on the first floor has comfortable leather sofas, soft lighting and background music. The dining area is on the second floor. On the upstairs balcony is a spice garden with mint, rosemary, lavender and thyme. Fred obtains many of the fresh spices that he uses in his cooking from this garden.

The menu features a unique combination of Western cuisines, described by Fred as "Pacific Northwest fusion". The menu changes every three months, so there is always something new to try. At the time Compass went to press the menu included Potato Scaled Snapper (NT$315), served with a colorful assortment of vegetables; Fruits de Mer (NT$275), with a delicious combination of seafood over pasta; and thick, juicy USDA Rib Eye Steak (NT$490).

Desserts include Fruits Jubilee (NT$175), which consists of mango flambeed in spiced rum and served over vanilla ice cream, and Ginger-Vanilla Creme Brulee (NT$175), a traditional European pudding served with an Asian-style ginger sauce.

To sum it all up, fM Restaurant & Bar serves up five-star cuisine and five-star ambiance for very reasonable prices. This, combined with the owners' hospitality, is sure to make you want to come back again and again.