A great
choice for summer, the Cold Udon Noodles (NT$160)
are Udon noodles with dried bonito flake soup,
soy sauce and an unique dipping sauce.
Fish Fillet with Cream Sauce
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Rikka
Taipei
Words and photos
by Eden Lin
Translated by Ann Lee
58, Lane 122, RenAi Rd, Sec 4
The owner of Rikka Taipei, Mr.
Ou, has all the skills he needs to run this Japanese
eatery, which is famous throughout New Zealand.
For years at culinary school, Ou studied Japanese
fine cuisine and French specialties, making him
a food guy from head to toe. Fusing international
cuisine can be difficult; Japanese cuisine is
fastidious about utilizing seasonal ingredients
in appropriate dishes, but French cuisine is particular
about the visual presentation on the plate. Because
the chefs at Rikka are so passionate about food,
they merge the two styles successfully and produce
outstanding plate arrangements with great taste
and smell.
As homage to Rikka in New Zealand,
Ou decided to open up his own restaurant in Taipei.
In the early morning, while most people are still
asleep, the chef purchases his daily ingredients,
which allows him to control the freshness and
quality he brings to customers. Ou also believes
that in order to create the best, most delicious
cuisine, a chef must fully understand the qualities
and characteristics of the ingredients, to unlock
their full potential. One example of this deep
understanding is salt—he uses more than
10 different kinds to create what he calls "salt
cuisine".
To keep the menu interesting,
Rikka promotes new dishes every now and then.
This season, try the new Sea Urchin & Sweet
Corn Soup (NT$160). The urchins and corn are blended
with white sauce and poured into test tubes. Swallowing
it quickly brings out the sweetness of sea urchin.
Fish Fillet with Cream Sauce (NT$420), another
new dish, is fresh, grilled fish accompanied by
fried, Spanish-style risotto cakes and creamy
sauce made from thinly-sliced lappa. The chef's
skill can be tasted in both of these delicious
new dishes.
 
*
Sea Urchin & Sweet Corn Soup
* The tender, tangy Fried Chicken
Wings (NT$140) are fried twice before being soaked
in Rikka's secret sauce.
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