Modern-style Taiwanese dishes : Shin Yeh 101, Dr. Goose, AoBa (AnHe Branch), Purple Town (JiLin Branch)

Shin Yeh 101

7, XinYi Rd, Sec 5, 85F-1
(Taipei 101building)
(02) 8101-0185
Hours: 11:30 am-3 pm, 5:30-10 pm
Credit cards accepted.
10% service charge.
Chinese/English/Japanese menu.

One might not normally classify traditional Taiwanese food as "gourmet" cuisine. However, a trip to Shin Yeh Restaurant inside Taipei 101 could change all that. Though there are a lot of other Shin Yeh branches, Taipei 101's outlet really distinguishes itself by offering a world-class dining experience high atop one of the world's tallest structures. Besides the excellent view, the restaurant offers meticulously-prepared, gorgeously-presented meals that take everything, from texture and healthiness to a balance of flavors, into account. The restaurant is MSG-free and their food and beverages are prepared with the best local ingredients. Beautiful food presentation and a breathtaking location are part of a memorable experience at Shin Yeh. Lunches and dinners respectively start from NT$880 and NT$1,680, with six set-menu meals rotating on a seasonal basis.

Dr. Goose (southern seafood delicacies)

(02) 2521-2909
190, JiLin Rd
Hours: 11 am-2 pm, 6-11 pm
Credit cards accepted.
10% service charge.

Dr. Goose hails from the south Taiwan town of Dong Gang, famous for its abundant seafood, and brings fresh, southern Taiwanese cuisine to Taipei. Unlike most traditional Taiwanese restaurants, it aims to break stereotypes and reinvents Taiwanese dining with fresh ingredients, meticulous presentation, authentic flavors and modern interior design. The very hospitable restaurant staff are passionate about southern Taiwanese cuisine and aim to help you enjoy it, too. The restaurant's creative cuisine provides pleasant surprises at each visit. Assistant Manager Mr. Zhuang, an experienced, knowledgeable gourmet despite his youth, promises, "Whether it's a table for 10, a romantic date for two or a simple dinner for one, satisfaction is guaranteed." When ordering, you can specify the size of each dish: small (1-3 people), medium (4-6 people) or large (6-8 people). If there's a particular dish you can't get enough of, simply order a large one to fill your craving. King Crab Legs Salad (NT$180/small) is a great appetizer, while the Stir-Fried Golden Needle Flowers (NT$100/small) will provide your daily intake of greens. Sakura Shrimp Fried Rice (NT$100/small) and Clay Pot Sticky Rice (NT$400/10 servings) provide new revelations about rice dishes--you can savor the individual ingredients and the rice is not at all greasy. Handmade Shrimp Balls (NT$45/each), served in broth, is so good that you may want to take some home. Dr. Goose is open on Chinese New Year's eve untill 9 p.m. Then it's closed for four days, re-opening on January 30. If you haven't yet had the pleasure of enjoying a feast of southern Taiwanese cuisine, hurry over to Dr. Goose. --Written & translated by Diva Yang

AoBa (AnHe Branch)

116, AnHe Rd, Sec 1 (Chiao-Fu Building 1F)
(02) 2700-0009
Hours: 11:30 am-3 pm, 5:30-11 pm
Credit cards accepted.
10% service charge.

AoBa restaurants have been around for over 40 years now, which says a lot about their success as a traditional, island-wide Taiwanese-style establishment. Over the four decades it has been in business, AoBa has concentrated on providing not only top-notch Taiwanese flavors to devoted customers, but also fusing creative new culinary ideas into menu items. Both are enjoyed in modern atmosphere with excellent service. As a result, AoBa's diners pay reasonable prices for high-class cuisine. When I walked into the AoBa branch located on the corner of Anhe and Xinyi roads, it felt like arriving at a trendy lounge bar. The manager quickly welcomed me into their private dining area and served me four of their classic dishes. This started with the appetizer Seafood Salad (NT$320), served with fresh lettuce, calamari, scallops and shrimp, and topped off with their exclusively-made dressing and fried spring roll crumbs. A creative East-West fusion of ingredients, it was certainly a refreshing treat. The Fried Shrimp with Tofu Wrap (NT$160) was next and had a crunchy texture, with great seafood and meat stuffing. Grilled Oyster and Bacon (NT$320) was also a tasty dish, served with oysters imported from Hiroshima, Japan, plus a delicious yellow mustard sauce. Finally, the main course was a signature dish, the Grilled Fish Egg Fried Rice (NT$300), in itself a wholesome, hearty meal. If you're looking for a place to pamper your palate and enjoy authentic Taiwanese cuisine with a twist, AoBa is hard to beat. --By Sharon Huang

Purple Town (JiLin Branch)

39, JiLin Rd
(02) 2522-3288
Hours: 11 am-2 pm, 5-10 pm
Credit cards accepted.
10% service charge.

Formerly known as "Food Time", this traditional Taiwanese-style restaurant mainly focuses on serving quick, stir-fry dishes. Several menu specialties include seafood, "3-cup" style dishes, roasts and teppanyaki-style entress. Take a closer look at the menu, and you'll find the food is actually a diversity of local delicacies from different parts of Taiwan, with Fujianese and Hakka-style dishes being the most popular amongst customers. Owner/manager Lee Wen-li enjoys savoring food from all over the place and is in the habit of bringing favorites back for a try at the restaurant, leaning towards dishes she knows most people will like and are not as common in Taipei. For example, a Yilan specialty dish, Xi Lu Rou in Claypot (NT$280), is a thick soup dish that comes with hearty ingredients like Chinese cabbage, crab meat, pork, winter mushrooms and eggs. Or try the Changhua specialty dish, Big Clam Noodles (NT$80), with a tasty broth made with chicken bones and dried fish (bonito) flakes. The noodles are from Yunlin, a simple dish with a natural fragrance that is popular among office workers coming here for a quick take-out lunch. Yet another signature dish at Purple Town is the Wine-Cooked Shrimp Pot (NT$280), prepared with aged shao xing liquor, sesame oil and ginger slices for a delectable, heart-warming flavor. Other recommendations include the Fried Dough with Fresh Oysters (NT$250) and Orbfish with Rice Noodles (NT$780), and you'll often find seasonal dishes being added to the menu. Purple Town is also very popular among tour groups and foreign business travelers, thanks to its creatively prepared dishes and old-fashioned decor. --By Josie wu