Taiwan cuisine, individual servings
Apart from tasty traditional dishes, a strong spirit of innovation has taken hold in Taiwan in recent years.
Writer Jiao Tong states in Taiwan Wei-dao (The Tastes of Taiwan) that when foreigners come visiting, he likes to take them to Shi-Yang Culture Restaurant for a taste of Yilan-style innovative gourmet.
Jiao Tong is especially fond of the "mountain-spring tofu" appetizer, a dish dreamed up by the folks at Shi-Yang. He enthuses: "It's got a clean taste, and is pure white, soft, and tender. Just add a touch of wasabi and soy sauce, and it's the perfect, light-flavored dish to usher guests into the dining experience."
Shi-Yang, the progenitor of Taiwan's garden restaurants, first opened on the Taipei-Yilan highway before moving to Xin-dian, Yang-ming-shan, and now Xi-zhi. Amidst the moves, what remains unchanged is the emphasis on beautiful scenery. Mountains, cloudbanks, and forests add a priceless touch, soothe the spirit, and somehow make the meal taste that much better. The proprietor is punctilious about presentation of the meal, and serving it kaiseki style is a whole new wrinkle on traditional Taiwan cuisine.
Many have joined the bandwagon by serving up more creative twists on Taiwan cuisine in recent years, but the latecomers have generally been unable to do much in the way of scenery and have concentrated instead on presentation of the meal.
The cooking staff at Link in Yilan City, led by executive chef Chiu Ching-tse, took the championship at the 2011 Taiwan Culinary Exhibition. According to Chiu, the experimental cooking at Link doesn't draw much of a local clientele. Most customers are from out of town, and quite a few are foreigners. This is in contrast with Du Hsiao Yueh. This latter restaurant offers traditional fare and is run by Chen Chao-lin, who was once in charge of preparing the meals for state banquets.
Absolutely everything served at Link is a totally new creation made from local ingredients, be it appetizers (which are flavored with sour plums, sweet potatoes, bitter melon, and pungent XO sauce to symbolize the jumble of emotions that accompany human existence), lobster and deep-fried goza (an Yilan specialty), or steamed eel. Chicken soup congee with whitebait fish and shredded crab meat is a standard menu item that always goes over real well with guests. The set-course meals start at NT$1,200 and are delicious and filling. A new addition to the menu is the "champion's course" that won first place at the Taiwan Culinary Exhibition. It costs a hefty NT$3,000 per person, but many gourmet enthusiasts are not scared off by the price.
Shi-Yang Culture Restaurant's exquisite presentation adds beauty on the platter to the charm of the surroundings. Pictured here, iced fruit vinegar.