Special Dinners/Events

Cuisine Greater Taipei Restaurants
1

This thread is a work in progress. After many questions about a romantic or special dinner out I’ve put together a list of some places. Feel free to add. I’ll put them into one post at the top so you don’t have to sort through 40 pages. Please include address, directions, telephone number, operating hours, prices or other pertinent info. Thanks. Prices listed do not include drinks because that could change drastically if fred showed up.

NOTE: Many of these places require a reservation several days in advance.

Villa 32 = very romantic smart casual dining. Up in Beitou. Bali decor with European cuisine. About $3,000-5,000 per person. We had a Fredfest there and it was great. Probably the most seductive restaurant in Taipei.

From their website:
Villa 32 is located at No. 32, Zhong Shan Road, short taxi from Xin Beitou MRT Station. Near Beitou Park, Spring Museum and Hot Spring Valley.

Business Hours: 12:00~23:00
Lunch: 12:00~14:00
Afternoon Tea: 14:30~16:00
Dinner: 18:00~21:00
Night Snack: 21:00~23:00
The last order time is 30 minutes in prior to the closing time of each dining time section.

Currently Villa 32 is open to the public. Please contact us at +886-2-6611-8888.

Here is Villa 32’s website. Check it out. http://www.villa32.com/frameset-en.htm

If you decide on villa 32 ask for one of the two private rooms and have dessert in one of the areas in the garden.

Black - One of the Shintori groups trendy/modern restaurants in Donghu/Neihu near the Miramar ferris wheel. Creative Japanese food in a huge modernly decorated space. About $1,000 to $2,000 per person. You’ll get points for being cool. There is no sign and you have to know a secret method to get in.

I’ll add the address later as I don’t have the exact address at hand but standing with the ferris wheel on your right, go to the next intersection and turn right. It is the first building on your right. Remember what beats scissors.

Grand Hyatt Pool bar - 5th floor out by the pool. The view is Sun Yat Sen memorial and trees with only a few buildings visible. Very romantic and relaxing with a holiday feel from the pool and lighting. About $500-$1,500 per person. You will feel like you are on vacation plus the hotel is right there.

For cool/creative/trendy:
NonZero

  1. 2772-0170
    5, Alley 4, Lane 27, Ren’ai Rd, Sec 4
    Hours: Cafe: Mon-Fri 11:30 am-2:30 pm, 6:30-9:30 pm
    Sat & Sun 11:30 am-3 pm, 6:30-9:30 pm
    Bistro: Mon-Sun 2 pm-1 am
    Credit cards accepted. No service charge.
    Corkage fee for all liquor applies.
    MRT: ZhongXiao/Fuxing Station

[/b], while they are romantic they aren’t particularly private. About $1,000-2,000 per person.

For elegant Chinese:
Joyce East. If you drink make sure you have one before dinner in the lounge area first. About $1,000-2,000 per person.

JOYCE EAST
台北市信義路5段128號1F
02-8789-6128
營業時間: 11:30 am-11:30 pm

Paris 1930 at the Landis. More of a traditional elegant restaurant. From their website: Monday to Saturday: from 18:00 on wards.

El Toro. Modern creative food done by a Spanish chef that worked at the Number 1 restaurant in the world - el buli. Tell them how much you want to spend and they will create a multi-course tasting menu.

(02) 2726-4902
508-2, ZhongXiao E Rd, Sec 5
Hours: 12-2 pm, 6-9 pm (closed on Monday)
Website: http://www.wretch.cc/album/eltorotw

Cuisine M
Cuisine M - 三井
Japanese modern cuisine
1F., No.1, Songzhi Rd., Xinyi Dist., Taipei City
Reservation: 02-2345-1101
MRT: Taipei City Hall station (blue line)
Website

For Taichung llary recommends:

[quote=“llary”]
Le Moût

Style: French fusion.
Price Range: Table d’hôte menu around NT$3,500 + 10% per person or $5,000+ for special holiday menus.
Address:59 Cunzhong (TsuenJung) St 台中市西區存中街59號

This is one of my favourite restaurants in Taiwan and the price is quite fair considering what other places charge for similar tasting menus. The restaurant is a multi-storey corner building with quite a small floor area that gives it a cozy feel. The decor is clean and inoffensive and service is impeccable. This would be an excellent choice for impressing your date before she realises you’re a penniless bum.

I could not say that every course is perfect but there are some dishes that are so outstanding to be worth the price of admission alone. Example would be a foie gras and fillet steak combo that did not sound very exciting on the menu but was done so perfectly that the whole assembly melted on contact like butter.[/quote]

2

I was very impressed with NonZero in some ways, not so much in others. Wonderful setting and great for a group, because their dinning room is composed of three huge cuttingboard block tables that seat 6, 10 and 12 from what I could see.

High marks on creativity, ingredient (real arborio rice in the risotto!) and their extensive and very well priced wine list. Where they fell short with our group of 9 was synching the courses. A few of us ordered sets that had more courses than others, and the kitchen seemed oblivious of this. Some of the main courses arrived as others were still having their entrees. I know this is not unusual practice here, but the last of the mains arrived a good 15-20 minutes after others had finished theirs.

Nonetheless, a very nice space, great and attentive service (the ladies in our party were all impressed that our young server would fill their glasses first whenever a new bottle was opened) and great food. Overall, it’s one of the nicest, most comfortable places that I have been in a long while. :thumbsup:

3

citizen k wrote it better than I did.

Exactly what he said but remember there are smaller tables off to the left for 2-4 people.

4

Actually, thanks a lot for this list and hope you continue to add to it. I hadn’t thought of dinner poolside at the Grand Hyatt in a long time, but now that you have reminded me of it, I will keep it in mind for my next special occasion. :notworthy:

5

Sorry good buddy but that place at the Hyatt is only open in the summer. But I’ll bet if enough of us request it for something special?

Lets do it! Nothing better than a bbq in the winter, eh?

:laughing:

I’m serious. Call me and lets get it together.

6

Well, I’m off to Bangkok next week, but between the Deck and the Hyatt, I do see some very nice dinners in our future!! :wink:

7

I sense the nascent beginnings of a post-Fred era Fred Fest concept; perhaps called E-Fest.

BroonAssumes

8

I sense the nascent beginnings of a post-Fred era Fred Fest concept; perhaps called E-Fest.


BroonAssFumes[/quote]
More like :stuck_out_tongue:

9

Let me know when you get back and we will do it up right.

10

[quote=“BroonAle”]I sense the nascent beginnings of a post-Fred era Fred Fest concept; perhaps called E-Fest.

BroonAssumes[/quote]

No one could ever fill fred’s shoes but I think we will have a new get together soon. I don’t know about calling it E-Fest as everyone would be dancing and nobody would be eating. :laughing:

11

elektronisk, this needs clarification:

My experience is that it is at least a half hour walk from Xin Beitou Station, largely because it is all uphill, and very steep. It is only a very short cab ride however, probably less than NT$100. It’s also worth noting that Villa32 is right beside the Four Seasons Hotel, and is so discreet that it looks like a small building belonging to the hotel. We walked straight past it at night, because their sign was not illuminated.

12

Thanks Fortigurn!

I substituted the walking times with a short cab ride and added your comment about the location. :thumbsup:

13

I will try to add some suggestions for Taichung which IMHO has better high-end dining than Taipei.


Le Moût

Style: French fusion.
Price Range: Table d’hôte menu around NT$3,500 + 10% per person or $5,000+ for special holiday menus.
Address:59 Cunzhong (TsuenJung) St 台中市西區存中街59號

This is one of my favourite restaurants in Taiwan and the price is quite fair considering what other places charge for similar tasting menus. The restaurant is a multi-storey corner building with quite a small floor area that gives it a cozy feel. The decor is clean and inoffensive and service is impeccable. This would be an excellent choice for impressing your date before she realises you’re a penniless bum.

I could not say that every course is perfect but there are some dishes that are so outstanding to be worth the price of admission alone. Example would be a foie gras and fillet steak combo that did not sound very exciting on the menu but was done so perfectly that the whole assembly melted on contact like butter.

14

Thanks llary;
What is their telephone number and website?