Cuisine: Innovative – Page 3

The beauty of dining at Leputing in Taipei

It is rare that food, presentation, service and venue (not to mention the company) all line up to create the perfect dining experience. That’s what happened in this lunch at Leputing around Christmas 2018 that I had the joy to share with two friends (I was invited, I did not know about the restaurant).

The visit

The restaurant is located in a Japanese-style house that separates itself from the surroundings made of high-rise residential buildings.

This is not ordinary building. It is the result of a 18-month long restoration project to bring back to life an abandoned building from the colonial past (Japan ruled Taiwan from 1895 to 1945). This is what is explained on Leputing’s website:

Leputing used to be the Nishikicho [Japanese name of the area] Japanese-style dormitory used by officials of the Forestry Bureau, but it was later abandoned for a long time. Through collaboration with Taipei City Government’s Department of Cultural Affairs, Lead Jade Life & Culture team was entrusted in 2013 to care for this old building of historical and cultural significance.

(Another source indicates that the building was actually a granary, maybe it was both a dormitory and a deposit.)

They did a spectacular job in restoring and preserving the building adding a zen and a rock garden. Various works of art also embellish the environment (see the picture on top of this page).

The food was not less appealing than the history of the venue. The first dish was a salad including shrimps, pickled radish, and cucumber. I was informed that all the ingredients were attentively sourced from Taiwan.

The second entree was tofu and a kind of smoked white fish. It is nice how they made the tofu and the fish look very similar… It was surmounted by soy bean crumbs and lily bulbs. The dish was nothing short of delicious and again the presentation was just beautiful.

Then we had a soup with mushrooms and foie gras. The soup was chicken stock and it was poured in the bowl at the table. Another delicious dish.

Then I can show you three mains as everyone in the party took a different one. The first was short ribs with hon-shimeji mushrooms (also known as the Japanese honey mushroom for it lobster-like taste) and sunchokes. As you can see, every component of every dish is carefully hand-picked.

The second main was a fish filet with seaweed butter sauce.

Finally, the third main was chicken roulade (“rolled”) with pea puree and mushrooms.

All the mains were phenomenal but the chicken was probably the winner. I learnt that it was free-range chicken from a farm close-by and the roulade components were perfectly amalgamated and did not distract from the chicken juicy flavor.

But we were not finished yet. We also had a rice dish (in kaiseki meals it is never missing and this set menu was reminescent of a kaiseki).

This was not just any rice. It was Chihshang rice from Chihshang Township in Taiwan. According to the distributor:

Back in the age of Japanese colonization, Chihshang rice was the tribute to offer to the Japanese Emperor, so it was called the “Tribute rice”. The world-famous “Chihshang meal box” exactly originated here. The ingredient which the meal box has advertised is exactly the Chihshang rice.

Chihshang Township is located in the purest and most natural area where rice is produced in the Hualien-Taitung Longitudinal Valley. It is also between the Central Range and Costal Range and on the valley plain of Hsinwulu River drainage basin with averagely the height of 300 meters above sea level. The soil in the paddy fields in Chihshang Township is rich with abundant organic minerals along with the rivers. There is even the only inland wetland in Taiwan, the Dapo Pool, to control the water level.

A very fitting dish for the venue. The rice was made more succulent by adding chicken fat.

The dessert had three components. First, a delicate brown sugar cookie with a scoop of apple and sea salt flavored ice cream (not the usual vanilla, thanks). Second, some Taiwanese black tea.

Third, some German fruit bread (stollen). Very fitting given the time of the year (almost Christmas day).

Overall this lunch was an impeccable dining experience, emphasizing local and Japanese ingredients for creative and unique dishes where all the components made a contribution to the final substance of the dish.

The check

I do not really have a check because I was treated to this lunch. However lunch sets range from 1.200 to 1.700 NTD (39 to 55 USD). Only set menus were available. Dinner set menus are more expensive, but mostly below the 100 USD mark. Considering the quality of the food and the overall experience, I would be happy to pay this kind of money for a similar lunch (or dinner).

Leputing is a great restaurant that I highly recommend and I will try to go back in 2019.

Where in Taipei:
No. 67, Section 2, Hangzhou South Road, Da’an District
Address in Chinese: 臺北市大安區杭州南路二段67號
Website: https://www.leputing.com.tw/content/zh/Index.aspx.

The most amazing food experience in Shanghai: Ultraviolet

Was it a fine dining event? Or was it a movie? Or an ASMR experience? Or an artistic performance? A dinner at Ultraviolet by Paul Pairet is all of this and more. It is difficult to label Ultraviolet because Paul Pairet created a new genre by fusing innovative food and multi-sensory cues.

Ultraviolet is the only triple-starred restaurant in the 2018 and 2019 Shanghai edition of the Michelin Guide (oddly it had only two stars in the 2017 inaugural Shanghai edition). Three stars, in the Guide’s jargon, mean “exceptional cuisine that is worth a special journey”. Is Ultraviolet worth a special journey? Absolutely. If you were to travel to Shanghai just for this, it would make perfect sense.

I have dined at Ultraviolet in December 2018 as part of the ongoing Shanghai Michelin Guide scramble, and I have given a lot of thought on how to put together this write-up. Initially I thought to provide a very detailed account of the experience, but I will not do that. It would be like writing a review full of spoilers. Rather, I will focus on the dishes and give a general idea of what I experienced.

The visit

I had been eyeing the Ultraviolet calendar since early 2017… it took me a while before I could find an available slot in a day fitting my schedule. The website worked well and I was able to make my reservation and pay the 50% deposit.

Ultraviolet only seats 10 diners per evening from Tuesday to Saturday and spots at the table are booked quickly.

Since my booking, I was contacted by email a couple of times to confirm the menu and to be reminded the time for the meeting. At the time of my booking, Ultraviolet was sporting 3 multi-course menus, mine was B (the second in chronological order to be introduced… the first one is A and the latest one is C). Menus come with drink pairings, including an option for a non-alcoholic pairing that I chose

The meeting point for the guests is the other Pairet’s restaurant in Shanghai, Mr and Ms Bund. The exact address of the dining room is a well-kept secret and I will not disclose it. Before leaving, the two hosts (Ms Kim and Mr Colin) briefed the group both in English and Chinese.

By 7pm our group was on the mini-bus heading to the secret dining room and by 7.30 we were seated. Not only the address is secret, but to step into the dining room a secret door had to be revealed.

I will say upfront that the pictures that I will include in this write-up do not do justice to the experience.

By the time the first dish was served, the tone of the evening became clear: every second of the dinner was perfectly choreographed in terms of lights, sounds, music, movements by the staff, images projected on the walls and the table. And everything had the quality of a high value movie production: it was not a flimsy video projector; every image and sequence had been meticulously edited to seamlessly fuse with the surroundings.

The first dish, pictured above, was made of bits of pomelo and grapefruit fused together by using dry ice or some similar component: the fruit was immersed in the cooling agent in front of the table and the dish was literally created on the spot. I must confess that I do not crazy about the outcome of this process, but the creativity and the showmanship was mind-blowing.

The next two dishes were inspired by Pairet’s early years in France where, like in many Southern European countries, children were entitled an afternoon snack before dinner. Specifically, the dishes were inspired by yogurt and a chocolate tartine (but with foie gras).

Next, the scene moved in a busy fish market with some seafood dishes. The first was a delicious oyster with caviar, pepper and lemon, then a dish based on crab and finally an homage to France and Japan fusion: a piece of tuna steak and deep fried whitebait. For all the dishes we received instructions on how to eat them to taste them better; usually, the suggestion was to eat all the ingredients together.

Then we had a slice of meunière truffle bread. The dish is also available from Mr and Ms Bund and is one of my favorite dishes in Shanghai. It is a slice of toasted bread soaked in meunière sauce, a very traditional French sauce made of brown butter, chopped parsley, and lemon (usually used for the sole fish). Then the bread is covered with truffle flakes. However, there was a twist. The bread was served under a glass cover containing some cigar smoke. The cigar odor was distinctive and added to the tasting experience of this great dish. Around us the images of a foggy forest completed the experience (I swear I could smell the fog… not sure if something was released in the air or if the sensory component was just so good to activate some memories of this kind of environment).

Then we were served a delicious egg with truffle and taleggio.

The last dish before the break was clearly designed to play with the audience. We were asked to prepare our own noodles using a set of surgical-like instruments. The noodles were made of coconut paste and obtaining them was part of the fun of this dish.

At this point we were invited outside the dining room for a break. Needless to say, even during the break something happened…

Upon our re-entering the main dining room, we found that the table and the imagery had been reset to look like a meadow ready for a pic nic. We were presented the next dishes including cod, chicken and veal.

We were given a chance to look at the main ingredients of the next dishes before they were finalized in the kitchen. They were presented with the right theatrics and they were not just cod, chicken, and veal, but cod cooked with a jelly cover, chicken in a jar with aromas, and “beggar’s veal” cooked in a clay container full of herbs.

The final dishes were the cod with rice and condiments; a piece of chicken with foie gras; and a glorious piece of veal with sauces. These were substantial dishes.

Next was a very creative dish called “mozza and again”: mozzarella with condiments in two seemingly identical dishes. I will not disclose more, but this dish was clearly meant to engage not only with the palate but also with the brain of the guests.

The truffle bread was presented again, this time in a “sweet” version with peanut butter. I prefer the original one, but it was a nice variation.

At this point the dinner was starting to come to an end. The last dish on the menu was a “Montblanc snowball” dominated by a scoop of Yakult ice cream. It came with orange blossom water with a polar bear on an ice cube.

But no, actually the dinner was not finished yet… there was a “coda”: we were invited to have an American breakfast! With eggs, bread, frozen passion fruit and more.

By this time I could see I was full… I enjoyed every single dish throughout the dinner and, even if I am not a chef, I could appreciate the sophisticated techniques used to prepare the dishes in which not the slightest detail was overlooked.

I also appreciated the non-alcoholic pairings that came in the form of various delicate infusions. But of course, the food was only one component of a sophisticated multimedia performance where the guests were both users and actors.

Before leaving, a final coup the theater was the opportunity to meet the kitchen staff and Paul Pairet in person. It was nice to have a chance to interact with the staff because all the staff showed an incredible degree of professionalism. In the kitchen Paired welcomed us with a final delight and some champagne. Time to celebrate.

At the very end we were asked to pay the check and the shuttle bus brought (part of) the group back to the Bund (others chose to take a cab).

We were back by 11.45. Overall, the dinner lasted around 4 hours. I cannot say that I was bored for a single instant. Every second there was something happening absorbing my attention and filling my senses.

The check

Dining at Ultraviolet cost me 4,000 RMB (around 580 USD). This is the price for Tuesdays and Wednesdays. the other days usually cost 6,000 (with a more prestigious wine pairing). They also have some special evenings priced 8,888 or 10,000 RMB.

Clearly, at this price level it not just about the food. The dishes are masterpieces and the ingredients are top-shelf, but you pay for the whole experience and for being part of a unique performance. Is it worth? Personally I think so, especially if you consider that in China you could easily end up spending that sum of money for some lobster and abalone. The creative investment behind the performance in my opinion justifies the price point.

As I wrote at the beginning, Pairet created a new genre and enriched Shanghai’s food scene with an unique experience that is well worth the trip.

Where in Shanghai?
Consult Ultraviolet’s website for info and bookings.

Every dish a masterpiece at Taian Table in Shanghai

Taian Table debuted in mid 2016 and by October had gained a star in the inaugural edition of the Shanghai’s Michelin Guide. The restaurant, the brainchild of German chef Stefan Stiller, was named after Tai’an road, where it was initially located. The current location is on Zhenning Road, near Xinzha Road in Changning District in an office complex. The restaurant has retained its star in the second and third edition of the Shanghai Michelin Guide. This review is part of the Shanghai Michelin Guide Scramble. UPDATE: Deservedly, the restaurant got two stars in the 2020 edition of the Guide.

What is special about Taian Table that intrigued me was their changing menu. In some of these fine dining venues, modifications of the menu are infrequent if not rare. Contrast this with Taian Table team that, since its opening, has minted 17 different menus, sometimes with profound changes. This is an impressive degree of creativity. Even better, I love the current format. While Taian Table is a classic multi-course dining experience, only 8 dishes are fixed, then each guest can customize his/her selection with 2, 4 or 6 additional dishes chosen from “classics” and “specials”.

The visit

I booked through the website and it was very simple. I had to put down a 500 CNY deposit for each guest (I and a friend) that was easy to pay electronically.

I and my friend arrived at around 7pm and were welcomed in the dining room dominated by two L shaped counters enclosing the open kitchen. The counter sported high chairs, which I usually hate, but these were comfortable (also thanks to a foot rest space placed on the counter base).

We were immediately welcomed with the initial “snacks and nibbles”: some honey-glazed nuts and crackers with flavor coming from nori and kombu seaweeds. The nuts were nuts, but the crackers were remarkable, with a decisive “sea” flavor.

As part of these initial snacks we were offered a cappuccino with foie gras, chicken stock and Parmesan emulsion and some bread crumbs. It was something delicious.

More nibbles were waiting for us with a trio: a dumpling with tomato extract (I think reminiscent of Italian fagottini), a pastry with vitello tonnato and a salmon tart.

At this point we also had a chance to know the chef in charge of the kitchen, Mr Johnny Pham. Johnny would personally explain each dish to us throughout the rest of the evening.

The first “institutional” dish was called Foie Gras Snow. Foie gras flakes were covering a layer of lychee panna cotta and Riesling jelly. The dish was very refreshing, with no single flavor dominating others.

Next came a small work of art: thin slices of char fish (a freshwater fish found in cold mountain lakes) enclosed in equally thin slices of cucumber (and with trout roe on top). I admired this dish, but honestly it was probably my least favorite as I prefer stronger flavors.

The third dish consisted in snails covered in parsley. The white pearls in the dish were made of garlic. I am not a big fan of snails, but with these dressings they were very pleasant to eat.

At this point I was served the first of my two “free” dishes: a spoon of sea urchin on sour-dough bread (that appeared to be caramelized I think thanks to brown butter) and capped with a slice of apple. I ate it in two bites and I found that the sour-dough greatly enhanced the sea urchin flavor.

My friend opted for a piece of seared foie gras.

Then we went back to a dish made with French components with a bite of Dover sole and mussels in a sauce made with daikon and dill-oil. This was incredibly satisfying.

Then there was some more sea waiting with a charcoal grilled turbot fish on a layer of sauerkraut and capped with a teaspoon of caviar.

My friend opted for a bite of lobster (again in dill-oil).

The next masterpiece was the chef’s interpretation of the classic Oeuf en Meurette. In this case the poached egg came with a slice of crispy Parma ham and a wine sauce with pickled Shimeji mushrooms. I was later explained by chef Stiller that the pinkish color of the egg is the result of a brining process lasting for about 2-3 hours during which the eggs are soaked in a mix of beetroot juice and reduced port-wine. The inspiration coming from the Chinese Tea Egg.

Now time for a sorbet: a watermelon sorbet served with some borage (and at the perfect temperature).

But before entering the final act, we were served another big ticket item: a bite of slow-cooked beef short-rib with various condiments such as celeriac mash, chanterelle, and crispy beef tendon. I was able to cut the meat with my chopsticks.

Th last official dish was called ‘Îles flottantes’ (Floating island) and was a glorious lemon sorbet with various fruit condiments.

In the closing act, we were offered a trio of mini sweet pastries, a selection of chocolate pralines and a stick with cotton candy. More than enough to satisfy my sweet tooth.

The check

We spent 1228 CNY (177 USD) per person that was the cost of the 10 course menu (including two dishes chosen from the list of the classics). We did not drink wine and we relied on the house water. This means that this was the absolute minimum to dine at the restaurant. We opted for the 10 course menu with the idea to throw in a couple of additional dishes if we felt like it, but by mid-dinner we realized that 10 courses were more than enough for our appetite. Special appreciation for the staff that was very professional and not pushy in asking us to order wine or cocktails. I can only recommend to go for dinner with an healthy appetite since every dish is just phenomenal and it would not have been bad to try the 12 course option.

Of course 1228 is a handsome sum for a dinner, but I think the value and the creativity of the offering justify the price point. Many of these dishes required hours of preparation. Every single dish was unique and creative and, overall, provided a nice balance between Eastern and Westerner flavors.

I wish Stefan, Johnny and their team continued success as I would totally go back to try one of their future menus if I have a chance.

Where in Shanghai:
465 Zhenning Road, Lane No 161, 101-102, Building No 1
Address in Chinese: 上海市长宁区镇宁路465弄161号1号楼101-102号
Pro-tip: the restaurant does not seem to be listed on Didi, the Chinese Uber. If you use Didi, you can indicate “Anken South Gate”: the entrance of this complex is next to the location of the restaurant.
Reservation and menu on the restaurant’s website.