Our Tasty Travels

How Do Asian Hawker Centers and Night Markets Differ?

Erin De Santiago — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 04:09:16 +0000

Taiwan is known for its signature Asian cuisine found at night markets whereas Singapore is known for its hawker centers — but how do they actually differ?

The frenzied night markets found in Taiwan are truly the epitome of Taiwanese culture. They are loud, busy, and filled with a seemingly endless array of delicious local foods. Hawker centers are essentially the same, but with a few key differences.

What are Hawker Centers?

Hawker center is the name given to the numerous informal open-air food stalls that are found in Asian countries like Singapore and Malaysia. They sell inexpensive local foods and are often found near major transportation hubs, like bus stations or large train stations.

Singapore is probably the country most recognized and renowned for their hawker centers. Singapore has also helped improve the overall image of hawker centers as they were once known for unlicensed hawkers selling non-hygienic foods. In the past, many hawker centers were not properly managed and had problems with no running water or lack of appropriate cleaning facilities.

Newton Food Centre aka Newton Food Circus

Today, Singapore has turned some hawker centers into more of a food court atmosphere, moving them inside air-conditioned shopping malls, a smart move given the extremely hot and humid climate of Singapore.

Types of Food Served at Hawker Centers and Night Markets

The types of food sold at hawker centers versus night markets is one of the biggest differences between the two.

Hawker centers are more like fast food restaurants, serving whole meals and combination platters. In places like Singapore, many hawker centers even feature special Halal cuisine, meaning the food passes Islamic dietary laws. There are even signs reminding patrons not to mix the dishes from a Halal stall with those from a regular Chinese food stall.

Typical night markets, like those found in Taiwan, serve more snack type foods. Most booths or stalls feature one or two types of specialty items and patrons walk from booth to booth to sample many different foods. One food stall may carry only steamed dumplings while the next food cart features stinky tofu and oyster omelets, two of Taiwan’s signature snack foods.

Food on a stick is the heart of a Taiwanese Night Market

Popular food items at Singapore hawker centers include large seafood meals, from Singapore’s signature chili crab to more obscure items like barbecued stingray. Many dishes have noticeable Malay or Indonesian influences as well. Besides oyster omelets and stinky tofu, Taiwan night markets are known for a variety of delicious local foods like sausages, grilled squid, candied tomatoes on a stick, large fried chicken patties, and practically every chicken (or duck) organ imaginable. Signature Taiwanese drinks found all over night markets include pearl milk tea, aiyu jelly, and blended fresh fruit concoctions and smoothies.

Seating at Singapore Hawker Centers versus Taiwan Night Markets

Another major difference of hawker centers versus typical Asian night markets is the availability of seating. Hawker centers usually feature numbered tables where patrons can spread out and enjoy their meal. The typical process is to scope out a table, remember the number, and then go place an order. The person taking the order will ask for the table number and the food will then be delivered. This means a person could order food from different stalls and have everything delivered to their table.

Hawker Center food stalls

Night markets are traditionally standing room only, which is why snack foods are the featured fare. Vendors typically use mobile carts and many are not permanent storefronts or stalls like a hawker center. People may sit along a curb or some carts have a small table and several stools set up, provided there is room. Taiwan is known for serving many unexpected foods on a stick and it is the night market culture that has lead to these popular foods being served on a skewer.

Taipei's Shilin Night Market Food Bldg - designed for snacking with only a few stalls having 4-10 seats

Lines are often lengthy at night market food carts, especially those vendors who have developed a following over the years. It is not uncommon to see 50 people or more in line at some food stalls. Many tourists have learned to seek out the long lines to ensure they try the best local cuisine.

Some of the larger night markets, like the famous Shilin Market in Taipei, have a separate food building where very limited seating is available; however, it is not nearly as comfortable and spacious as a hawker center. The Jiantan food building at the Shilin Night Market is not for the faint of heart or those with claustrophobia. The aisles are extremely narrow and on weekends it is not uncommon to be packed in like sardines.

Location of Hawker Centers and Night Markets

Hawker centers are in a permanent central location with structural starting and ending points. They are typically adjacent to major transportation hubs and greatly resemble shopping mall food courts in the United States.

Newton Hawker Centre in Singapore

Night markets span entire blocks and feature a mix of food, shopping, and entertainment. They tend to be in many neighborhood districts, located close to transportation hubs, but especially near trendy shopping or university areas.

Typical Saturday Night on streets of Taipei's Shilin Night Market

Taiwan night markets also blend temporary, mobile elements with permanent storefronts and restaurants. During the day, a night market area may appear as a regular neighborhood with shops, restaurants, etc. Once late afternoon hits, vendors begin setting up for the rush of nighttime visitors. While there is still some risk of unlicensed vendors setting up, police typically patrol most night market areas to verify vendors are properly licensed.

Overall, the concept of hawker centers and night markets are fundamentally the same. They serve as central hubs where locals go to enjoy inexpensive local foods and provide an opportunity for tourists to experience some of the best cuisine the country is known for.

Photo of the Week: Chips, Cheese, and Guacamole

Erin De Santiago — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 20:01:36 +0000

I’ve mentioned on countless occasions how much I miss Mexican food from Los Angeles, so not surprisingly I get my fill when I go home. Normally, I’m not a fan of melted cheese like this on chips, but this brings me back to my childhood when my grandparents would bring this in from time to time. I know it’s like a heart attack waiting to happen, but a worthy splurge once, or three, times a year.

Chips, Cheese, and Guacamole!

Photo of the Week: Fresh Juice Poolside in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt

Erin De Santiago — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 19:07:59 +0000

This past week, we spent a few days diving at the Red Sea and one of the most refreshing things throughout the week was the fresh squeezed juices offered in the hotels. We had some amazing guava and mango juices especially. This was a glass of fresh guava I was sipping on poolside at the Sofitel Hotel in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt.

Fresh guava juice poolside at the Sofitel Hotel in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt

Recipes: How to Make Chinese Tea Eggs at Home

Erin De Santiago — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 08:19:17 +0000

Tea eggs are sold all over Taiwan and are a popular snack consumed in many Chinese communities worldwide.

Chinese Tea Eggs are simple to make at home.

Tea eggs are a delicious snack consumed by many Asian cultures. They can be found everywhere around countries like Taiwan – from practically every 7-11 convenience store to more remote locations like a tiny food stall on Lalu Island at the popular resort destination, Sun Moon Lake.

As with most food items, there are good and bad tea eggs, and then some phenomenal ones that people travel long distances to get. One of the best places for visitors to try delicious tea eggs is at local Taiwan night markets.

What are Chinese Tea Eggs?

Basically, these are hard boiled eggs that are marinated in a variety of spices and tea leaves. The original recipes used various spices, soy sauce, and black tea leaves in the recipe. One of the most common seasonings used is Chinese five-spice powder, which contains star anise, cinnamon, fennel, cloves, and Szechuan peppercorns.

The most common tea leaves used include Pu’er and black tea, which are excellent varieties of Taiwan local teas. Other teas like green tea are considered far too bitter to work well. Some variations of the tea eggs include other spices and ingredients, like mushrooms, and some do not even use tea leaves, but are still called tea eggs.

How to Make Chinese Tea Eggs at Home

Ingredients

6 eggs
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp salt
2 tbsp Chinese five spice powder
1 star anise
1 tea bag – either black or pu’er tea
Optional: earthy mushrooms

Directions

Fill saucepan with water and bring the water to a boil, over medium heat.
Add the eggs, turn the fire off and let sit for 15 minutes.
Drain and allow eggs to cool.
Once cool, place each egg on the counter and gently roll with the palm of the hand so the shell cracks all over. Do not remove the shell from the egg though.
Fill the saucepan with clean water and add soy sauce, five spice seasoning, star anise, salt, tea bag, and mushrooms if applicable.
Bring water to a boil and place the cracked eggs in the saucepan.
Place on low heat and let the eggs simmer for 20 minutes.
Remove saucepan from heat and allow eggs to continue steeping in the mixture.
When slightly cooled, place eggs and liquid into a glass or ceramic container to steep further in the fridge.
Eggs can be served either hot or cold based on personal preference.

For best results, allow the eggs to steep at least two days in the refrigerator to ensure the spices fully blend into the eggs. For those who like sweeter eggs, consider substituting a couple tablespoons of sugar instead of salt.

Appearance and Taste of Chinese Tea Eggs

If the eggs are properly steeped, they should have regions of light and dark brown when the peels are removed. Long dark brown tones should appear along the cracks of the shell. The yolks should have a thin greyish layer with the inside center being a normal yellowish color.

The flavor of these eggs can vary based on spices and the type of tea used. Typically, Chinese tea eggs have a salty and earthy flavor. The tea enhances the flavor of the egg yolk, and the use of mushrooms really brings an earthy quality to the whites. For those watching cholesterol, just remove the yolks and eat the hard boiled egg whites, which are delicious when consumed on their own.

Photo of the Week: Macarons from Patisserie Sadaharu AOKI in Taipei, Taiwan

Erin De Santiago — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 22:38:06 +0000

Macarons from Patisserie Sadaharu AOKI in Taipei

In the continuing quest to eat every macaron known to man, I am easily swayed when passing a patisserie with these delightful treats. I had not been to this particular one in Taipei yet, however, our friend Janice, e*ting, from Hong Kong has raved about these on several occasions. Patisserie Sadaharu AOKI is not surprisingly from Paris, but as you might gather from the name “Sadaharu Aoki“, he is originally from Japan.

During an afternoon lunch at BellaVita with several other foodie friends, I ended up bringing home an entire assortment — one of each flavor….about $50 US in Macarons. Doh! Worth every Taiwan Dollar.

Meeting Joël Robuchon at Gala Dinner at L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon in Taipei, Taiwan

Erin De Santiago — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 10:41:57 +0000

Some people are starstruck by actors, actresses, singers, etc. Me, I get all tongue tied around chefs who I have a deep admiration for. As you can imagine, the mere thought of getting to meet someone as renowned and talented as Chef Joël Robuchon practically sent me into a panic.

Would I say something stupid? Would I even be able to say anything at all? Am I dressed ok? What happened to the five words of French I knew at some point in my life? Will I open my mouth to speak and have food in my teeth?

For days leading up to what could be billed as the greatest dining event each year in Taipei now, I was quite nervous. After missing last year’s gala dinner because we were out of town, I was an excited ball of nerves in the days leading up to this. One of our local foodie friends, Stephanie (@smallching), who we met on Twitter just over a year ago, also joined us for this special event.

We were quite lucky to secure a spot for three at the prized counter for this event on December 3, ensuring we had prime viewing opportunities. Thank you Vincent, the manager at L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon, who facilitated our reservation just through a status message exchange on Facebook!

Joël Robuchon Gala Dinner Place Settings

Christmas decorations in the counter

Not having any idea what the menu included for the evening, I was excited to unroll it and noticed right away it was personally signed by Chef Robuchon already!

Gala dinner menu, signed by Robuchon on the left and asked Chef Angelo to sign on the right

Before I even had much of a chance to peruse the menu, something caught my eye — Chef Angelo Agliano was headed our direction holding several rather large white truffles.

Chef Angelo with beautiful white truffles

Before we started on the menu, Chef Joël Robuchon and Chef Philippe Braun arrived. We felt quite honored that Benoit brought them over right after their arrival to talk with us. Strangely, all my nerves melted away as Chef Robuchon and Chef Braun were two of the nicest people I’ve met. I’m not sure why, but I expected him to be very formal and reserved, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. Right from the start, everyone was joking and the atmosphere was very light-hearted.

POUR COMMENCER

l’emulsion mousseuse de courgette sur une royale de dashi tremblotante aux champignons
The emulsion foamy zucchini with mushroom flavor

Pairing: Bruno Paillard Champagne

Benoit with the Bruno Paillard Champagne

Pour Commencer

Close up of the foamy zucchini with uni and mushroom

The zucchini emulsion had a piece of uni (sea urchin) inside — while the combination of flavors on paper may sound a little odd or less than appetizing, they worked well together.

Busted! Trying to take a candid shot of Benoit and Mr. Robuchon in the kitchen

LE FOIE GRAS D’OIE
une symphonie soyeuse sous une fine gelee a la feuille d’or
Foie gras mousse in a white truffle flavor with gold leaf

Pairing: Z007 Domaine Zind Humbrecht Zind

Without a doubt, this was my favorite course. On top of the foie gras was a jelly layer made with chicken juice jelly. The white truffles were so sublime with the foie gras mousse and everything literally just melted in my mouth. This I could’ve probably eaten ten courses of!

Le Foie Gras D'Oie

Close up of the foie gras mousse

On the side of the plate was a small piece of focaccia bread with praline — almond pieces caramelized with red sugar. Benoit said this was a traditional French way of serving the dish.

Foie gras mousse with transparent jelly on top

Nice details on the plating

The Zind wine is a blend of two-thirds Chardonnay and one-third Auxerrois. The bright yellow wine had slight aromas of lemon with a hint of sweetness on the palate. A wonderful blend from the Alsace, but cannot be called such because of the addition of Chardonnay, a non-authorized varietal. The vintage is 2007, which is also forbidden given the rules, which is where the unique touch of the “Z007″ comes in. See, I did not make a typo in the pairing!

Z007 Zind Domaine Zind-Humbrecht wine

LA NOIX DE SAINT-JACQUES
a la plancha, condiments au kumquat et au caviar
Sea scallop a la plancha with a sauce of kumquat and caviar

Pairing: M. Chapoutier Domaine des Granges de Mirabel 2007

This was quite an interesting course with scallops “a la plancha” (grilled on a stainless steel griddle with olive oil) on top of kumquat sauce and caviar. The red drops are spicy red pepper. With a sauce that has acidity, Benoit paired a wine that was fruit forward, but still respected the delicacy and richness of the scallops. His choice was a M. Chapoutier Domaine des Granges de Mirabel 2007.

Sea scallop with a sauce of kumquat and caviar

M. Chapoutier Domaine des Granges de Mirabel 2007

LE BLACK COD
avec une mousseline de daikon au yuzu
Black cod filet marinated with sake, mirin, and miso in a yuzu flavored turnip hot soup

Pairing: Bourgogne Hautes -Cotes de Nuits Clos Saint-Philibert Monopole

One of my favorite dishes from Nobu is the legendary miso cod so I was quite interested to try a similar version. There was a small piece of daikon radish in the soup and I was instantly greeted with the sweet aroma from the caramelization on the black cod. I liked the contrast of the tart broth and the bit of spiciness from the pepper sauce against the caramelization and natural sweetness of the black cod.

If you haven’t heard of yuzu, it is prevalent in Japanese cuisine, and is being used more often in western cuisine as well. It typically has a tart flavor, resembling a combination of a grapefruit and mandarin orange. The fruit itself is not commonly consumed, but it is often used for a zest or the juice in a sauce.

Black Cod

Black Cod - Close up of the Daikon

Close up of the black cod

Chardonnay from Burgundy

The wine Benoit chose was an interesting pairing — Cotes du Nuits is a region in France primarily renowned for its reds, but he had a white wine from Burgundy. He shared that the winemaker was taught by Henri Jayer, one of the most important vintners to the Burgundian region. He brought many innovations to the Burgundy style of winemaking, but passed away in 2006. His Pinot Noir wines are highly sought after and often fetch thousands of dollars for one bottle.

One of Jayer’s most famous statements, which has been adopted by vineyard owners and winemakers around the world, was, “A great wine is crafted in the vineyard; not the cellar.”

During the break between courses, Chef Braun and Chef Robuchon came around so people could take photos with them. Vincent was using a digital camera to take photos of each group of guests, but we also had the staff take a couple photos with my camera. Unfortunately, one shot came out pretty bad, but I was able to crop and salvage Chef Braun and me from it.

Picture of the signed photo they gave us during the dinner

Chef Philippe Braun and I

Brett, Chef Robuchon, myself, Chef Braun, and Stephanie

Although we're all looking different directions, still think this is a great shot!

LE COCHON
cuit en cote au plat avec un gel de mais au curcuma
Roasted pork chop and corn jelly with fresh white truffle and homemade tagliolini

Three Pairings:
Chateau Duhart-Milion Domaines Barons de Rothschild (Lafite) 1998
Gevrey-Chambertin 2005
Casa De La Ermita Jumilla Crianza 2004

The pork chop was roasted with butter, slow cooked for a long time, and then finished on a Teppanyaki grill. The pork was incredibly tender and buttery rich. The homemade tagliolini is easily some of the best pasta I’ve ever had — with Chef Angelo’s Italian roots, this is where he really shines. And more white truffle – enuf said!

Homemade Tagliolini with white truffles

Benoit knows we love red wine so he did three pairings for this and the following course and the three of us shared.

All three of these wines were divine and so different, yet each paired so well with the rich pork dish. I am still learning loads about Old World wines through our favorite sommeliers in town, and Benoit has done a marvelous job in introducing me to practically all new wines each visit. Pairing three totally different wines — a Burgundian Pinot Noir, Spanish Rioja, and a Bordeaux — with the same dish proved how hard and fast rules in wine pairing may not always apply. We sat with three vastly different wines ranging from the light Pinot to the bold Cabernet, yet all three were spot on.

My favorite was the 98 Bordeaux blend, Brett was partial to the Spanish Rioja, and Stephanie was enjoying the 05 Pinot Noir.

Three red wines paired with the last two courses

LA TRUFFE BLANCHE
d’Alba sur un risotto <> au vieux parmesan
White truffle risotto “mantecato” style with parmesan cheese and olive oil DOP

Pairing: Chateau Puech-Haut Saint-Drezery 2007 Coteaux Du Languedoc

More Alba white truffles! The truffle risotto “creamed” with Parmesan cheese and olive oil containing the DOP designation. DOP stands for “Denominazione di Origine Protetta” or Protected Destination of Origin. Olive oils containing DOP have met rigorous standards to earn the right to include that designation. DOP certification ensures that every aspect of making the olive oil occurred in the certified area and followed traditional production processes.

White Alba truffle risotto with Parmesan cheese

Another shot of the white truffle risotto

Benoit poured a glass of white to pair with this to see which we preferred. He chose a Chateau Puech Haut Saint Drezery 2007 Coteaux Du Languedoc.

Chateau Puech Haut

Before starting on the dessert courses, Angelo brought around another white truffle for us to photo. Sadly, I wasn’t able to abscond with it.

Beautiful White Alba Truffle

Another shot of the white truffle

LE POMELO
doux de <> en kirsch-fizz menthole
Tainan produced pomelo with beer flower jelly, kirsch mousse and mint flavored jus

We had been watching Chef Narita, the Executive Pastry Chef, working on prepping the first dessert course earlier in the evening so we were quite curious to see what creations he came up with for this special event.

Prep work for the Pomelo dessert course

This was a pomelo from the city of Tainan, which is in the southern part of Taiwan, and made an interesting dessert. It was light, fresh, and definitely cleansed the palate.

Le Pomelo

Brett, Chef Angelo, and me

LE MARRON
onctueux <>
Pear souffle with chestnut pudding and pear sorbet, dressing with vanilla-chocolate sauce

Pairings:

1950 Banyuls

Muscat Beaumes de Venise Domaine des Bernardins

2003 Clos du Bourg Vouvray

We had been told earlier in the evening to expect something fun with the dessert course and Chef Narita told us he would be plating ours at the counter. We’ve become rather spoiled by him as he’s prepared some impressive desserts on the fly and incorporates special touches that continue to blow me away each and every visit.

True to his word, Chef Narita brought out our souffles and plated them individually at the counter for each of us. Brett managed to capture the whole thing on video as well.

This main dessert course as you hear in the video is a pear souffle with chestnut pudding and pear sorbet, along with a vanilla-chocolate sauce. Thank you again Chef Narita for the special personal plating!

Chestnut Pudding, Pear Sorbet with Vanilla-Chocolate Sauce

Executive Pastry Chef Narita bringing out our souffles

Presentation of plating the souffles

Chef Narita plating

Pear Souffle with Chestnut Pudding and Pear Sorbet, Vanilla-Chocolate Sauce

Special Robuchon touches on souffle plating

Benoit paired three different dessert wines for us to try — a 1950 Banyuls (always fun to try anything that is a vintage older than your birthyear!), a Vouvray and a Muscat.

1950 Banyuls wine

Clos du Bourg Vouvray dessert wine

Muscat Beaumes de Venise Domaine des Bernardins

LE CAFE EXPRESS OU LE THE
escorte de macarons
Coffee or Tea

Finished off the night with a cappuccino and a French macaron.

My cappuccino with a heart

Macarons

The evening had come to a close and it was time for us to head out — the last ones in the restaurant as usual. Getting to see Chef Robuchon and Chef Braun with Chef Angelo and Benoit was a dream come true. I’ve mentioned in other posts that the synergy with Benoit and Angelo in the kitchen is remarkable and it was an honor to have Chef Robuchon and Chef Braun present to chat with.

During the course of the meal, Robuchon had told me to let him know when I was in Vegas next time as he would make a reservation for me at his restaurant there, which I have been wanting to try. In addition, Chef Braun made a reservation for us at the new Champes Elysees location in Paris for the following week as we were flying out the following day for Europe. Full review to follow on that one — what a memorable night!

When leaving the restaurant, we always end up taking a few photos with Angelo and Benoit — which I have quite a collection of now. Certainly can’t complain having too many photos with such incredibly handsome and talented men! Ooo la la!

Benoit, me, and Angelo - love this picture!

On a side note, the next day at the airport I was rushing from the lounge to the plane and I spotted Chef Philippe Braun in an electronics store. I knew he was flying to New York that day, but had no idea he’d be in the airport the same time we were. Turns out, he was taking the long way there, and he was on our flight to Amsterdam! We had not upgraded on the flight as they told us Business Class was full so we were stuck literally in the back of the plane (something like row 60), so imagine my surprise when Chef Braun appeared at our seats to say goodbye and confirm our reservation for the following weekend in Paris as guests of Chef Robuchon himself. Just further confirmation of how down to earth, approachable, and real he and Mr. Robuchon were.

Gala Dinner price $10,000 NT per person, not including wine

Thank you again to Angelo, Benoit, Chef Robuchon, Chef Braun, Chef Narita, Vincent, Grendy, and the rest of the L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon staff that take such good care of us each and every visit.

Photo of the Week: Tahitian Vanilla Beans at STAY Simple Table Alleno Yannick in Taipei, Taiwan

Erin De Santiago — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 10:29:23 +0000

Tray of Tahitian Vanilla Beans

This week, we finally got to check out the hot newcomer on the Taipei dining scene — STAY Simple Table Alleno Yannick at Taipei 101. Full review to follow, but a big thank you to Chef Sebastien Lefort and Head Sommelier Yohann Pinol for the incredible dinner, perfectly paired wines, and the after hours tour of the kitchen and restaurant. One of the highlights on the tour was spotting this huge tray of Tahitian vanilla beans — chef Lefort only uses Tahitian vanilla, a reminder of his days working on the beautiful island of Bora Bora. Definitely made me long to be back in French Polynesia again!

Photo of the Week: Douhua from Taipei Night Market

Erin De Santiago — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 08:46:29 +0000

Douhua with tapioca balls from a Taipei night market

While hot desserts are eaten year round in Taiwan, understandably, wintertime is the peak season for consumption of these sweet treats. Also called tofu pudding, douhua is a Chinese dessert made with a very soft tofu. In Taiwan, it can be served with a variety of toppings, including red beans, mung beans, and my personal favorite, tapioca balls. It also includes a sweet sugar syrup, sometimes almond or ginger. During the summer months, you will find douhua served with crushed ice while winter months call for it to be served warm.

Australian Wines: Forest Hill Vineyard Dinner at Buen Ayre in Taipei, Taiwan

Erin De Santiago — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 11:38:19 +0000

After just finishing a nearly three month travel stint, I am finally back in Taipei and ready to start catching up on all the overdue posts I have. But first, we got invited to a wine dinner event the day after arriving back home. Put on by Adelaide Fine Wines in Taipei, the event featured Forest Hill Vineyard, the oldest cool climate winery in Western Australia.

The James Halliday 5* winery produces all the usual suspects you’d expect to find from a cool climate vineyard, including Riesling, Chardonnay, Shiraz, and of course, Cabernet Sauvignon. Seeing as how the winery and the restaurant were both new to us, we decided to check things out.

All in the name of culinary research, right?

Turns out Buen Ayre is a very quaint Argentine restaurant that’s relatively new onto the Taipei food scene. Open for only six months so far, chef Fernando and his wife, Yko, have done wonders with the place already. As we learned after dinner, there is no menu available — it changes daily based on ingredients that the chef gets.

In attendance were Paul Byron, the General Sales Manager from Forest Hill, and a special surprise was Australia’s Ambassador to Taiwan and his wife. The wines are designated by “block” or “estate” with the block wines commanding higher prices. For those unfamiliar with wine designations, the block wines are picked from the specific noted blocks on the vineyard property whereas the estate wines can come from different blocks within the same vineyard.

Paul talking about Forest Hill Vineyard (the Australian Ambassador's face is visible at the end of the table).

The block wines represent the very best parcels in the vineyard and are hand-picked, carefully selected fruit that will result in wines that can be cellared up to 20 years. In pretty much every case, the wines we tried were a vintage older than what current releases are — which means we are likely to purchase everything since you can’t get it at the winery anymore!

Forest Hill Vineyard Wines

First Course: Seafood Consomme
Wine Pairing: Forest Hill Block 1 Riesling 2008 (James Halliday 96)

The consomme was served with a prawn, mussel, and piece of squid. The broth was poured table side – a definite plus. It was a very mild, almost buttery flavor that complimented the richness of the seafood, without overpowering the wine.

The seafood consomme...minus the consomme

Broth for consomme is poured table side

Beautiful seafood consomme

The 96 point Riesling was a dream. It is said to exemplify the best of what the Mount Barker region is capable of. And one great note for those who like to cellar –it is a white you can age..for up to 8-10 years. One of the pairings Paul suggested was oysters. The richness of the oysters combined with the wine make for a nice meld. I could definitely see that based on the way the flavors dance on my tongue with the fleshy mussel. Definite floral and citrus aromas with strong floral on the palate with a lingering mineral finish.

Coming from learning about Riesling from Old World offerings in Germany and France, I’m pleasantly surprised to find I like more and more New World offerings like this one.

Second Course: Scallop with Lobster Sauce
Wine Pairing: Forest Hill Block 8 Chardonnay 2007 (James Halliday 95)

A perfectly cooked scallop surrounded by a rich lobster sauce with a little surprise on the side — caviar on a piece of sliced grape. The scallop was perfectly cooked — one of my biggest complaints (and regular issues I encounter at dinner events). I was expecting the lobster sauce to be overpowering based on some other Taipei experiences, but it wasn’t in the least.

Scallop with Lobster Sauce

Another view of the Scallop with Lobster Sauce

Paired with the Block 8 Chardonnay, the wine softened the richness of the lobster sauce even more. The combination of the silkiness of the sauce with the silky texture of the Chardonnay was a nice surprise. I found the wine to be a bit oaky (in a good way) and a bit similar to some California offerings — don’t worry, it’s not an oak bomb!

Nutty and fruit tones on the nose with spicy vanilla on the palate with a lingering nutty finish. Pretty impressive Chardonnay that can easily stand up to some of the more renowned wines from California.

Third Course: Foie Gras with Red Wine Pear
Wine Pairings: Forest Hill Estate Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 (James Halliday 97) and Forest Hill Estate Shiraz 2005 (James Halliday 94)

Hello heaven on a plate!

This was definitely my sweet spot of the evening (technically, anything with foie gras probably would be, but add an alcohol-soaked fruit and I’m completely in love).

The red wine pair had a beautiful piece of foie gras inside and on the side of the plate was a surprising treat — wine soaked cherries that packed some serious punch. We thought they were soaked in something stronger than wine based on the taste, but apparently not. We did learn they were imported from France.

Foie Gras with Red Wine Pear

Isn't it amazing looking?

After two strong white wine offerings, we were excited to sample the reds. I will be the first to admit as I have in the past, I am very partial to California Cabernet Sauvignons to the point of being called a Napa wine snob. I grew up with some of the greats and I’ve just been very loyal over the years, finding that many other regions’ Cabs fall short. I like dirt, I like pepper, and I love fruit…I want to chew my wine, not have it immediately die on the tongue.

Especially at the price points (about $60 US for the Cab and $45 US for the Shiraz) these were good wines. I think some additional time in the decanter and perhaps another couple years in the cellar these could be even better. It was a little easy to figure out the Cab would likely be nice based on its 97 point rating, and it did not disappoint. The Bordeaux style Cab featured dark berries and a hint of tobacco with some dusty tannins on the finish. Everything I love in a good Cabernet Sauvignon.

The Estate Shiraz is a Rhone style wine that had some great pepper notes, chewy tannins, and some toasted vanilla and Burgundian oak flavors as well. One of my favorites — will probably be even better in 2-5 years.

Fourth Course: Roast of Veal
Wine Pairing: Forest Hill Block 5 Cabernet Sauvignon 2007 (James Halliday 93)

I was figuring this would be my least favorite course given my less than enthusiastic love of veal, but I was wrong. I admit I picked it up and pulled a less than ladylike maneuver of nibbling right off the bone. The meat was so tender and flavorful on its own, but the addition of truffle salt on the side makes anything better.

Roast of Veal

Delicate flavor on the veal course

Here was our first introduction to the big “Block” reds. While it was an impressive wine, it really needs some cellar time and decanting. I think in 5-7 years, this will be a great wine, but for now, it’s a good wine. At around $100 US a bottle, it didn’t stand up to the $100 Napa Cabs…yet. Don’t get me wrong, it was a wonderful wine, but the tannins need to soften a little more. I did love the earthy and tobacco notes so I think once the tannins soften a little, it will be a really well-balanced wine.

Palate Cleanser

Love palate cleansers! We were served a pear sorbet/granita.

Pear sorbet for the palate cleanser

Fifth Course: U.S. Prime Wet Aged Short Ribs
Wine Pairing: Forest Hill Block 9 Shiraz 2007 (James Halliday 96)

This course was definitely going to be a test of the chef’s talents given beef is the center of Argentine cuisine. I was a bit worried after hearing so many horror stories from my friend, Zac, the “Wine Guy” from The Langham Place, Mongkok Hotel in Hong Kong. He recently returned from a trip to Argentina’s wine country and it seemed that many of the steaks he tried were not up to par. I was worried that perhaps this was a trend of restaurants now, but thankfully, my fears were put to rest as soon as the plate appeared.

U.S. Prime Wet Aged Short Ribs

Beautiful plating on the short ribs

The beef was wet-aged to retain its moisture and it did just that. It was one of the juiciest and most delicate pieces of meat I’ve had. The consistency and silkiness were on par with some of my Wagyu experiences. Brett found the beef to be a little bland on its own, but with the addition of truffle salt on the side, it was fine. While I used some truffle salt, I found the meat to be perfect without any additional seasoning.

The peppery notes of the Block Shiraz more than made up for any spice that the meat might’ve been missing. I loved this wine — lots of rich berries, notable spice, but with a delicate tannin profile already. This one can easily be aged another 8-10 years and will probably become more developed and balanced after a few more years in the bottle.

Dessert and Hot Drink Course

To finish off, we had a plate with three small desserts. While two were made by hand on site, the French Macaron was imported from France.

Plate of desserts

French Macaron

Hot drinks offered were from Argentina — I tried the yerba mate while Brett tried the coffee. Yerba mate is like a tea, made from leaves from the mate plant, which is like a shrub from the holly family. It’s native to the subtropical part of South America, especially Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, southern Brazil, and Uruguay.

Yerba Mate

Coffee

Overall, a successful evening and quite a charming venue Adelaide chose to hold this event in. I’m excited to go back and try Fernando’s regular set menu. We were told reservations are necessary – 1-2 days, but I’d err on the side of caution with Taipei restaurants and recommend 5 days. I’m not sure how many people it seats normally, but our small group of 20 or so filled the place up.

For wine lovers in Taiwan, Adelaide Fine Wines in Taipei carries Forest Hill’s full product line right now. To purchase online, shipping is limited to Australia. Please contact them to find out distribution in your area (if available).

We are often asked how much wine we typically buy at these type of events — usually at least a case and this one was no exception. We bought two bottles of each of the wines we sampled — all of which were delivered to our door today! Thanks Adelaide who provides free delivery within Taipei if you order a case or more!

If you are interested in visiting the winery during your Australia travels, they are open daily from 10am – 4pm. For more information, be sure to visit their website, Forest Hill Vineyard.

Taiwanese Cuisine – Local Take-out from Gueishan – North Rice

Brett Domue + — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 13:52:59 +0000

While it may seem that we are often eating gourmet meals, sometimes, we just want something simple from one of the many local establishments that cover the Taipei area. It’s even better when I can manage to pick dinner up on the way from work, saving us both the trouble of cooking or running out after I get home.

Back in July, some colleagues invited me to join them for lunch at one of the local eateries I had driven past almost every day for the previous two years but had never gave a second look to. The name of the restaurant is Bei Fun, or North Rice. Turns out, this is one of their favorites, and after that lunch, I understood why! Showing a little foresight, I even grabbed a copy of the order sheets and marked down my favorite dishes from that lunch so I’d know what to order if I ever returned.

A few days later, Erin and I were discussing what to do for dinner, and I suggested I bring home some takeout from this restaurant. Turns out, almost every dish turned out awesome even as take-out, despite needing to undergo the 45 minute drive home after preparation. One dish, the spicy wontons, didn’t travel too well so it fell off the take-out rotation.

As Erin is still back in the US and I’m out of thawed options in the fridge, I decided to pick up some dishes for tonight (and leftovers for at least tomorrow as well!)

The Total Meal

Here’s a brief overview of the offerings I brought home (total bill, NT$340, a little more than US $11. Not bad for two nights’ dinners!)