Formosa Eats: Sushi Express

DAMN YOU SUSHI EXPRESS. You have officially DOOMED me to recall your deliciousness without visual reference. Now everyone must rely on their imaginations in order to effectively fathom your awesomeness and elevate you to God-like stature amongst all food court establishments. And you bloody deserve it despite that you bar people from taking photos. But it's quite alright- in Taipei, it's pretty easy to find a branch. We've found two of them in two separate Carrefour food courts! I'm hunching there's probably one in every mall downtown.

Where do I begin? I suppose that my sentiments are colored by the fact that I have been to local sushi carousels only to shy away from the ridiculously padded price on their wares. But at 30NT flat rate (45 pesos max conversion estimate) for every generously portioned plate, you just can't help but grab everything in sight. For fresh sushi. THAT'S A DEAL. And this rate also applies to an open slab of grilled eel, tamago sashimi, salmon sashimi, salads, desserts and more.

Great cheap food and the unwavering novelty of watching it rotate by in a cute conveyor belt! Meal and show! :D Priceless! But moving on, being such a huge salmon fan- please allow me to rave about it without holding back. I LOVE IT. There's so much of it and it's prepared in so many ways that you will never get bored. The plates fly off the rack like some sort of magic. OM NOM NOM NOM NOM.

Oh Salmon! Let me count the ways (you are prepared).

1. the standard uncooked, freshly cut salmon that is laid on a cushion of sushi rice.
2. the meat is cooked through
3. the cut of salmon is quickly charred with the skin burnt to a delicious crisp and the fleshy surface lightly cooked
4. SASHIMI (as mentioned previously)
   

Apart from salmon, you can enjoy your fill of yellow fin tuna, ika, saba, tobiko, ebi and more.

There are also premium items that roughly cost 45-60NT (67.5-90 pesos roughly). What surprised me was that tuna was considered as a special commodity, hence belonging to this category. Uni is of course inclusive in this list. But my favorite would have to be the fresh scallop sushi. How can I explain this without being too grotesque? UGH! Pardon my french, this is just pure mental orgasm. The deliciousness of this piece of glorious seafood is phenomenal. The soft texture is unearthly. You know how seafood tends to be soggy and soft? It's not like that at all. It's exquisitely tender like biting through a cloud and yet your teeth slowly sinks into the firmness of the fresh scallop meat. It's luxurious to no end. It helps that the whole thing is lightly drizzled with the house's thinned teriyaki sauce. It was an absolute perfect moment that is branded in my mind forever. DELICIOUS. PERFECTION. I can't reiterate it any more! Absolutely AWESOME.

CLEARLY it can't be allowed that Sushi Express would hear the last from me. I swear it. I'm going back for more the moment I step into Taipei.

Formosa Eats: Tirano Kitchen

It was only brought to my attention by my sister but it was terribly rare (and very strange!) that we were able to eat rice during our stay in Taiwan. Hence came forth a sudden yearning to enjoy a a nice bowl of curry rice or perhaps a plate of risotto. For lunch we went out of our hotel to scout the many surrounding malls in the Miramar area. In one such, we were able to encounter a wonderful western cuisine restaurant called Tirano Kitchen.

In our quest for rice in a typical food court, we were enamored by a glass display of faux food. Risottos, pastas, cutlets~ how can we not resist? Plus, they offered discounted prices if you ordered a full three course meal.

As I flipped through the menu, I was instantly fixed on the idea to order something akin to comfort food- carbs and dairy! You can't get more comfy than that. The first order we sent to the kitchen was a serving of Baked Oyster. As indicated by the menu visuals, we indeed were expecting a lone oyster as my sister's appetizer and what arrived was a surprise! It was an incredibly rich slab of shellfish that was a good 4-5 inches in length. The heart of the half shell was swimming in a pool of bechamel and spinach. The crusty bits of burnt cheese that skirted the rim were an added bonus for our indulgent tummies.

Alas, despite the oyster's cheesy advantage, the favorite of the meal would have to be the Smoked Salmon Salad. The appetizer served to me was graced with fresh fish that was without a strong after taste that is often associated with salmon. Its texture was remarkable, almost like the fish was melting in your mouth. The light and sour vinaigrette provided a good touch of flavor that brings together the crisp vegetable and the soft flesh of salmon.

Our main course was a delicious Baked Rice Gratin. One was a combination of cheese, chunks of tuna, and a garlic infused tomato sauce. The other was a hearty mix of chicken, mushroom and cream sauce. Because of the latter's bland flavor, we had to personally crust the dish with a thick layer of pepper- but man, did it hit the spot! There was no time to taste since we were gorging ourselves silly with rice and cheese! It was an excellent plan that was carried out with much ease. Afterall, you absolutely CAN'T go wrong if you're eating from a hot plate smothered in CHEESE.

For dessert, I had ordered a Tiramisu while my sister partook of a Black Forest Cake. The texture was extraordinary- quite like a very light cream. The flavor reminded me so much of panacotta which was quite unlike the usual Tiramisu cakes I had. It has been the usual expectation to receive a very rich confection thickly laden with a coffee liquor taste.

Black Forest was never one of my favorite desserts, but a quick bite was all I needed to remark on the cake. Instead of actual cherries, the cake was assembled with a cherry jam which was not too sweet. Even the chocolate was not overpowering and this was very pleasing to the taste buds.

Post-cake was spent entertaining a steaming cup of Rose tea. The warm liquid cleanses the palate and leaves you giddy with the idea that your mouth is filled with flowers. Oh Tirano! Who knows if we will meet again. But I will remember you fondly for allowing us to wallow in our abandonment of inhibitions. If I am in need of another carb fix in Taiwan, you will be the first I'd run to.

Formosa Eats: Wei Lu, Hot Pot

I love Taiwan. Everything about it is sheer joy, from the exquisite spring weather to the fashion boutiques that line every side street. It helps of course that these pleasures are accented by the pleasant company of aunts, uncles, and cousins who know every nook and cranny of Taipei. Yes, this place is like a second home. My entire mother's side resides there after all! And that being so, our family is always given a big welcome whenever we have our rare visits.

The first dinner of our last visit was something very remarkable. HOT POT was the meal of the evening, and the thought made me reel into oblivion. Hot Pot has to be my favorite Asian meal. For one, there are several variations to it so it's always a new experience every time, and second it's extremely soulful stuff.

Hot Pot is essentially cooking raw ingredients in a prepared soup base. That being so, the food you eat retains most of its inherent flavor. Because of this, you can thoroughly appreciate the silkiness of thinly sliced beef (that is marvelously marbled with a good measure of fat) and the sweetness of freshly caught shrimp. Taiwan vegetables are also amazing with Hot Pot. And I say this with authority as a huge leaf hater. It is rare that I eat vegetables in Taiwan which have a strong bitter aftertaste or an unpleasant grainy texture.

The go to for great Hot Pot in Taipei is Wei Lu (roughly translated: Around the Corner)which is a restaurant located in the vicinity of Chong Xiao- East Road Taipei is often flooded by people. Their brand of Hot Pot is said to have originated from the Mongolian custom. This is indicated by the curious structure of the cooking vessel used. The pot is constructed in such a way that it is able to keep heat constantly circulating and distributed.

Wei Lu is also known for another dish, which is their signature sesame bread stuffed with thinly chopped vegetables. The crunchy, savory exterior is a delicious accompaniment with the sour flavor of the packed stuffing. And rule of tongue is that sourness and spicy tastes are sure to excite the appetite. If this is not enough to rile your tummy, the hot pot soup base would be more than enough to make your mouth water. It's the first of its kind which I've ever encountered. I could only guess that the soup stock is made with a type of pickled vegetable.

The meal of course is never complete unless something is dripping with chili sauce. Because Hot Pot means cooking your food in soup, you're free to season it however you like once it is cooked. I personally prefer a combination of soy sauce, hot hot hot hot chili oil, a bit of sesame paste, minced green onion and heaps of garlic. If you would prefer, you can also follow the Taiwanese tradition to finish your sauce with a raw egg yolk, which helps the sauce adhere better to anything you dip in it. Wei Lu provides a huge selection of condiments apart from the above mentioned. What is available to you is practically a buffet of sauces which you can mix and match to your taste.

The best part of Hot Pot is probably ending the evening with a deliciously warm sensation in your tummy and sharing the same sentiments with your dinner mates. Stepping out of the restaurant, the cold air seems to mellow down into a comfortable haze and all I could think about is how wonderful it would be to take a warm bath and simmer in a soft cushioned bed. Yeah, that's how evenings should be...

Try visiting these other blog entries for a more accurate account. (1, 2).
Unfortunately my ability to comprehend and to accurately translate Mandarin is very limited. There are numbers, addresses, and price lists available in the other sites but everything is in Mandarin.

Oh! Omakase

Nothing could be more depressing than desperately trying to escape from your own house.

Such was the case of today's lunch period wherein two women from the Teh household made an attempt to flee the clutches of Diet Nazi, the grandmother who rules with the rational powers of a fruit cake. Day in and day out, she has succeeded in adding gloom to every dining experience with her powers of epic nagging and spoutage of dietary faux pas.

So I consider it a great healing to salve the spirit with a ton of sushi. Omakase ranks as one of my favorite go to-s for japanese food for one simple reason.

Yes, I am a sexy beast.

The Jurassic Maki. Where do I begin? The salty exuberance of eel that delicately crowns a rolled perfection of shrimp, sushi rice and ebiko is absolutely brilliant. Thickly coat it with japanese mayo and teriyaki sauce and you get a golden ticket to Umami Nirvana. You are suddenly arrested with a higher state of consciousness- taking in every bit of detail, such as the delightful crunch of ebiko and how the seaweed seems to have retained its crispness. I always make a bee line for this the moment it comes on the table. It's an absolute MUST HAVE.

Feeling a bit more adventurous, I went for the Spicy Tuna Salad next instead of opting for a donburi. Admittedly so, when it first arrived, I had several doubts. The chunks of tuna slivers were obscured by a hedge of tempura breading and the fish was swimming in sauce. But this- was absolutely PERFECT. The prickly heat of the spicy mayo is balanced out by a tinge of sweetness (I'm guessing it has a bit of teriyaki). And the lettuce acts like a chaser for the excess sauce. The contrasting texture of velvety tuna and tempura breading magically works and makes for a great experience.

Ebi tempura is always a staple order in my book. But the difficult bit about it is that it's hard to find a place that prepares it well. Although Omakase's shrimp is very firm and well cooked, the taste of the breading overpowered the sweetness of the shellfish A bit of a downer but the vegetable fritters were still something to remark on as well as a finely prepared tempura sauce which was thin and not excessive in ginger.

Lunch was capped with the house dessert, Banana fritters with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. And although the dish was visually pleasing, I cringe at the sight of strawberry syrup that is swimming with chocolate as well as the maraschino cherry which my dining mate quickly divested from the ice cream. It was excessive. But the toron-like preparation of the banana is extremely pleasing to the pallet. The mix of heat from the fried bananas with the cool of the ice cream was spot on. Definitely a treat if you asked before hand for them to hold on the sauce.

Overall an excellent afternoon. And this has been said and concured by several people but do visit Omakase. Its Tomas Morato branch has moved itself in the Terrazzo Center which is located near ABS CBN. :)