Five-star cuisine 
Mandarina Crown Hotel 
--Thai & Thai Restaurant  

Lamplight shining through curtains of blue, green, yellow, pink, gold and brown beads gives the impression of being in a crystal world. Besides enjoying the food, one can also appreciate the blend of ancient and modern in the restaurant's Thai decor.

The long-established Mandarina Crown Hotel achieved new fame when it hosted the wedding banquet of President Chen Shui-bian's daughter. After an extensive refurbishment, the old hotel has acquired a brand-new appearance. The management has again brought in Thai cuisine, making the hotel a fashionable dining choice for Taipei visitors and residents alike. 

The hotel's owner is an ethnic Chinese from Thailand, so it goes without saying that the food in the Thai & Thai Restaurant is thoroughly authentic. The succession of everyday dishes and court cuisine that come to the table from the expert hands of chef Ms. Rapeeporn Sillapakit set new trends for Thai cuisine in Taipei.

On the right in the picture are "angel's kisses"--a Thai court delicacy made from orange segments filled with peanuts and meat; on the left, subtly flavored Thai spring rolls. Both dishes are reasonably priced at less than NT$300 each.

The combination of sweet, sour, and aromatic and spicy flavors in Thai food contrasts sharply with both Chinese and Western cooking. Liberal quantities of fresh ingredients such as fruit, vegetables and seafood, prepared in a variety of ways including roast or in salads, and the use of natural spices, make for a cooking style that fits in very neatly with the importance modern people attach to a healthy and nourishing diet. 

Dishes at Thai & Thai start at only NT$150, so you can enjoy eating in five-star surroundings without having to spend a fortune. You should note that if you go to Thai & Thai without a reservation you are unlikely to get a table, and if you do not arrive on time for your reservation it will be cancelled immediately. This goes to show just how much in demand Thai & Thai is. 

Address: 166 Tunhua N. Rd., Taipei  Tel: (02) 2712-1200 ext. 2168 or 2167

Grand Hyatt Hotel 
--The Pearl Liang Seafood Restaurant

The Pearl Liang restaurant at the Grand Hyatt, offers a full range of Chinese seafood dishes. .

The Grand Hyatt, which opened in Taipei more than ten years ago, recently underwent several refurbishing works which included the introduction of new dining concepts for the 21st century. The hotel's Pearl Liang Seafood Restaurant merges Western and Chinese styles of food, and offers diners a choice from over 1000 bottles of wine. Side dishes from all over China are served as appetizers; main courses include various types of Chinese seafood; and Westernized Cantonese dimsum provides dessert. 

The restaurant changes menus twice a year. Appetizers include cherry-blossom prawns delivered directly from Tungkang in Pingtung County (deep-fried to a crispy finish, great with drink), mala (fiery hot) shredded tripe and Chengdu chicken wings. Live seafood flown over from Penghu swims aimlessly in the fish tank. Head chef Li Chu-chuan never uses more than three types of condiment in the preparation of seafood, no matter which way the seafood is served, so as not to drown out the natural flavor. 

The Pearl Liang Seafood Restaurant also offers first-class desserts, like ice cream with a hot sweet topping, oolong tea yoghurt, and chilled fruit.

The combination of Western wines with Chinese seafood brings out the best in both. The top-grade Chinese tea and steaming hot dimsum go perfectly together. The Pearl Liang Seafood Restaurant brings a new dimension to the enjoyment of seafood--every meal is like a virtuoso performance. 

2 Sungshou Rd, Taipei  Tel: (02) 2720-1234

Far Eastern Plaza Hotel 
--Drunken Moon Restaurant 

Zhusheng, beans and mushrooms.

The Far Eastern Plaza Hotel, which is distinguished by the antique aura of its interiors, is owned by Hsu Hsun-tung, the second richest tycoon in Taiwan and second-generation leader of the "Shanghai Clique." his group of wealthy industrialists was the force that spurred Taiwan's economic takeoff, and still operates on a grand scale.

Water-bamboo shoots stir-fried with shredded chicken.

No visit to the hotel would be complete without sampling the owner's native cuisine at the 39th-floor Drunken Moon Restaurant. In addition to its grandeur and panoramic views, the restaurant is known for the authenticity of its dishes. The head chef comes from Dadong Island, off the coast of China near Shanghai, and specializes in slowly cooked dishes such as red-braised fish jaws, tofu and ham soup, Ningpo-style crispy eel, spareribs steamed in preserved bean sauce, Wuxi spareribs, clear-fried freshwater prawns and noodles simmered with spring onions. 
 

No. 201, Tunhua S. Rd. Sec. 2, Taipei. Tel: (02) 2378-8888

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