Taipei City - Mandarin Oriental Hotel - Bencotto

Value for money: 10/10

Cleanliness: 10/10

Service: 10/10

Quality of food: 10/10

Overall: 10/10

So many times have I avoided Italian food in Taipei due to a few bad experiences, but I had heard great things about this place. And, as you can see by my rating for Bencotto, it didn't disappoint in any way. 

Inside the restaurant there are vast areas of open space and it doesn't feel crowded in any way. 

There are areas of relaxed seating, too.

The kitchen is vast and looks wonderfully clean.

The wine cellar is right near the back of the restaurant and you can go in to look at the wines and choose which one you'd like. Heaven! 

Here's what we ordered:

1. 4 Course dinner $1,800

1a. Cappesante E Frutto Della Passione - Hokkaido scallop, passion fruit and braised lettuce.

1b. Maltagliatali Al Reagu Di Vitello E Funghi - Hand-cut tagliatelle, Canadian milk fed veal ragout and mushrooms.

1c. Brasato - 12hour braised Wagyu beef cheek, mashed potato and green peas with prosciutto.

1d. Cannoli Siciliani - Ricotta and chocolate filled pastry cone

2. Pecorino di Fossa - sheeps milk cheese aged underground $450 

3. Special selection Carnaroli Acquerello Risotto aged for 12 months - Saffron risotto with wine glazed duck tongue $600

4. 2 Glasses of Berlucchi 61 Brut $800 (each glass is $400)

1. 4 Course dinner $1,800

1a. Cappesante E Frutto Della Passione - Hokkaido scallop, passion fruit and braised lettuce.

I was a bit wary of the passion fruit in the dish but it turns out it is really just a light sauce, which marries well with the scallop. Scallops are among one of my favourite things to eat, and I was very pleased with the dish. The braised lettuce is a little weird, but this may be a personal taste - I don't like my lettuce warm.

1b. Maltagliatali Al Reagu Di Vitello E Funghi - Hand-cut tagliatelle, Canadian milk fed veal ragout and mushrooms.

This hand-cut tagliatelle gives a very vintage look and is left quite thick with an al-dente bite to it. The meat sauce is pretty decent and is quite rich.

1c. Brasato - 12hour braised Wagyu beef cheek, mashed potato and green peas with prosciutto.

This was the star dish.

Smooth mashed potatoes served next to a pea and prosciutto mix and served with this sensational piece of beef cheek, which has been braised for 12 hours.

The meat just falls apart at the slightest touch and is so amazingly rich and full of flavour. The sauce compliments everything nicely, imparting a further richness. 

1d. Cannoli Siciliani - Ricotta and chocolate filled pastry cone

The cannoli is a Sicilian specialty consisting of a fried pastry, usually filled with a mix including a ricotta.

This cannoli was decent, filled with a ricotta and chocolate mix. It's served with a raspberry jelly-like substance and an ice-cream. 

2. Pecorino di Fossa - sheeps milk cheese aged underground $450 

Fantastic! Pecorino is one of my favourite cheeses - a sheeps/goats milk cheese which has a very strong and unique flavour to it. There were 4 bits of pecorino, served with two pieces of bruschetta and a nice salad.

3. Special selection Carnaroli Acquerello Risotto aged for 12 months - Saffron risotto with wine glazed duck tongue $600

Glazed duck tongue, really? Yep, and it was great! However, I did manage to hold off on taking a close up of one of the duck tongues - I thought it was a bit too much.

The taste of the glazed duck tongue was very good, and the risotto held a wonderfully luxurious consistency with great depths of flavour.

4. 2 Glasses of Berlucchi 61 Brut $800 (each glass is $400)

We indulged in a couple of glasses of some of the Brut, too. Solid!

Overall, I was hugely impressed with Bencotto. As you exit the elevator, you arrived in the restaurant immediately and the lights are dimmed down with big tables and a relaxed and quiet atmosphere. The kitchen seems to tick along nicely and every member of the staff we spoke to seemed knowledgeable. The staff explained the dishes both in English and Chinese, speaking pretty decent English, too.

I feel that the quality of the food for the price is very difficult to beat!

Best dish: 1c. Brasato - 12hour braised Wagyu beef cheek, mashed potato and green peas with prosciutto - Just awesome.

Dish I wouldn't order again: I'd gladly order all of them over and over again. 

Opening times:

Lunch time 12:00 - 14:30

Dinner time 17:30 - 22:00

motpe-dining@mohg.com

+886227156868

Menu PDF

Set Menu PDF

Set Lunch Menu

Bencotto's Website

Eating in Taipei

Happy Eating!

Taipei City - 上山採覓 Breakfast sandwich

Value for money: 8/10

Cleanliness: 9/10

Service: 8/10

Quality of food: 9/10

Overall: 8/10

We had to wait a little while for a table (20mins or so) because the restaurant is fairly small inside.

The sandwich menu is up on the blackboard, but the menu below is easier to read and in English, too.

What we ordered:

1. 花醬肉鬆蛋煉乳 huā jiàng ròu sōng dàn liàn rǔ Dried shredded pork (pork floss) with peanut butter, egg and cheese.

2. 花醬肉蛋起司 huā jiàng ròu dàn qǐ sī Braised pork with egg and cheese sandwich

3. 炭香紅茶鮮奶 tàn xiāng hóng chá xiān nǎi Charcoal toasted black tea with milk

4. 炭香紅茶 tàn xiāng hóng chá Charcoal black tea

1. 花醬肉鬆蛋煉乳 huā jiàng ròu sōng dàn liàn rǔ Dried shredded pork (pork floss) with peanut butter and egg

This baby is thick! The tea was a delicious accompaniment to my breakfast.

Generous helpings of pork floss, soft egg, flavours of peanut butter and cheese all come through well in this sandwich. The pork floss was fresh and not chewy at all. The egg was delicious and the flavours all sang really well - impressive.

2. 花醬肉蛋起司 huā jiàng ròu dàn qǐ sī Braised pork with egg and cheese sandwich

The egg is so thick in this! The pork was well cooked and not dry.

Each slice of bread is toasted over the charcoals in the restaurant itself. Which is quite special in that I haven't seen this done before.

It's juicy and each ingredient tastes fresh and packs a punch of flavour.

Not a bad price for a good quality and filling breakfast..?


Overall, I can safely say that this place and the one behind NanMen Market 南門市場 are places that immediately come to mind when craving a good sandwich in Taipei. However, I think this place has the edge by using what feels like higher quality ingredients.


Tuesday - Sunday 07:00-14:00
Monday - Off

Phone: 0225170709

上山採覓 on Facebook

Happy Eating!

Taipei City - 陳三鼎 Bubble Milk Tea

Value for money: 10/10

Cleanliness: 6/10

Service: 8/10

Quality of food: 9/10

Overall: 8/10

This place behind GongGuan MRT Exit 1 is well believed to be the first Bubble Milk Tea 珍珠奶茶 zhēn zhū nǎi chá. When I first arrived in Taiwan, I would occasionally indulge until I found this place. Now, I will only drink this place and save it for special occasions.

There's always a long line.

Each cup is $35, and I would strongly suggest getting the house special!

House special:

青蛙撞奶 qīng wā zhuàng nǎi

Even though it isn't the usual way bubble milk tea is written, this is the bubble milk tea you'll be wanting.

I recommend getting no ice 去冰 qù bīng. 

The tapioca balls are hot and when mixed in with the milk they form like a caramel and toffee like flavour throughout the drink. Flavour wise, it is fantastic. The tapioca balls themselves are slightly softer than chain stores such as 50 of Coco, which I much prefer. This is a perfect afternoon snack after a light lunch.

If you're in Taipei for a limited time, make some time for this, you won't regret it.

台北市中正區羅斯福路3段316巷8弄2號

No. 2, Alley 8, Lane 316, Section 3, Roosevelt Road, ZhongZheng District, Taipei City

Eating in Taipei

Happy Eating!

Taipei City - 陽明山烤地瓜 YanMingShan Sweet Potato

Value for money: 10/10

Cleanliness: 6/10

Service: 10/10

Quality of food: 10/10

Overall: 8/10

I drove up here specifically for these, that is how good these sweet potatoes are! The vendor is situated quite close to the flower clock, which is currently under construction but is beautiful around spring time as the sun beats down with the mountains in the background.

It's fairly unassuming with very little allure to it. We 'discovered' it when walking around hungry one day, but this time we came back with only this in mind!

紫色 means purple, in Chinese. However, we didn't go for these because the colour is a little off-putting, I feel. 

The big reveal! Look at all these little beauties sat underneath the cloth keeping warm. The main reason for coming back to this place is that the sweet potato is cooked for such a long time that the flesh is so impossibly smooth that it begins to separate from the skin inside the potato. 

You pick the potato you want:

1. 紫色 zǐ sè Purple 

2. 紅色 hóng sè Red

3. 黃色 huáng sè Yellow

Then, the vendor will weigh it and give you the price. 2 sweet potatoes are almost always under $100 (for both, not individually) providing you don't plump for the biggest ones, of course.

We ordered the red ones! 
Which, we were told by the lady, are the sweetest.

The owner will cut the potato in half and put it in a paper bag for you and give you a spoon with which to eat it.

How good does this look? All of the natural sugars have remained inside (unlike when you boil, fry, steam or roast) which make them incredibly sweet. As said before the skin just peels away with effortless ease and the flesh inside is truly wonderful. 

The reason I am posting about this specific vendor is that I feel this is the best sweet potato I have ever tasted. It is totally different to those I have had in the city from vendors and also totally different from ones I have tried anywhere else.

Take a day on the weekend and get the bus/drive to YangMingShan and go for a walk around the area, it is a beautiful place to be, but one thing to make sure of is swinging by and getting one of these - you won't regret it.

On a side note:

This guy is also parked up nearby, offering what look like exactly the same sweet potatoes. However, when we tried them they were not even in the same ball park as the other ones. The flavour was OK, but it seems like they weren't cooked for as long as the other one as the flesh was slightly more solid and less sweet. Also, the flesh didn't peel away from the skin with as much ease. 

Get the top one!

Where the road ends, continue along the grey line (which is a path). First, you will go past the man with the other stall and also a lady selling a bunch of boiled foods such as carrot and corn. You should then just stumble across the lady at the stall on the left side. 

Eating in Taipei

Happy Eating! 
(and searching)

Taipei City - 度小月擔仔麵

Happy New Year, everybody! 

Here is my first post of 2016, enjoy.

Value for money: 7/10

Cleanliness: 9/10

Service: 7/10

Quality of food: 8/10

Overall: 8/10

I've been here a few times, so I thought it was probably only right to write about it. It's pretty good!

When sat at the table, we were given a menu but also given a set menu, too. We opted for this, as it looked great and also pretty good value for the quality and the amount for 2 people.

In the set:

大碗肉燥飯 dà wǎn ròu zào fàn 
Ancestral braised pork with rice

I have mentioned before about braised pork over rice , but this one is slightly different in that it is dry, as opposed to the others which are more like gravy. The pork is chewy and a little crunchy. But the flavour is phenomenal! It must impart flavour from the anciet pot with which they use to cook it (inside the entrance to the right).

擔仔麵 dàn zǎi miàn
Dan Tsai noodles

The noodles were also very good, with the same braised pork as the rice. However, they are served in some of the cooking liquid and also include some beansprouts, green onion, garlic paste and a shrimp on top. You should stir all of the ingredients together, but I feel like the 'soup' left over is a little too salty to be drinking. Just use it to coat the noodles.

A mix of 3 dishes, each described below:

國寶級烏魚子 guó bǎo shí jí wū yú zǐ
Roasted mullet roe

Mullet roe is something I seldom have, due to the fact that it is so expensive. It's fine, but I wouldn't rush to go and buy it at the ~$500 price tag in many shops.

小羊城油雞 xiǎo yáng chéng yóu jī 
Lamb's town soy sauce chicken

The chicken is served cold and is absolutely delicious. It's just a pity there isn't more!

魚子醬蘆筍雙色捲 yú zǐ jiàng lú sǔn shuāng sè juǎn  
Caviar and asparagus roll

This roll was very tasty, but I just wish they hadn't put that sweet sauce over the top as it ruined the savoury taste of the caviar and asparagus. Both tastes still come through, but not enough.

金箔竹葉芋香捲 jīn bó zhú yè yù xiāng juǎn 

Taro roll wrapped with bamboo leaves

The gold leaf is more for the decoration than taste, so don't worry about eating it. It is edible! As for the taro, it was ok. This is more of a Hakka inspired dish than some of the others on this set, so it's interesting to see the different style.

三杯松板豬 sān bēi sōng bǎn zhū  

Stewing pork jowel with sesame oil, soy sauce and rice wine

I had the idea that the pork would arrive and it would be slightly fatty and soft. However, this pork is quite lean and a little chewy. The flavours were all very nice and the slightly sticky and tangy sauce worked well with the garlic and seasoning in the dish.

季節時蔬 (高麗菜) jì jié shí shū (gāo lì cài) 
Seasonal vegetables (cabbage)

It was cabbage, not much to say really...

錄藻鮮蚵湯 lù zǎo xiān é tāng 
Soup with green algae and oysters

I don't really know about the green algae, and to be honest there wasn't an overwhelming taste of anything in the soup. However, the oysters were really big and also very meaty. The soup was fairly bland but well seasoned.

火燒冰淇淋 huǒ shāo bīng qí lín 
Deep-fried ice cream

This must have perked your interest - deep fried ice cream! It was quite well done, really. The ice cream in the center was still slightly frozen and it was really fun to bite into and see it come out of the sides. The ice cream also had a good taste of vanilla throughout. However, the casing surrounding the ice cream was very greasy (as I am sure you can see). It was crunchy and thin, but nevertheless, greasy. 

Service charge is added on, however, my tea wasn't filled up once during the meal and short of bringing the dishes to us (which should surely be covered in the overall price of the restaurant) the staff did nothing else.

Overall, I would say this place is a solid 8/10: the noodles and rice were delicious and the variety of dishes makes it fun to order. However, the service wasn't befitting of the extra charge, the dessert was greasy and the soup was bland.

Best dish: 大碗肉燥飯 dà wǎn ròu zào fàn Ancestral braised pork with rice - The rice was great, the braised pork wasn't greasy and the depth of flavour was fantastic. No criticisms at all.

Dish I wouldn't order again: 火燒冰淇淋 huǒ shāo bīng qí lín Deep-fried ice cream - A fun idea, but poorly executed: it was too greasy. 

Opening times:

Monday - Sunday 11:30-23:00

度小月担仔麵

Eating in Taipei

台北市大安區永康街9-1號

No. 9-1, YongKang Street, DaAn District, Taipei City.

Happy Eating!