Taipei City - RAW

The Best of the Year Menu

Value for money: 8/10

Cleanliness: 10/10

Service: 10/10

Quality of food: 10/10

Overall: 9/10

Raw is in 內湖 nèi hú NeiHu, right near the Miramar department store. Now, I will say right off the bat that this place is expensive. We came here because it was a special occasion, I don't plan on making this a regular thing... 

Recently, RAW has been receiving huge amounts of press for its Head Chef - Andre. Offering experimental haute cuisine in a 'New interpretation of Taiwanese Flavor', RAW has been making waves in the restaurant scene in Taipei, even only being open for just 1 year.

The aesthetics inside the restaurant are really something special, and unique. Most are made from wood, and seem perfectly crafted (although, I am no wood specialist). 

This is the bar area, which resembles something of a spaceship. 

There is ample room for big parties of people.

Inside the table, is your own personal drawer with enough knives, spoons and forks for all of your needs throughout the meal. Also, a little further back, lays a napkin.

Here's the menu. Recently, they changed the menu (beginning of November) as a celebration of their 1st year anniversary. The menu consists of a select choice of all dishes they have served throughout the previous year. 

$2,680 per person + 10% service charge

The menu reads from left to right, with each dish being on one line. So, you can see that there are 9 dishes on the menu, foodies dream!

This isn't on the menu, but is more like a palette cleanser to get you set and ready for the first course. 

Pre 1st course: Ice-cold grapes with mint.

1st Course: Ramune, chicken masala and livers

The first dish certainly delivers on presentation, and gets you excited for things to come! 

You are served a pate of livers with Indian masala spices, served on top of a wafer-thin crunchy chip. It's merely a mouthful, but it kicks you in the mouth with strong flavours, let me tell you that. The masala spices come through really well and mix with the irony rich taste of the livers. Textures contrast well, too, as smooth meets crunchy. 

This dish came with the Ramune, chicken masala and livers. I cannot tell you what it is, because I don't know. however, I will attempt to describe the flavours for you.

The archway is created by first baking this thin biscuit/chip-like strip in the oven, then (as it is still warm and pliable) bending it over a cylindrical object such as a rolling pin or even a bowl. It creates an amazing shape and looks very impressive. I'd love to tell you more about this, but I really don't know what else to say. It was more theatrical than flavourful.  

2nd Course: Campachi, citrus and Daikon

Kampachi is a popular fish used in Japanese sashimi, just as it is used here. The fish has been thinly sliced and dressed with Daikon radish, flowers, seaweed and celery sago. It's beautiful.

The fish tastes wonderfully fresh and pairs very well with the radish. The flowers were a taste sensation for me here, as they blew up in your mouth with huge kicks of floral mixed with small notes of earthiness. They were remarkable. The sago didn't add much to the overall taste of the dish, however, it did add something to the texture, alongside the radish, too. A crunch of the radish, a chewiness of the sago, silky smooth fish all brought together by the tiny flowers. I can't say enough good things about this dish.

3rd Course: Uni, peas and peanut butter

As you may have seen on previous posts, especially the ones from Japanese restaurants that I get very excited about Uni (Sea Urchin). The taste is certainly not for everyone, and neither is the texture. However, it was love at first mouthful, for me. so, naturally, I was over-joyed to be eating some more, here.

In this dish we have grilled asparagus, garden peas, peanut butter and uni.

Yes, peanut butter, you read correctly. Weird. The asparagus was still warm, and made the peanut butter begin to melt into the peas and mix with the uni - winner! The peas served in their pod show a keen attention to detail which has made RAW so unique and popular in its 1st year in Taipei. Peas in the pod also bring back childhood memories of picking these in my grandparents garden and (whilst my grandmother wasn't watching) my grandfather and I would steal away to eat the peas straight out of the pods - deliciously sweet, crunchy, bursting and popping in your mouth.

As far as flavours go, I am not entirely convinced. Each individual flavour is very, very good. However, if you combine them into one mouthful, it is a little too complex for my palette, perhaps. The smooth uni does go fantastically well with the crunchy peas and peanut butter. However, then comes the warm asparagus. In contrast, the warm asparagus, peas and peanut butter go well together, but then if you add the uni it is a step too far.

4th Course: Cappellini, sakura EBI and C.C.C

Now, let's face it, we have all felt it (and also said it): "Why is this little thing on such a big plate". 

Once you have got your head around the fact that the food outsizes the dish, it's time to turn your attention to the flavors.

These noodles are delicately wrapped into a cocoon-like shape. On top you can see tiny whole shrimp, dressed with corriander and greens. The noodles look (and taste) like they have been cooked in a sauce and then taken out of the sauce to serve. There is a kick of chilli I wasn't expecting in this dish, which takes the entire meal on a different journey. Previous dishes have been beautifully smooth and delicate, however, this dish kicks you in the tongue and gets you sitting straight in your seat.

The shrimp are left whole, and can be eaten, shells and all. The crunchiness of the shrimp contrast the soft noodles very nicely and the coriander matches up with the kick of chilli like all coriander and chilli should. The dish is clean an fills your carbohydrate gap you may have otherwise been craving.

5th Course: Mushroom, Mushroom, Mushroom

It isn't very well described: Mushroom, mushroom, mushroom?

As you guessed from the name, everything is mushroom (apart from the soft-boiled egg resting on top. Wafer thin shaves of chestnut mushroom rest on top of the soft-boiled egg which breaks with the slightest of touches (there's something about breaking an egg and the yolk running down that just launches me back to my childhood and awakens memories of egg and soldiers on a Sunday morning).

Below, the egg sits on a bed of a finely chopped mushroom which is rich in taste and rich in texture. My one criticism of this dish is that I feel it is missing a crunch. Everything is very soft and I found myself craving a crunch.

The other mushrooms were a delight and they were packed with just as much flavor as the last. The star of this show, for me, is the mushroom soup that encircles the mushrooms within. The soup was salty, it was earthy, it was sweet, it had a strong mushroom taste, it was peppery and I could have quite happily had many more bowls of it, by itself, without the other mushrooms.

6th Course: Burnt cabbage, Cod and Soubise

I love fish, and this dish was just as good as any other fish dish I have ever had.

Shreds of burnt cabbage conceal the wonderfully cooked cod underneath, served in a thick steak form oozing with juices and delicately falling apart at the slightest touch with your fork or knife. The fish is cooked perfectly and goes really well with the crunchy burnt cabbage and the soubise (onion sauce). The dish also had a few little pickled onion skins dotted around which provided the acidic crunch that brings the entire dish to the next level. This was an absolute winner.

Extra: Bread

I had heard a lot about RAW's bread, and it did not disappoint. Bread is something that I struggle to live without, and I sometimes feel very frustrated in Taiwan by the lack of readily available salty bread. This bread delivered on saltiness, crunchiness (outside) and softness (inside). Served with a whipped butter dip, with cocoa powder and toasted buckwheat sprinkles It also allowed me to sneak a smear of the soubise onto the bread, and also drank up that mushroom soup beautifully.

7th Course: Granloa and Potato

This was the best dish of all, I feel. The short rib beef steak was cooked medium-rare (sorry I couldn't get a better picture, but it looked too good and I had waited too long even after taking one picture!), you get 3 slices of the steak and I definitely wanted more but I feel like the portion size worked perfectly with the rest of the dishes and, in fact, any more would have left me too full.

Served on a bed of pulses and topped with tuile (of sorts), the beef appears sheltered and mysterious on the plate. The theater, the taste, the presentation and the execution were all top class, here. I was really impressed by this dish.



*Complimentary Course*

 When it was put on our table we were told it is a pineapple cake. I looked confused and asked to confirm with another waitress, and she also said pineapple cake, but it wasn't on the menu. Complimentary, I guess. 

Turns out it was a pineapple cake, with a twist. The twist being: The pineapple inside was actually done as an ice cream. The outer remains crusty and the ice cream in the center remains in tact, too.

As for taste: the filling had a nice sweet flavor and the outer added a little flavor but mostly a good crunch. The decoration of gold lead gives it the luxurious feel, too.




9th Course: Chocolate, Mochi and Burnt butter

In my previous experiences in fine dining restaurants, I tend to be wowed and awe-struck by the desserts. However, here I wasn't so much. At least not on the presentation...

Inside the bowl, the milk chocolate has been aerated to become fluffy in texture and lighter. The mochi (the white marshmallow-like squares you can see) are slightly burnt on the outside and wonderfully soft on the inside and the crunchy biscuits give a great texture. The burnt sugar taste runs throughout and is a great addition.

The ice cream is a light black sesame ice cream which is delicate in flavor. The taste of the mochi more resembles a marshmallow for me, as it is burnt on the outside but a little soft and chewy on the inside. The mochi has a sweet flavor but nothing else of particular note. The chocolate is just ok.

Honestly, I expected a little more from a dessert.



Overall, RAW delivered on style, taste, presentation, theater, service, atmosphere and (most notably I feel) texture. Textures of the dishes played a huge part in this menu with a lot of crunchiness, softness, robustness and class throughout each dish.

I would like to emphasize one more time: This is a place to go on a special occasion. If you want to take your loved one out to eat for a birthday, or your friends are getting married and you want to celebrate with them, for example. This isn't a place to eat at each weekend.



Let me take this time to talk about their reservation system. I had heard (and also read) a lot of stories about how poor their reservation service is. However, it was remarkably simple for us, once we had taken steps to try and defeat it.

You can only book a maximum of 2 weeks in advance, for example: If you want to book for December 14th, you can only book on December 1st at the earliest. There is also only an online booking service (fortunately, it is all in English!). The only booking link can be found HERE.

If you want to book for December 14th, then you need to be online at December 1st at around 11:55am, as the online booking system comes online at 12 mid-day. Now, I have heard that they will be fully booked in less than 1 minute. So, you need to be quick! Use the calendar to click on the date, and take it from there.

For all of the stories I had read, we achieved the booking quite smoothly and had no problems at all.



Opening times: 
Wednesday - Sunday 11:30 - 14:30 is Lunch, 
18:00- 22:00 is Dinner
Closed on a Monday and Tuesday
+886285015800

Eating in Taipei

台北市中山區樂群路301號

No. 301 LuQun Road, ZhongShan District, Taipei City

Happy Eating!

Taipei City - XiHu Market 西湖市場

XiHu Market (西湖市場) is in the North of Taipei, and the market is connected to XiHu MRT station, inbetween JiaNan Road Station and NeiHu Station on the Brown Line. This place is perfectly convenient for a stroll around Northern Taipei, and maybe over to Miramar/The NeiHu Wheel for the afternoon. Inside XiHu market, you can find a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, meats and clothing stands within the market. On the second floor of the market, there is a large restaurant area with a variety of different vendors offering a variety of different cuisines. You can have Indian curry, Italian style pasta, Japanese noodles or a range of classic Taiwanese meals. 

This Japanese RaMen noodle place offers a variety of different dishes, but their signature dish is the one in the picture below. LaMien (拉麵) is a very popular style of Japanese cooking in Taiwan. This place is a perfect example of good quality at a good price. $150 for a bowl of this is absolutely worth it!

On top, you can see a thin slice of nice, fatty pork. The pork is served, cold, on top of the warm noodles in soup. This allows the meat to warm up quite quickly and remain delicate. Beside the pork you can see some dried onion flakes, green onions and also jew's ear. Beneath this, within the beautifully rich broth, sits a bowl of fine, but not too fine, Ramen noodles. These are cooked al dente, and continue to cook from the moment they're served in the broth. For anyone who has had Ramen Noodles before, I challenge you to describe the broth. For me, its almost like a rich, buttery taste. There's an acidic element in there, there's definitely some onion and garlic running through and its also quite salty. I have heard that in some Ramen Noodle dishes, the broth should not be consumed as it is too salty. With this, I would definitely recommend getting a few spoonfuls in, but maybe not consuming it all! 

Here, we have something similair to the bibimbap dish well-known in Korea. 

The rice underneath, is cooked and then fried inside this stove top pan in which it's served. Sat atop the rice is a helping of pickled cabbage, other pickled vegetables, half an egg, 1/4 of a sausage and a generous helping of barbecued chicken. It's fantastic, really. I am, unlike many people, a real fan of that rice that is stuck, almost burnt, to the side of the pan. It crunches in your mouth and has a burnt flavour to it, love it. The barbecued chicken here is also a triumph. On the outside there is a salty, sweet skin with an impossibly moist chicken on the inside. Taiwanese sausage, let me address my issue with it: It's sweet. I'm not used to sweet sausage. Coming from the UK, places such as Lancashire and Cumberland are famed for their sausages. But they are in no way sweet. Often peppery and salty, in fact. This sausage is sweet, but it does actually help with the sourness of the pickled cabbage and also the saltiness of the barbecued chicken. Served with a rather stock standard Miso Soup, this dish is a real winner, all for $100! 

This place - wow. It's amazing. Any of you familiar with 'Paul' bakery in Taipei will know that there are definitely some places where you can rely on their pastries to blow every other Taiwanese bakery out of the water. For me, this place definitely competes with Paul. 

This pattiserie is located on the second floor, just outside one of the doors connected to the main food restaurant area. It's in a tiny shop, with only take-out options available. We went for the Custard tart, Macadamia and Red Bean Macaroon, Milky Coffee and, of course, the Canale. They were all absolutely French < that's a top compliment, not only from an Englishman, but also for any pastry in the world. 

The Canale (top right corner), is a caremlised shell of almost burnt perfection, within which sits an almost gooey inner; sweet, rich, crunchy, soft. I cannot recommend this enough. 

Bottom right we have the Macaroon. For Macaroons, there is a lot that can go wrong and, quite frankly, often does go wrong. Most places where I've eaten macaroons, I shall not be returning to. However, this is not one of those. The macadamia flavour on the outside of the macaroon is wonderfully nutty and decadent, whilst on the inside, the nice flavour of the red bean contrasts well. A good macaroon shouldn't be over sweet - and this wasn't. 

Top left we have the, simply phenomenal, custard tart. As you can see, the inside solid custard has visible vanilla seeds, just bursting with flavour on each mouthful. It is quite simply, awesome. The outer pastry is crunchy, yet a little soft. The flavour is perfect, not too sweet but also not too savoury. As you can see, on top of the solidified custard, there is a thin, caremelised skin. 

For well priced foods, and a fun atmosphere, this is a good place. People next to us were drinking beers, you can get some Taiwanese goodies at the market beneath you, and by the early evening you can be getting on the NeiHu wheel to see Taipei at dusk.

西湖市場, 內湖區, 台北市

XiHu Market, NeiHu District, Taipei City 

Happy Eating!