利夫花园宾馆

This venue sports a dark colour scheme, with an eclectic mix of Chinese garden motifs and European palatial glamour. The Hong Kong chef excels in refined Cantonese fare that showcases his high-flying skill and precision. He uses Cherry Valley ducks from Yilan for his Cantonese-style crispy-skin roast duck, and Peking duck four ways. Pre-order these items to avoid missing out. For dim sum, try meticulously crafted Chinese spinach and salted egg dumplings.

This shop began as a street stall over 60 years ago. Into the third generation, the family business still attracts diners in droves with good old comfort food. Its eponymous ang gu noodles see springy and thick oil noodles tossed in aromatic scallion oil with chives and bean sprouts. Ribbon rice noodle soup is another crowd stopper. For a range of textures, try three-brother soup with taro, mushrooms, and squid ink pork balls in pork bone broth.

The owner returned to his hometown in 2022 and remodelled this riverside warehouse into a rustic joint specialising in traditional Hakkanese rice cakes made from scratch. Local seasonal ingredients, such as taro, red beans, mugwort and pumpkin, are added to the rice batter for extra flavour. Steamed rice cake is the must-try, coming in sweet and savoury varieties. The latter is seasoned with in-house dried radish, shredded dried tofu and soy sauce.

When it comes to tempura, precision is the name of the game. With decades of experience in Japanese cooking, the head chef brings out the best in every ingredient with his keen sense for oil blend, oil temperature and batter consistency, sealing in the umami with an incredibly thin, crisp and light batter. The simple, cosy room is decorated with Japanese garden details. Reservations are mandatory, with only two sittings, at 12.30pm and 6.30pm.

A floral display provides pops of colour in this pristine white cube that calls to mind an art gallery. Chef Alain Huang's tasting menus comprise 10-plus creative courses that are French in origin but influenced by Asian cuisines, wine or alcohol-free drinks inclusive. Top-notch ingredients such as king prawn, scallop and veal are meticulously prepared and beautifully presented. Your meal is bookended by stunning amuse-bouches and petit fours.

With an understated façade, this place feels like a hidden gem for those in the know. The tearoom-like lobby leads into a minimalist dining room where a brightly lit open kitchen takes centre stage. The menu celebrates Japanese culinary culture, but with the odd Taiwanese twist and global influences. From shirako with bottarga to mussel noodles and wood-fired pigeon, every course is a beauty to behold and a delight to taste.

One of the 20-odd restaurants bearing the late master chef’s name, this tailored venue is instantly recognisable by its iconic red-and-black colour scheme dotted with white orchids. In addition to an à la carte menu, diners can choose each course from those on the set menu. From painstaking recipes like pâté en croute to what is said to be the most decadent mashed potato in the world, this workshop is defined by meticulous craftsmanship and balanced flavours.