寇德酒店 台北复兴北

A corridor dotted with Chinese antiques leads to a classically appointed square dining room, in keeping with the style of its luxury host hotel. The menu is also rooted in tradition, and the Hong Kong head chef's team demonstrates remarkable precision in dishes like braised Australian abalone with goose web. Try their dim sum at lunch, and their hairy crab menu in autumn. An extensive beverage list of wines, teas and drinks is available.

Diners are escorted past the open kitchen into an airy room bathed in natural light, perfect for power lunches or social gatherings. For a surcharge, all the à la carte steaks can be made into a set. Australian Mayura Full-blood Wagyu ribeye tastes milkier than typical grass-fed beef, and with the cut, you get to enjoy the robust flavour of New York strip and the even marbling of ribeye cap. Wine buffs should check out the rare vintages.

Spanish-themed paintings hang in the dining area, which boasts a stunning glazed wine cellar. The two chefs take diners on a poetic culinary journey to the Pyrenees of the Basque Country with a seafood-heavy tasting menu. Produce from Taiwan and Japan is woven into edible works of art that embody Spanish traditions, Asian influences and natural beauty. The clever use of colours and seasonal ingredients makes the experience a real delight.

The modern and simple design of T+T exudes relaxed chic, à la French bistronomy. The name is an abbreviation of ‘tapas tasting’, but rather than Spanish in origin, the small plates show strong Asian roots. Miso, ginseng, Dang Gui, Shaoxing wine and red bean cake are juxtaposed ingeniously to create gustatory nuances that pleasantly surprise. The tasting menu, which changes every 3 to 4 months, offers great value; the eclectic wine list carries some interesting choices.

Tainan cuisine is known for its sugary taste profile; the Tainanese founder thinks outside the box to reinterpret the cooking of his hometown. The end product always goes well with champagne. The menu changes regularly to reflect what's in season, while specialities such as stir-fried leafy greens with wax apple, and scrambled eggs with tomato and lobster never fail to pleasantly surprise. Clever use of plant art gives the room a greenhouse vibe.

Dark green velvet, red walls and accent lights showcase the bare concrete walls in this chic space. A sister establishment of Tei by O'bond, famous for Taiwanese tea cocktails, Wok excels in deconstructing the flavours of Taiwanese and Asian cooking, and reimagining them in astounding forms with modern French techniques. The themed tasting menu changes every season. The Taiwanese teas and herb-infused cocktails are always a delight.

INITA, a portmanteau of Italy, Nippon (Japan) and Taiwan, delivers victuals that are underscored by Italian technique, jazzed up with Japanese twists and crafted with Taiwanese ingredients. The season-driven tasting menu consists of 10-plus courses inspired by the Japanese chef-owner’s culinary roots and experience. His dorayaki is a castella pancake sandwich filled with a tartare of local yellow beef, alongside an Italian tuna dip packed in briny umami.