Editor’s note: Hailing from London, Gareth the Globetrotting Gourmet is a technology marketing strategist who has worked in Dubai and Sao Paulo. Now that he is temporarily based in Taipei, he has decided to share with us his restaurant experiences. Be it good, excellent or “interesting.” 

Why :        Saturday Lunch
Where :     Xinyi District, Taipei
When :     8th February 2020 (sat down at 1250)

As a GG, I’ve been so lucky to visit many places – but still so much more to see. There’s often an observation when you travel that the World is gradually becoming less diverse – that’s not exactly been my experience so far in Taipei. But, as I step out of the MRT (30 minute journey) into the shopping mall at Taipei 101, there’s a definite : Westfield White City (London), Mall of the Emirates (Dubai), JK Iguatemi (Sao Paulo) vibe about it. 

Photo by Gareth Abel

Food-wise I’m finding that my love of Asian food (with my British palate) is struggling to keep up with the local flavours and I’m actively eating in restaurants serving food from further afield. Today I’m trying an Indian restaurant, on the 46th floor of the tower opposite the world’s 11th tallest building. We’re currently impacted by the Coronavirus situation and my temperature is taken before I am allowed to enter the lift and before I am allowed to enter the restaurant itself. 

Photo by Gareth Abel

The dining area is almost full, and after establishing that I’m (apparently) no threat to the other lunchers I’m quickly shown to my table – with a great view of Taipei 101. I immediately order a sparkling water, reject the initially offered San Pellegrino and am rewarded with Perrier. There’s a great buzz about the room, and I notice it’s at least 70% women. I am sat next to Team “Gram” who are celebrating one of their squad’s 30th birthday. The interior design is functional but not uncomfortable – but you’d never guess I was about to eat a curry. 

This is the first thing I have eaten today, and as I have been running I am keen to get ordering. The menu has a wide selection of classic and contemporary Indian dishes, and after a couple of minutes browsing I’ve spotted what I’m going to order. One of the Front of House Managers comes over and asks if I need any help or recommendations. I’m keen to hear the chat, and spend a few minutes going through the highlights.

I order a green salad, Dilli Pani Puri, Lamb Saagwala and an Onion Kulcha Naan. The Pani Puri was on the recommendation list, but we have a bit of a discussion over the Naan. I would like it stuffed with onion and potato – but the waiter informs me the chefs “won’t do that”. GGG sniffs an opening, and enquires further why that would be the case. 

Photo by Gareth Abel

Turns out the Indian chefs won’t make changes because it compromises the integrity of their dish (this is spectacularly Taiwanese by the way), and I push a little further – but the waiter won’t even enquire as to whether it’s a possibility. I’m grinning broadly now – I love a challenge, but this isn’t the type of establishment where I expected to find one. 

Photo by Gareth Abel

Moments later I’m brought half a (small) cumin flavoured popadom, and am advised not to eat the green stuff it’s anchored in. OK I say, but then I ask if I can also have the other half ? (Been running / first meal of the day / I’m from Coventry and we love our popadoms – half is not enough). The waitress nervously shakes her head, and walks off while I’m asking what happened to the other half? 

Photo by Gareth Abel

Salad arrives almost immediately and Team Gram have got three different cameras and multiple phones snapping pics of their Champagne cheers. The salad is fine (can’t tell if it’s got a dressing on it – so probably not), there’s a little paneer crumbled on the top –I recall that I’m eating Greek salad with crumbled as opposed to block feta and am now convinced it’s a Taiwan-thing.

At the table opposite, Front of House Manager has just delivered a drink that has got Team Gram very excited. I think they’re about to get up and go over to get a pic, but no they just save themselves. I notice that FoHM actually paints the inside of the glass with a paintbrush before pouring the drink into that glass over a large spherical ice cube. 

Photo by Gareth Abel

My Dilli Pani Puri soon arrive and I’m warned that the Spice Water is very spicy and it’s recommended I only pour a little in before eating*. Absolutely delicious – but I’m struggling with the presentation – they’re on a bed of pebbles with a forked twig ?

Photo by Gareth Abel

Service is timed to perfection, and is going at a pace complimentary to the quality of the food. My very green Lamb Saagwala arrives with the Onion Kulcha – which is thin and delicious – somehow the onion has retained its crunch. The lamb dish is amazing, soft lamb with a very thick spinach sauce (I achieve another GGG first as it’s topped with a little gold leaf) – I suspect I have enough iron in this dish to last the week. 

I’ve really enjoyed the food, but the portions are not huge, so when I’m offered the desert menu I’m keen to see what’s available – keen GGG followers will know that I’m wary of Indian deserts. I choose the Seasonal sorbet, sounds simple enough and observe Team Gram taking many shots with the birthday cake and moving to both sides of the table.

There’s a little stir as my sorbet arrives. It’s in a glass, served on a wooden box, with moss in it and it’s smoking (dry ice). It’s a little ostentatious for my liking. The waiter recommends I scoop from the bottom to the top because it’s multi-layered. But, not layers of sorbet : short sweet noodles, crunchy something, passion fruit mousse, strawberry sorbet, fresh strawberry and edible flowers. It looks a bit like a pimped trifle – and is quite bizarre. The spectre of Indian deserts strikes again. 

Takes a little while to ask for the bill, but then I’m paid and out in 3 ½ minutes with my receipt. Cost is NT$ 2486 (£63.80) which admittedly is a lot for lunch and for Taipei. But the food, service and setting have been spectacular and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it – highly recommended if you’re the right temperature. 

Would I recommend ?    Yes  – fine dining with a view

Will I return ?    Possibly, I’d love to try on a Friday night with a Group

*Eating Pani Puri – after my recent experience with the ejaculating dumplings I’m somewhat wary of the effect of liquid in my food. But, as I’m pouring the spice water in, I can’t help think how long I can wait before I put the Puri in my mouth. It’s sort of like a game of jeopardy. When I ask the waiter how long does he think it’ll last before splattering all over the table he looks at me like I’m from another planet - before saying 15-20 seconds. I last 8, how far would you push it ?

About Gareth the Globetrotting Gourmet:

Gareth is a British Marketing Professional who travels extensively for his work, having lived and worked across Europe, the Middle East, Brazil and now Taiwan. He “has" to eat three meals per day and loves telling stories about his experiences while doing so - occasionally he even mentions the food! Follow him on Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/garethabel