Discovering Foodie Taiwan – A Gastronomic Week in Formosa

Located between Japan, China and the Philippines, the island nation of Taiwan is one of the most densely populated countries in the world, yet it is home to incredible natural beauty, with some vertiginous mountains and lush tropical forests.

But best of all, it is one of Asia’s most exciting foodie destinations, with great quality street-food and Michelin-starred restaurants aplenty. I was chuffed to be invited over by the Taiwanese Tourism Board earlier this year to find out more about this unique country, and to report on my gastronomic discoveries in Taipei, Kaoshiung and Tainan.

A Potted History

Justly named Ilha Formosa (the beautiful island) by the Portuguese in 1542, Taiwan has ever since enjoyed a colourful if somewhat tumultuous history. 

Aboriginal tribes enjoyed an undisturbed existence in the country for thousands of years, until the arrival in the early 17th century of Dutch and Spanish traders. This prompted a major influx of Han-Chinese who fought the Europeans, finally expelling them in 1662.

Between 1895 until the end of WWII in 1945, the country was a colony of Japan for 50 years, and today a strong Japanese legacy is still apparent in the food and architecture of Taiwan. 

Meanwhile in Mainland China, the Nationalists and Communists fought a bloody civil war, and when eventually defeated in 1949, hundreds of thousands of Nationalists fled to Taiwan. An independent government was set up, and Taiwan experienced rapid economic growth and modernisation in the decades that followed, becoming one of the Asia’s richest and most thriving economies, and a well-functioning democracy. 

It is believed that many of China’s finest artists, chefs, intellectuals and academics were among the Nationalists who made Taiwan their home. Perhaps unsurprisingly, this contributed to Taiwan becoming an amazing success story, not just economically, but also for its gastronomy and culture.

Taipei

Only 300 years ago, Taipei was swampland inhabited by the indigenous Kaitagelan tribe. Today, the Taiwanese capital is the country’s largest city, with over 2.64 million residents in the city and 6.5 million in the greater area.

Taipei is relatively easy to navigate, based on a grid system with twelve key districts and neighbourhoods. The western part of the city is the historical centre, containing key sights such as the Longshan, Confucius and Baoan Temples, while the eastern area is thoroughly modern and home to what was, until recently, the world’s tallest building, Taipei 101.

The MRT (Mass Rapid Transport, an underground train system), is a great way to get around and very economical too, with stations well situated for the key sights. 

The eclectic mix of Taiwan’s indigenous, Chinese and Japanese heritage, along with today’s cutting-edge urban technology, have created a vibrant metropolis steeped in both tradition and innovation. 

Discovering Foodie Taipei

I have visited few places with a stronger food culture than Taipei’s. Food seems to be in every Taiwanese person’s DNA, and eating well and often is everyone’s shared and most loved pastime.

Food is everywhere - on most street corners you will find a delectable pot of something being cooked up, long queues of people in front of unassuming shop entrances waiting to buy their favourite local snacks, and numerous night markets where you can enjoy anything from grilled seafood to baked dumplings, desserts and exotic fruit.

One of my reasons for visiting Taipei this summer was to attend the 2016 Taiwan Culinary Exhibition. This was a huge, well-attended festival celebrating Taiwan’s culinary arts, ingredients and cookware.

There were various sections dedicated to themes including Hakka cooking and ingredients, and the culinary traditions of Taiwan’s 16 official aboriginal tribes.

One of the exhibitors was the Punon aboriginal tribe that interestingly has a diet based on millet rather than rice, which is the staple of modern Taiwan. I met and interviewed some of the Punon exhibitors, and they were enthusiastic to explain their culinary heritage and produce.

This was also a unique opportunity to learn about some of the native ingredients of Taiwan.  One of my favourites was karasumi (dried salted mullet roe), which I had tried before in Japan where it goes by the same name.

This wonderful ingredient, a softer version of Mediterranean bottarga, is a specialty of the town of Tungkang in Taiwan as well as Nagasaki in Japan, reflecting the past colonial relationship of the two countries. I love eating it grated over buttered pasta, risotto or even scrambled eggs, or thinly sliced between crisp slices of daikon radish.

There were also many cookery demonstrations and competitions, and whole stands dedicated to pork in all imaginable ways – paper thin, crispy, even sweetened and served as dessert.

Taiwanese cookery demonstrations at Taiwan Culinary Exhibition

If you happen to be visiting Taipei during the month of August, I highly recommend dropping in on the Taiwan Culinary Exhibition, more details here.

Are you a Pig Lover? Pork candy!

Where to Eat in Taipei

Taipei is all about its street food, its numerous night markets and thousands of different restaurants, from Taiwanese to Hakka, Japanese, Chinese, European, you name it, you are likely to find whatever cuisine you are looking for there.

I was able to visit quite a few restaurants during my limited time in the city, but with so many to recommend I am presenting here just the main highlights.

Din Tai Fung at Taipei 101 Tower

One of my top restaurant recommendations in Taipei, is Din Tai Fung. Ranked as one of the world’s Top Ten Best Restaurants by The New York Times, Din Tai Fung was founded in Taiwan over 40 years ago with some of its branches now being awarded a Michelin-star.

There are various Din Tai Fung branches in Taipei and across other cities in Taiwan, the original Xinyi store is at 194 Xinyi Road (MRT Dongmen Station, Exit 5), just by Yongkang Street, a great place for shops, bars and restaurants, but more on this lovely street later.

Din Tai Fung's Legendary Xiao Long Bao

With its famous signature xiao long bao (steamed pork dumplings) and steamed chicken soup, this authentic Taiwanese restaurant has been making waves with branches throughout the world, including Singapore, Thailand, Australia, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, South Korea, and USA. And rumour has it that the UK branch is opening in 2017!

House Special Vegetable and Ground Pork Wonton's

Din Tai Fung is famous for its steamed dumplings so we had the obligatory xiao long bao (Shanghai dumpling) as well as the house special spicy vegetable and ground pork wontons, which were both excellent.

Stir-fried Shrimp Rice with Egg

We also had a delectable stir-fried shrimp rice with egg, and my favourite Taiwanese greens - sweet potato leaves stir-fry.

Din Tai Fung is excellent value and the quality of the dumplings is second to none. In addition to visiting the Xinyi store, we also went to the branch at Taipei 101 tower. This is much larger and overall a nicer location, so I would recommend this branch over the original one. Expect long queues, so come early (or very late) to avoid waiting too long.

And if you happen to visit Din Tai Fung at Tower 101, do not miss the Observatory on the 89th floor for jaw-dropping views of the Taipei. It costs £15 per person and tickets can be bought online.

Taipei's skyline from the 89th floor observatory at Taipei 101

Red Lantern

One other top dining recommendation is the Red Lantern, a restaurant specializing in Hakka food, it was so good that we went there twice!

Hakka cuisine is the cooking style of the Hakka people, who are Han Chinese from southern China. They migrated to many countries and have a diaspora in Taiwan, most countries of Southeast Asia, and latterly all over the world. They speak their unique Hakka language and are today thought to number 80 million worldwide. Hakka cuisine concentrates on the texture of food, with preserved, stewed, braised and roast meats.

It was at the Red Lantern that I had my first taste of stir-fried sweet potato leaves with garlic – a staple in most Taiwanese homes, I enjoyed the flavour, texture and colour of the green leaves. I had this dish in nearly every restaurant I visited in Taiwan!

There were so many highlights – I loved their crispy fried oysters and the fried wild pork, while the sizzling beef and the stir-fried rice with karasumi were outstandingly good. The food at the Red Lantern was hearty, very well seasoned and the portions were huge, I highly recommend it.

Shin Yeh

In central Taipei, Shin Yeh was also excellent – this Taiwanese restaurant is a local favourite and during the lunchtime we were there, the restaurant was packed with families.

We had a fantastic meal at Shin Yeh, and particularly good were the spicy fried chicken with garlic and basil in casserole, the signature soya boiled pork knuckle and peanuts, and the incredibly luscious wok-seared aubergine with minced meat, chillies and sweet basil.

I could not resist ordering more fried rice with mullet roe (karasumi), and a portion of stir-fried greens (morning glory). I highly recommend a visit to Shin Yeh for top quality Taiwanese food – this restaurant is little pricier but the quality and cooking definitely justify it.

Elixir Health Pot (Wu Lao)

At the Elixir Health Pot, we had a magnificent hotpot dinner. There was a choice of two broths, one white and creamy with soy milk, and the other a fiery red broth with many different spices including Sichuanese pepper, red dates and goji berry.

We had a selection of seafood including thin slices of white fish, scallops, prawns and orchid clams, as well as tofu sheets, thin slices of streaky pork, fish balls and even duck blood, a local delicacy that tasted rich and creamy like foie gras! There were also vegetables like cabbage, shimeji, oyster and king mushrooms.

Diners can make their own dipping dressing with loads of chillies, garlic, vinegar sesame oil, soy and there is plenty of free white Japanese steamed rice, all washed down with a refreshing mango flavoured Taiwanese beer.

Shan Yuan

Shan Yuan Restaurant in Yang Ming Mountain was a bit of a challenge to find, but getting there was half the fun as it is in a gorgeous national park. 

The setting is simple and open air, with metal tables and chairs and food served on plastic plates, but the cooking makes use of the most delectable fresh mountain vegetables and herbs.

There is no menu at this restaurant, but at the entrance there are shelves with the various fresh ingredients of the day supplied by farmers. Diners select the produce they want to eat, which is then simply cooked and served with rice.

Portions were very generous in size, and the food super-fresh and well seasoned. There was a wonderful sweet potato soup, and fried tofu steaks with mangetout, carrot and mushroom.

Best of all though was the whole white fish steamed and served with soy sauce, a julienne of carrot, chilli and spring onion, and the native glue berry (Cordia dichotoma), a pickled fragrant fruit commonly used in Taiwanese fish cooking.

With stir-fried mountain greens and garlic, steamed rice and some refreshing Taiwanese beer, we had a deliciously satisfying farmers lunch that really hit the spot. On the day we were there, some locals helped us choose some wonderful dishes, we were the only non-Taiwanese in the restaurant. In fact, they (both restaurant owner and diners) were slightly perplexed that we were there, and went to great trouble to help us find the best dishes. It’s so Taiwanese to be excited at sharing ideas on cooking and eating! 

Badasan Aboriginal Restaurant

At the northwestern edge of Taipei, on the island of Ba-li, Badasan Aboriginal Restaurant is one of the few places where you can try aboriginal cuisine without heading over to the tribal areas in the interior.  It is easily reached from central Taipei by taking the metro to Damsui and then taking the short ferry-crossing to Ba-Li.

Damsui Estuary in itself is well worth a visit, with a huge street market selling everything from delicious street food to handbags, briefcases and T-shirts. I loved the flying fish roe (tobiko) sausages, which we nibbled on the way to the restaurant.
  

Badasan is particularly known for wild boar, alligator, pigeon, and foods wrapped and cooked in leaves. We had steamed Atayal sticky rice in bamboo, baby bamboo shoots, and of course the signature stone slab roast wild boar – wonderfully fragrant.

Yongkang Street – Smoothie House

Back in downtown Taipei, Yongkang Street is a great foodie destination, with dozens of restaurants, teahouses and food suppliers to browse at leisure, window-shopping and visiting the various eateries.

Some highlights for me were the shaved mango ice at Smoothie House, and a visit to the Yeh Tang Tea Culture Research Institute.

Yeh Tang Tea Culture

Tucked away in a lane off the Yongkang Street, this wonderful spot was a step back to a time of elegance, with tropical hard wood and bamboo furniture. Here I tasted some delicious Lishan oolong tea, as well as the Spring harvest version, which was fresher and more astringent.

Fuchen Food

At the legendary Fuchen Food café on Yongkang Street, I couldn’t resist diving in for a few snacks.

This is a modest café, but one of the most popular in the area with the huge queues a testament to the quality of the food from the southern city of Tainan.

I had some delectable meat and prawn dumplings, as well as rice cake with mushroom and pork.

Pin Chuan Lan

Later, at nearby Pin Chuan Lan Restaurant, I had probably the best beef noodle dish of anywhere I visited in Taiwan. I selected the version with ultra-soft beef tendon, which was rich and satisfying.

Taihu Brewing Bar

Whether before or after dinner at Pin Chuan Lan, if you fancy a craft beer, the place to head for just round the corner is the Taihu Brewing Bar. I was lucky enough to be there for a ‘meet the brewer’ evening, and met Jim of Jim & Dad.

This 28-year-old former Deloitte accountant quit number-crunching to open his own brewery, Jim & Dad. His beer, Session Ale, was a hoppy fresh beer with fragrant green-grass notes. It was great to see the craft beer movement really taking off in Taiwan.

Addiction Aquatic Development

The Addiction Aquatic Development is a fantastic fish and seafood market and food hall on Minzu E Road (MRT: Zhongshan), in central Taipei.

The place is incredibly popular with locals who queue for hours to either buy fresh fish or enjoy some excellent sushi and sashimi platters on sale at the bar counter.

The development is a mix of open-air restaurant, fish market with large tanks filled to the brim with live fish and seafood, a supermarket, sushi and sashimi bar counter and a Japanese hot-food section.

It is huge and super busy, and a great place to have some of the best fish, sushi and sashimi outside of Japan. 

Tresors de la Mer

Tresors de la Mer is one of the restaurants at the Addiction Aquatic Development complex and we had a great meal here only let down by the service, which unfortunately was rushed and uninterested at best. The fish and seafood cooked at Tresors de la Mer needs to be chosen by the diners fresh from some of the tanks outside the restaurant and prepared a la minute by the chefs.

One of the highlights of our dinner was the raw uni (sea urchin) served over freshly grated yamaimo (Japanese mountain yam) and seasoned with fresh wasabi and soy sauce.

The grilled scallop served over Japanese harusami noodles (glass noodles), wakame seaweed and spring onions was also excellent.

Equally good was the bitter melon stir-fry and the grilled jumbo prawns, though the portions were minute.

I recommend a visit to the Addiction Aquatic Development and to Tresors de la Mer but be prepared for some long queues. Prices are high by Taipei standards but the quality of the food makes it definitely worth a visit.

Jinfong Zhou Zhou Fang

At the other end of the scale, the very modest Jinfong Zhou Zhou Fang restaurant just by Nanmen market (MRT C.K.S Memorial Hall, Exit 2), was another incredibly popular restaurant I visited.

The long queues of patrons arrive early for the restaurant’s signature braised pork rice (70p) and soup of fried pork with super soft melon and radish (£1.25) – expect plastic plates and chopsticks all in very simple surroundings, the food is however excellent and I highly recommend a visit.

Night Markets and More Markets in Taipei

Night markets are integral to Taiwan’s culinary scene and the city of Taipei has some of the best in the country. Night markets originally were located next to Buddhist temples, as worshippers needed to eat somewhere near the temple following evening prayer. Shilin is Taipei’s most famous night market, but is also the most touristic, with a huge array of street food stalls.  

Raohe Street Night Market

So it was instead to Raohe Street Night Market, near my hotel, that I headed on my first night in Taipei and I could not think of a better introduction to the city’s food scene than here.

There were hundreds of different stalls selling everything from grilled mushrooms to barbecued squid, fresh fruit, and even one specializing in all types of offal meats on skewers.

A highlight here though was a stall at the very end of the market selling freshly baked buns filled with pork mince and vegetables – the queue was huge but their bun was so utterly delicious, meaty and fluffy, I cannot think of visiting Taipei without trying that bun again!

Nanmen Market

And if you can’t get enough of Taipei’s night markets, there are day markets too! I got to visit the traditional Nanmen market (MRT C.K.S Memorial Hall, Exit 2) to check out where the locals go for their everyday food provisions.

Set over 2 floors, this is one of Taipei’s most traditional markets founded over 100 years ago in 1906. The market is run and frequented by locals who go there to buy everything from fruit and veg to fresh fish and seafood, meat and dry goods.

I got to meet Mrs Chu, owner of the Emperor Kitchen of Yo-Chan, where she has been preparing and selling ready-made meals containing every imaginable ingredient.

Where to Stay in Taipei

Hotel Amba Songshan

This contemporary hotel in eastern Taipei has 189 rooms with stunning views of Taipei 101 or the Keelung River. Located between the Xinyi, Songshan and Nangang districts, the hotel is just five minutes’ drive from Taipei 101.

The hotel is directly connected to Songshan Station for metro and trains as well as a huge mall with shops and restaurants, and Raohe Night Market is just a five minutes' walk. 

Hotel Amba Songshan’s reception and restaurant areas are very stylishly decorated, with huge floor to ceiling windows, with plenty of natural light and commanding views over the city.

I enjoyed my room at Hotel Amba Songshan, it was comfortable, modern, clean and thoughtfully designed. I loved the Nespresso coffee machine in my room.

But the best part of course was the hotel’s Asian breakfast buffet every morning – I had platefuls of congee porridge, dim sum, stir-fried noodles and braised pork.

I also got to try Taiwanese rice rolls (similar to Japanese onigiri) filled with a number of delicious ingredients including pork floss and pickles. Make time for breakfast at Hotel Amba Songshan, you will need it to get through all the options on the buffet.

I had a marvelous stay at Hotel Amba Songshan’s and highly recommend it to anyone visiting Taipei City.

In the weeks to come I will be reporting about the other two incredible cities I visited in Taiwan – Kaohsiung and Tainan. As you plan your visit to Taiwan and Taipei, why not bookmark this page for future reference.

My visit to Taiwan was sponsored by the Taiwanese Tourism Board. I would like to thank Christina Yang for her wonderful guidance (and patience) throughout my stay in Taiwan. The London Foodie maintains full editorial control of the content published on this site as always.

Travel Essentials

Christina Yang
Tourist Guide - English, French and Chinese
ycc_swiss@yahoo.com.tw

Hotel Amba Songshan
No. 8, Section 7, Civic Boulevard
Nangang District
Taipei
Taiwan 11562
www.amba-hotels.com

Raohe Street Night Market
Raohe Street
Songshan District
Taipei

Nanmen Market
Roosevelt Road and Nan Hai Road
Taipei
(MRT C.K.S Memorial Hall, Exit 2)

Din Tai Fung at Taipei 101 Tower
B1, no.45, Shifu Road
Taipei
http://www.dintaifung.com.tw/en/default.htm

Red Lantern (Taiwanese Hakka Food)
97 East Road, Tianmu
Taipei
http://redlantern.eatingout.com.tw/ 

Shin Yeh
No. 34-1, Shuangcheng St., Zhongshan District
Taipei
http://www.shinyeh.com.tw/Content/En/about.aspx

Elixir Health Pot Restaurant (Wu Lao)
No. 143, Section 3, Civic Blvd, Zhongshan District
Taipei
Taiwan 104
http://www.wulao.com.tw

Smoothie House
No.15, Yongkang St
Da’an District 
Taipei 
Taiwan 0650
http://www.smoothiehouse.com

Yeh Tang Tea Culture Research Institute
No 5, Alley 12, Lane 31
Yongkand Street
Taipei

Pin Chuan Lan
Da'an District 106
Taiwan
Eastern District , Da'an
www.pinchuanlan.com.tw

Addiction Aquatic Development上引水產
No. 18, Alley 2, Ln 410, Minzu E Rd
MRT: Zhongshan Jr. High School Station 
or XingTian Temple Station
http://www.addiction.com.tw

Jinfong Zhou Zhou Fang Restaurant 
Just by Nanmen Market 
(MRT C.K.S Memorial Hall, Exit 2)

Shan Yuan (Mountain cuisine restaurant) 
This is in Yang Ming Mountain, a national park north of Taipei. It is about 40 minutes drive by taxi from the city centre, although you can take a taxi to Beitou and take a taxi or bus from there. It has no website, no booking required. You can show the address here to your taxi driver: 山園餐廳台北市北投區竹子湖路55之12號. 
When we visited, the taxi driver took us close and then we showed this address to local people who pointed us in the right direction on foot. Opening hours: Wednesday to Monday, 10.30am to 8pm.

Badasan Aboriginal Restaurant
111, Guanhai Boulevard
Ba-li
Taipei
https://badasan.wordpress.com/home/
You can get to Ba-li (on the south bank of Damsui Estuary) by taking the metro to Damsui (northbound terminal on the red line) and then ferry taxi to cross the river.

Taihu Brewing Bar
Period Lane 5 
107 Fuxing South Road 
Daan District
Taipei City
Lane 14
http://www.taihubrewing.com/

Fuchen Food (Tainanese Food)
Yongkang Street
MRT Dongmen Station, Exit 5)
Taipei

The Taiwanese Culinary Exhibition
http://www.tcetva.tw/0422en/en.html

Dijon – Where to Eat in the Wine & Gastronomic Capital of Burgundy

Burgundy has always been a special place for me. It was the very first wine region I got to visit in France, when Dr G and I spent a magical week driving along the Route de Grands Crus (the wine route) from Dijon to Beaune and Macon, stopping at some of its famous villages, tasting the local wine and cuisine without a care in the world.

Looking back, that trip was in fact the catalyst for me to take up the study of wine in a more serious fashion. I still remember the Burgundy villages and wines I got to experience on that first trip more than 15 years ago – when it comes to wine, there is nothing better than learning in situ!

I was excited to return to Burgundy this month and spend three heavenly days discovering some of the best restaurants, wine bars and sights of its capital - Dijon. 

Located at the start of the Route de Grands Crus, where some of the best and most renowned wines of France are to be found, Dijon is also a super charming city. With a rich and exciting history, gorgeous architecture and top-notch eateries, it is not surprising that the city is one of the most interesting (and affordable) places to visit in France right now.

I got to do so much in Dijon in those 3 days, and will be writing about my experiences in the next few weeks – stay tuned to learn all about Dijon, its culture and historical sights, as well as the best places for wine tasting in the Côtes de Nuits. But firstly, I am sharing with you my top restaurant recommendations in the Burgundian capital.

Where to Eat in Dijon

Burgundy is renowned worldwide for a number of dishes - Escargots à la Bourgogne, Jambon Persillé, Boeuf Bourguignon, and Coq au Vin to name just a few. The cuisine is hearty and flavoursome, yet with a sophistication that has resulted in the award of Michelin stars to no fewer than 29 restaurants in Burgundy.

The region is blessed with some excellent produce – beef from the Charolais, prized chickens from Bourg-en-Bresse, Brillat-Savarin and Epoisse cheeses, Crème de Cassis and of course the eponymous mustard. Unlike other mustards, Dijon mustard powder is mixed with ‘verjus’ – the juice of newly pressed grapes – or slightly fermented white wine and is used extensively in cooking ‘Dijonnaise’ dishes.

 My first taste of one of these nourishing regional dishes, the classic ‘Ouef Meurette’ at Bistronomique in Dijon was a revelation – crusty chunks of fried bread, topped with poached eggs, and a rich Meurette sauce made from red wine, shallots and bacon.

Meurette is the sauce made for beef Bourguignon and it is said that Oeuf Meurette was created to use the delicious sauce from the previous night’s dinner.

One of my favourite meals, at a restaurant I highly recommend in Dijon, was at DZ’Envies. This is run by Chef David Zuddas, who is renowned for returning his Michelin star as he wanted to retain the freedom to experiment in cooking. Menus change every two weeks, and are offered in sets of 3, 4 or 5 courses priced from €31 to €37.

I had the 5-course set menu, which started with a delectable platter of foie gras with pumpkin and pomelo, followed by a super-light potato cream with tiny cubes of smoked fish which was delicate yet packed with flavour.

The highlight of the dinner however was the third course of snails with shredded sorrel, cubes of radish, toasted almond and snail mousse. For me, this was like a French chawan-mushi (Japanese savoury egg custard) with earthy flavours from the snails and myriad textures – a wonderful dish.

The main course was Bourg-en-Bresse chicken and cauliflower, with prawn and lobster sauce – the quality of the chicken was outstanding and I loved the creative surf and turf elements in this dish.

The cooking at DZ’Envies was innovative, using top regional ingredients and really packed in the flavours. But above all, it was excellent value for money and I highly recommend it.

Chef David Zuddas

I first tried Bernard Loiseau's trademark cooking in 2011 in Beaune at Loiseau des Vignes - it was a great meal I have remembered ever since (reviewed here).

So when I heard that they had a restaurant in Dijon, there was no doubt in my mind where I should come for lunch - Loiseau des Ducs opened only a couple of years ago in Dijon, and was awarded a Michelin star within 6 months of opening.

The story of the group is colourful - its founder, chef Bernard Loiseau, took his own life in 2003 as it was rumoured he had lost his 3rd Michelin star. His wife, Dominique Loiseau, took over the business which today includes the still 3-Michelin starred restaurant at the Relais & Chateaux hotel and spa Bernard Loiseau in Saulieu, plus 5 other restaurants and wine bars in Beaune, Dijon and Paris. She has transformed the business and grown it considerably, turning it into one of the most successful restaurant groups in France today.

I loved their interpretation of 'Ouef Meurette', with an egg yolk poached in olive oil at 64C so it was very soft, a mousse of egg whites, lardons, reduced red wine sauce, croutons, and mushrooms. A very refined and beautifully presented Ouef Meurette (see the original above from Bistronomique).

The main course was a super soft and succulent fillet of turkey in a truffle reduction, with pan-fried foie gras escalope and truffled mashed potatoes.

Dessert was an original recipe from Bernard Loiseau, and a signature dish at all his restaurants – a fine and delicate French apple tart with a green apple and vanilla sorbet and caramel

 My 4-course Bernard Loiseau Les Classiques menu at €62 (with matching wines) was nothing short of extraordinary and great value too. If you are planning a visit to Dijon Burgundy I highly recommend a meal at Loiseau des Ducs.

Another fantastic meal well worth a mention was at the intriguingly named Dr Wine restaurant and bar. Here small eats are partnered with some of the 400 labels on the wine list, 25 of which are available by the glass.

I briefly met the Japanese Chef Shoichi Ito, from Nagasaki, who before joining Dr Wine worked at Loiseau des Ducs.  Chef Ito is now cooking Burgundian cuisine paired with wines of the region.

Dr Wine is a casual bar - restaurant with high tables and stools and a busy vibe. For my visit, I started with a Cremant de Bourgogne, Domaine Huber-Verdereau (€6 per glass or €36 per bottle) from Meursault. This was 100% Pinot noir, an elegant biscuity wine with fine bubbles, served with a complimentary plate of sliced charcuterie.

Next up was a Bourgogne Aligote 2015, Domaine Bizikot (€5/€20) – the Aligote grape is a native Burgundian grape though less well known than the other regional white grape, Chardonnay. Aligote makes for younger wines that are fresh and uncomplicated, and ready to drink within a year of bottling like a Vinho Verde. A good Aligote like the one I tried at Dr Wine is easy drinking, crisp and with a light citrus note. I had it paired with fantastic fried French bread topped with melted Epoisse cheese, and fine slices of jambon (€5.50).

And now onto the reds, the 2011 Bourgogne G.O. P'tit Bonheur, from Domaine Prunier (€4/€16), was a Gamay, one of the Beaujolais grapes. This was a light organic wine, and with soft tannins, and one I could enjoy all night long – dangerously addictive!  It was paired with a delectable grilled breast of duck, sweet potato purée and cassis sauce (€8).

The beef Bourguignon (€7.50) came with an accompaniment of fettucini pasta served en cocotte. It was deliciously rich and well seasoned, and a perfect match for the elegant 2014 Maranges 1er Cru La Fuissiere, Domaine Bachelet-Monot (€9/36), made from Pinot Noir. So good was the wine, that I couldn’t help ordering a couple of local cheeses to finish it off – a generous slice of fine Epoisse and of Auvergne.

The food at Dr Wine was excellent – beautifully seasoned, well priced and portions were just the right size to be shared so that more options can be ordered from the menu. The wine selection was excellent too making Dr Wine a great place to visit in Dijon.

As you plan your trip to Dijon, bookmark this page and make sure to make a reservation at any of these restaurants for a taste of the best Bourgogne cuisine and wines in town.

The #VisitFrenchWine campaign was created and managed by Captivate in partnership with ATOUT FRANCE – France Tourism Development Agency. The London Foodie maintains full editorial control of the content published on this site as always.

Travel Essentials

Bistronomique - Le Grand Café
http://www.brasserie-legrandcafe.com/index-uk.html

DZ’Envies
http://www.dzenvies.com

Loiseau des Ducs
http://www.bernard-loiseau.com/en/houses/loiseau-des-ducs/dijon-loiseau-des-ducs.html

Dr Wine
http://www.drwine.fr

Smith & Wollensky – Art Deco Chic, USDA T-Bone Steak & Truffled Mac n’ Cheese

Name: Smith & Wollensky

Where: The Adelphi Building, Covent Garden Riverside, 1 John Adam Street, London WC2N 6HT, http://www.smithandwollensky.co.uk

Cost: At dinner time, starters range from £7 to £19, salads from £10 to £12. There is of course a wide selection of steaks, including British rib-eye at £38 for 400g, the tomahawk 1kg steak to share at £74, and Beef Wellington with porcini cream sauce at £39. The USDA prime dry-aged steaks come in at a higher price point, include a sirloin at 395g for £48, and a T-bone 700g steak for £78. 

About: Located on the south-side of the Strand by the Savoy Hotel, the Adelphi Building in which Smith & Wollensky is situated has been extensively redeveloped.

The building, once a drab Westminster Civil Service office block, now hosts the first UK branch of the American steak restaurant, Smith & Wollensky, which opened in 2015.

Constructed with a great deal of care to create a 1920s feel in keeping with the building's exterior, the restaurant has wooden floors made from recycled railway sleepers.

There is bespoke artwork on the walls, and the seating is a mixture of soft red leather banquettes and jade-green leather chairs. I loved the gorgeous selection of art deco lights, and the bar and serving areas all topped in white marble.

The restaurant is huge, set over two floors with more than 300 covers. Since Autumn 2016, it features a fully licensed bar in the basement which is a great spot for a glamorous cocktail, with or without dinner.

But what drew me to Smith & Wollensky was their legendary top quality steaks, hailing from across the pond. Pride of place goes to the USDA prime steaks from corn-fed American cattle, imported then dry-aged for 28 days in-house.

I was given a pre-dinner tour of the kitchen and chiller room, and saw for myself the huge chunks of USDA and British meat dry-aging there. It’s a huge cost for the restaurant to age its own steaks, but this guarantees diners at Smith & Wollensky that every steak they eat is dry-aged for a minimum of 28 days.

In addition to USDA beef, there is also a comprehensive selection of steaks from British and Irish grass-fed cattle, as well as seafood and lobster platters.

What We Ate: We shared three starters – the hand-dived Scottish scallop with garlic and parsley butter was meaty and delectable with the herbed butter topped with shavings of lemon zest.

Their signature jumbo lump crab cake was equally good – with a generous ratio of crab to other ingredients, it was again meaty and full of flavour. I just wish I could have had another one!

The yellow fin tuna tartare was delightfully fresh, served on a base of cucumber, lemon, avocado and wasabi. It came with a sweet citrus ponzu sauce, and topped with a lotus root crisp.

We wanted to try a like-for-like comparison of USDA corn fed and Irish grass-fed beef, so went for the USDA 28 day aged T-bone steak 700g (£72), to compare with the Irish tomahawk (1Kg, £74).

The Irish beef was flavoursome and tender, accompanied by a perfect hollandaise sauce – rich, velvety and with refreshing acidity.

The USDA T-bone steak though was in another league – intensely marbled and with a remarkable depth of richness and flavour. This was the best steak I have eaten in years. I am told that it was aged for 33 days, rather than the usual 28.

To accompany, we struggled to make a choice as the options all looked so good, including the very tempting lobster mac n cheese, but we decided against it as we were eating enough steak for 4 people!

We settled on an utterly delicious truffled mac n’ cheese (£10), some divine creamed spinach (£10), crispy French fries (£4) and pan-fried field mushrooms (£5). I thoroughly enjoyed them all.

For dessert, we shared a refreshing coconut and passionfruit mousse, with tarragon poached pineapple (£8). 

What We Drank:  The wine list has a strong focus on American wines, and particularly on full-bodied red wines. There is a very large selection of first-growths from Bordeaux as well. The entry level white is a Touraine Sauvignon at £34, while there is a Mont Rocher Carignan red from Languedoc at £28.

Before dinner, we had the two house special cocktails (£16 each). These were super-sized, triple-measure American-style Martinis and Manhattans. The Manhattan was a mix of three parts Bulleit Bourbon, to half parts each of sweet and dry vermouth, with a drop each of Angostura and Peychaud's bitters.

The Martini was marvelously dry, with 75ml Tanqueray gin to 5ml dry Vermouth, stirred.

With our starters, we had a bottle of Grgich Hills Estate Fume Blanc from Napa Valley (£95) which was elegant, rich and creamy, with lemon, vegetal and mineral notes.

To accompany our steaks, we shared a bottle of The Federalist 'Duelling Pistols', from Sonoma, California (£95). This blend of Zinfandel and Syrah was a massive, powerful wine with rich cherry fruit, sweet cedar and vanilla notes, a good grip of balancing tannins, and an admirably long finish. 

Likes: Gorgeous 1920s Art Deco interior, great location on quiet John Adam Street just behind the Savoy Hotel, huge wine list, and the best steak I’ve eaten for a very long time. Friendly and knowledgeable service.

Dislikes: None

Verdict: Smith & Wollensky is my steak house of choice in London right now. I cannot wait to return for more of their 28-day aged USDA T-bone steak, the truffled mac n’ cheese, and the super-sized Martinis. Very highly recommended.