The latest 2020 edition of the MICHELIN Guide Taipei & Taichung unveiled on August 24 celebrates a total of 170 eateries in Taipei and 56 in Taichung.
In Taipei, logy was elevated to a two-star ranking in this year's selection, just a year after it debuted on the guide with one star, while steakhouse A Cut in the Ambassador Hotel was promoted from a MICHELIN Plate to a MICHELIN star. Meanwhile, Molino de Urdániz in the MVSA Hotel, a sister venue to two-MICHELIN-starred El Molino de Urdániz in Spain and decade-old Sushi Akira entered the guide for the first timewith one MICHELIN Star.
In Taichung, where MICHELIN inspectors decided to expand their selections to for the first time this year, Singaporean chef Jimmy Lim's JL Studio debuted on the guide with two MICHELIN stars. Three other restaurants, Fleur de Sel, Forchetta and Oretachi No Nikuya also made their maiden entry into the MICHELIN guidebook with one star each.
We get our MICHELIN inspectors to share what impressed them most about each restaurant.
Newly Starred And Promoted Restaurants In Taipei
logy
Two Stars, MICHELIN Guide Taipei & Taichung 2020
What MICHELIN Inspectors Said: Opened in 2018, this 13-seater restaurant is a spin-off from the celebrated Florilège in Tokyo. The dimly-lit concrete interior adds to the intriguing ambiance. On the menu, local ingredients are finessed by modern techniques and strong Asian influences. Egg custard in beef consommé with celery sorbet; and aiyu jelly, cocoa juice and nata de coco particularly stand out. The prix-fixe menu changes every two months. Online booking only.
READ MORE: The First Day We Got Our Stars: Ryogo Tahara
A Cut
One Star, MICHELIN Guide Taipei & Taichung 2020
What MICHELIN Inspectors Said: Not only does this steakhouse deliver on the top-quality beef its name promises, it also offers an all-round Grade A experience. As opposed to the hotel’s classic furnishings, A Cut greets diners with an open kitchen and a hip, glitzy bar encased by walls of wine cabinets. The menu features premium cuts from the U.S. and Australia, including the bestselling A Cut steak, a U.S. Idaho SRF Wagyu ribeye cap with a robust flavour and fantastic marbling.
Molino de Urdániz
One Star, MICHELIN Guide Taipei & Taichung
What MICHELIN Inspectors Said: The first branch outside Spain of this famous name is helmed by two head chefs who honed their skills at the flagship. Central to the original concept is the 12-course tasting menu which takes diners on a poetic culinary journey across the sea and the mountains, punctuated by subtle Japanese influences and liberal use of fresh herbs. The second dessert course is a sweet surprise that changes daily and rounds off the meal perfectly.
Sushi Akira
One MICHELIN Star, MICHELIN Guide Taipei & Taichung 2020
What MICHELIN Inspectors Said: With over 20 years of experience, the sushi chef makes diners feel right at home with his warm and gentle personality. This favourite among locals for over a decade had a makeover in 2018, but what remains constant is the Edomae sushi made with the chef’s precise blend of red vinegars and the finest fish aged according to his experience. The room with counter seats allows for more privacy without missing any of the action.
READ MORE: See What Impressed MICHELIN Inspectors At The 7 New Bib Gourmand Eateries In Taipei
Newly Starred Restaurants In Taichung
JL Studio
Two MICHELIN Stars, MICHELIN Guide Taipei & Taichung 2020
What MICHELIN Inspectors Said: ‘JL’ is Chef Jimmy Lim who was brought up in Singapore and honed his skills by spending over 10 years working in a number of world-famous restaurants. He excels in re-inventing Singaporean and South East Asian cuisine underpinned with solid French techniques. The tasting menu deconstructs familiar items such as Hainan chicken rice, satay and chilli crab, and re-imagines them in ingenious forms and textures to playfully subvert diners’ expectations.
Fleur de Sel
One MICHELIN Star, MICHELIN Guide Taipei & Taichung 2020
What MICHELIN Inspectors Said: The chef worked in France and Italy for 30 years before opening her restaurant in 2003, which she moved to this contemporary building in 2017. She uses mostly local ingredients to create 7- to 9-course prix fixe menus that change daily and never fail to surprise with their precise execution, whimsical ideas and vivid colours. Chargrilled squab, and fish from Penghu stand out. The wine list is short but offers choices from different regions.
Forchetta
One MICHELIN Star, MICHELIN Guide Taipei & Taichung 2020
What MICHELIN Inspectors Said: Forchetta is hugely popular with those in the know, but newcomers be warned – the sign is easy to miss. A vet by training, the head chef has a real passion for food and gardening as demonstrated by his east-meets-west creations and his miniature garden. From the set menu, choose your main from the six options available. Duck heart and gizzard risotto uses local rice grown using the aigamo method, cleverly referencing the origins of the ingredients.
Oretachi No Nikuya
One MICHELIN Star, MICHELIN Guide Taipei & Taichung 2020
What MICHELIN Inspectors Said: With a name meaning ‘our meat house’ in Japanese, this restaurant specialises in Wagyu barbecue. The menu features Hida beef cuts mainly, but other rare breeds such as Kobe beef from Hyogo and Olive beef from Kagawa are also available at times. The popular assortment of five different cuts is handpicked by the chef each day and servers will grill the meat to perfection at your table. Ask about the secret menu for those in the know...
What To Order At The 21 New Bib Gourmand Eateries in Taichung
