Taipei Personality
The best new places to eat, drink and stay in Taiwan—as recommended by Tatler Taiwan editors
COAST
Acclaimed chef Richie Lin is famous for fusing local ingredients with international flavours, as he did at his Michelinstarred Nordic restaurant Mume and as he is now doing at Coast, a Taiwanese-thai restaurant at the Regent Hotel, Taipei. Coast was created in partnership with Ian Kittichai, the Thai celebrity chef who is behind Issaya Siamese Club in Bangkok. coast.tw
VIVIR
Roughly half an hour from Taipei by car lies Jiaoxi, one of the country’s most famous hot spring resorts. The latest luxury hotel to open in the town is Vivir, a 31-room property that’s clad in a dramatic, curvy bamboo shell, which will weather with time and—the architect hopes—become a shelter for birds and butterflies. Inside, guests have access to an in-house art gallery, a restaurant that has been designed to evoke a cave, and calming spaces for meditation and contemplation. vivir.com.tw
MU
Speakeasy-style bar Mu opened in March 2020— just as the pandemic was spreading around the world—but against the odds it has got off to a flying start. Earlier this year, its co-owner, Bannie Kang, was awarded the Mancino Bartenders’ Bartender Award by Asia’s 50 Best Bars, which is the only prize of the night voted on by bar staff themselves. Mu serves both food and drink. Kang recommends opting for the cocktail pairing menu— her favourite combination is the foie gras puff pastry served with a clarified piña colada. mutaipei.com
ROOM BY LE KIEF
This bar and restaurant is full of surprises, starting with its entrance, which is hidden inside a tailor’s shop. It is the brainchild of Seven Yi, a molecular-gastronomist-turned-bartender who trained under Joel Robuchon, and who has devised a menu of innovative cocktails that are each served with a canapé. Highlights include the Bloody Chilli, which incorporates Sichuan peppercorns into a traditional Bloody Mary, and Gir, a mixture of matcha powder, honey, homemade gin, Campari and sweet vermouth. Make sure to book ahead—there are only two sittings a night. facebook.com/lekief.00