Add: 85 Lillie Road, London SW6 1UD
Tel: 020 7381 2900
Website: http://www.taiwanvillage.com/
This is another of Joel's top 5 picks in our neighbourhood! Other than Taiwanese cuisine, the restaurant specialises in Hunan and Szechuan cuisines too. The ambience is classier than most of the regular Chinese restaurants (though they do have bad music on occasions!).
I was pleasantly surprised to find Squirrel Fish (松鼠桂鱼) on the menu. This is actually a renowned dish originating from Suzhou (where I was based for 2 yrs in my "prior life"). The fish would be deboned while keeping the main "frame" (i.e. with the head and the tail intact), then coated in batter and deep fried to absolute crispiness on the outside (while the flesh remains soft). It is beautifully presented as "standing" on the plate (i.e. on its belly and not its side) with the body "flaring out" dramatically due to multiple square cuts on the sides.
In a poetic sense, the fish looks like it's about to take flight! The final touch would be a sweet & sour sauce that is smothered over the whole fish. I have to say that the chef does this dish well, and it is a smart decision to introduce this on the menu (given how popular sweet & sour fish is with the westerners and this is a much better version of the dish)!
Took this picture from another restaurant which I had visited in Shanghai... just to provide a visual for my descriptions above!
All items on the menu are good in general. As Joel likes to put it, he hasn't had a bad dish in there! Items marked as spicy are properly spicy with generous use of szechuan peppers (花椒) that causes the signature tingly numbness in the mouth. A classic dish which uses this spice would be Ma Po Tofu. The chef is very flexible, so any special request is always accomodated to.
One good way to sample the classic dishes in the restaurant is to order the Tasting Menu (a selection of ~10 courses in mini portions). It also includes new / seasonal creations by the chef. Just have to be really hungry before you order the Tasting Menu!
Tel: 020 7381 2900
Website: http://www.taiwanvillage.com/
This is another of Joel's top 5 picks in our neighbourhood! Other than Taiwanese cuisine, the restaurant specialises in Hunan and Szechuan cuisines too. The ambience is classier than most of the regular Chinese restaurants (though they do have bad music on occasions!).
I was pleasantly surprised to find Squirrel Fish (松鼠桂鱼) on the menu. This is actually a renowned dish originating from Suzhou (where I was based for 2 yrs in my "prior life"). The fish would be deboned while keeping the main "frame" (i.e. with the head and the tail intact), then coated in batter and deep fried to absolute crispiness on the outside (while the flesh remains soft). It is beautifully presented as "standing" on the plate (i.e. on its belly and not its side) with the body "flaring out" dramatically due to multiple square cuts on the sides.
In a poetic sense, the fish looks like it's about to take flight! The final touch would be a sweet & sour sauce that is smothered over the whole fish. I have to say that the chef does this dish well, and it is a smart decision to introduce this on the menu (given how popular sweet & sour fish is with the westerners and this is a much better version of the dish)!
Took this picture from another restaurant which I had visited in Shanghai... just to provide a visual for my descriptions above!
All items on the menu are good in general. As Joel likes to put it, he hasn't had a bad dish in there! Items marked as spicy are properly spicy with generous use of szechuan peppers (花椒) that causes the signature tingly numbness in the mouth. A classic dish which uses this spice would be Ma Po Tofu. The chef is very flexible, so any special request is always accomodated to.
One good way to sample the classic dishes in the restaurant is to order the Tasting Menu (a selection of ~10 courses in mini portions). It also includes new / seasonal creations by the chef. Just have to be really hungry before you order the Tasting Menu!
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