When we visited Taipei earlier this year, rif suggested we dine at Shin Yeh at Taipei 101, said to serve fine Taiwanese cuisine with a panoramic view of the city. Reservation is a must, especially if you want to secure the window seat.
Interior
Pickles
Cold appetisers: Oven baked mullet roe coated with squid mousse, jelly fish & Hokkaido scallop with soy sauce
The minimum spend per person is NT1800, if you want to secure a table by the window. rif and I had the Formosa Set Menu each, a sumptuous 8-course lunch that started with the cold appetiser and subsequently, a double boiled soup with pork spare ribs, chicken, sea cucumber conpoy and taro.
Steamed South African abalone
Sweet and sour shrimp balls
The Steamed South African Abalone was delicious; chewy yet briny, dressed with light soy sauce and scallions. I wasn’t as keen on the Sweet & Sour Shrimp Balls, but these were also quite decent. The shrimp was battered and deep fried till crispy, and topped with some sweet and sour chilli sauce for additional flavour.
Sauteed seasonal bamboo
Beef fillet fried rice
Sautéed Seasonal Bamboo was light yet full of umami – the bamboo was tender and the asparagus was just-cooked, so it retained its crunchy nature. Believe it or not, I was stuffed by the time they served the Beef Fillet Fried Rice, which was quite tasty and of a generous portion.
Sweet tapioca soup and pineapple cake
Dessert was less extravagant – fresh fruits, tapioca soup and Taiwanese pineapple cake. Nothing memorable but a nice end to our lunch. I also ordered a cosmopolitan because I love a cocktail over leisurely lunches like this.
View from our table
Cocktail at noon
Considering the portions and food we had, the set lunch is worth the money spent. I wouldn’t mind coming back again for another round. Service was also attentive that afternoon and the staff understood basic English, so that’s a plus point. If you’re in Taipei and want to experience lunch with a view, give Shin Yeh a try. :)
Entrance
Ambiance: 8/10
Price: 6/10
Food: 7.5/10 (non halal)
Verdict: Pretty good value for money, considering the ingredients and portioning. Plus you get to enjoy the view of Taipei city.
Shin Yeh, Taipei 101
Shin Yeh @ Taipei 101
85F-1, No. 7, Sec. 5, Xinyi Rd.,
Xinyi Dist., Taipei City (Taipei 101)
Tel: 02-8101-0185
Website