Finally, I was given a sign to go Taiwan. For some strange reason unbeknown to me, a trip there had always eluded me. I must be the only person I know who has not been there. My dear old mummy had not visited brother Meng since he was posted there almost two years ago. Taiwan’s food, is by now legendary to us – thanks in part to the Taiwan style food courts that had been mushrooming on our soils for quite some time now (think Shihlin fried chicken, oyster mee suah, Taiwan porridge, fancy bread stalls and of course, Din Tai Fung dumpling restaurant).

Next, I was negotiating the famed alleyways of Shihlin Night Market (like an old hawker centre of yesteryear) – that was the only most unique attraction they held for me based on my limited knowledge of this dynamic city. But as my mummy was slowly meandering through between the stinky tofu stalls going “I never thought it can be so smelly”, I had to advance ahead and explore the wonderful duck blood pudding stews with noodles ( a nostalgic epiphany) and their oyster omelets (not quite in the league of the Teochew versions we get back home). But their Shihlin fried chicken, all deboned, flattened, battered and crumbed, deep fried on the spot in clean oil, and then dusted with a spicy powder – is clearly the reason why you should visit the night market. They use fresh kampong chicken (not easily nor cheaply available here) and it comes juicy and moist inside with a crispy and crumbly exterior – at just NT50 (about $2.50) for a huge cut almost the size of your laptop.

You'll have to book at least ten days ahead to secure a session in this
no-menu taiwan-Japanese kaiseki seasonal set meal.

Since my mum’s last visit to any mountain was, I suspect, Bukit Timah some years ago, we decided to take her up their famous Yangming mountain for some fresh air, a good stroll and a meal at the Shiyang Culture Restaurant buried somewhere in the woods enroute down the mountain just off the road. This is where my interest takes over and not much will be written about my dear mummy from this word on. I shall be as cogent and as purposeful as can be in revelation, for it is what this restaurant, set amidst a matured Pine Garden, is all about. To begin with, you’ll have to book at least ten days ahead to secure a session in this no-menu Taiwan-Japanese kaiseki seasonal set meal. It’ll blow a small NT1100 (about $60) hole in your currently looser wallet but they will dazzle with a ten-course sensation that makes it feel like it’s a $100 meal. The whole place is like Zen temple retreat – you enter through a little door and a greeter welcomes you (provided your name is on her list), then a one minute walk by tall pines leads you to one of the eating halls. You remove your shoes, feel like you have to meander quietly and settle on your low bench seats, or regular rosewood chairs. All around, is a stunning view of the mountain side with huge trees overhanging – I just felt like I had to paint or photograph the scene.

Before you fully slink into the whole atmospheric package design of the eatery, they lay their first course on you – a simple clay cup of fresh and cold pomegranate juice, to open up the palate before they pile you with a starter trio of egpplant, peanut tofu and baby abalone. Then they soften things a bit with some dried scallop chawanmushi (steamed silky eggs) and filled you with a tofu bag with glutinous rice and pickle anchovy, shredded lotus with pumpkin and broccoli. Then, the refreshing surprise- palate cleansing little cups of iced fruit flavoured black vinegar is respectfully served in a bento box. It opened up the system for another five more dishes and it includes outstanding creations like king prawn with crispy yet soft rice cake on cabbage, a sophisticated sashimi platter and a salami fried Pearl rice sushi with matsusake mushroom, chickpeas and wood ear fungus.

The final dessert trio of passion fruit juice, milk curd
and barley cream, and fruits.

And at this point, I can’t help but marvel at how they delivered their creations without being out of sync with the whole shebang of the place. When the final dessert trio of passion fruit juice, milk curd and barley cream, and fruits, it was obvious there remain one natural thing to do – take a stroll around their naturally lush garden and secondary forest and at least walk that first three course off (which my mum happily did!).