Holt x logy x Moonrock
Price: 7,000 NTD
Visited: Feb 2022
I haven’t written seriously about food in a long while, but the past two months were filled with dining experiences so sensational, I can’t bear to let them slip away without some sort of documenting…
Starting with the Holt x logy x Moonrock trio. This dream of a collaboration was held at Holt, one of my favorites in Taipei. There’s something casually elegant about the graceful, dimly-lit dining room here, with seats spaced comfortably apart but not too far for a conversation if the person sitting at the next table happens to be a friend (actual situation of this evening), and a sharp-looking open kitchen as the backdrop, beckoning diners for a closer look.
(Floral arrangement by Mine Takako of Salon Flowers.)
Everything on the menu will be listed at the end, here are just a few of my personal favorites in detail:
Scallops by Holt. Freshly-shucked scallops were interlaced with juicy mikan mandarin segments, then crowned with salmon roe and a sprinkle of juniper powder. The consommé, made with water and Jerusalem artichokes only, was subtle but filled with flavor. The magic touch for me though, was the coffee oil – an unexpectedly aromatic addition which gave the dish an electricity.
Oyster by logy. Raw oysters, lightly cured and marinated with kombu, presented with celeriac bavarois and reduced apple juice with lavender, all covered in a matcha espuma and a dollop of caviar. The oysters had been cut up into pieces, like plump little pillows, which allowed each bite to be a melange of all elements on the plate. The result was oysters in an entirely new mood, oysters as I had never quite imagined them before.
Lobster by Holt. The lobster was gently poached in a strong lobster butter, the heady aroma had me wrapped up in a haze of anticipation before the plate even landed on my table. I took one bite, and was immediately in love with its remarkable tenderness and richness, the latter balanced by the refreshing acidity of pickled leeks, finger lime, and purple oxalis leaves.
Agnolotti by logy. Agnolotti with a filling of beef, chicken, pork and spinach, dressed in the most enticing sage and butter sauce, then slathered with freshly shaved black truffle. Simply nothing not to love about this dish.
Sakura ice-cream by logy. A sweet and savory sakura ice-cream on a bed of chervil granite and yogurt, with an herby flavor boost from reduced Chartreuse syrup. Desserts from chef Tahara are always on the refreshing side, just sweet enough and always leaving one lingering for more…(and I was very happy to learn that this dessert is now on the Spring menu at logy.)
Petit four by Holt. Caramelized apple on a sablé Breton base, glazed with white soy caramel and adorned with camomile Chantilly. It was an intense little bite – anything bigger would risk being too sweet on the palate – but the size as it was, perfect.
And the cocktails!
I haven’t had a chance to to visit Tainan-based Moonrock and therefore felt extra fortunate to be able to try Yiche Liao’s concoctions here in Taipei. Especially memorable were the second cocktail – genmaicha, yuzu, bitter melon, and olive oil – and the fourth – goat cheese, Mezcal, prickly seed, and tomato. Both looked deceivingly simple in appearance, but were complex in flavor, layered with an intriguing sensibility, and could very well be considered a course on their own.
If I didn’t have a 1 year-old baby to take care of, I would be taking the high-speed rail down to Tainan to try Moonrock, right now.
And all the other delectable dishes that graced our table that evening…
At the end of the evening, I walked out the door, feeling as I always do after a great meal, both refreshed and fortunate to have experienced what had just occurred in that kitchen. Thank you.
