[Taipei] Justin’s Signatures 饕客食坊

Justin’s Signatures 饕客食坊

Add: 17, Ln 265, Dunhua S Rd Sec 2, Taipei City 台北市敦化南路二段265巷17號
Tel: (02) 2736 8000
Hours: 12-3pm, 6-10pm
Website: www.justinquek.com
Price: [lunch] 1280~2080 NTD + 10% [dinner] 2980~4280 NTD + 10%
Visited: Oct 2011

I wasn’t planning on trying any fine dining restaurants in Taipei, a city that is more known for its street food and chic cafes. Somehow I still ended up making a dinner reservation at Justin’s Signatures, an upscale French restaurant by Singaporean celebrity chef Justin Quek, after it’s been recommended to me by a few friends. The meal, unfortunately, turned out to be a fusillade of culinary fireworks that left me dazed but not amazed. It’s true that each dish was beautifully orchestrated with extravagant ingredients, but somehow the end results fell short of expectations.

We were seated right next to the kitchen, and the constant sliding of the kitchen door was disturbing throughout the meal. It also didn’t help that the table next to us were occupied by an especially rowdy crowd.

Justin’s Signatures offers two dinner sets and no a la carte orders unless by special request. Let’s start with the more expensive dinner set, priced at 4,280 NTD + 10%.

Amuse Bouche

Amuse Bouche

Ocean fish carpaccio, Oscietra caviar, Lemongrass cream
生海魚薄片,Oscietra 魚子醬,檸檬香茅醬汁

Braised Abalone and Duxelle mushroom Tart, summer Truffle
慢燉鮑魚蘑菇塔,新鮮夏季松露

Steam egg with chicken jus and summer truffle
嫩蒸有雞蛋佐濃雞汁與夏季松露

Horsehead fish with crispy skin, grilled cuttlefish, lobster consomme
煎脆鱗馬頭魚,碳烤軟絲,百合與龍蝦清湯

Pan-fried Langoustine and Foie Gras with tropical sauce
煎現流角蝦與鴨肝,季節水果與熱帶果香醬汁

Slow-roasted Wagyu Ribeye from Snake River Farms –USA Homemade French fries, Truffle sauce
爐烤美國蛇河谷農場頂級和牛,自家製薯條與松露醬汁

Slow-roasted Wagyu Ribeye from Snake River Farms –USA Homemade French fries, Truffle sauce
爐烤美國蛇河谷農場頂級和牛,自家製薯條與松露醬汁

Selections of French Cheese with dried fruits and nuts
精選法國起司

Palate cleanser: banana passion fruit sorbet with fresh pomelo

Chef Special Dessert Plate
主廚之甜點狂想

Sweets

We also tried the other dinner set, priced at 2,980 NTD + 10%. It came with the same amuse bouche, steam egg with chicken jus and summer truffle, selections of French cheese, and palate cleanser – pictures won’t be repeated.

Thinly sliced Turnips rolled with Lobster, honey dressing,apple foam
白蘿蔔薄片捲龍蝦佐蜂蜜雪莉醋醬,蘋果泡沫

Eel and Foie Gras Terrine,grape and Mesclun salad
鰻魚鴨肝凍佐葡萄香草沙拉

Smoked mash potato ravioli, ham and chicken consomme
煙燻馬鈴薯餃,老母雞清湯

Slow-roasted Australia baby Lamb Loin with homade merguez,natural jus
慢烤澳洲小羊排佐自製羊香腸,百里香蒜味羊汁

Slow-roasted Australia baby Lamb Loin with homade merguez,natural jus
慢烤澳洲小羊排佐自製羊香腸,百里香蒜味羊汁

Chef Special Dessert plate
主廚之甜點隨想

Beautifully presented dishes, wouldn’t you agree? None the dishes were bad (except the eel and foie gras terrine which tasted disturbingly fishy) and some were quite memorable (slow-roasted wagyu rib eye was excellent), but we were unimpressed by the overall meal. I’d like to give Justin’s Signatures the benefit of the doubt – perhaps it really was just a bad night – but I’m not sure if I will be returning here anytime soon.

Justin’s Signatures