The Hungry Bunny

There's something about being Chinese and loving steamboat. Just look at the plethora of steamboat restaurants in Singapore. The Taiwanese are the same. There's a hot pot (that's what the Taiwanese call steamboat) restaurant along every street, and one that's open 24/7 in every district. Elixir Healthpot is arguably the best steamboat joint in Taipei. Also known as Wu2 Lao3 Guo1, which direct translation is "never old pot", this chain restaurant aims to keep diners in the pink glow of youthfulness with their collagen rich broths and healthful stock bases. Prices are on the premium end, but the soups are nuanced, free from artificial flavouring, and seasoned naturally with the multitude of herbs and spices simmered into them. Folks used to and/or preferring the fiery punchiness of Hai Di Lao's steamboat might find this a tad insipid, but I like my flavours light and delicate so this was right up my alley. Ingredients are sparkling fresh as well, and

This is another type of bokkeum, or stir-fry, styled after the Chuncheon city where the dish was born and made popular. The distinctive feature of this dish is the addition of Korean curry powder and garam masala to the gochujang-centric marinade. And like all stir-fries, this is easy to prep and even quicker to whip up. Perfect for a week-night dinner for busy folks working full-time. Ingredients (feeds 4): 700 gm chicken fillet, diced to 1" cubes 1 head cabbage, cut roughly (about 10 cups unpacked) 10 tteokbokki, diced to 1/2" cubes, pre-cooked in salted boiling water for 4 minutes. 2 cups sweet potatoes, diced to 1/2" cubes 4 cups white button mushrooms, sliced 1 large yellow onion, sliced thinly 1/2 cup green onions, sliced to 1.5" lengths 6 perilla leaves, sliced to thin strips 2 tsp canola oil 1 tbsp sesame oil 1 tbsp sesame seeds Marinade: 4 tbsp gochujang (Korean red pepper paste) 3.5 tbsp gochugaru (Korean red pepper powder) 3 tbsp gu

This is a variation of the Chicken Cacciatore , but with sundried tomato pesto for a piquant twist. Ingredients (feeds 8): 8 pieces chicken thigh (budget 1 pc per pax) 1 large yellow onion, diced to 1cm cubes 4 cloves garlic, minced 600gm white button mushrooms, sliced thickly 2 carrots, sliced thinly 2 peppers, diced to 1" cubes 1 zucchini, diced to 1" cubes 5 cups pasta sauce 3 1/2 cups diced tomatoes 2 tbsp tomato paste 2 tbsp tomato puree 4 tbsp sundried tomato pesto 3 tbsp olive oil for frying Optional: 4 tbsp green pesto Directions: 1) Sear chicken, salting liberally on both sides, till browned, about 10 minutes. Work in batches if necessary, to avoid overcrowding. I browned mine in 2 batches. Set aside in a pot. 2) Fry onions and garlic in preheated pan with olive oil till fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. 3) Add carrots and fry for another 2 minutes. 4) Add mushrooms, frying till water released is almost fully reduced. 5) Transfer t

Although Sichuan cuisine is renowned as one of the 'big four' pillars of Chinese cuisine, I've always thought it one-dimensional, in that the food just paralyzes your tastebuds with lots and lots, and lots of chilli. Also, it's coz my repository of Sichuan dishes was limited to mapo tofu, hot & sour soup, and kung pao chicken. But, there's apparently more to Szechuan cooking than spicy chillis that burn your tongue all the way to your stomach (and out your ass but that may be a tad too much information? heh). There's also delicate soups, clear and light noodles, and fresh raw vegetables. This recent revelation was by way of a lunch at Tian Bao Szechuan Kitchen , a casual eatery at Takashimaya so successful it's spawned an outlet at Hillview. The Lettuce with Sesame Paste ($6.60), crisp and refreshingly chilled, was a lifesaver, to douse the fiery potency of the chilli pepper dishes. I was surprised, I never thought Sichuan food would have such a dish.

The hotel's awesome concierge had recommended this as a must-try restaurant for "the best chicken soup in Taipei". Our first time in Taipei, we failed to secure reservations at the popular Taiwanese institution. Second time round during an overnighter in Taipei to watch Coldplay, we made sure to get the concierge to book dinner ahead for us. I get why GWoo is so beloved by the locals (and apparently famous with tourists). Notwithstanding that I'm a sucker for all things chicken soup, the chicken soup at G-Woo  was freaking delicious. There's a slew of other dishes offered in the fairly extensive menu as well, but I say, skip them all and save space for a large large pot of chicken soup instead. Fun fact: the restaurant name is a kitschy homonym of the Chinese word for "chicken nest", ji1 wuo1. The ultimate must-try, and really, the raison d'etre for going to GWoo in the first place, is the Chicken Casserole Soup (NT$400 for small). There are ab

At first blush, a restaurant named ' Neon Pigeon ' doesn't exactly titillate. I mean, I wouldn't associate pigeons, which inconvenient crap have plunged many a car owner to depths of depraved cursing, with good food. Notwithstanding my reservations to Neon Pigeon 's less-than-tantalising moniker, dinner at said izakaya with the M&Ms turned out brilliant. Serving up small plates of Japanese-fusion fare, the gastropub was hipster central. Lively and boisterous, replete with low-lights and the undone-doneness of industrial finishings, it was a place to see and be seen. Aside from having to bellow above the music blaring out the speakers and the cramped seating, we had ourselves a most delightful dinner. The food was inventive and delectable; flavour fusions were unexpected but finessed seamlessly. Also, the tapa-portions allowed for greater variety of dishes ordered, so we nibbled our way through the menu. The tobiko-topped  Baby Scallops ($12) may have been