The Hungry Bunny

Our virgin trip to Taipei is forever marked by a life-changing appreciation for scallion pancake. This revelation was most surprising, most of all to myself, as anyone who's read this blog will know that I absolutely detest the trio of herbs: coriander leaves/cilantro, parsley and spring onions. I don't know how the Taiwanese do it, but the liberal lacing of spring onions in their scallion pancake, or cong1 you2 bing3, didn't bother me one bit. I thought I'd take at least one bite for posterity's sake, and then offload the rest to the Hubs, but it was so damn good I ended up finishing the whole thing on my own. One of the very best renditions of this Taiwanese street food can be found at the morning market of Yong3 Chun1 Market , where its exquisite millefeuille-like folds have given it the moniker of ' Thousand Layer Scallion Pancake ". This was remarkable, toasted till crisp and golden on the crust and delightfully chewy within. The spring onions, chopp

Mandarin Oriental Hotel is my favourite hotel for its in-house restaurant options. There's the best-in-class Japanese Teppan-Ya , illustrious grand dame of Chinese fine-dining Cherry Garden , renowned steakhouse Morton's , the immensely popular buffets at Melt ....and then there's Dolce Vita , the long-timer Italian trattoria. Perched on the 5th floor overlooking the bay, the glass enclosure of a restaurant flanks the hotel pool, so you get glistening bodies oiled up and soaking up the sun's rays in the foreground, against the azure expanse of the Marina Bay in the background. I like the ambience Dolce Vita affords, it's breezy, casual, and tranquil. Being on the fringes of the madding CBD and bustling Orchard Road shopping belt is evidently conducive for a relaxed vibe. Which is why a bunch of us from work drove out of the city for a languid Friday lunch. And also, because TGIF!! Also, the Set Lunch ($36 for 2-courses, $42 for 3-courses, and $52 for 4-course

Everyone knows about Din Tai Fung. The world renowned, Michelin-starred international-chain restaurant synonymous with xiao3 long2 bao1 draws the tourist horde to its ten stores throughout Taipei city. But the Taiwanese know Din Tai Fung isn't the exclusive paragon for xiao long bao. Ask any local, and they'll direct you to a Kao Chi chain restaurant instead. Kao3 Chi1 , with an even more enduring legacy than Din Tai Fung, is the less touristy, less commercial, but just as exceptional, compeer to Din Tai Fung. The restaurant may be less prominent than DTF, but the Shanghainese fare is no mousy imitation of its world-famous counterpart. Just about every one of its four branches does a roaring business, largely sustained by the local populace. Obviously, reservations are a must. Or be prepared to wait in line for an hour or so. The Xiao Long Bao (NT$220), or soup dumpling, was exquisitely nuanced. The skin is a smidge thicker than DTF's standard, but it was still thin

This is a Korean take on roasted cauliflower. Using a base of gochujang and lashings of sesame oil, I made this a sweet-spicy nibbler that's great for healthy snacking. But because it's coated in a thick emulsion, you'll need to roast this at a lower temperature of 190C (400F) to ensure it doesn't burn. Chunk it up with fried tofu, or an egg, like I did here. Ingredients (feeds 4): 3 heads cauliflower, cut into florets 1 tbsp canola oil for pre-oiling the roasting pan sesame seeds or furikake for garnishing optional: fried egg Marinade: 3 tbsp guk kanjang (switch it with Chinese light soy in a pinch) 5 tbsp gochujang (Korean red pepper paste) 1 tsp rice vinegar 3 tbsp Korean sesame oil 1 tbsp maple syrup 3 tbsp mirin 1 tbsp minced garlic 2 tsp grated ginger Directions: 1) Mix the marinade. 2) Toss the cauliflower in the marinade. 3) Spread it out in a pre-oiled roasting tin, and roast for 40 minutes in a pre-heated oven at 190C, tossin