Top of ONE

Three cups chicken, Beijing roast duck, night market grilled corn, gaoliang and Shaoxing liquors…if you think these flavors are limited to Taiwan’s traditional eateries, think again. From now through April, hints of such items will be highlighted in the most improbable setting, The Landis Hotel’s Top of ONE western fine-dining restaurant.
For the past 13 years, Top of ONE has forged a unique niche for itself in Taichung, offering the city’s highest restaurant, one of its most popular wedding-proposal spots (a 100% success rate claimed), and an outstanding menu centered on steaks.
Chef de Cuisine Tommy Ding has now decided to add local dashes of inspiration to lunch/dinner sets. Diners start by picking one of four entrees, including the (San Bei Ji) Three Cups Chicken, Garlic Mayo, Red Pepper Puree, Frozen Powder of Basil. This starter, made with a “drunken chicken” style and touch of Shaoxing wine, is paired with a modern, molecular-cuisine-style, basil-flavored frozen powder.
Next is one of three soup choices, including the Roasted Corn Cream Soup, BBQ Baby Corn, Crab Meat with Corn Chip. The most savory corn soup I’ve ever savored, this was topped by a layer of cream so thick I briefly thought it was mashed potatoes. On the side was a baby corn, slathered with sauce and grilled night market style.
For dinner, there is an additional hot appetizer choice, once again including a locally-rooted item. Deep-Fried Golden Roast Duck with Sweet Beans Sauce, Truffle Mayo, Scallion Powder is inspired by Beijing roast duck, with skinless duck meat delicately wrapped in tofu skin and presented in a mini steamer.
All this is a prelude to a main course, whose prices include the above items, plus bread, amuse bouche, coffee or tea. The steak list promotes beef from the American heartland, like USDA Prime State of Utah Blue Ribbon Rib Eye Fillet Steak (NT$2,380 dinner), USDA Prime State of Nebraska New York Striploin Steak (NT$2,380) and American Idaho Wagyu Beef Short Rib Steak (NT$2,880), plus other AU Queensland Stanbroke Farm Wagyu Beef Tenderloin Steak. Non-steak courses feature trout, Spanish bellota pork loin, New Zealand lamb, and South American lobster tail. Lunch portions and prices are slightly smaller/lower.
A perfect exclamation point to the meal was a gaoliang liquor-infused chocolate, offering one more marvelous flavor pairing.

西區英才路532號46號(台中亞緻大飯店) (04) 2303-1234
532, YingCai Rd, 46F, West Dist (Landis Hotel)
11:30 am-2 pm (最後點餐/last order 1:30 pm),
tea time 2-5 pm, 6-10:30 pm (最後點餐/last order 9:30 pm)