Ikki 藝奇, Taipei

Hubby took me to this interesting restaurant - Ikki, near Ximending. They pride themselves in creative cuisine with a Japanese base. Apparently, it's pretty popular cos we had to make reservations, and while we were waiting for our table, some walk-in customers were told they'd have to wait an hour for a table!

The menu is basically a set 8-course (yes, 8!) menu with options for certain courses.

First up: Clam soup with chicken, fish and mushrooms

(charmingly served in a little teapot on a warmer - soup is poured into a little teacup)

1st Course/Appetiser:

Hubby's Choice: Fish Skin

(Personally, I'm aversed to fish skin as I'm not a fan of the texture, and it's usually pretty fishy. Surprisingly, this wasn't fishy at all! And it actually reminded me of those jelly fish dishes served in Chinese restaurants. Fascinating!)

My Choice: Seafood on a skewer with Papaya

2nd Course:

My Choice: Sashimi Platter

Hubby's Choice: Steamed Prawns with Loofah

Third Course: Hubby's Choice: Chawamushi

(the yellow bit on the top is actually the egg yolk! Certainly not the typical chawamushi we see in Jap restaurants)

My Choice: Deep fried codfish with grapefruit

(Surprisingly tasty combination!)

4th Course:

Mango Slushee to cleanse the palate for the main course

5th Course/Main Course:

Hubby's Choice: Lamb Chops

(The marinade was delicious! And it was oh-so-tender!)

My Choice: Stone-grilled Beef Slices

(Yummy!)

6th Course:

Hubby's Choice: Teriyaki Beef with Rice

My Choice: Salmon Miso with Rice

7th Course/Drinks:

Hubby's Choice: Ice Fruit Tea

(In Tpe, this is one of my fav drinks - they actually serve fresh fruits in the tea! Delish!)

My Choice: Camomile Tea

... together with my ...

8th Course/Dessert:

Fresh Fruits

Hubby's Choice:

Custard Pudding

(I noticed that the Taiwanese really love their custard puddings. If you look on the dessert shelves in the many 7-11s around Taiwan, you'll inevitably find custard pudding.)