The Public House

Overall Rating: 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑
Dixon's Fooday Review #257

This time, I'm reviewing another restaurant & bar from the nightlife series.
The Public House has been on my list for quite some time now.
After all, among my friends, it has a pretty good reputation.
I've heard that both the drinks and food are quite impressive.

However, it's really hard to get a reservation.
Usually, it's tough to book a spot on weekend evenings during peak times.
Fortunately, I finally managed to visit this time.

Overall, the dining atmosphere and the space inside the place are quite nice.
It has a style leaning more towards European British vibes.
The outdoor setup also adds a lot to the atmosphere.

So, right from the moment you arrive, you can feel that whether you're dining or drinking, the atmosphere here is pretty good.

However, in terms of the food, personally, I didn't find anything particularly amazing.
And some dishes can only be ordered after a specific time (I'm talking about the Mapo Tofu here.
The restaurant states that due to the strong flavor of the Mapo Tofu,
it can only be ordered after 10:30 PM.
So if you're keen on trying the Mapo Tofu,
don't come too early!

The menu here mainly consists of pasta and risotto.
Other main dishes include ribs and beef short ribs.
The menu is quite detailed, and you can try whatever you feel like ordering that day!

Unfortunately, many dishes were out of stock when we visited and weren't available.
I might try visiting again next time to see how it goes!

As for the drinks,
although they have unique flavors and a diverse menu,
offering something for everyone to enjoy,
I personally didn't find the alcohol content that impressive.

So the flavors of the drinks are fine,
but it's more like drinking a beverage than actual alcohol.

However, the dining and gathering atmosphere of this place is excellent.
Both the food and drinks are above standard.
I still think it's a pretty decent restaurant & bar.

Especially suitable for dates or gatherings with friends!
It can certainly be added to the list of restaurant & bars in Taipei!

Food: 🌕🌕🌕🌑🌑
Drinks: 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑
Atmosphere: 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌘
Service: 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑
Price: 🌕🌕🌕🌑🌑

⭐️ Food Review:
👉 Mapo Tofu Rice $300
When we first sat down for dinner,
I initially wanted to order the Mapo Tofu Rice.
But the staff said that due to its strong flavor, it's not available during dinner hours.
(Although I was wondering why… didn't really understand the logic behind the strong flavor? 😂😂😂

The restaurant clarified that it would be available after 10:30 or 11 PM.
However, since we arrived around 8 PM,
I was worried that after 10:30 or 11 PM, we might have to leave due to other guests arriving.
But we really wanted to try this dish😂😂

Finally, at 10:30, we managed to order the rice😍.
Originally thought the Mapo Tofu would have a very strong or spicy flavor~

But we were a bit surprised when we finally got to taste it!
It didn't really taste like typical Mapo Tofu!
It was more like a braised tofu rice or soup!
So where was the supposedly strong flavor~~~

But the staff was considerate enough,
fearing customers might find the flavor lacking,
they provided additional spicy oil or chili powder to adjust the taste.
However, even after adding a lot of spicy oil or sauce, a friend accompanying me found the dish only mildly spicy😂😂😂

So waiting so long for just an average dish~

I'm just indifferent about this Mapo Tofu.
If you're not particularly interested, you might skip it.

👉 Spice Fried Beef Tripe $280
Seeing so many people recommending it, I had high expectations and ordered it excitedly😂😂😂.
Overall it's not bad,
the spices add a rich flavor~
But it's a pity that it wasn't as special or unique as I imagined~~~

It's delicious sure,
but it didn't leave me very impressed.
Since it's a staple dish here,
I still recommend trying it~

👉 Fresh Fish Clam Soup $280
Personally, I think this soup is quite good.
Probably the best thing I had today.

The fish soup is very fresh!
And there's a lot of fish meat.
The clams are pretty standard~
Overall, I liked this soup quite a bit.

I recommend ordering it!～

👉 Peeled Chili Stir-Fried Squid $280
This stir-fried squid didn't leave much of an impression.
Just like what you'd typically find in a stir-fry restaurant or elsewhere.
Even though it's labeled as "peeled chili,"
the heat and numbness were almost nonexistent～
The portion of squid is quite generous,
making it a good snack to pair with drinks～

And finally, when you're about to leave,
the restaurant has a tradition of offering a bowl of chicken soup,
more like a cup,
as a final supplement and hangover remedy after drinking.

Personally, I thought this chicken soup was the best thing I had here today.
It's really a high-quality chicken soup!
And it's free too!!

In terms of food,
I think it's above average among restaurant & bars,
but there aren't many memorable or outstanding parts.
Still, overall it's worth a try,
maybe paired with drinks and chatting with friends as a side dish～

Perhaps it's because I didn't order many main courses,
hoping to experience something different next time with other main courses!

⭐️ Drinks Review:
Since it's a restaurant & bar, drinks are naturally an important part.
The drinks menu here isn't huge,
but each item is quite featured.
The introduction of the drinks, along with their base and pairings, shows a lot of thoughtfulness, and they are quite classy!

I tried a lot of unique drinks that day,
I feel the drinks here are more like a variety of fancy cocktails~
Some cocktails were really creative.

For example, I ordered a cocktail, thinking it would be standard,
but it came looking more like a slushie.
Though it looked like a slushie, it had a subtle alcohol taste~
I really liked that one.

I think I had about three or four drinks that day,
each with its own flavor feature or presentation,
but if you're trying to feel tipsy,
even after three or four drinks, you might not get there.

I think this bar's cocktails
are great for dates or spending the night with a few friends here.

Perfect for trying out unique cocktails with someone special!
And you don't have to worry about them or yourself drinking too much and losing face.
I highly recommend the flavors and style of the cocktails here.

So if you approach it more like drinking a beverage,
I'd recommend coming here to try it!

But if you truly want high alcohol content or to get tipsy,
maybe ask the staff for recommendations or make special requests!

Nevertheless, I think the drinks here are quite distinctive～
If you're into unique flavors or creative cocktails,
this is a place to try out!

⭐️ Atmosphere Review:
This place, whether exterior or interior decor,
maintains a very classy style.
From the outside, it leans towards a British style.
And stepping inside,
the interior is warm wood-themed,
with a dimly lit bar vibe!

There are plenty of seats inside.
Besides the bar seats,
there are also two or three sofa seating areas.

In the middle, there are several tables available for two to four people.
The seating arrangment is not cramped at all.
So the overall dining and drinking experience is quite good!

Additionally, after 9 PM, the lights dim slowly,
improving the cozy atmosphere ideal for chatting or dating while sipping drinks~
In terms of atmosphere, it's well done!
Perfect for a date here!

⭐️Service Review:
Upon arriving,
staff greet you at the entrance,
and after you settle in,
the staff remain friendly.
Mostly helping with orders, serving food, or drinks.

But it's typical restaurant & bar service～

However, as mentioned earlier about ordering,
particularly some dishes needing to be ordered only after a certain time,
there was some uncertainty about dining time limits.
We feared entering at 8 PM and having to leave by 10:30,
missing the Mapo Tofu rice😂😂😂

But the staff didn't specifically mention any fixed times for other patrons,
so we were anxiously uncertain at the time😂😂

Overall, I think the service was pretty good,
nothing outstanding or terribly wrong～

⭐️Price Review:
I find this restaurant & bar's pricing is similar to typical East District places,
whether for food or drinks,
just basic Taipei pricing～

⭐️In Conclusion:
Summarizing my thoughts about this restaurant & bar in the context of Taipei's numerous places;
what stands out are the atmosphere and drinks.
The food seems more secondary,
more like something you'd eat while sipping drinks.

But because of the excellent drinking atmosphere, I would consider this a place worth revisiting in the future.

If you're someone who enjoys exploring various restaurants & bars,
I think it's worth a visit!