[85TD at Taipei 101] - Enjoying the Night View

★ Menu Contents
85TD Signature Barbecued Pork with Honey | Roasted Goose | Marinated South African Abalone
Bird's Nest Soup with Assorted Seafood and Egg White
Oven-baked Crab Shell Stuffed with Crab Meat and Onion
Steamed Fillet with Spring Onion and Soy Sauce and Crisp Rice
Sautéed Japanese Omi Kuroge Wagyu Beef Tenderloin AS with Black Pepper and Garlic
Braised E-Fu Noodles with Lobster
Mango Sago Cream | Steamed Egg Custard Bun

★ Tasting Notes

1. Barbecued Pork, Roasted Goose, Marinated South African Abalone

   • The BBQ pork was my favorite among the appetizers. It had the perfect balance of fat and lean meat, grilled to perfection with honey. The chef at 85TD emphasized chopping rather than slicing, which minimizes damage to the fiber of the meat and helps maintain its tight texture.
   • As for the roasted goose, unfortunately, the skin did not present a crispy texture.
   • The South African abalone was raised on okra, which added a nice touch. You could definitely taste the aroma of Sichuan pepper oil, but the ocean flavor of the abalone didn't quite come through, which was somewhat disappointing.

2. Bird's Nest Soup with Assorted Seafood (Recommended)

   • Made with old hen, Jinhua ham, and pork hind legs. Each bite was packed with seafood along with bird's nest and egg white.

3. Oven-baked Crab Shell Stuffed with Crab Meat (Recommended)

   • Initially, I thought it was fried, but the outer layer was actually baked in the oven. The filling consisted of crab meat and chopped onions stir-fried together, then combined with egg and breadcrumbs before being baked to a crisp. It was complemented with balsamic vinegar pearls for added freshness.

4. Steamed Fillet with Spring Onion and Soy Sauce

   • The triplet of grouper mixed with tofu and steamed, generously sprinkled with spring onions and crispy rice was aromatic and very appetizing. This dish was already quite filling.

5. Sautéed A5 Omi Kuroge Wagyu Beef Tenderloin (Highly Recommended)

   • The tenderloin was incredibly soft; even though it was not at a steakhouse, this was truly one of the best wagyu tenderloins I've had so far. I would willingly spend money just to eat the steak here, as the exterior was slightly crispy while the inside remained tender. The garlic slices were well handled, retaining the garlic fragrance without leaving an overly strong taste in the mouth.

6. Braised E-Fu Noodles with Lobster

   • The lobster was very sweet, and this dish had a lighter flavor profile.

7. Mango Sago Cream (Recommended), Steamed Egg Custard Bun

   • The mango sago cream was rich, creamy, and delicious with every bite.
   • The steamed egg custard bun, recently very popular in Taiwanese restaurants, had a delightful golden filling.

For drinks, I chose passion fruit.

• Made from fresh passion fruit, each sip was filled with passion fruit seeds.

Lastly, I had it paired with floral tea.

★ Waiting Time:
Since it's a private room setting, dishes are served one by one as everyone finishes. If you're eating a bit slowly, the servers will place the dishes aside for a while.
This visit had foreign guests, and the servers were able to use English fluently to introduce the dishes.

★ Restaurant Atmosphere
Located on a floor outside at Taipei 101, 85TD offers a fantastic view of Taipei's night scenery, including distant sights of Miramar and Nangang. However, the view can vary greatly depending on the room's location. The Qilai room overlooks the direction of Xiangshan (some companions noted this side wasn't as beautiful), while the other side shows the night view toward Tamsui River. (If needed, you can inquire in advance if a room with a different view is available).

Outside the Qilai room on the ground floor, there's a notation of 3605M, indicating the altitude of Mount Qilai.

★ Minimum Spending:
There is a minimum spending fee for each room, and for the Qilai room, it is NT$35,000.