Environment of “Miss Steak”

“Miss Steak” restaurant was opened in November 2021, a time when the Covid-19 pandemic in Taiwan was intensifying. Choosing to open during this period and successfully navigating through the challenges posed by the pandemic is truly remarkable. It reflects the chef’s passion and dedication towards creating their own cuisine.

When you step into this restaurant, you’ll realize it’s not a traditional Western restaurant. It has a low-profile and inconspicuous sign, dim lighting, a bar facing an open kitchen, and a small space with only 16 seats. In fact, it feels more like a wine bar.

We didn’t choose the bar seats; instead, we opted for a small table for two.

The utensil rest, resembling white coral, is quite interesting but somewhat challenging to use. You need to find a balance to place the knife and fork securely, which may require a bit of adjustment.

The soup of the day was Pig Stomach and Potato Thick Soup. When ordering, the waiter did mention that the soup would be spicy. The soup was drizzled with the owner’s homemade chili oil and olive oil.

Pig stomach is typically used in Taiwanese cuisine, while potato soup leans towards Western style. The pig stomach portion was crispy, making it delicious. The potato soup, however, was on the thinner side and couldn’t be considered a thick soup. Adding the chili oil might have been an attempt to create a more Taiwanese flavor, but the overall taste left a somewhat indescribable impression.

It’s really hard to imagine the inspiration behind the decision to invent this particular combination. Personally, I feel that the flavors didn’t quite harmonize well together.

The accompanying dip was olive oil mixed with vinegar. Personally, I’m not a fan of this combination because I find the taste of straight olive oil a bit heavy.

The texture of the bread was very dense. If you’re accustomed to eating whole-grain bread, you might find this bread enjoyable.

It was quite surprising at first glance. It looks like a popsicle.

The black crispy outer layer led me to speculate that it was chocolate mixed with bamboo charcoal powder (though I didn’t taste the chocolate flavor distinctly, so I’m not entirely sure).

I chose this dish because I generally enjoy duck liver and appreciate the unique aroma of duck fat.

However, I couldn’t detect any hint of duck foie gras. The duck foie gras was processed with spices into a mousse and mixed with a blackcurrant jam.

The distinct aroma of duck foie gras completely disappeared, and there was no meaty flavor.

The mousse was smooth and icy, and the fruit jam provided a pronounced sweet and sour taste. It felt more like a dessert or an ice cream treat.

The accompanying bread was likely the same as the rustic bread mentioned above and could be spread with the duck mousse.

The accompanying salad consisted of peculiar-smelling leaves, a mix of various types that I hadn’t encountered before. The flavor of the leaves was strong, not the usual refreshing crispness of lettuce, and I found it somewhat unfamiliar to my taste buds.

The most important thing to avoid when grilling octopus tentacles is overcooking them until they become dry and rubbery, making them difficult to chew.

The chef did a great job in preparing the octopus tentacles. They were tender, moist, with a slight chewiness, and had a subtle smoky flavor.

The dipping sauce was a homemade miso sake lees sauce, which had a savory taste from the miso and a hint of alcohol aroma. It paired well with the grilled octopus.

The only drawback was that a few pieces of octopus might not have been cooked completely and tasted slightly raw.

The accompanying grilled pineapple was lightly charred and had a soft texture. Its sweet and tangy flavor made it a suitable addition to the appetizer.

Flat Iron Steak is cut from the shoulder area of the cow and trimmed to remove tough tendons.

For this dish, the beef undergoes dry aging, a process where the exposed meat is kept in a controlled environment of constant temperature (0-4°C), humidity (50-85%), and air circulation for a period of aging (20-45 days). During this time, the moisture on the surface of the meat gradually evaporates, forming a dry outer crust that locks in the internal moisture.

Starting with the natural flavor of the meat, it is already seasoned with salt, giving it a subtle saltiness when eaten alone. However, I found that the aroma of the beef was not very prominent. On the positive side, the meat was tender, with a hint of sweetness and minimal presence of tendons, providing a pleasing texture.

The sake lees and garlic paste, the chef’s creative sauces, were indeed innovative and helped mask the lack of aroma in the beef. However, due to the strong flavors of the sauces, it gave the impression of primarily eating the sauce rather than the meat itself.

The side dish consisted of thinly sliced pickled cucumber with a slight tanginess. Alternating bites between the meat and the cucumber helped refresh the palate and counterbalance the flavors.

Compared to the commonly seen duck breast dishes, the goose breast can be noticeably tougher in texture.

However, considering the inherent characteristics of goose meat, the chef has done a commendable job in preparing it. The meat has a good chewiness without being overly tough.

The crispy goose skin deserves special praise, as it is perfectly crispy and fragrant. The layer of fat beneath the skin releases enticing goose flavor when heated.

The accompanying red sauce, according to the menu, should be prickly pear jam. However, as I haven’t tasted prickly pear before, I simply perceive it as a sweet berry jam.

The sweet jam paired with the goose breast can be quite overwhelming on the taste buds. Additionally, the jam tends to overshadow a significant portion of the meat’s flavor.