Le Partage 樂享小法廚 (Taipei, TAIWAN) ★★★☆☆

Thanks to Uber, we managed to arrive at our hotel a little ahead of schedule this afternoon but nevertheless, it was already a little past 2PM when we finished our check-in and feeding of my nugget. With the four of us really starving for food, there was no reason to be picky about what (and where) to eat and so the decision to go with Le Partage (樂享小法廚) was an easy one considering it's just a stone's throw from our hotel.



This place used to be called "Pillow Cafe" but it obviously changed hand last year, turning the little café into a neighborhood French bistro.



The only thing that they kept intact was its interior, which was still pretty cozy and warm.



Pineapple and apple smoothie - I love anything served in a Hoegaarden beer glass as long as it's ice cold and this pineapple and apple smoothie certainly fell under that category.



I was caught a little surprised by the restaurant's extensive food menu which includes stuff like all-day breakfast as well as fish and chips. Just didn't expect it from a small bistro like this.

Fish and chips - Everyone wanted some beer battered fish but that was a regretful move. There was a number of things not working with this dish starting with the batter which was not nearly flaky enough and then we have this bland fish fillet. It was a bit of a nightmare.



Squid-ink risotto with seared Hokkaido scallops - The best dish of the afternoon. The squid-ink risotto was excellent and I love how they added some finely diced cuttlefish into the risotto for a bit more contrasting bite. Very nice.



Spaghetti with bacon, garlic and mentaiko in spicy cream sauce - The pasta could have been a little more al dente but definitely not bad. Always like mentaiko and bacon with my pasta and the spicy kick was spot on.



Duck leg confit with new potatoes and baby spinach - Perhaps the only "real" French dish of the afternoon. Mom said it was too salty but I thought the seasoning was just about right. In fact, this was fall-off-the-bone tender and full of flavor. Second best dish right behind the squid-ink risotto if you ask me (despite protest from mom).



Other than the fish and chips, I thought everything exceeded my expectation. This little place is definitely worth a shot if you happen to be staying in the Da'an area.

Food Rating: 5/10
Price: $$$
Address: No. 35, Lane 90, Section 1, Anhe Rd, Da’an District, Taipei, Taiwan
Closest Metro Station: Xinyi Anhe
Tel: +886 2 2708-2085
Website: www.facebook.com/lepartagesunnyday