Fashion and food are the two things that are done in style at One Fifteen, a boutique store and cafe located in the heart of Taipei, near the intersection of Da-an Road (大安路) and Zhongxiao East Road (忠孝東路). Envisioned as a platform to showcase young, creative Taiwanese designers, the establishment goes one step further to flatter visitors with a design-savvy tearoom that serves up light meals crafted by a chef with cooking experience at Michelin-starred restaurants.
It is almost impossible to walk in the fashionable neighborhood without noticing the two-story establishment surrounded by lush plants. Inside the charming cafe, an open kitchen reveals neatly attired cooks working their magic with the Le Creuset cookware in bright, vibrant colors. What makes the space immediately appealing is that it feels and looks like a greenhouse, bathed in natural light that floods in from a skylight and several floor-to-ceiling windows. Wood elements dominate the interior, which is punctuated with fresh flower bouquets, potted plants and quaint ceiling lamps decorated with white lace. This world apart from the urban hubbub outside seats no more than 18 diners at a time.
One Fifteen features a selection of salads, sandwiches, desserts and other light refreshments, from a menu created by Anne Lan (蘭惟涵), the chef from L‘Orchidee (山蘭居), a French restaurant tucked away in Wuchih Mountain (五指山) near Neihu (內湖). The ingredients are said to be mostly organic, and the cooking style tends towards the Mediterranean.
Photo: Ho Yi, Taipei Times
During a visit on a recent Sunday, my dining partner and I were both pleasantly surprised by the cafe’s signature truffle Napoleon layered tart with mixed greens (NT$320). Layered with mushrooms and truffle, the savory mille-feuille was delicately flavored and not overly rich. The grilled chicken and artichoke pesto on an open-faced ciabatta (NT$320) was good, but didn’t wow us as we’d hoped. The egg en cocotte, which consisted of a poached egg with bacon in a cute, tiny Le Creuset pot, was actually the highlight of the dish.
Other popular dishes include the salad composed of grilled steak, fresh seasonal greens and shallot vinaigrette (NT$420) and the crab toast (NT$1,500 for two persons), a decadent combination of choice crab meat, caviar and specially concocted mayonnaise that needs to be ordered three days in advance.
For drinks, the menu features a highly recommended selection of freshly squeezed juice (NT$230 and NT$250). There is also a collection of gourmet teas (NT$220 and NT$240) ranging from the celebrated products of Mariage Freres to organic German teas.
Photo: Ho Yi, Taipei Times
The cafe includes a limited but appealing list of desserts, fruit tarts and pastries. Chocoholics will get a solid fix with the brownie and vanilla ice cream (NT$180). Other items to indulge your sweet tooth include the French toast with mixed berries and vanilla ice cream (NT$280).
If you really want to splurge, wander over to the adjacent boutique. It carries 13 indie designer labels mostly from Taiwan, but also from other countries, such as Japan and the UK. The store focuses on cutting-edge, young designers who experiment creatively with colors and prints or construct silhouettes and shapes. Sure enough, being a fashion-forward shopper is a costly prospect at One Fifteen. Prepare to fork out NT$50,000 for a dress, or NT$15,000 for a sweater.
For those who don’t want to spend a month’s salary on clothing, One Fifteen remains a relaxing spot to chill with friends after a fruitful day of shopping elsewhere in the city’s bustling fashion district. Dining time is limited to 90 minutes due to the cafe’s small capacity, with a minimum charge of NT$350.
Photo: Ho Yi, Taipei Times
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