From Cocktails to Scallops: Infusion Room Serves Up Elegant Fusion Dishes at New Bistro 3
Known for their innovatively tasty drinks, the team behind Courtyard 4 cocktail haven Infusion Room are working to whet our appetites all the more with a new on site bistro that boasts a tasting menu as refined as anything from their bar.
We were recently invited to the sleekly classy restaurant, dubbed Bistro 3, to sample its tasting menu. The dishes border on fine dining – there's no white linen or dress codes by any means, think semi-casual chic. But the menu's savorable portions and its dishes' intricate textures – not to mention the faint lighting and uber cool jet black decor – make Bistro 3 ideal for impressing your date or significant other on a special occasion.
The meal began with a Mushroom Field appetizer (RMB 65) that boasted a very creative, if daring, presentation. It came in a wooden box reminiscent of a miniature garden, complete with white mushrooms, slathered in a garlicky, creamy, wholesome sauce referred to as “garlic earth” on the menu, imbuing the dish with a fresh, superfood quality (though some less adventurous patrons might be put off with the image that the chef is going for here).
But just about anyone would be won over by both the presentation and flavor of the next dish: a fluffy-yet-juicy scallop (RMB 70) garnished with minty Japanese shiso, served in a half an oyster shell with veggies and a secret mixture that gives off a billowing mist that’s instantly Instagrammable (pictured at the top). It was followed by a mushroom consommé (RMB 40), made with Brazilian fungi, and a crispy black fish fillet in chilli oil that was soothing hot without ever overpowering.
The meal reached its apex of tastiness with a serving of beef short ribs (RMB 110) garnished with juniper and burnt onion that comes with a dollop of creamy mashed potatoes on the side. The beef was juicy, tender, and sharply flavorful. The rice puff in oolong tea infused ice cream (RMB 40) was also satisfying thanks to its bitter sweet flavors and feather light texture.
Infusion Room owner and head bartender Paul Hsu hired chef Jason Liu to create those complex dishes. He has a solid career of readying fine meals at the Grand Hyatt Taipei along with a few of the city’s best restaurants like Bellini Cafe and Paris1930. Hsu is, of course, no slouch himself, mixing a new menu of inventive cocktails for the occassion, like the nutty martini (made with barlet, ginger flower, lime leaf, grape, orange, and hazelnut oil that gives it a refreshing low key sweetness; RMB 95) and an exuberantly sweet Tom and Jerry in Grey (made with grape, milk, cinnamon, lavender, and nutmeg, along with huge splashes of bourbon and cognac at RMB 98).
Bistro 3 is located at Infusion Room. It's now in its soft opening. Patrons can stop by Tue-Sun, 6-10pm, RSVP only, call 6415 9837.
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Photos: Kyle Mullin
