Katie M.
Yelp
When I committed to coming to Taipei for my friend's wedding, I decided to make a nearly 3-week vacation out of it - and I'm really glad I did. I'd traveled to Taiwan before but on much shorter trips, so previously had focused our precious meal slots more on local cuisine; the longer duration this time gave us the opportunity to try a lot of restaurants that we probably wouldn't have tried had we booked a shorter trip.
I only found out about Ephernité by fortuitously coming across an interview with the executive chef, Vanessa Huang, on a food website about Taiwanese eats. The interview mentioned she had worked at L'Astrance in Paris. I haven't had the chance to eat at L'Astrance but I suppose the next best thing is a meal prepared by a chef who worked there for a number of years.
So, Ephernité went on the must-try list and it did not at all disappoint. The restaurant itself features a small, intimate dining room with only a couple tables. The food was top notch; the overwhelming impression was that the preparation on all our courses was incredibly delicate and that made everything a joy to eat. There is a focus on locally sourced ingredients, which I also appreciate (IIRC the only thing that wasn't local was the duck, which they did more French-style).
The restaurant's manager, Claude, handles most of the front-of-house functions, speaks fluent English, and was very helpful with wine selections. Most Taipei restaurants just stick to the same vineyards/brands and it was refreshing to have a variety here from lesser-known regions, including some low-sulfite options from tiny communes in Spain. Claude also engaged us about wines in general as well as many aspects of the restaurant operations. Overall, a fantastic visit and I'm really glad we took the time to stop by.
As I mentioned before, I totally understand that visitors to Taipei may not look to French gastro to fill one of their meal slots, but in many ways I found it quite charming to have such an experience in Taipei. I also feel like the focus on local ingredients and how much Vanessa's style came through in the courses made dining here a very memorable experience, so I strongly recommend a trip here.
Note: Reservations are required, and the only option is a tasting menu at just under NT$2000.