Check-in Taipei has opened its second establishment at Harbour City. It boasts a larger capacity, wider variety of dishes and a more chic interior.
Check-in Taipei’s interior design is very well thought out. It incorporates contemporary touches to traditional Taiwan cultures. The iridescent pastel walls embodies the sunset at Taiwan’s famous Alishan, while the wood and paper lights represent sky lanterns. The creativity and fluidity of the design and furniture choices immediately teleport customers to the streets of Jiufen in Taipei. Every corner and detail of the restaurant is Instagram-worthy.
The food at Check-in Taipei adds in modern twists to traditional Taiwan recipes by integrating local trends. They were very attentive and thoughtful with the details and selection of ingredients. You could easily see the time and effort they have invested in creating the novel dishes.
Traditional Beef Noodles
Apart from the signature beef noodles, the restaurant offers other flavours like dandan, satay, mala, sour and spicy, and even one with foie gras and beef tongue. We opted for the signature beef noodles, and were impressed by the use of premium ingredients. Instead of traditional dried knife cut noodles, they adopted fresh noodles, resulting in a much bouncier texture with a nice bite. A piece of spicy butter made from beef fat from local 兆記 is also added on the side to give the dish some extra kick.
Lu Rou Rice
The lu rou rice is also offered in different versions, including truffle and fish maw. As per the beef noodles, it is topped with a soft boiled egg — another little detail that makes a big difference.
Aburi Japanese Eel Cheesy Egg Crepe
We were tempted to try all of their variations of egg crepes, including the curry ebi katsu and the salted egg taro. But we were more attracted to the enormity of the eel. The eel was seared right in front of us, giving the already perfectly grilled eel some extra caramelisation and crisp. Bejewelled with bonito flakes and a profusion of cheese, the dish was an umami bomb.
Signature Crispy Chicken
The fried chicken came with a trio of sauces: tong yam, truffle and yuzu. We enjoyed all three sauces, but found the yuzu sauce most refreshing and uplifting for our tastebuds. The chicken bites were definitely not pre-fried, as hot salty chicken juices oozed out with every bite. The marinade was also perfectly balanced and flavourful, while the fried batter was light and extremely crispy.
Mochi Pineapple Cake Egg Tarts
This is the sole reason for my visit this time! The tart contained mochi, pineapple cake fillings, egg custard and the tart shell. The combination of elements is innovative, but syncs harmoniously. There is just nothing to pick on for the dish. It's a total showstopper.
Tie Guan Yin Creme Brûlée
It sounds like a simple dish to make, and they perfected it with velvety egg custard and spot-on control of sugar caramelisation. The tie guan yin flavour is very prominent with floral and toasty notes.
Matcha Milk Mochi
Since they used tapioca flour instead of glutinous rice flour, the mochi texture is more watery. It is a fun and interactive dessert pulling and flipping the mochi to adhere as much soy bean powder as we can to the mochi.
We also ordered their bubble tea, papaya milk and taro milk. We loved their use of Hojicha in the bubble tea, giving the drink a deep roasted note. The tea was so strong I had trouble falling asleep that night! The amount of mashed taro and papaya pulp was generous, making the drinks very creamy, luscious and rich.
Verdict
The new location is an exciting addition to Hong Kong’s existing F&B sector, which we believe lacks innovative and quality Taiwanese food. We would love to visit again in the near future.
📍 Shop 2204-6, Level, Harbour City, 2 Gateway Blvd, TST, 3595 0995
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