Gourmet steakhouse near Taipei 101!

Text & Photos by /Xiao Hu’s Dream Food Blog

Steak used to be a food I could hardly afford as a child—even eating at "My Steak" required saving up my allowance for a whole month. As an adult, I suddenly lost interest in it, or perhaps I should say I’m not that keen on affordable steaks... But that doesn’t mean expensive steaks are always better, just as cheap ones aren’t always worse. BUT... steak is definitely one of those foods where you get what you pay for, making it one of those dishes that’s hard to go back to once you’ve had a good one.

Recently, I had the chance to visit "Black Horn Steakhouse," located right across from Taipei 101, by invitation of world-renowned chef Chef Wei Qiang. Funny how I walk past this place often but never knew there was a steakhouse tucked away downstairs.

The interior decor is actually quite nice, with a touch of fashion sense. The corridor is long and narrow, which has the advantage of giving diners a bit more privacy, but the downside is that it makes the overall dining atmosphere feel a bit cramped.

This corner is more like the layout of a traditional Western restaurant, but it’s relatively darker.

In the fridge, there are slabs of aged steak, plus some yellow things that look like salt bricks?

According to the magazine, 'Black Horn' symbolizes the extremely bright, horn-like rays of celestial bodies in the universe. The chef pursues the same level of perfection in craftsmanship, carefully aging and cooking premium cuts of beef to create delicious steak dishes. Paired with various fresh ingredients and fine wines, it promises a luxurious culinary experience for those who appreciate refined flavors.

This menu mainly features steak-based dishes and set meals, but à la carte options are also available.

The prices for main course steaks range from 2,280 to 6,500 (PS: these are all set meal prices).

The set meals include not only the steak but also appetizers, soup, dessert, drinks, as well as items like pre-meal bread and smoothies. In terms of portion size, it’s quite a substantial meal.

The bread is mostly crispy on the outside with a slight crunch, and the dough has a nice chewiness. The aroma is good too, with the "Longan" bread being the best.

These are the three condiments and pickled olives that come with the bread (the olives are sour, astringent, and quite salty, but they make you want to eat another one XD). Among the three sauces, the pink one at the bottom is the most unique. I asked and it’s made with beetroot, garlic, and butter—very good!

The chef’s complimentary appetizer—the shrimp are crispy and tender, with a middle layer of cream mixed with egg yolk, and olives at the bottom. The overall texture and taste are great, especially the lingering astringency of the olives on the palate, which is quite charming. The way the cream blends in is also important.

Good steak naturally pairs well with good red wine, but I forgot what wine it was XD.

● ETtoday News Cloud reminds you: Don’t drink and drive, and don’t drive after drinking.

For the appetizer, I chose the crispy crab cake with garlic... but I think “crispy” should be changed to “crumbly” XD. The plating is quite nice and very appetizing. The green sauce is made with bay leaves and garlic, and the pickled little onions with a hint of vinegar are quite refreshing.

The outer layer of the crab cake is flaky and slightly oily, while the inside is somewhat like mashed potatoes—or perhaps more like a croquette with a stickier texture. However, the flavor of the crab meat and the texture of the crab threads are both excellent. Delicious!

The “mushroom soup” that’s often seen in the Godfather series, also known as “cappuccino mushroom soup.”

I remember having the same-named soup at another “Godfather-level steakhouse” in Zhongzheng District before (I’ll share about it another time). Compared to that, the mushroom flavor here is less intense, the foam on top isn’t as fine, and the milkiness is stronger. While it’s still quite good overall, it lacks that lingering aftertaste. Also, this version has a bit more gritty texture, something like ground tea leaves (but you can’t taste that in the flavor).

Mozzarella cheese and fresh tomatoes with robola herb sauce. The mozzarella is still as satisfyingly soft, chewy, and melt-in-your-mouth as ever. It seems a bit of olive oil was drizzled on top to enhance the flavor and aroma. When eaten together with the tomato, the melting texture is especially delightful. Excellent.

The pre-steak smoothie is very refreshing and apparently varies with the season. The green one that day seemed to be kiwi, but the flavor was quite mild, with a slightly soda-like sweetness.

Side dishes served with the steak, but it seems to be shared between two people. A whole roasted garlic that’s free of harshness but has a smoky aroma—it’s practically a must-have companion to steak. The roasted tomatoes were unexpectedly delicious, and roasted zucchini is already one of my favorites, so it was naturally great. The king oyster mushrooms were a bit underwhelming XD.

And finally, the star of the show—the steak. I chose the American premium wagyu ribeye (8 oz) for 3,880 NT. I picked it because when I asked the server, they recommended a steak with “more fat,” but the melt-in-your-mouth quality of the fat wasn’t all that obvious.

The three sauces served with it were: mustard (a favorite with pork chops—aromatic and authentic without overpowering the steak), what I assume is a beef-based sauce (though it’s a bit overpowering, or perhaps it clashed with the steak), and the green robola garlic sauce (this one was the best).

Some say the best steak—whether grilled or pan-seared—should have a slightly crispy texture. This slightly charred steak had that, and the pink color inside was very enticing.

The first bite was a bit firmer than expected, maybe due to my teeth, but the juiciness that followed was satisfying. The more you chew, the more juice you get—that’s a definite advantage of aged steak. The texture was really good. BUT... if I had to point out a flaw, it’s that the sweetness was lower than I expected. But considering it’s a 3,880 NT steak, it was still definitely delicious.

The hot latte—I’d just say it was smooth.

For dessert, I chose French mille-feuille with vanilla ice cream, along with a macaron. The latter two were just average.

The mille-feuille had quite thin egg pastry layers and fairly generous layers in between. The whipped cream didn’t look like much but was actually very smooth, soft, and tender. The outer egg flavor paired well with the whipped cream, and the sweetness was just right for someone like me who loves desserts.

Chef Weiqiang ordered a caramelized hazelnut chocolate mousse that looked beautiful, but I didn’t try it so I can’t comment on the taste.

Sibocafe - B-Cape Steakhouse (Black Point Steakhouse):
B1, No. 16, Section 5, Xinyi Road, Xinyi District, Taipei City
Tel: 02 2758 8850
Business hours: 11:30–14:00, 18:00–21:30

"Xiao Hu's Food Dream Net
If 'eating' is just about filling your stomach, then 'food' would be far too boring~~~"