Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s new Taiwanese-flavor restaurant RAW opens – reservations harder to snag than Taiwan Rail tickets

▲ RAW officially opened on December 9, but getting a seat is as tough as snagging Taiwan Rail tickets during a holiday.

Reported and photographed by Huang Shiyuan / Taipei

The “RAW” restaurant, jointly launched in Taiwan by Jean-Georges Vongerichten, former executive chef of the French three-Michelin-starred Le Jardin des Sens, and the Heshimeng Group, officially opened on the 9th. In his opening speech, Vongerichten said RAW was designed and created by world-class Taiwanese talent. To him, every tiny detail embodies the essence of Taiwan. Taiwanese cuisine needs real change, and RAW will be different from what everyone expects – that’s the change.

Stepping into RAW, you’ll find design elements everywhere – from the massive raw wood bar counter extending into the seating area, to the cutlery storage boxes integrated with the tables, not to mention the surprisingly unique restrooms. The sense of design isn’t limited to the hardware; it’s also evident in the dishes, such as grapes with a soda flavor, a dish made entirely of various mushrooms, and the curious combination of sea urchin, grilled cabbage, and cod.

▲ RAW has only 56 dining seats.

With just 56 seats, there are 10 service staff, because RAW aims to create a relaxed and joyful dining environment. The servers do more than just serve food – they interact and chat with guests. Jean says she likes to talk with diners, asking them about their favorite dishes, and George always introduces the characteristics of each dish after serving it, sometimes even having guests guess the ingredients beforehand.

RAW restaurant officially opened on the 9th, but including the opening day as well as December 10 and 11 – which are part of the chef’s homecoming celebration event – entry is by invitation only. Starting December 12, it’s open to the general public, but seats are already extremely hard to come by. Reservations for December 22 and before are all fully booked, and those hoping to reserve a spot have to try booking online every night after midnight. Jean jokes that her friends say getting a reservation at RAW is even harder than snagging Taiwan Rail tickets during a holiday.

RAW will only offer an NT$1,850 set menu in December (excluding special Christmas and New Year menus), with online reservations open for two weeks. Website: http://www.raw.com.tw/. Starting next year (2015), an NT$850 business lunch will be available.

RAW
Address: No. 301, Lequn 3rd Road, Taipei City
Business Hours:
Lunch: Wednesdays to Sundays, 11:30–14:30
Dinner: Tuesdays to Saturdays, 18:00–22:00
Closed on Mondays


▲ The massive raw wood bar counter is impressive.


▲ Concrete finish walls.


▲ Integrated cutlery storage with the dining table.


▲ RAW’s menu is simple.


▲ This dish is made entirely of various mushrooms.


▲ Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s idea of the perfect egg.