Taipei Italian Bistro – Super Chewy Italian Gnocchi & Brick-Pressed Steak

Text & Photos /Three Highs Sir

That evening, I went out drinking with some friends to the long-missed Anhe Road bar district. We planned to hit two places before ending the night at a bar for a fun finale. When making a reservation, since the restaurant only provided Chef Xiao Yi’s phone number on Facebook, I called him. He didn’t speak much Chinese and was quite busy, so he asked me to leave my reservation details on Facebook (I instinctively wrote in English).

DiVino is an Italian restaurant (with the vibe of a cozy bistro) that just opened last year. There are three tables outside. The chef replied on Facebook saying the only spot left for me was one of the small outdoor tables, and asked if that was okay? The evening weather wasn’t too hot lately, and while the ambiance was nice, there were inevitably mosquitoes buzzing around outside.

The serving staff here are all foreign girls. Having decent English skills would make communication smoother, though they can manage a few simple phrases in Chinese. It felt like they were trying to push the menu’s opening set meal — a bottle of red wine, a cold meat antipasto, a choice of Primi (three pasta options), a 16oz ribeye, a dessert panna cotta, and lemoncello. This roughly matched what I wanted to order. For two people, it was NT$3,300 plus 10%. Honestly, it wasn’t much of a better deal than ordering à la carte (especially considering we’d likely pick the same wine), so it’s worth weighing your options.

● 《ETNEWS News Cloud》 reminds you: Don’t drink and drive. Don’t drive after drinking.

The small two-person table outside is really tiny — it could get awkward if it starts to rain. The starting dish, the focaccia, had a crispy exterior and an oily interior texture that I quite liked.

＜Affettati Divini NT$480＞

A homemade charcuterie board of cured meats. However, the flavors weren’t particularly rich. I’d just visited Pichi Pichi in Zhubei on a second trip, and their cold cuts were far superior in comparison. But the tuna spread on the side was rich without being greasy. This platter might look like it has a good amount of meat, but it’s actually mostly a salad base of lettuce, corn, shredded carrots, and chickpeas. I did like the sweet-and-sour balance of the dressing and the texture of the greens.

＜Ravioli Sorpresa NT$400＞

The most satisfying gnocchi of the day. Ground meat, cheese, spices, olive oil, and tomato sauce were all perfectly balanced. The pasta had a well-cooked, pleasantly chewy bite, and the mashed potato filling was rich and creamy — absolutely delicious. It’s the dish I found myself thinking about more than the steak that came after.

＜Dry-Aged Ribeye NT$1,400＞

The steak was cooked under a brick press, giving it a nice seared crust on the outside. The beef flavor wasn’t extremely intense, but it was okay — still a tasty piece of meat. That said, the texture of the meat itself was just alright. The salt sprinkled on it was uneven in some spots, and the seasoning didn’t have a robust enough kick. It could’ve been more appetizing overall. The spinach underneath the steak and the crispy little potato cubes were soaked in juicy, flavorful meat drippings — aromatic and delicious. Later, as we got tipsier, Chef Xiao Yi came out with a bottle of red wine to toast and greet us. He said next time I should sit inside, showing a warm attitude. As the night grew later, more and more foreigners were coming in and out. Around eight, there was even a small crowd gathered outside, perhaps waiting for the next round.

＜Tiramisu NT$180＞

The original set dessert was supposed to be panna cotta, but the staff said since we were at the small table, we could choose our own dessert. So we ended up with this tiramisu... which was just very, very ordinary. Why not just stick with the panna cotta?

All in all, it was a pleasant meal. At the end, the staff handed us the bill. The price was on the higher side, and I felt it would’ve been better value if it were a bit lower. After paying and leaving, I suddenly remembered — where was the promised lemoncello? Then again, they didn’t charge me for the bottled water either, so I guess they keep things casual.

DiVino Taipei
Address: No. 15, Lane 71, Section 2, Anhe Rd., Da’an District, Taipei City
Phone: 0903-998-030
Business Hours: 17:30–22:30 (Closed Mon & Tue)

Savor the flavors across Taiwan, and capture the footprints of deliciousness
Three Highs Sir’s Food Journey　Three Highs Fan Page