Every dish is a work of art—Taichung’s Le Moût French Restaurant presents a stunning onion soup.

The opening of Le Moût in Taichung that year was a major sensation, and to this day, it has become a must-visit destination among French restaurants in Taiwan. Despite its high prices, it still boasts a loyal clientele—a testament to the unique charm of the dedicated and talented chef, Peggy Chen, whose meticulous attention to every tiny detail...

But Mi’er and many of her friends, including herself, have had less-than-stellar experiences dining at Le Moût—whether in terms of the dishes, pricing, or service. As a result, she didn’t return for a long time after her first visit.

Frequently changing menus is one of Le Moût’s proud features. Chef Peggy Chen holds diplomas from Paris’s prestigious Ferrandi School of Culinary Arts (ESCF-Ferrandi), Le Cordon Bleu, and a French professional chef certification (CAP de Cuisine).

A National Taiwan University graduate in Foreign Languages, Peggy Chen has proven her mettle as a woman in a male-dominated field. Having worked at globally top-ranked three-Michelin-star restaurant The French Laundry, as well as the two-Michelin-star Les Ambassadeurs at Hôtel du Crillon and Relais d’Auteuil in France, her dishes have evolved distinct characteristics at each stage.

This year, by chance, I returned for lunch and found that Peggy Chen’s culinary skills and presentation had reached new heights. The creativity behind the dishes and the integration of local Taiwanese ingredients were truly commendable.


I can’t quite remember what this was, but I vaguely recall it was a very thin crisp layered with delicate filling, topped with Isigny butter for added aroma. The texture was crispy yet soft.


Homemade bread—this one is macadamia and California prune flavor, full of aroma and very tasty, clearly made with great care.


The second bread is a whole wheat mini baguette, which calls for butter. Le Moût uses Isigny butter, available in original and seaweed flavors. The seaweed butter is particularly unique, with an oceanic aroma.


Cold-shaved green bamboo shoots, Australian winter black truffle, and meat broth. The clean presentation makes it hard to tell at first glance what ingredients are used.

Only after the server’s explanation did I realize it’s made with Yangmingshan green bamboo shoots, sliced thinly enough to be translucent, then rolled into beautiful flower shapes, resembling a pure bridal bouquet. Paired with pre-marinated Australian winter black truffle and homegrown Welsh onion sprouts, the visual impact is perfect.


But don’t assume the dish is just that simple—only when you start eating do you discover a refreshing meat broth jelly at the bottom. This appetizer was inspired by “bamboo shoot rib soup,” so beneath the cold bamboo slices is a jelly made from pork bone broth. Once in your mouth, you realize how deliciously the bamboo shoots and ribs are reimagined.

Black Truffle Soufflé 2012. This dish is a signature at The French Laundry, one of the world’s top three three-Michelin-star restaurants. In Peggy Chen’s hands, it takes on a different interpretation.

From its initial presentation inside an eggshell to last year’s new idea—using an elegant bone china egg-shaped cup to serve a soft soufflé made with chicken consommé and black-bone chicken eggs, paired with a sauce infused with porcini mushrooms, topped with black truffle mousse, and garnished with crispy golden threads made from shredded potatoes and beets.

One spoonful delivers the crunch of the potato, the silkiness of the truffle mousse, the delicacy of the porcini, and the tenderness of the soufflé. It’s a dish that looks so beautiful you hesitate to dig in, but once you do, you can’t help but finish it all.


Onion soup, a classic French dish, is presented in a stunning manner—served in a beautiful glass bowl with a ring of Brioche crisps, topped with caramelized small onions, pickled pearl onions, and lettuce for decoration.

When served, the staff pours rich onion soup over it. Besides the sweetness of the onion soup, pairing it with two different kinds of pearl onions is both creative and delicious.


Soy-glazed squab, black truffle Job’s tears, and mustard greens. A deboned half-squab is stuffed with black truffle sauce-stir-fried large Job’s tears, wrapped in homemade pickled mustard greens, and shaped with pork caul fat. Since Peggy Chen feels the squab’s inherent iron-like flavor pairs well with the grassy and pungent taste of mustard greens, she combines two types of mustard greens with the squab, along with soil-flavored large Job’s tears and truffles, creating an earthy flavor profile.


The roasted squab is repeatedly brushed with Bordeaux red wine sauce until the pork caul fat melts, forming a shiny, dark film with the concentrated red wine sauce on the surface of the mustard greens. When cut open, the squab inside remains pink, incredibly tender, paired with a green vegetable puree made from fresh mustard greens, completely redefining your impression of squab.


Desserts are presented as delicate little pieces. One plate contains four items—this one resembles a carrot cake but is actually a heavy cream cake, topped with cream cheese and orange peel.


Chocolate mousse tart—I love this one. The crust is crispy, and the chocolate mousse is soft and aromatic.


This white chocolate contains ice cream inside—biting into it gives a burst of flavor. The green one is raw chocolate coated in green tea powder.


This coffee cup is so beautiful—I love it.


[Le Moût]
Address:No. 59, Cunzhong Street, West District, Taichung City
Contact number:04-2375-3002
http://www.lemout.com/index.php

Author of this article: Mi’er, graduated from the Department of Chinese Literature at National Chengchi University and went on to work as a food journalist. Coupled with being raised under the guidance of her chef mother, she has a high sensitivity to food—she not only loves eating but also enjoys cooking. Due to her work, she often travels around the country in search of delicious food, sharing her food experiences on her blog and frequently organizing group dining events. She is the author of the book “Group Food Tasting Reports.”

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