Creating a Stylish and Avant-Garde Cantonese Restaurant:: Ming Yuan:: Taipei

Text by Chi Binghui

Taiwan has many Cantonese restaurants, but their décor mostly follows a classic, traditional, opulent style. However, “Ming Yuan” restaurant inside the Eclat Hotel boldly breaks away from conventional Cantonese dining aesthetics to create a style that is both stylish and avant-garde. With its one-of-a-kind design, it leaves a deep impression on guests.

Ming Yuan is the latest restaurant opened by the Eclat Hotel in September. The hotel spared no expense in hiring internationally renowned designer Thomas Schoos. He has designed residences for celebrities such as Will Smith, Ashlee Simpson, and Courteney Cox Arquette, and has also worked on numerous top-tier, well-known restaurants, including Los Angeles’ Citizen Smith, Empress on Sunset, Koi Restaurant, O-Bar, Table 8, and Wilshire, as well as Las Vegas’ TAO Restaurant and Nightclub.

Upon entering the Eclat Hotel and then descending into Ming Yuan, every guest can’t help but exclaim in amazement, reaching for their cameras non-stop. From the luxurious crystal chandelier on the first floor to the decorations on the tables and walls in the dining area, one can see the meticulous attention to detail at Ming Yuan. Every corner and small element is exquisitely planned, ensuring diners will discover a new surprise with each visit.

Ming Yuan features four uniquely designed dining tables: the “Horse Table,” the “Contemporary Table,” the “Gentlemen’s Room Table,” and the “Asia Table.” Their varied styles are both striking and imbued with different meanings.

The “Gentlemen’s Room Table,” themed around leather and steel and decorated with wine bottles, exudes a distinct sense of style. Thomas Schoos explained: “These are all elements associated with masculinity, while the glass trim adds a feminine touch, suggesting that men need the company of women.”