China's Highest Buffet Restaurant – Don't Miss These 8 Chef Specialties

Reported and photographed by Huang Shiyuan / Taipei

Dubbed China's highest buffet restaurant, "Café on the 50th Floor" will officially open on August 25, with meal prices ranging from 780 to 980 yuan. Executive Chef Lin Yunnian, who lived in the U.S. for many years, prefers not to follow the crowd in his cooking. As a result, "Café on the 50th Floor" blends American and South American styles and also features several of his signature dishes on the buffet line.


▲ Caviar-Seared Tuna & Cucumber Tower

Caviar-Seared Tuna & Cucumber Tower:Thinly sliced raw tuna is lightly seasoned with salt and pepper, seared briefly with flame, then placed atop cucumber cubes with a special mustard sauce, and finally topped with caviar.


▲ Confit Chicken Leg Salad

Confit Chicken Leg Salad:While the classic French dish confit duck is well known, Chef Lin Yunnian replaces the gamier duck leg with chicken leg to create an appetizer. Despite being an appetizer, the prep work is time-consuming. First, bone-in chicken legs are salt-cured overnight, rinsed, then vacuum-sealed with chicken fat, thyme, cloves, star anise, garlic, and other spices, and steamed in a combi-oven for 4 hours. They are then tossed with Italian balsamic vinegar, romaine lettuce, and shredded purple onion.


▲ Grilled Perch on Banana Leaves

Grilled Perch on Banana Leaves:This dish is inspired by a traditional Mexican dish—grilled pork on banana leaves, where the spice-laden pork is traditionally cooked in an underground charcoal pit. Chef Lin adjusted the spice mix and used seafood instead to elevate the flavor.


▲ Sous-Vide Kimchi Pork Belly

Sous-Vide Kimchi Pork Belly:Made using the labor-intensive French sous-vide technique, Korean chili paste, garlic, scallions, and pepper are first mixed and then coated onto a whole piece of pork belly, which is vacuum-sealed and refrigerated overnight. The next day, it’s slow-cooked in a water bath at 65°C for 8 hours. The chef then slices the meat and applies the second step of sous-vide grilling by searing it briefly. It is served with specially made kimchi and chili sauce.


▲ Stir-Fried Seafood with Mexican Mole Sauce

Stir-Fried Seafood with Mexican Mole Sauce:Chef Lin worked in American restaurants for some time, where many of his colleagues were Mexican. This dish is a quintessential Mexican specialty. The method involves sautéing diced onions and minced garlic, adding diced tomatoes and charred, peeled green peppers, then incorporating ground oregano, thyme, cinnamon, and cloves. Next, chicken stock, peanut powder, and bittersweet chocolate are added. Everything is blended in a food processor, seasoned with salt and sugar, and mixed with Tabasco sauce to create the sauce. Shrimp, clams, mussels, and squid are blanched and then simmered in the sauce.

Moroccan Lamb Stew:A blend of powdered spices including cloves, cinnamon, and others is dry-fried in a pan. Separately, onions, carrots, and seared lamb cubes are stir-fried, then tomatoes, cilantro, and bay leaves are added until slightly thickened. The previously fried spices are then added and slowly stir-fried until aromatic. Chicken stock is added, and the stew simmers for two hours.

New Orleans Rye Beer Shrimp:The method involves boiling sugar and beer in a 1:3 ratio to create a concentrated beer syrup. Onions, garlic, and chili are then sautéed with white wine, the beer syrup, lemon juice, thyme, oregano, and chicken stock until thickened. Shrimp are added and cooked until especially sweet with a subtle hint of beer aroma.

American-Style BBQ Pork Ribs:A powdered spice mix of thyme, cumin, caraway seeds, ginger powder, garlic powder, chili powder, black pepper, and sugar is evenly coated onto a large piece of pork ribs and marinated overnight. The next day, the ribs are placed on a large baking tray lined with sliced onions, water is added moderately, and the tray is covered with foil and baked for four hours. The juice from the tray is then mixed with sautéed onions and tomato sauce, simmered until thickened, and Tabasco sauce is added before brushing it onto the cooked ribs. The rib bones are then lightly grilled over charcoal.


▲ Hot Stone Plate Dish – Korean Beef Short Ribs

Additionally, hot stone plate dishes are one of the signatures of "Café on the 50th Floor." Unlike the typical iron plates used in other restaurants, these stone slabs are preheated in a special oven to 350°C before ingredients are placed on them and swiftly served to guests’ tables. The high heat locks in juices and creates a sizzling sound. Two hot stone dishes are available per meal service. The menu includes Korean beef short ribs, focaccia with American-style crab and cream cheese sauce, Norwegian salmon, hot stone ice fish, spiced shrimp, and roasted happy pork.

Address: 48F–50F, Banyan Building, No. 16 Xinzhan Road, Banqiao District, New Taipei City (next to Banqiao Big City Mall)
Phone: 02-7705-9700