Air-flown from France to Taiwan – Must-try Mussel Pot at agnès b. Bistro

▲The French white wine butter mussel pot at agnès b. Bistro agnès b. Le Pain Grillé.

Reported and photographed by Huang Shiyuan / Taipei

Visitors to Breeze Songgao might notice an agnès b. café on the first floor. In fact, this is the first French bistro opened by agnès b. in Taiwan, combined with a flower shop, record store, and bookstore to form the lifestyle concept store agnès b. RUE DE MARSEILLE. Don’t underestimate this French bistro – it’s not just about coffee and light meals. Here, you can also enjoy a French Mussel Pot air-flown directly from France, featuring tender meat with absolutely no fishy smell. It’s a signature dish you must try at agnès b. Bistro.

Mussel (Moules) Pot is one of the must-try dishes when traveling in France. Compared to mussels in Taiwan, French mussels have less fishiness, and their tenderness and texture are far superior. Xie Jianming, Director of Culinary Operations at agnès b., said that all the mussels served at the French bistro come from Normandy, France. Only mussels from Normandy can be so tender, and they are guaranteed to be live mussels. Xie also mentioned that mussels are a seasonal dish, definitely unavailable in March and April. Since the first bistro in Hong Kong in 2006, the menu has changed a lot, but the signature Mussel Pot has remained unchanged.


▲Smoked duck bacon burger with beetroot. The specially made bamboo charcoal bread offers a unique aroma and chewiness, creating a strong visual contrast with the red-toned smoked duck, bacon, and beetroot.

Food culture is one of the most romantic aspects of French culture. agnès b. French Bistro selects specialty dishes from various regions of France. In addition to the Mussel Pot, there’s the iconic French buckwheat crêpe (Galettes) from the western coastal Brittany region, the Provençal-style fish stew, and the sunny and vibrant Niçoise salad from southern France. It also features estate-level red and white wines from renowned French wine regions, allowing you to enjoy fine wine and gourmet food all in one go.

agnès b. Bistro adjusts its menu seasonally. Previously, for autumn, many new dishes were introduced, including a special limited menu using Taiwanese ingredients such as white bamboo shoots and Yilan cherry duck. How did the idea of using white bamboo shoots in French cuisine come about? Xie Jianming said that in France, white asparagus dishes are popular every May. When discussing the new menu with the chef, they wondered if Taiwan’s unique white bamboo shoots could be used like white asparagus in French cooking. Eventually, they launched dishes such as grilled white bamboo shoots with black truffle sauce, grilled white bamboo shoots with mixed cheese crêpes, and white bamboo shoot and asparagus pasta.


▲Grilled white bamboo shoots with black truffle sauce. Roasted over charcoal to bring out the original flavor and freshness of the white bamboo shoots, paired with a premium French black truffle dipping sauce that enhances their sweetness.


▲Grilled white bamboo shoots with mixed cheese crêpes. The classic French Brittany crêpe incorporates local ingredients, with the sweetness of white bamboo shoots blending perfectly with mozzarella cheese.


▲French grilled pork chop with red pepper sauce.


▲Smoked duck with cherry pasta. Prepared with authentic Italian sautéing methods to keep the pasta chewy, complemented by the aroma of garlic and olive oil alongside slices of duck breast.

Additionally, the autumn limited menu includes smoked duck breast with cherry sauce crêpes, smoked duck breast with arugula salad, smoked duck with cherry pasta, and smoked duck bacon with beetroot burgers. Among them, the smoked duck bacon with beetroot burger features a very special bun – specially made bamboo charcoal bread with a unique aroma and chewiness, creating a striking visual contrast with the red-toned smoked duck, bacon, and beetroot.


▲Dining environment at agnès b. Le Pain Grillé.

agnès b. Le Pain Grillé
Address: 1F, No. 16, Songgao Road, Taipei City
Phone: 02-2725-3160
Business hours: Sunday-Wednesday 11:00–21:30; Thursday-Saturday 11:00–22:00

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