2015 Must-Try Guide to Palace Restaurant: Huge Ribeye Steaks and Lobster Soup That Are Simply Irresistible

▲ Seafood Section with Shrimp and Crab (Photo /Ailishi)

Text and Photos /Ailishi

Since the reopening of Taipei’s “No.1 Hall in the World,” the Palace Restaurant at Regent Taipei, on October 21, scoring a good seat has been nearly impossible. The restaurant is divided into 7 sections—steamed, boiled, teppanyaki, stewed, stir-fried, and grilled—with a wide variety of food categories including salads, desserts, seafood, customizable Italian pasta, teppanyaki, hot stir-fries, soups, beverages, and grilled items. This dining experience left me convinced that the must-tries include shrimp, crab, as well asgrilled salmon belly sushi, beef short ribs, grilled ribeye steak, grilled oysters, and desserts.This time, I didn’t get to try the fire shrimp, which was a bit disappointing—I really wanted to know what that texture is like firsthand.

Sushi rolls, hand rolls, and sashimi
You can have ingredients rolled into fresh hand rolls on the spot—the nori is crisp and fresh. The selection of sushi and sashimi is constantly replenished and remains very fresh, featuring around 10 to 12 types such as salmon, tuna, mackerel, and red seabream, along with grilled tuna. I recommend asking the chefs for the grilled salmon belly—it’s rich, succulent, and carries a lovely smoky aroma that lingers.

▲ Grilled Tuna (Photo / Ailishi)

▲ Freshly Made Hand Rolls and Sushi (Photo / Ailishi)

▲ Boiled shrimp with sweet, tender, and springy texture (Photo / Ailishi)

▲ A generous pile of plump shrimp, scallops, and crabs (Photo / Ailishi)

Shrimp, crab, and other seafood
Just in the crab category alone, there are diverse options such as three-spot crabs, shrimp mushrooms, and flower crabs. The flower crabs, in season during early autumn, are especially rich in roe. There are also small octopus, king snails, and mussels, all with firm, bouncy textures that pair wonderfully with red wine vinegar sauce. Nearby, you’ll find shrimp in Shaoxing wine, squid in garlic-lemon butter sauce, and salt-boiled shrimp—the shrimp meat is sweet and tender, and one person could easily eat a dozen or two.

▲ Three-Spot Crab, Fresh and Plump (Photo / Ailishi)

▲ Highly Recommended Shrimp in Shaoxing Wine, Where the Wine Enhances the Sweetness of the Shrimp (Photo / Ailishi)

Fried Foods Section
Includes orange juice beef, fried vegetable tempura, fried shrimp tempura, blanched squid, and tofu served with mapo sauce. For soups, there is a diverse selection to choose from, including snowflake beef soup where you can fish out tender chunks of beef, Italian vegetable soup, onion soup, creamy soup, and lobster soup. The one you absolutely must try is the lobster soup—its golden-orange hue and rich, smooth texture deliver the full umami flavor of lobster.

▲ Fried Foods Section Filled with Gourmet Offerings (Photo / Ailishi)

▲ Five Kinds of Soup, with the Lobster Soup Being Truly Exceptional (Photo / Ailishi)

Teppanyaki and Grill Sections
These are almost adjacent to each other. On the cutting board, you can see huge slabs of ribeye steak, with cross-sections revealing a tempting rose-red color. The aroma from the grill and teppanyaki station is absolutely irresistible. Here, you can enjoy tender lamb chops andgrilled ribeye steak, grilled oysters, and dice beef.To get your hands on specially grilled or seared items, you’ll need to wait in line.A thick, juicy slab of beef short rib is a classic must-order—the beef and bone are flavorful, and the meat is perfectly tender and soft, easy to slice apart with a knife and pop into your mouth.。

▲The ribeye steak is a huge slab—so generous and hearty!

Pasta Station
It’s also customizable, with five large trays of toppings, nine trays of pasta, and another section offering eight types of sauces to mix with your noodles—options include white sauce, green pesto, tomato sauce, curry, and more. There’s also a tray of risotto you can choose from. Just pick what you’d like, hand it to the chef, and watch as they cook up a show while preparing your meal.

▲Customized pasta (Photo by Ailishi)

▲Various sauces for pairing with pasta, plus risotto options. (Photo by Ailishi)

Salad and Juice Section
There are daily specials, some of which include mountain yam pearls. Seasonal fruits, unique greens, smoked salmon with onions and capers, biscuits, and bread all look incredibly fresh. Nearby, there’s the Kagoshima Culinary Artisan Series, featuring special items like grilled sweet potato and eggplant salad with black vinegar dressing—the tangy aroma is super appetizing. There’s also buttered toast topped with sea bream and a tarter sauce with apple notes—super creative dishes.

▲The vibrant vegetable salad section (Photo by Ailishi)

▲Daily special drinks (Photo by Ailishi)

▲Kagoshima Culinary Artisan Series, with a tangy aroma that whets the appetite. (Photo by Ailishi)

Across from the salad bar is the coffee station. Although it’s self-serve, the freshly ground coffee is just as good as semi-automatic pour-over brews. The Park Lane offers Häagen-Dazs ice cream with cones—the texture is pleasantly firm but not rock-hard.

▲Coffee station (Photo by Ailishi)

Dessert Section
It’s lined up like an armada of ships, creating quite a visual spectacle. Get creative by sandwiching Häagen-Dazs ice cream between two chef’s selection breads or dorayakis—a bite is pure satisfaction. Each dessert is made to melt in your mouth, small and delicate. Sometimes there are limited-edition offerings that sell out quickly but are later replaced with other seasonal flavors.

▲The dessert counter that’ll drive dessert lovers wild (Photo by Ailishi)

Among the desserts I tried this time, I really loved the sesame cheese—creamy, not too sweet, and fragrant. The strawberry éclair is a must, the éclair tastes like peanut flavor, and the classic chocolate cake is rich and indulgent. The cheesecake is a bold, heavy cheese flavor that I loved. The shiso-flavored double cream cheese has a very unique texture—definitely worth trying. Other items like brownies and Canberra cakes offer rich, decadent flavors. Every bite brings girls pure happiness.

▲The ice cream section features Häagen-Dazs (Photo by Ailishi)

In the glass case are limited-edition flavors. These desserts are plated and finished by counter staff. For example, the matcha brûlée is lightly caramelized—if you don’t like bitterness, ask the staff not to torch it too long so you can enjoy its rich, creamy matcha flavor. Also worth mentioning is the Mont Blanc, which seems to have mashed taro inside but isn’t too heavy, with the familiar chestnut cream on top. Popular special desserts sell out fast, so frequent the dessert counter if you want to try them.

I didn’t get to try the legendary tiger prawns, scallops, or pork belly this time, which was a bit disappointing. But the variety of food is truly huge—you simply can’t finish it all in one visit. Those wanting to make a reservation are advised to start calling from the end of November. Be persistent, and you’re sure to get a spot. How could the 2015 must-try all-you-can-eat buffet not include the Park Lane at Regent Taipei? Hehe!

▲Dining area (Photo by Ailishi)

Regent Taipei – Park Lane
Address: No. 3, Lane 39, Section 2, Zhongshan N. Rd., Taipei City
Phone: 02-25238000 ext. 3870
Prices: Breakfast NT$690 + 10%; Lunch weekdays NT$990 + 10%, holidays NT$1,290 + 10%; Afternoon tea weekdays NT$690 + 10%, holidays NT$790 + 10%; Dinner weekdays NT$1,190 + 10%, holidays NT$1,290 + 10% (including Fridays). Children 100–130 cm: half price. Under 100 cm: free.

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