TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Michelin-starred Circum- in Taipei has unveiled its latest menu "Ocean's Treasures," where Chef Leo (羅偉誠) masterfully integrates Asian culinary heritage and Chinese philosophy, with premium seafood.
The new menu, including an abbreviated lunch set, showcases refined interpretations of classics like bird's nest poached pear and chopped chili fish head.
The journey begins with tangram, highlights include Sichuan peppercorn duck tongues, sesame string beans, and Shaoxing wine-infused snow crab. It teases the palate with its delicate interplay of sweetness and wine aromatics.
"Congenial" reimagines traditional rice wine chicken soup using heritage chicken, Jinhua ham, and Chinese herbs. The broth is simmered for six hours, without the addition of water, and has abalone rather than chicken.
The abalone, first cured in koji salt and then braised in a combination of Shaoxing wine, rice wine, and chicken broth, is precision-scored for tenderness. It is accompanied by shiitake mushrooms and bamboo shoots for enhanced umami depth.
"Full House" pays homage to Hong Kong's classic typhoon shelter cuisine, featuring northern coast scallops grilled over charcoal to lock in their natural sweetness.
Each scallop is brushed with a rich chicken-onion emulsion and encrusted in a house-made typhoon shelter spice mix, served alongside three distinctive condiments: chili, green Sichuan pepper, and sweet fermented black bean sauces.
Drawing from his late-night dining experiences, Chef Leo presents "Evening Bloom" – a luxurious interpretation of beef noodles and century egg featuring a Japanese A5 wagyu cap, crowned with caviar and cured duck egg yolk, and finished with a crisp pastry layer.
"Frosted Patals" presents an elegant deconstruction of the traditional ginger bird's nest milk pudding. The foundation comprises silky Mascarpone cheese infused with fresh ginger essence. It is layered with a premium bird's nest cured in a Fritillaria bulb.
Crowning the creation are Asian pear slices, meticulously poached at low temperature with honey, fragrant osmanthus flowers, and rock sugar to preserve their crystalline crunch. A final whisper of olive oil adds a subtle richness to this contemporary interpretation of a Chinese classic.
"Euphoria," inspired by Teochew-style chilled crab, presents Japanese snow crab infused with premium Maotai liquor and intensified crab shell essence. The meat is artfully layered into a dome and finished with a delicate white Zhenjiang vinegar gelee that balances the rich flavors.
"Put It Lightly" elevates Hunan's chopped chili fish head through a fusion of Japanese tempura and French sauce techniques.
Hokkaido flatfish is tempura-fried with shiso leaves and served with a French-style butter sauce infused with baijiu and aged garlic, accompanied by an aromatic chili sauce crafted from dried sweet and pickled peppers.
The savory courses conclude with "A Sweet Farewell," a refined take on Hong Kong-style fried rice. Premium Japanese rice is cooked with sweet shrimp broth and aged Huadiao wine, folded with barely cooked sweet shrimp and fresh peas, then finished with a Huadiao shrimp soup foam and Japanese uni, or sea urchins.
The dining experience closes with "Dreams Come Fruit," an interactive dessert service incorporating traditional fortune poetry. Standout sweets include the perfectly chewy "sesame sweet rice wine mochi" with its aromatic filling, and the "date paste walnut whiskey" combining rich date puree with candied walnuts and subtle whiskey notes, served alongside artisanal ginger tea.
The name "Circum-" is from the Latin meaning "surrounding" or "circular," while the “-” or dash is said to be a sign of purity. It symbolizes how the Chinese carry the taste of home with them in their global diaspora.
(Taiwan News, Lyla Liu video)
