TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – The Taipei-based Italian fine dining restaurant Frassi, led by Chef Iacopo Frassi, presents a new tasting menu that innovatively blends traditional Tuscan flavors with modern techniques, showcasing dishes inspired by his heritage and incorporating unique fermentation elements.
A Michelin Guide recommendation, Frassi continues to impress gourmands with its inventive take on Italian cuisine. Chef Frassi, formerly of Bencotto at the Mandarin Oriental Taipei, opened his eponymous restaurant in early 2023. Since then, it has attracted a loyal following of young food lovers and international diners eager to experience authentic yet forward-thinking Italian fare.
Inspired by his upbringing in Tuscany, Chef Frassi infuses each dish with the warmth of his family’s table. His "farm to table" philosophy is evident in the use of carefully sourced seasonal ingredients, showcased in dishes such as grilled white asparagus, rabbit ragu tagliatelle, and strawberry sabayon.
A hallmark of the new menu is the subtle use of fermentation, which enhances the flavor profile of each dish without overwhelming the palate. The result is a tasting menu that feels rooted in tradition but is distinctly contemporary. Priced at NT$4,280 (US$131) per person, the evening menu is a deep dive into Chef Frassi’s personal culinary journey.
Among the highlights is the rabbit ragu tagliatelle, a nostalgic homage to Frassi’s childhood. “Every time I returned home to Italy, my mother would prepare rabbit to welcome me,” he said. The dish features slow-cooked bone marrow sauce with handmade tagliatelle and tender rabbit ragu, lifted by a herbaceous green sauce that balances richness with freshness.
Another standout is the rose duck breast and beetroot. Aged for 10 days, the duck breast is paired with a unique sausage-stuffed duck neck filled with pork, veal, and Parmesan. The dish is accompanied by beetroot puree, fermented black apple sauce, and kumquat confit, all brought together with a sauce made from beetroot, juniper, and duck jus—creating a vibrant interplay of sweet, sour, and savory flavors.
The grilled white asparagus offers a lesson in refined simplicity. Grilled to draw out its natural sweetness, the seasonal asparagus stands as a celebration of the ingredient itself.
Dessert is no afterthought at Frassi. The daring "porcini mushroom, olive, rye" composition brings together a chocolate chip base, coffee kombucha gelato, mascarpone cream, pickled Italian olives, and porcini mushroom mousse, finished with balsamic vinegar and a rye apple sauce. The result is an unexpected yet harmonious blend of earthy, sweet, and savory notes.
(Taiwan News, Lyla Liu video)
