TAICHUNG (Taiwan News) — Char Char Steak & Bar Mood Taichung, a new hybrid dining and nightlife concept, has opened its doors, redefining Taichung’s late-night social scene.
The venue is the latest project from the Marihuana Dining Group, led by Executive Director Sandy Wei (魏幸怡). Breaking from traditional restaurant and bar boundaries, Char Char is designed as a sophisticated late-night spot, combining premium grilled cuisine, international tapas, and professional mixology.
The project features a high-profile collaboration with Bar Mood founder Nick Wu (吳盈憲), whose establishment has repeatedly been named to “Asia’s 50 Best Bars.” Wu curated the exclusive cocktail menu, ensuring the beverage program matches the kitchen’s high standards.
The space, designed by Feng Yu (馮宇), uses changing colors and materials — shifting from green to light to black — to create an urban oasis. The 100-ping venue features an open bar on the first floor and several private dining rooms, including one that seats up to 20, on the second floor.
Music is integral to the “chill-energy” atmosphere, with playlists transitioning from smooth jazz and soul in the evening to hip-hop and funk late at night.
The culinary approach moves beyond the typical steakhouse format. The restaurant features a dedicated meat-cutting room where chefs prepare chilled primal cuts on demand. Main courses highlight a mix of advanced techniques, such as classic BBQ Taiwanese black pork ribs, which undergo a two-day preparation process involving sous vide cooking and high-temperature grilling.
Another highlight is the US prime 6-ounce short rib, flash-grilled seven to eight times for precise doneness and served with Argentine chimichurri sauce. The menu offers eight house-made sauces from global cuisines, including Taiwanese BBQ, Sichuan spicy, and Thai sour and spicy, allowing guests to customize their dishes.
Adopting a shared dining model, the menu features 26 tapas and seven desserts, blending Asian and European flavors. Notable small plates include marinated skipjack tuna and tomato salad — using a Japanese straw-smoking technique — and black chicken soup with pickled peppers, a Taiwanese-inspired broth spiced with Sichuan peppercorns.
Wu’s cocktail menu includes two Taichung-exclusive drinks rooted in the region’s terroir. The jinxuan perilla iced tea maximizes local ingredients, blending Jinxuan tea with perilla to interpret the city’s spirit. The dongmei melon iced tea offers a light, fruity, refreshing profile that captures Taichung’s cool rhythm.
(Taiwan News, Lyla Liu video)
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