TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Circum, the one-Michelin-starred bastion of contemporary Chinese cuisine, has unveiled its seasonal menu, "Ancient Modern Kunlun," executing a bold ideological flip by reinterpreting classic French gastronomy through a Chinese culinary lens.
Since its inception, the restaurant has built its reputation on using precise French techniques to elevate traditional Chinese recipes. However, for Circum’s third anniversary, head chef Leo Lo (羅偉誠) decided to disrupt his own playbook.
The new menu integrates time-honored Chinese components, such as Jinhua ham, century eggs, and Hakka preserved mustard greens, into iconic French culinary architectures.
The menu’s centerpiece pays homage to legendary French chef Paul Bocuse’s signature black truffle soup. Lo replaces the traditional puff pastry lid with a standalone, intricate Chinese flaky pastry stuffed with concentrated wild mushrooms.
The accompanying broth is a gelatinous, slow-simmered chicken and Jinhua ham consomme enriched with premium fish maw.
Diners are directed to experience the dish in three dimensions: sipping the pristine broth, sampling the crisp pastry, and finally submerging the remaining biscuit to dissolve it into a rich chowder.
French escargot also receives a spirited Taiwanese reinterpretation. "I wanted to honor the aromatic depth of the Burgundy original while channeling the vibrant soul of Taiwanese stir-fried street food," Lo said.
Local white jade snails are braised in vegetable bouillon for two hours, pan-seared in butter, and wok-tossed with a house-made Sichuan-style roasted chili paste, thick soy sauce, and fermented broad bean paste.
Lo’s reverence for Bocuse extends to a flounder fillet wrapped in micro-thin, 0.2-cm potato scales, pan-seared to a precise golden crunch.
The accompanying beurre blanc swaps out traditional white wine and vinegar for the bright, fermented tang of Hong Kong-style salted lemons and a sharp Zhenjiang vinegar gel.
Other standouts include a Wagyu beef tartare seasoned to evoke Taiwanese braised beef noodles, crowned with century egg yolk and Ossetra caviar, and a main course that seamlessly morphs a classic French country terrine with Hakka preserved mustard greens.
The "Ancient Modern Kunlun" menu is currently available at Taipei’s Regent Hotel, with lunch priced at NT$1,880 (US$57) and dinner at NT$2,880.
Circum unveils its seasonal menu. (Taiwan News, Lyla Liu video)
