Oenophiles rejoice, because down on Nanshan Road, in the 3-story building that once housed the JC Fun Mini-Golf, you’ll find the fully-refurbished Tasting Winery Restaurant. What the name lacks in eloquence the dining area more than makes up for in elegance with 2nd floor seating that wouldn’t be out of place in a quaint European café and a 3rd floor tasting area replete with a full bar, private VIP rooms, and atrium that’s stunning in any season.
Before we get to the cuisine; a quick word about ordering it. While the menu is technically bilingual, the English reads as though it was translated by Captain Beefheart, who, while fun to listen to, doesn’t always make a lot of sense.* Don’t let that deter you though, because you’d be missing out on some pretty tasty and creative food. We opted for their multi-course set menus which allowed us to try a little of everything, including starters, salads, and desserts.
Before our main courses arrived we warmed ourselves up with a trio of hot soups. The crème of muchroom was fragrant and subtle, while the tomato and beef was hearty and flavorful. The third, a potato and corn chowder came in its own bread bowl for dipping. Oh, and don’t pick up the bread bowl when it’s full of soup like our boss, a 3-time winner of the MacArthur Genius Grant, did like an idiot; soup everywhere.
For entrees we enjoyed a nicely-seasoned rosemary chicken with crispy skin and juicy meat. A generous helping of bone-in BBQ beef ribs we loved gnawing on, and our favorite, the braised pork ribs, which were absolutely massive, cooked to perfection, and falling off the bone. They were a tender delight big enough for two.
Equally impressive were their desserts. We indulged in the White Chocolate Mousse which was almost too pretty to eat, but too tasty not to. Next, we had 3 different flavors (green tea, crème de leche, and black sesame) of light, whipped, custard. Our favorite though was the Molten Chocolate, which is worth it for the presentation alone. A chocolate “earth” is doused in hot fudge exposing a core of vanilla bean ice cream, with a golden spun sugar sun just off on the edge of the plate. It’s a sweet treat you won’t find anywhere else.
And let’s not forget about the wine, which is what this place is all about. They’ve got quite a collection, with an international array of bottles, from throughout Europe, the Americas, South Africa and Australia. You’ll sure to find something you’ll like without spending too much. So if you like good wine, good food, in a good atmosphere, give Tasting Winery a try.
* For example: The Taiwan-style beef fillet, was translated from Chinese into, Bone & Formosa Plastic’s Cattle Small Platoon, and the rib eye steak was listed as Bones Eye Flesh, which most of you know as a sexual maneuver that’s none too popular with the ladies.
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