Mume

What’s in the name? The restaurant is named for Taiwan’s national flower, the plum blossom, and its cuisine similarly pays tribute to the diversity of the country’s terroir.

Who’s behind it? A trio of chefs helms the restaurant, but not one of them hails from Taiwan. Richie Lin was born in Hong Kong, Long Xiong is a US native and Kai Ward is Australian.

The cuisine: Despite their diverse ethnic backgrounds, the chefs have made it their common goal to highlight the produce of their adopted hometown via a unique brand of New Nordic cuisine. As you journey through the tasting menu, the chefs will help you discover the fruits of Taiwan’s land and sea, such as local white asparagus and caviar.

Signature dish: The quinoa tostada makes an appearance on the menu every single day but its companion ingredients will vary according to the season. It was beef tartare with Taiwanese shrimp roe once, but now cubed local ox tongue with avocado puree and charred pineapple is the highlight. Also watch out for the summer salad, an assembly of almost 30 different local ferns, herbs and leaves dressed with fermented black beans in grapeseed oil.