Reservation has been hard to get since day one, and pulling connection to get a table just not my thing. One day I was randomly checking logy's reservation system online and here it was. Not one, but two time slots were open. It's been decided, my little getaway weekend lunch.
Can't say it was excitement, but rather a long waited getaway moment with dear friend. Right after I left home and ready to go, pulled up Google Maps and there was a little note next to logy - cash only. What? Case only? For sure? I thought I even left my credit card information when booking the table.
As secretive as it is, I couldn't find logy's phone number. That's right, even when booking the table and receiving the confirmation email, no phone number was attached. Man, I should have double checked when logy actually called the week before.
So to be safe, I ran back home and got my ATM card, hopped on taxi and speed up my way to the restaurant.
Luckily, I still managed to arrive before they start serving the first dish to other customers. My friend was already there. Put the payment uncertainty aside, let the meal begin.
Sujiko washed with katsuo stock/carrot/turmeric/cracker made with coconut and rice.
No menu here for environmental reasons. I tried my best to remember these dishes.
Main dish showtime, soon it was circled back to the kitchen for some final touches -
Instead of the usual wine pairing, we went for the tea pairing that day. Kept it light and refreshing, what I was hoping to get.
First tea pairing, coconut water soaked with coffee powder -
Some kind of acid ingredient was also used here, the waitress said think of it as slightly sourish coffee.
Together with mackerel/green apple/cookie crumbles.
Second tea pairing, passion fruit/marukyu-koyamaen matcha -
The next dish was like a Chinese ink wash painting, please to the eyes before tasting -
Squid/lotus root/myoga/ink.
Love that super thin slices of lotus root, completely overturn the texture I've used too. More so like a thin layer that stick right onto the tongue and other ingredients when in touch with moisture, further providing a sense of roundness, same effect from the ink below too.
Some crunchy bits from the filling too. Truly a beautiful dish packed with different textures and depth.
Angelica/celery root ice cream/goji berries/crab meat -
Angelica is a common Chinese herb used here in Taiwan, got a herbal and mild bitter note, but that was balanced off with the sweetness from the goji berries. Perhaps crab meat played a part here too.
The stock was made with squid and beef. The entire dish was presented like a Japanese chawamushi. No need to stir or mix, just scoop all the way down and savor as it is. This course here displayed the chef's understanding of local ingredients. Every item shined but also complement one another, especially for angelica, not an easy ingredient to work with.
Third tea pairing -
Jasmine oolong tea/red shiso/hops.
Tilefish/basil/kumquat/black garlic mayo/spinach powder -
At first, I thought that black half sphere thing was the black garlic mayo, but turned out that was kumquat. You little tricky thing.
Love the kumquat here, it further brighten up the dense aroma from the black garlic mayo, all paired well with the contrasting textures of the fish, tender meat plus crunchy scale. Can't beat that.
Forth tea pairing, also the only hot drink, ginger oolong tea -
Crab meat foam/raw tofu skin/beef tripe -
Completely opposite from the more familiar tripe dishes. It's rather light and airy in a way.
At a quick glance, this dish looks like egg yolk, it's not, but the well-rounded flavor did quite resemble the creaminess from the yolks.
Fifth tea pairing, faux wine this time, described by the waitress -
Pu'er tea/hisbicus/pomegranate/juniper. Probably due to juniper, this one feels more like a distilled spirit than wine to me.
Main dish came back up again -
Pork with two sauces. Beef soup with sherry vinegar, and the dark paste made with parsley, fermented tofu, and caper.
The fat resembles the texture of a Taiwanese local rice dish ru rou fan, slightly sticky, almost glue-like. Not overly clinging and not oily at all, just comfortably covered my tongue. Very nicely done.
By the way, I overheard another customer's conversation with the waiter. "Why the chef doesn't use beef as main dish?" Waiter said that the chef thinks for a high quality beef, the best way to showcase it is to give it a simple sear then serve with salt. To put up such a "plain" dish, complaints may rise. So chef prefers non-beef ingredients with more cooking techniques involved.
Also, this season's main dish supposed to be duck, but logy noticed that it was my first visit, so they decided to let me try their previous pork entrée instead. Until next time I guess.
Figs/goat milk yogurt/hay and fig leaves jelly -
Not a fan of that goaty scent, so I tried to dig my way with figs, to wash down that over-powering taste.
Sugar-apple panna cotta/sugar-apple meringue/chamomile -
Pair with herbal chamomile scent, this panna cotta can go a long way.
Black coffee or tea -
My friend got the coffee and I chose tea. For tea, they further asked if you want herbal tea or osmanthus oolong tea, then offered it hot or cold.
I selected cold brew version, and they presented it with a stylish glass.
Final dessert, aiyu jelly with coconut jelly -
That hedgehog-looking objects are aiyu seeds. You put them into a cloth then start squeezing and rubbing under water. The water will gradually turn slimy and overtime it'll start to coagulate like jelly.
Serve with pineapple juice and a little touch of Chinese basil. A refreshing ending.
A little gift to take home with, furikake made with logy's fish trimmings. One way to reduce food waste -
Towards the end of our meal, the staffs are still busy prepping other ingredients. Can you spot this season's main protein duck on the counter?
Since I arrived a little late and took some time taking pictures, the couple next to us finished earlier and ready to pay and leave. Wait, let me take a peek. Credit card, the gentleman pulled out his credit card. Yes, logy does accept credit card payments. At least I don't have to rush out to withdraw money.
Double checking Google Maps again while typing up with post, it looks fine from my computer, but still showing "cash only" from cellphone app. Oh well, at least problem solved. Note to self, don't try to hang up on restaurant's reservation confirmation call so quickly, always see if they take credit cards, just to be safe, so I won't be late again in the future.
logy currently holds one Michelin star status.
logy
1F., No.6, Ln.109, Sec.1, Anhe Rd., Daan Dist.,
Taipei, Taiwan
Homepage: https://logy.tw/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/logy.tw/
Opening hours:
Lunch - Thursday through Sunday 12 noon ~ 3:00 p.m.
Dinner - Wednesday through Sunday 6:00 p.m. ~ 10:30 p.m.
Closed on Monday all day, Tuesday all day, and Wednesday lunch
Extended reading:
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