TEXT by Alice Liang ｜ TRANSLATION by Sherry Chen
藏身於台北市伊通公園巷弄間的「AKIN君尹」，寧謐低調而雅致，木質色調的入口，迎賓小徑兩側是春意盎然的花草綠植。午後和煦的陽光灑落，剛好落在餐廳木質的不規則橢圓大門上，推開它，彷彿進入到一個從未探索過的仙境洞穴。而一場前所未有的五官體驗就此展開……。
Nestled within the alleys of Taipei’s Yitong Park, “AKIN” exudes a low-profile elegance and tranquility. The wooden-toned entrance is adorned with lush greenery. As the gentle afternoon sunlight streams in, it bathes the irregular elliptical wooden doors of the restaurant. It is like an unexplored fairyland cave as we push through the doors, stepping into an unprecedented feast of sensory experiences…
Dining at AKIN Appreciating and Enjoying the Culinary Artistry of the Chef.
岩洞之旅
從玄關開始，就能看到一連串不規則的圓形鏤空裝潢，這個「岩洞感」的設計一路貫穿了整個餐廳，不只是高質感的視覺呈現，更想帶給顧客們一種安全感、歸屬感。來自香港、Fine Dining出身的米其林主廚林明健Chef Kin在餐廳格局上加上了一些富有個人元素的巧思，他說道：「Fine Dining其實不用太大，就是像日本Omakase一樣，16個座位，剛剛好。」Omakase一詞，字義上有「交給您（廚師）了」的意思，又稱作無菜單料理。AKIN君尹的16個座位環繞著中間的開放式廚房，讓顧客們能一邊品嚐來自各地的山珍海味，一邊觀賞廚師們的身手絕活。
The Cave Exploration Journey
Upon entering the restaurant, guests would see a series of “cave-like” designs, such as irregular circular openwork decorations, providing more than a high-quality visual presentation but also a sense of security and belonging. AKIN’s Chef Kin, with a background in fine dining in Hong Kong, also added some personal touches to the restaurant layout. He said, “The fine dining space doesn’t need to be too big, just like Omakase in Japan, 16 seats would be just right.” The term Omakase means “I’ll leave it up to you (the chef)” and refers to a type of meal tailored to preferences based on the availability of the ingredients. The 16 seats at AKIN surround the open kitchen in the center, allowing customers to taste delicacies from around the world while watching the chefs’ exquisite presentations.
The Open kitchen at AKIN is the Chef Stage, with Bar Seats for Immersive Dining experiences.
貴在融合
可說是遊歷無數、見識深廣的Chef Kin，在每一季的菜單中都會尋找當季的新鮮食材，並融入他在世界各地所汲取的飲食文化精華。即使在台灣，顧客們也能品嚐香港、上海、巴黎、紐約等地的獨特風味。而這都源自於Chef Kin對於在料理作品裡反映自身閱歷的堅持，他說道：「每到一個地方，我都希望去感受那裡的文化，不只是料理上的，藝術和人文風情對於我的料理來說，也是很大的啟發。」這次菜單中的「日本黑鮑、韭菜、鮑肝荷蘭醬」，使用了法式料理處理鵝肝醬的方式來打造鮑肝荷蘭醬，完美凸顯了東西交融的概念，AKIN君尹可說是融合各種Chef Kin的人生閱歷於大成。
The Value of Integration
Chef Kin has traveled extensively gaining immense experiences. He always seeks fresh seasonal ingredients for each menu, incorporating the essence of culinary cultures he has experienced from around the world. Even while in Taiwan, customers can savor unique flavors hailing from destinations including Hong Kong, Shanghai, Paris, and New York. Chef Kin’s experiences are reflected in his insistence on culinary creations. “Every time I visit a place, I hope to experience its culture, not just in cooking, but also in art and humanities, which are great sources of inspiration for my dishes,” he said. In the current seasonal menu, the “Japanese Black Abalone, Chives, Abalone Liver Hollandaise,” a French culinary technique used in foie gras was applied to crafting the Abalone Liver Hollandaise, which perfectly showcases the concept of East and West fusion. AKIN embodies the successful life achievements of Chef Kin.
White Asparagus, Fermented Strawberries, Osetra Caviar.
Bafun Sea Urchin, Kumquat, Shiso Leaf.
寶島精華
當問起為何要在這裡做料理，Chef Kin說起他與台灣的相遇：「學生時期在台灣念過書，當時純粹很喜歡這個地方。而距今十年前有機會再度回訪的時候，發現台灣有許多很棒、很有趣的食材！因為是海島的關係，海鮮、家禽類都很有特色，蔬菜類也認識了像是過貓和山蘇等野菜，這都是我以前不知道可以拿來做料理的食材。」如同這次菜單上的「白蘆筍、發酵草莓、Osetra魚子醬」，它是由台灣宜蘭的胭脂蝦和法國本季盛產的白蘆筍等食材所組成的一道清爽冷湯，藉由在地食材發揮出更多可能性，Chef Kin為他的料理作品注入了台灣的美、台灣的DNA。
The Essence of Formosa
Chef Kin spoke of his encounter with Taiwan when he was being asked the reason he chose to cook here: “I studied here when I was a student and I simply fell in love with this place. After 10 years when I returned to Taiwan, I realized Taiwan has many fantastic and interesting ingredients! Since it is an island, seafood and poultry are rather distinctive. I got to know vegetables like bracken ferns and nest ferns, which I didn’t know could be used in dishes before.” Just like the “White Asparagus, Fermented Strawberries, Osetra Caviar” on the menu, which is a refreshing vichyssoise made from ingredients including the red shrimp from Yilan, Taiwan, and the seasonal white asparagus from France, by leveraging local ingredients to explore possibilities, Chef Kin infuses his culinary creations with the beauty of Taiwan in its DNA.
純粹療癒
AKIN君尹從裝潢、氛圍，到餐點、服務，都能看出對顧客的用心，Chef Kin認為透過這個五官體驗，他能將做菜的喜悅傳達給桌前的顧客，是他作為一位廚師最大的願望。未來Chef Kin也希望能在AKIN君尹帶給大家更親近、更豐富的創新滋味，如同他所說的：「來這裡不需要過度解讀任何人生哲理，就是回歸到最直接，只要療癒地、純粹地享受我的美食，單純度過一個美好時光，這樣就很好了！」
Purely Therapeutic
AKIN’s attention to detail, from its decor and ambiance to its cuisine and service, reflects its genuine care for customers. Chef Kin believes that through sensory experiences, he can convey the joy of cooking to the diners, which is his greatest longing as a chef. In the future, Chef Kin hopes to bring more intimate, rich, and innovative flavors to diners at AKIN. As he says, “Coming here doesn’t require over-analyzing any life philosophy, it’s about returning to the most direct manner, simply enjoying my cuisine in the most therapeutic and pure way, and spending a wonderful time in simplicity. That’s all that matters!”
發表迴響