Proq196 — Restaurant in Yuchi Township

I went to Proq196 yesterday and my time there went from bad to worst. Not much competition in Shuishe as fancy hotels are usually for guests only but by Taiwan standards, very disappointing. Complimentary glass of water was warm. The bread was a tat dry. The waiter tried twice to clear my starter but I was not done, with food left on the plate. Same with second which was half full! As if you would not finish your courses of tiny portions attached to casual fine dining. If they take last booking at 7.30 pm for a 9pm closing, they must considerably review their attitude. When you opt for gourmet food, you want to be relaxed and enjoy it, not my fault if the other clients left as I arrived. I am never slow to eat anyway as I like my food still warm. However 6 dish menu in 90 mn is properly too ambitious from their side, unless you're happy to be rushed, which is not my case, in a fancy place. 6 plates plus tea or coffee in 90 mn, that's 14 mn per serving... Not manageable in a relaxed atmosphere when staff is eager to be done at 9pm sharp. I booked for 7.30, arriving at 7.25! The lady who's been serving me before the "manager" appeared left before my main at 8.50 pm and did not even say goodbye or anything. The so called manager also disappeared without a word before the dessert. Salad was too short on ham. As for Salt and pepper overall, you should not need to ask, even if you don't aim for perfect balance, everybody's tastes is different (some might argue). Regarding wine, they must check customers glasses as I had to ask every time to full it up. Not sure why they brought tissues before scallops,which were cold but supposedly cooked and not raw. It had probably been prepared before I was done with the preceding plate. Again, their willingness to rush the service. If you're keen on a fancy restaurant in Shuishe, as I was, don't go there, the lake offers other satisfying options... Unless they read the relevant reviews and the owner gets the staff to adjust fast. They should have customers to taste the wine and show them the bottle instead of bringing a full glass and keeping the bottle somewhere. The guy in charge told me they opened last month but some reviews are two month old. They should rather hire a proper manager from the LALU or similar. They offered to serve me the steak with the soup but no thanks, those are two different meals! Again, they were far too pushy and trying to speed it up. Soup was not very tasty so salt and pepper had to be added. They did not ask how I wanted my ribeye steak cooked. Rare seemed never to have been heard of although they confirmed it's prime quality beef so I'm surprised as I get my meat more cooked when I'm unsure about quality and freshness. Steak was supposed to come with mashed potatoes but came with something else. they say it was an upgrade, without warning me before bringing the plate... Not convincing When I am being served what's not on the menu, I am expecting to be told in advance with no need to ask why after it's already on the table. I skipped tea or coffee as the dessert was served after 9 pm and the kitchen was being loudly cleared for a good 30 minutes already and I would not have enjoyed taking the time you expect after a gastro dinner. Pics attached but videos available to the owner. Dessert was good though but could not be enjoyed with loud cleaning covering the music! Crepe served with only a spoon to finish the experience so I had to request proper cutlery. Asked for bill and bring me a number on a calculator for $ 3,060. Get Google translate if you're coming. English speaking staff were gone long before I was done, which is rude. Their website boasts about "The first Michelin catering team operating an independent brand in Sun Moon Lake". If I were being nasty (but that would not be fair), I would wonder if that's the tyre business of the French group they refer to. As a conclusion, now you know what to expect. As to me : a through feedback from the owner (not the usual blant we are sorry...) is...

It's not worth the price. Some dishes, like the salad, are too sweet. Some, like the mushroom soup and side vegetables are too salty. The dessert is supposed to be vanilla ice cream but it turned into frozen cake and a mini macaroon.

I cannot understand the portion of the salad, soup that is much bigger than the main dish.

I understand very soon that there were only three guests, including myself, in the 19:00 session. I don't feel like any reservations are needed.

However, I have to say that the salad and scallops are very fresh with a great variety of ingredients. The ribeye steak is tender and flavourful. Yet, I wouldn't want to visit this restaurant again even if it's half-priced. Moreover, my dishes weren't garnished as detailed as in other reviews. I wonder why.

Set dinner was priced at NT$2130 +10%...

A little gem of a find in Sun Moon Lake. Definitely worth spending an evening if you’re looking for a more refined and international menu. A double starter of teriyaki eel and Hokkaido scallops were both delicious whilst the mushroom soup was so heartening. The mains of duck and pork were exceptional and the accompanying reductions elevated them wonderfully. A simple ice cream to finish but it seemed to end the meal well. If I return I’d definitely visit again. A very good chef and very good...