TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – The highly anticipated new French restaurant, Chaud Doux, has opened its doors in Taipei.
The establishment is overseen by Executive Chef Kai Ho (何順凱) of Taiwan’s Michelin three-star restaurant Tairroir, with Chef Leo Lin (林庭右) leading the kitchen’s daily operations. Chaud Doux is firmly rooted in the spirit of the classic bouchon bistro of Lyon, the gastronomic capital of France.
It deliberately steps away from exaggerated presentation and culinary showmanship, instead serving authentic, rustic, and deeply flavorful French home cooking. The goal is to capture diners’ hearts with genuine satisfaction and unadulterated flavor.
The name “Chaud Doux,” meaning warmth and tenderness in French, beautifully encapsulates the restaurant’s core philosophy: creating meaningful encounters through comforting food.
Upholding the bouchon ethos, the kitchen skillfully integrates local and seasonal ingredients with classical French techniques. The result is substantial, unpretentious, and homely dishes.
The culinary journey begins with the welcoming pork ear savory cake, a nod to everyday fare in Lyon. This dish skillfully blends slow-braised pork ears and Gruyere cheese with vegetable stock, offering a flavorful and texturally complex bite of food that reflects the region’s deep culinary memory.
Another three-day labor of love is the country patty, meticulously prepared according to traditional Lyonnaise ratios. It deftly combines chicken liver, duck, and pork, its aroma elevated by Cognac and red wine-stewed figs, yielding a rich and balanced profile that pairs perfectly with mustard seed sauce and fresh greens.
Marseille fish soup. (Taiwan News, Lyla Liu photo)
For main courses, the French roasted chicken with pilaf rice offers the distinct flavor of southern France. This dish features a specially crossbred Snow Rock Chicken, slow-roasted with Provencal citrus-flavored butter, and accompanied by pilaf rice stewed in chicken stock with aromatic spices like turmeric and cardamom.
The centerpiece is often the classic Marseille fish soup, which strictly adheres to Provencal tradition: its profoundly flavored broth is simmered with fish bones and crustacean shells, infused with saffron and pastis, offering a harmonious blend of intense seafood and spice that captures the vibrant essence of a southern French port.
As a savory shareable, the clams roasted in garlic parsley butter, inspired by Parisian escargots, substitute the snails with plump clams. They deliver a delightful surprise where the richness of butter and the pungency of garlic mingle with the fresh seafood.
Desserts include the legendary Grand Marnier souffle. Its delicate texture is beautifully complemented by a sauce infused with the citrus and spirit notes of the liqueur.
The pear and chocolate crispy profiteroles reinterpret an elegant classic with four handmade puffs, served with pear sorbet and Valrhona chocolate sauce, providing a satisfying counterpoint between hot and cold, and crispy and smooth textures.
Chaud Doux’s ambiance thoughtfully complements its cuisine. Soft candlelight and warm lighting reflect off wooden tables and rattan chairs, creating an intimate yet stylish bistro atmosphere. From the subtle elegance of handcrafted Damascus-patterned steak knives to the carefully curated French floral plates, every detail conveys both French elegance and a dedication to fine craftsmanship.
Chaud Doux is now accepting online reservations.
Clams roasted in garlic parsley butter. (Taiwan News, Lyla Liu photo)
（Taiwan News, Lyla Liu video）
Dining and Cooking