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Lindsay Feng

In the Taipei neighbourhood of Da’an stands Indulge Experimental Bistro, whose food and drinks have captivated residents and tourists alike for 15 years.
With Grace Tsai as its head bartender, the bar is known for its creative use of local ingredients and expression of Taiwanese culture, and has carved out a distinct identity in Asia’s food and drink scene.
It has made the Asia’s 50 Best Bars list for six years in a row, and ranked 11th in 2023, making it the best bar in Taiwan.
For two nights, on July 17 and 18, Tsai will bring a taste of Taipei to Hong Kong at Carlyle & Co, a private members’ club in the Rosewood hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui, as part of its Street Food Series: Taiwan event.

Indulge Experimental Bistro is intended to be an embodiment of Taiwanese culture and history. Tsai says the bar serves as one of the first introductions to Taiwan for many foreign visitors, making it an important cultural touchpoint.
“We have this saying: from our land to the world,” Tsai says, citing the bar’s ethos of sharing the essence of Taiwan through cocktails.

Tsai emphasises Taiwan is a melting pot, noting how the island’s history of colonisation by countries including the Netherlands and Japan has shaped its tea culture.
Tea is revered in Taiwan. Its long history of tea cultivation has led to the development of numerous varieties, each with its own characteristics.
From the famed oolong tea to lesser-known varieties such as Ruby Red tea and the Alishan High Mountain tea that are rarely exported, Taiwanese tea has a variety of flavours and traditions.
I’m learning new things every day. It’s not just working
Grace Tsai
Tsai’s approach to making drinks is deeply personal and reflective. Each cocktail is designed to be a sensory journey combining past, present and future.
The menu for the event starts with the classic French 75 cocktail, chosen for its ability to complement a wide range of foods and open up the palate. From there, the drinks become more contemporary, with local ingredients, including tea, playing a central role.
Tsai believes in creating drinks that linger in the memory like a cherished souvenir from a trip.

She uses unusual ingredients such as dried radish and cudweed, which she hopes encourage patrons to explore the island’s culinary heritage.
“In Taiwan we have a very famous tourist spot called Jiufen [Old Street]. Basically every tourist goes there. When we present a drink, we tell them, ‘Hey, you can find this in Jiufen easily.’ So they have a sip of the drink, then go to the land and find the real thing,” Tsai says.
A customer’s journey in Taiwan may begin at Indulge, but it usually does not end there.
For Tsai, the creative process is a journey of constant learning and curiosity. She draws inspiration from Taiwan’s diverse landscapes and regional differences.

The contrast between the north and south of Taiwan, for instance, drives her to explore new flavours and techniques. This curiosity is essential to her craft, helping her to continually evolve and push the boundaries of cocktail making.
“I’m learning new things every day. It’s not just working. If you feel like you’re working here, then you [should] quit. We never want you to feel like you’re working here,” Tsai says. This philosophy underscores her commitment to personal and professional growth.
Those who attend the pop-up at Carlyle & Co will be met with a special menu inspired by the five elements of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth, each paying homage to Taiwanese tea culture.

By bringing the flavours of Taipei to Hong Kong, Tsai is not only celebrating a milestone – Indulge celebrates its 15th anniversary this year – but is also sharing a piece of Taiwan with the world.
For her, the legacy of Indulge is not just its cocktails but its ability to tell the story of Taiwan.
“What can we do in the next 15 years and the 15 years after that?” she asks out loud. The answer? Tsai sees the bistro continuing to evolve, staying rooted in Taiwanese culture but embracing new trends and innovations.


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Food and Drinks

Her tea cocktails at Indulge Experimental Bistro tell the story of Taiwan: meet Grace Tsai

Grace Tsai at Taipei’s Indulge Experimental Bistro. She will be serving her cocktails that express Taiwanese culture through the use of local teas and other ingredients at a pop-up in Hong Kong. Photo: Indulge Experimental Bistro

Inside Indulge Experimental Bistro in Da’an, Taipei. Photo: Indulge Experimental Bistro

Tsai at Indulge Experimental Bistro, where she makes cocktails that take customers “from our land to the world”. Photo: Indulge Experimental Bistro

Taiwan is known for producing some of the best teas in the world, and Tsai uses many of them in her drinks. Photo: Reuters

Indulge Experimental Bistro’s Flora Vintage cocktail, made with Spirit of Hven Hvenus Rye Whisky, honey, Mancino vermouth and rose. Photo: Indulge Experimental Bistro

The Club Bar and Lounge at Carlyle & Co, where Tsai will be holding a pop-up on July 17 and 18. Photo: Carlyle & Co

Beef noodle soup and more at Hong Kong pop-up that sees Taiwanese chef return to his roots

Chef Marc Liao in the kitchen at his award-winning fusion restaurant Marc L³ in Kaohsiung, Taiwan. He will serve dishes inspired by the food served at Taiwan’s night markets at a pop-up in Hong Kong. Photo: Marc L³

Liao says his goal is to return to his roots and introduce Taiwanese cuisine to the world. Photo: Marc L³

Salmon sushi pizza is one of the East-meets-West dishes Liao serves at Marc L³. Photo: Marc L³

Liao’s swordfish and squid “corn dog” with a coating of concentrated chicken broth with black truffle and squid ink. Photo: Marc L³

A Shaoxing pudding at Marc L³. Liao will change tack for the Hong Kong event with more casual plating. Photo: Marc L³

Duck spring rolls being plated at Marc L³. Liao’s mission is to make fine dining accessible by using ordinary ingredients to make high-quality dishes. Photo: Marc L³

‘I could taste his passion’: judge on bartender who won Hong Kong Viu TV cocktail contest

Lok Cheung at Coa, in Central, where he has been bar manager since 2021. Photo: Xiaomei Chen

Lok Cheung at Coa, in Central, where he has been bar manager since 2021. Cheung won Hong Kong’s first cocktail competition, ViuTV’s Master Mixologist. Photo: Xiaomei Chen

Master Mixologist judges (from left) Jay Khan, co-founder and beverage director of COA; Cecilia Womg, host of Chit Chat Drink; and Antonio Lai, founder of Quinary. Photo: Cecilia Wong

Thirty-two contestants took part in Master Mixologist. Photo: Cecilia Wong

Cheung has worked in the industry since about 2011. Photo: Xiaomei Chen

Cheung says he took part in the competition to promote Hong Kong’s bar industry. Photo: Xiaomei Chen

East meets West in tea-pairing lunch at 2-Michelin-star Tate Dining Room in Hong Kong

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Wing Yeung (pictured) of Being & Tea and Vicky Lau of Tate Dining Room have created a tea pairing culinary experience. Photo: Being & Tea

Vicky Lau is the chef and owner of Hong Kong’s Tate Dining Room. Photo: Tate Dining Room

Lau’s dish of turnip blancmange with sweet shrimp and seaweed sauce is paired with Being & Tea’s Yunnan green tea. Photo: Tate Dining Room

Lau’s roasted duck with five-spice hibiscus strawberry and plum compote will be paired with Wu Yuan Jian Rou Gui tea. Photo: Tate Dining Room

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A cocktail containing baijiu sold at Manhatta in New York. Makers of China’s favourite spirit are looking at cracking overseas markets, using influencers and social media advertising, tweaking its flavour and trying it out in cocktails. Photo: Reuters

Bottles of baijiu are displayed next to bottles of wine in a store in Beijing, China. Photo: Reuters 

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Various bottles of baijiu are displayed in a store in Beijing, China. Photo: Reuters 

A Berry Me NYC cocktail made with the Chinese spirit baijiu is displayed at the Manhatta restaurant in New York. Photo: Reuters

Lifestyle

Food & Drink

At Indulge Experimental Bistro in Taipei, Grace Tsai explores Taiwan’s heritage in tea-infused cocktails. She’s serving some in Hong Kong


Grace Tsai of Indulge Experimental Bistro, one of Asia’s best bars, is known for her tea-infused cocktails that explore Taiwan’s heritage. She describes her creative process ahead of a Hong Kong pop-up.


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Hong Kong

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Profile | Her tea cocktails at Indulge Experimental Bistro tell the story of Taiwan: meet Grace Tsai

At Indulge Experimental Bistro in Taipei, Grace Tsai explores Taiwan’s heritage in tea-infused cocktails. She’s serving some in Hong Kong