Top Taiwan chef cooks ‘indigenous new style’ cuisine at Akame, a remote restaurant in the mountains of Pingtung
- Alex Peng, a member of the Rukai people and alum of André restaurant in Singapore, elevates aboriginal Taiwanese cuisine to new heights
What’s the deal? In 2015, after 1½ years of working in the now-closed Singaporean restaurant André, Alex Peng packed his bags for home. His destination was a village of 3,000 inhabitants called Kucapungane, in mountainous Pingtung, on the southernmost tip of Taiwan.
Peng is a member of the Rukai, one of 16 aboriginal groups officially recognised in Taiwan. Kalrimadrau, as Peng is known to his tribe, opened a 19-seater restaurant, Akame (which means “grill” in Rukai), which serves what he calls “Taiwan Indigenous new style” cuisine, made with ingredients commonly used by aboriginals.
These include wild herbs and game meats, which are grilled, boiled and steamed. In a hunter-gatherer culture, there is a huge emphasis on eating fresh and seasonal produce, and Peng writes a new la carte menu every day, based on what his suppliers send him. The plating, however, is reflective of his culinary education at Le Cordon Bleu, veering towards the French.
How remote is this place? It’s off the grid, that’s for sure. The high-speed train will get you to Kaohsiung (Zuoying station) from Taipei in 90 minutes. It takes about another hour to reach Akame from the city centre by car. Some diners come from Kenting, a popular beachside town more than two hours drive away.
Is it worth the effort? If you have travelled far for a meal, your expectations will be high, but Akame doesn’t disappoint. My squid, for example, from Taitung, on the east coast of Taiwan, was grilled to perfection, the tentacles seared so that they were crispy while the slightly charred and smoky flesh remained moist and tender. A sprinkle of Roxburgh sumac and a drizzle of Taiwan lemon gave the dish a zing.
