Afterglo's caviar chicken nuggets redefine comfort food

Afterglo 的魚子醬雞塊重新定義了舒食

Michelin-starred chef's luxury dishes served in Regent Taipei


TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Michelin-starred chef Lam Ming Kin (林明健) has unveiled Afterglo, an elegant restaurant and wine bar nestled in Taipei's Regent Galleria.

The name "Afterglo" evokes both the sunset's transition to nightfall and the warm flush of cheeks after an evening drink. Operating during dinner and late-night hours, the venue showcases Chef Kin's Hong Kong heritage and innovative culinary vision through luxurious comfort cuisine.

Afterglo's interior design captures twilight's magical moments through a sophisticated palette of golden, orange-red, bronze, and coffee-brown hues, creating an inviting and relaxed atmosphere. The restaurant offers contemporary Asian cuisine that delights urban professionals and international travelers, complemented by a carefully curated yet accessible selection of champagne and wines, setting the stage for Taipei's vibrant nightlife.

Following his success with Akin, Chef Kin's new venture maintains its signature refinement while embracing a more approachable style. Featuring premium ingredients with creative flair, Afterglo's standout dishes include caviar chicken nuggets, impressively thick fried chicken, and spicy abalone noodles – perfect for those seeking bold, sophisticated flavors.

Fried chicken has always been Chef Kin's signature. After continuously optimizing cooking methods and testing various Taiwanese premium chicken breeds, he chose "ruby tea chicken," fed with non-GMO soybeans, corn, and Taiwan No. 18 red tea, whose tender and fragrant meat perfectly showcases the juicy tenderness of both fried chicken and nuggets.

The "ruby tea fried chicken set" features whole chicken legs marinated for three hours in special spiced brine, coated in a special batter mixing glutinous rice flour, whole wheat, and cake flour, then fried to golden crispy perfection. Each bite reveals juicy meat beneath a substantial yet light crispy exterior, with chicken essence and subtle wheat fragrance.

It is served with homemade fermented chili sauce or fish sauce sweet and sour dip, accompanied by crispy rice salad, pickled cucumbers, and pickled cherry radishes.

The "buby tea chicken nuggets with caviar" transform street food into luxury with generous Ossetra caviar and gold leaf garnish. Thigh meat with skin and cartilage is marinated for three hours in dozens of Indian spices and mala powder, then coated in golden fluffy batter.

The crispy exterior gives way to tender meat with cartilage crunch, balanced by French crème fraîche and enhanced by the briny caviar.

The spicy scallion abalone noodles use Hokkaido wheat flour, offering Hong Kong-style springiness with wheat fragrance. It is topped with scallion oil sauce and slow-braised South African abalone, creating an alluring spicy flavor.

The mapo tofy chili cheese fries reflect Chef Kin and his wife's happy memories of enjoying poutine in Canada, adding Sichuan flavors to the Canadian comfort food. Golden sweet potato fries are topped with mozzarella and a house-made spicy sauce containing over ten spices including green Sichuan peppercorns.

For dessert, try the truffle vanilla ice cream made with Madagascar vanilla beans and black truffle sauce, coated in 70% dark chocolate, and sprinkled with fried chicken skin and sea salt for balance. This playful creation pays homage to Afterglo's signature fried chicken while offering a delightful sweet ending.