TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — NOKE, Taipei’s new shopping mall operated by the Jut Group, started its soft opening on Saturday (April 29), featuring contemporary art exhibitions and top-notch restaurants.
German Michelin-starred chef Thomas Buhner has opened “La Vie by Thomas Buhner”, the only international restaurant after the closure of the first restaurant in 2018.
Kitzig Design Studios conceived the restaurant’s interiors, drawing inspiration from the gold mining history of Jinguashi in northern Taiwan. The utensils in the restaurant are designed by Belgian potter Pieter Stockmans and customized by a professional team from Yingge District.
Onibus, a popular Japanese coffee shop, also opened its first franchised store in Taiwan. Founder Sakao Atsushi brews coffee for customers himself for the first three days until Monday (May 1).
A post on social media revealed that coffee lovers are willing to queue up to 1.5 hours to get their coffee. Coffee beans produced in Ethiopia and Peru are the most popular.
In addition, contemporary art exhibitions are on display in the mall, such as Japanese botanical artist Tomako’s floral installations that imitate the passage of time. He embedded selected flowers such as daisies, sunflowers and roses into acrylic strips, aiming to capture life’s best moments.
Meanwhile, works by French street artist Jordane Sage are on display on the first floor of the mall and on the flyover. On Sunday (April 30), the artist also performed an impromptu performance at the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall.
Noke Mall opened on Saturday (29 April). (Taiwan news, Lyla Liu video)
