Taiwanese actress Joe Chen recently celebrated her husband, Malaysian artist Alan Chen’s birthday, at a two Michelin-starred Spanish restaurant in Taipei, Taiwan.
However, China Press reported that she wasn’t entirely satisfied with the experience, commenting that the dishes were “cold”.
In an Instagram post on Dec 8, Joe uploaded a series of photos which included two selfies with Alan, who’s nine years her junior, and 15 shots of their meal.
Documenting her experience in a detailed caption, the 45-year-old praised the first dish for its unique flavour that stood out from typical appetisers.
“The second dish was also enjoyable, at least visually,” she said, though her enjoyment took a turn with the third course, a cold tomato soup.
While Joe confessed to not being a fan of tomato-based dishes or cold soups, she still found the dish to be “interesting”.
However, her excitement waned as the meal continued, and the food began feeling “dull” from the fourth dish onwards.
“By the time we reached the fifth and sixth dishes, I felt like I was going in circles. Everything was cold – from the soup to the ingredients.
“Each dish came with different creams and sauces, but the creamy texture and coldness made everything feel repetitive,” she remarked.
While Joe acknowledged that dining at a Michelin-starred restaurant was “an adventure with food”, this was the first time she found herself eager to finish the meal quickly.
“We had a second birthday meal later, where I finally got to enjoy a hot piece of meat, though we were only able to order at 9.30pm,” she said.
Joe and Alan registered their marriage in Taipei City on March 31, 2022.
The couple, who met on the 2019 dating show Meeting Mr Right 2, held their wedding reception in Langkawi, Kedah, on Sept 22.