In the heart of Taipei’s Da’an District, right off Civic Boulevard, hidden on the ground level of a humble five-story building, one will find a bright red entrance to a true cultural clash of cuisine: Nabo Ulv, where Nordic inspiration meets Taiwanese flavors.
The Idea for Nabo Ulv
Nabo Ulv opened its doors in 2023, as the revamped version of ULV restaurant and bar. The creators behind it are Phoebe Cheng and Chef Sid, both of whom are Taiwanese and have worked together for many years.
Chef Sid has worked alongside famed Danish chefs such as TV chef Nikolaj Kirk and Michelin chef Mikkel Maarbjerg, who ran the Danish-inspired restaurant Hygge in Taipei.
“Sid’s experience working alongside the Danish chefs was certainly an important part of our journey, but I wouldn’t describe it as a single turning point or the influence of one person alone. For us, the connection to Nordic cuisine grew out of a shared team experience over time,” Phoebe Cheng says.
Long partnership
Phoebe and Sid worked together for many years at classical French restaurants in Taipei, including L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon, where Phoebe says the two built a strong technical foundation and discipline.
Their later collaborations and work environment with the Danish chefs gave the pair a newfound respect for and insight into Nordic cuisine in particular.
“What stayed with us was never about specific dishes or ingredients, but about a methodology — respect for raw materials, trust in restraint, and allowing time to become part of the cooking process. Through fermentation, curing, drying, and preservation, flavors are built gradually rather than through immediate intensity,” Phoebe says.
Nordic inspiration in a global city
To Phoebe, it is important to make a distinction. Nabo Ulv is not a restaurant that simply makes Danish or Nordic food in Taiwan.
“We didn’t aim to recreate Nordic cuisine in Taipei. Instead, we brought those values back with us and asked how they could be translated through Taiwan’s climate, pace, and local ingredients,” she explains.
Many things at Nabo Ulv are Nordic-inspired.
“Open fire is central to our kitchen. It is there not as a performance, but as the most direct and honest way to work with heat. We primarily use Taiwanese ingredients, applying Nordic principles of clarity and restraint. Our focus is always on balance rather than accumulation — allowing each dish to quietly express the ingredient itself.”
Taipei has a lot to offer for the culinarily curious. Various food markets line the streets at night, and restaurants from every corner of the world serve delicious meals to millions of people a day. In a city in such a hurry, Phoebe wants Nabo Ulv to be a calm place for guests.
“In a city defined by speed and abundance, choosing slowness, preservation, and simplicity has become a clear stance for us. It is often through this contrast that Nordic values become even more apparent. For us, Nordic cuisine is not a style, but a long-term way of thinking.”
