This week The Faster Lane touched down in Hong Kong, Taipei and Tokyo for a bit of market surveillance, cocktailing with subscribers and friends, and even some rapid retail immersion in Aoyama with a colleague who’d never before set foot in Japan. Here are the past five days told in 10 discoveries.

EVA Air
Who knew? Yes, I was aware that they’re a “five-star airline” (I’ve never quite understood what exactly that means) and that they famously had aircraft featuring Hello Kitty-themed liveries but somehow my itineraries have never allowed for much in the way of direct travel or connections through Taipei. Till now most flights in and out have been with Cathay Pacific or ANA. But after the pleasure of departing from the tiny Songshan Airport (located in the heart of Taipei) and sampling EVA’s sleek chocolate brown and dark grey business class on its Boeing 787, it has become a new favourite. From service to amenities to mushy yet firm pillows, it was all excellent. Now I know.

Kavalan
A tasty addition to your bar while also stepping up your highball offer, this Taiwanese single malt producer also ranks as one of the world’s largest whisky brands by volume.

Miaodong
This lean, modern wine bar played host to Monocle’s Taipei subscribers on Thursday evening and it’s the type of establishment that you wish was a five-minute walk from your home or office. Superb food and an excellent selection of wine from established and emerging producers, Taiwanese included.

Groovy
In a retail landscape where fiercely independent multi-brand fashion stores are increasingly difficult to find, Groovy is worth a trip to Taipei. Spend an hour trying on its wares from a mostly Japanese base of designers. The service is also outstanding.

TCS
The Conran Shop might be streamlining its retail operations in Europe but it continues to reinvent itself in Japan. It has become more akin to a mini department store with a fashion section, fragrances and beauty, and a solid line-up of furniture and home accessories. Sir Terence would be proud.

Hereness
Tired of your running and workout gear? Not gathering enough glances in the gym? Japanese brand Hereness can definitely sort you out with its mix of luxury and tech fabrics and sharp styling.

Marbot
And if you feel that there are simply too many friends running around in Paraboots then check out the fine footwear being produced in France by Marbot. Of course, it’s one of those brands that the Japanese are fast making their own.

Bowte
This newish womenswear label knows its way around a knitting factory with thick sweater-style T-shirts and a good-looking selection of smartly spare pieces at Tokyo’s Estnation. This has the right foundation to become the next Auralee.

Torchin
Japanese lamp maker Torchin’s range of battery-powered lanterns continues to light the way for better looking nooks and dining tables. If you’re in search of a new solution for the library or the entry hall, the brand likely has a shade to suit.

Mai Tai
What better name for Tomorrowland’s in-house range of resortwear? The collection features jaunty interpretations of trucker caps, thin cork-sole suede slides and a sparky approach to graphics on its T-shirts, knits and accessories designed for poolside pleasure. The gold-finished dice are particularly handsome.

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The advent of quick, low-cost air travel brought the heyday of grand train journeys to an end and with it a venerable institution: the glamorous railway restaurant (writes Claudia Jacob). In the 1900s these establishments turned train terminals into destinations worth lingering in but they were subsequently replaced by samey, uninspiring chains. Thankfully things are changing – in Paris, at least.

When Parisian hospitality group Touriste opened Deux Gares Express in October 2025 the brand showed a clear understanding of the transience of its clientele. “Efficiency is the key aspect of the express concept. The dining counter plays a central role. You can sit there and enjoy the dish of the day in 20 minutes while keeping an eye on the clock,” says founder Adrien Gloaguen. He also had a point to prove. “For too long, ‘station food’ has been synonymous with mediocrity,” he says. “We wanted to challenge that stereotype.” Dishes include oeuf mayonnaise, brioche croque monsieur and the soup of the day.

The interiors are by UK designer Luke Edward Hall, who cherry-picked the best in French and British design to execute an eccentric 1970s style with panache. Open from 07.30 until 22.00, Deux Gares Express is more dependable than the trains. Gloaguen ensures that Parisians and travellers are fed from morning till night. “Stations never sleep and neither do hotels,” he says. “We need to be there at all times of the day.” The railway restaurant, it seems, is back on track.
hoteldeuxgares.com

Hungry for more? Monocle’s Paris City Guide is available on monocle.com. 

Restaurateur Nam Parama Raiva is the second-generation leader behind S&P, a restaurant and bakery group in Thailand. She is also at the helm of Nais Table, a Bangkok establishment focusing on home-style dishes inspired by her mother’s cooking. Here she chats to us about her family’s Chinese-Thai comfort meals and where to go in Bangkok for glass noodles.

Where do we find you this weekend?
Chiang Mai in northern Thailand. Most likely at Rasik Local Kitchen, where they make the best grilled ox tongue and dipping sauce. And you might also see me in Nimman by the Isaan sausage street-food cart, buying sour sausage with rice and glass noodles. 

What’s for breakfast?
Mum’s duck noodle soup with an extra portion of crispy lard and fresh chilli vinegar. And a few helpings of leftover cakes from our patisserie SNP Cake Studio. 

Sunday culture must? 
Dinner in Bangkok’s Old Town on Charoen Krung Road, and [a visit to] Wat Pho temple. 

What’s on the menu?
Sunday nights call for Khao Tom Kui, a Chinese-Thai comfort meal. We have plain rice porridge with stir-fried morning glory, soy-braised duck, salted eggs, egg stir fry with preserved radish and my family’s favourite: crispy Chinese sausage with chilli and lime. 

Which brands does your wardrobe currently consist of?
Kemissara is a great Thai brand.

A scotch egg is traditionally a boiled egg wrapped in a layer of sausage meat, which is then breaded and deep fried. Here, Monocle’s Japanese chef adds prawns instead of sausage meat, along with soy sauce and sesame oil for an elevated take on the great British classic.

Makes 4

Ingredients

4 medium eggs

For the prawn mixture
400g raw peeled prawns
1 shallot, finely chopped
2 tsps fresh ginger, grated
1 tbsp light soy sauce
2 tsps toasted sesame oil
1 tsp sugar
A large pinch of salt

For the coating
4 tbsps plain flour
1 medium egg, beaten
10 tbsps panko breadcrumbs
2 tbsps sesame seeds
Splash of oil for frying

Method
1.
Boil the eggs for 5 and a half minutes. As soon as the time is up, drain immediately and cool in ice-cold water.

2. 
Place the prawns in a food processor and mince finely. Remove the blade, add the remaining ingredients for the prawn mixture, and combine well with a spatula.

3.
Carefully peel the eggs (the centres will be soft).

4.
Divide the prawn mixture into 4 portions. Flatten each portion in the palm of your hand to form a thin patty large enough to cover an egg.

5.
Carefully wrap and seal the prawn mixture around each egg. 

6.
For the coating, mix the plain flour and beaten egg together, whisking until smooth. 

7.
In a separate tray, combine the panko breadcrumbs and sesame seeds.

8.
Dip each prawn-wrapped egg into the flour and egg mixture, coating evenly, then roll in the breadcrumb mixture until fully coated.

9.
Heat the oil over medium heat in a medium-sized pot, enough to fully submerge the prawn-wrapped eggs. When the oil reaches 160C (a small pinch of breadcrumbs should bubble and rise steadily without burning), it’s time to fry.

10.
Using a slotted spoon, gently lower the prawn-wrapped eggs into the oil. Fry two at a time for 4 to 5 minutes or until golden. Remove and drain on kitchen paper. Repeat and serve immediately.

Vienna’s former commercial court is hardly a building that sparks joy for locals (writes Florian Siebeck). “Everyone knows it – and not for good reasons: people used to come here to get divorced or declare bankruptcy,” says UK designer Jo Littlefair, who was handed the decidedly sunnier task of transforming the address into the Mandarin Oriental’s debut Austrian outpost.