On the Seventeenth Floor, Waking Slowly with the City
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Journey · 2026.10.30

On the Seventeenth Floor, Waking Slowly with the City

Breakfast on the seventeenth floor is small, and the room is quiet. One slow circuit of the buffet counter, then we sat down and ordered à la carte: sea bass and lobster congee, the signature eggs Benedict, an omelette — and a glass of sparkling wine for the morning.

Journey Details
Name 洲際行政俱樂部 Club InterContinental
Location 臺中勤美洲際酒店
Category 行政酒廊
90 SCORE
Overall Score
體驗 Experience91
氛圍 Ambience92
服務 Service90
價值 Value87

Breakfast on the seventeenth floor is the Club InterContinental breakfast, served to guests with club membership or lounge access. The space is small and the crowd is thin: one slow look around the long counter, and then you sit down and order from the à la carte menu. From half past six to half past ten, the Taichung beyond the windows is still not quite awake.

The breakfast counter, with cold cuts, cheese, fruit and smoked salmon already laid out.
The breakfast counter, with cold cuts, cheese, fruit and smoked salmon already laid out.

The long counter begins with the cold row: cold cuts, cheese, fruit, smoked salmon, and a box of salad greens. Right beside it is the bread counter.

Every bread is labelled with its name — cranberry loaf, milky savoury pineapple bun and peanut bread are all there.
Every bread is labelled with its name — cranberry loaf, milky savoury pineapple bun and peanut bread are all there.

What I loved about the bread counter is that every name is set out on its own card: cranberry loaf, milky savoury pineapple bun, peanut bread, raisin custard Danish, seasonal fruit Danish, and French baguettes standing in their rack. You read the name first, then take what you want — no guessing.

Nine jams arranged in three rows, with croissants beside them.
Nine jams arranged in three rows, with croissants beside them.

There are nine jams, in three rows: chocolate, raspberry, Taiwanese honey, peanut, mango, blueberry, lychee, mixed berry and pineapple. Each in its own little bowl — scooping a small taste of every one is a pleasure in itself.

Toast kept warm under a cloth — fresh milk and wholemeal — with jars of biscuits and whole fruit beside it.
Toast kept warm under a cloth — fresh milk and wholemeal — with jars of biscuits and whole fruit beside it.

The toast rests in a wooden box, covered with a cloth to keep it warm — fresh milk and wholemeal. Beside it stand two jars of biscuits and a bowl of whole fruit.

In the steamer baskets: black-and-gold buns, sesame buns, pork buns and roe-topped siu mai.
In the steamer baskets: black-and-gold buns, sesame buns, pork buns and roe-topped siu mai.

The hot food begins with the steamers. The black-and-gold buns are black and plump; there are sesame buns, pork buns and roe-topped siu mai, with three small dishes of dipping sauce beside the baskets. A steamer of hot dim sum in the morning makes your stomach feel looked after.

Japanese small dishes in a wooden divided box, one kind to each compartment.
Japanese small dishes in a wooden divided box, one kind to each compartment.
Natto, tamagoyaki, honey-glazed black beans, teriyaki king oyster mushrooms and seaweed salad — a richer choice of Japanese small dishes than expected.
Natto, tamagoyaki, honey-glazed black beans, teriyaki king oyster mushrooms and seaweed salad — a richer choice of Japanese small dishes than expected.

The Japanese small dishes sit in the buffet area in a wooden divided box, one kind to a compartment, arranged with real delicacy: natto, salted shiso plums, tamagoyaki, honey-glazed black beans, teriyaki king oyster mushrooms, seaweed salad, marinated jellyfish, and little individual packs of nori. There is plenty to choose from; picking slowly adds a quiet Japanese note to breakfast.

On the cart nearby: steamed rice, grilled mackerel and sausages.
On the cart nearby: steamed rice, grilled mackerel and sausages.

The hot selection covers the essentials. On the cart nearby are rice from the electric cooker, grilled mackerel from the grill pan and a bowl of sausages; the cart notes the origin of its meats, and under the warming lamps everything is still hot when you serve yourself.

Juices chilling on crushed ice — watermelon, orange and kiwi; yoghurts in plain, mixed berry and strawberry.
Juices chilling on crushed ice — watermelon, orange and kiwi; yoghurts in plain, mixed berry and strawberry.

The drinks are on the ice counter. Three juices — watermelon, orange and kiwi — nestled in crushed ice; yoghurts in plain, mixed berry and strawberry. A toaster stands beside the counter.

Whole and low-fat milk, unsweetened soy milk, vegetable-and-fruit juice — and sparkling wine — all chilled on the same counter.
Whole and low-fat milk, unsweetened soy milk, vegetable-and-fruit juice — and sparkling wine — all chilled on the same counter.

The ice counter on the other side holds whole milk, low-fat milk, unsweetened soy milk and vegetable-and-fruit juice — and also a bottle of sparkling wine and a bottle of sparkling water, chilling together. Even at breakfast, the sparkling wine is properly cold.

The morning's sparkling wine, poured slowly.
The morning's sparkling wine, poured slowly.
Piccini Prosecco again — the label is perfectly clear in close-up.
Piccini Prosecco again — the label is perfectly clear in close-up.

As it was poured, I took a proper look at the label: Piccini Prosecco, Extra Dry — from the same winery as the sparkling wine we had at the Il Limone breakfast on the first floor.

Sit Down, and Order À La Carte

The menu's left page is the à la carte breakfast; the right page, the evening cocktails.
The menu's left page is the à la carte breakfast; the right page, the evening cocktails.

After one circuit of the counters, we sat down with the menu. There are four à la carte breakfasts: the signature eggs Benedict, the omelette, the two-egg feast, and the sea bass and lobster congee. This morning, the congee, the Benedict and the omelette all came to our table.

Congee, latte and sparkling wine all in place; from the window seat, Taichung in the morning.
Congee, latte and sparkling wine all in place; from the window seat, Taichung in the morning.

First to be set out on the table was this trio: hot congee, a latte and sparkling wine, with a small pot of orange flowers on the table and the morning city beyond the window. Sit down, and take a sip of something hot first.

Sea bass and lobster congee, topped with lobster meat and slices of sea bass, scattered with spring onion.
Sea bass and lobster congee, topped with lobster meat and slices of sea bass, scattered with spring onion.

The sea bass and lobster congee is cooked in a lobster broth, topped with lobster meat and slices of sea bass and scattered with spring onion. The congee is a pale gold — you can tell at a glance that the stock was properly simmered.

Only when you scoop it up do you see how generous the ingredients are.
Only when you scoop it up do you see how generous the ingredients are.
The signature eggs Benedict arrives; the hollandaise is flavoured with passion fruit.
The signature eggs Benedict arrives; the hollandaise is flavoured with passion fruit.

The eggs Benedict is the menu's signature: a poached egg, an English muffin and smoked salmon, with a hollandaise lifted by passion fruit — a touch of fruity acidity. More smoked salmon is arranged on either side of the plate.

The smoked salmon beside it is rolled into a small flower, the hollandaise generous enough to spill over.
The smoked salmon beside it is rolled into a small flower, the hollandaise generous enough to spill over.
The omelette, cooked soft and puffy, with cherry tomatoes and a few vegetables beside it.
The omelette, cooked soft and puffy, with cherry tomatoes and a few vegetables beside it.
Cut open: onion, mushrooms, ham and cheese are all folded inside.
Cut open: onion, mushrooms, ham and cheese are all folded inside.

Inside the omelette are onion, mushrooms, sweet peppers, tomato, black pork ham and cheese; cut it open and the filling is generous, the egg still tender. Eating the three dishes in turn, the morning slows to an easy pace.

A Pharmacist's Order of Breakfast

The club breakfast does not offer a great many items, and I find that just right — you are less tempted to take a bit of everything and end up overfull. My way of eating it begins with the hot congee: sea bass and lobster are both protein, and congee cooked in stock warms the stomach first. Then the egg dishes — the egg, fish and ham in the Benedict and the omelette bring the protein close to enough. Bread and jam come last: just a small scoop of a flavour you like, for a taste. Jam and honey are both sugar; a thin layer carries plenty of flavour.

Juice looks refreshing, but it has less fibre than the whole fruit while all the sugar remains, and a glass of it is absorbed quickly — if you want some, keep it small; there is a whole bowl of fruit on the table to eat slowly. With yoghurt, I check the label first: the plain one here is sweetened. Knowing before you eat is enough. As for the morning sparkling wine, have a little food in your stomach first and drink one glass slowly; if you take regular medication, skip the alcohol, or ask your own doctor or pharmacist before deciding.

One last glass — a toast of sparkling wine to a beautiful start to the day.
One last glass — a toast of sparkling wine to a beautiful start to the day.

At the end of breakfast, I held up my glass and looked out of the window. The sound of traffic drifted up from below; the city had woken and begun its busy day. Up on the seventeenth floor, we finished our breakfast and raised this glass of sparkling wine to a beautiful beginning.

Practical Information

Restaurant: Club InterContinental (17F, InterContinental Taichung)
Breakfast hours: Continental breakfast daily 06:30–10:30; the à la carte breakfast selection is served at the same hours
What is served: A buffet counter (cold cuts, cheese, smoked salmon, breads and nine jams, steamed dim sum, Japanese small dishes, a hot-food cart, juices, yoghurt, milk and soy milk) plus four à la carte dishes (signature eggs Benedict, omelette, two-egg feast, sea bass and lobster congee); sparkling wine is served during breakfast hours
Access: Open to guests with Club InterContinental membership or lounge access; actual privileges depend on the room package and membership benefits. The lounge admits guests aged 16 and above (offerings are subject to the hotel's announcements)

Further Reading

The Seventeenth Floor, Where the City Grows Quiet
On the First Floor, a Breakfast Eaten Slowly
On the Twelfth Floor, a Night That Feels Like Home
On the Seventeenth Floor, Dinner Eaten Very Slowly

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