Located in Ueno, Tokyo, "Gyukatsu Moto mura Ueno" is a very well-known fried steak specialty restaurant that features fried beef served with a small grill. The steak is crispy on the outside while remaining tender and medium rare on the inside, allowing you to eat it directly or grill it to your preferred doneness at the table.
This time, I ordered a set meal with 1.5 times the meat portion. The beef was tender and particularly complemented by the yam puree and pickled vegetables. The smooth texture of the yam paired unexpectedly harmoniously with the rich flavor of the beef. The side dishes included miso soup and pickled vegetables, which, although simple, were a good match for the main star. The warabi mochi for dessert was a delightful surprise, served with soybean flour and brown sugar, sweet but not overwhelming—ideal for a finishing touch.
As for drawbacks, this restaurant is very popular, usually requiring a queue of over an hour to be seated. The space is small with only about 14 seats, which might be a challenge for those who dislike waiting in line. However, the taste truly justifies the wait, which is why it is recommended by many tourists and locals alike.
Overall, "Gyukatsu Moto mura" is a food experience worth trying, especially for those who are tasting fried beef for the first time, as they can truly feel the surprise. However, next time I might choose to visit on a weekday to avoid peak hours or try my luck at one of their other branches.
Environment
The decor of the Japanese izakaya is not extensive in terms of seating, with tables placed relatively close together. It can feel a bit cramped when full, but there is also the option to sit at the bar.
Meals
The restaurant's set meals include a lettuce salad 🥗, chawanmushi, pickles, fruit 🍉, and soup, making for a nutritious and balanced meal. The main dishes are mostly fried items, with the exception of two sets featuring grilled salt.
📍 Spicy Sour Chicken Leg 💰280
An enormous chicken leg with a crispy exterior that retains its juiciness — the sour and spicy sauce is utterly appetizing!
📍 Honey Mustard Pork Chop 💰250
The pork chop is crispy on the outside and tender inside, with the main point being that the meat doesn't turn dry.
📍 Crispy Fried King Oyster Mushroom 💰60
This one is relatively average, feeling a bit dry when eaten that day.
Parking
Motorcycles 🛵 can park in front of the shop or within the nearby white lines.
Cars 🚗 can park in the parking lot on Zhongxing Road 🅿️ (next to PX Mart), with indoor parking costing 💰30 for one hour (maximum charge is 200).
Service
Upon seating, a friendly young staff member will bring the menu to your table. After confirming your orders, you can go to the counter to settle the bill. Utensils 🍴 and tea 🍵 are self-service.
Payment Methods
Cash 💵
▶Caramelized Onion Sauce Grilled Sirloin Beef Cauliflower Rice $378◀
The beef is very tender, and since it's prepared with a sauce, it has a bit of sweetness. The dish is made with half cauliflower rice and half white rice, so it feels just like eating regular rice!! Moreover, the side dishes are also very delicious, allowing those on a weight loss journey to enjoy their meal happily!!
▶Karaage Chicken with Tartar Sauce Cauliflower Rice $338◀
This time I ordered the radish puree pork loin chop set for an additional 79 yuan. I usually prefer lighter meals, but I felt that the pork chop with the special sauce didn’t really have much flavor. The pork chop was average, and the outer crust wasn't very crispy.
The tofu miso soup was well-seasoned, and it had plenty of tofu and mushrooms. You could also get a refill on the soup.
Hot black tea is available with milk and sugar on the side, and the tea is not bitter and is served at a nice temperature—great!
The dessert, vanilla ice cream, tasted quite a bit like McDonald's, and when paired with the brownie, it created a nice mixed texture that was quite delicious. At the original price of 140 yuan, adding 79 yuan for an extra drink and dessert is a pretty good deal.
The staff had a good attitude and were quick to clean the tables. The dining environment is pleasant, though the restroom feels a bit old; however, it's still clean.
#Vegetarian
There are parking spaces on the roadside.
Feijian House is a well-known eel rice restaurant in Taipei City, often requiring a queue on weekends or evenings; it's recommended to visit on weekdays for lunch instead. It's been in operation for over fifty years and is located on Qitiaotong in Zhongshan District, which has many excellent Japanese cuisine options.
The eel in the classic red bento box is grilled to a slightly charred perfection, rich and aromatic. The high-temperature grilling allows the fine bones of the eel to be easily chewed and swallowed, making it a signature item of Feijian House.
Ordering the eel rice comes with a bowl of miso soup. The white rice is slightly moist and the flavor of the sauce is rather mild, which cannot be considered outstanding, but it pairs decently well.
We also ordered a grilled pork skewer, which had dry and tough meat, so I wouldn't recommend it. I had intended to order the eel omelet, which I remember being exceptionally tasty, with the soft omelet soaked in broth flavor, wrapping around the restaurant's best grilled eel. However, the lady taking the order said the chef had left, and the omelet is temporarily unavailable until they find a new chef. It’s surprising that even a longstanding restaurant can encounter such issues with chef turnover affecting the supply of menu items!
There are roadside parking spaces right at the entrance. 🅿️
Environment
The first floor has bar seating, while the second floor has more seating options. The lighting in the restaurant is somewhat dim, but it is still tidy, making it more suitable for gatherings of 3-4 people; too many people would make it cramped.
Food
The restaurant prides itself on its value for money, with large portions at low prices, which students love.
📍 Tonkotsu Ramen 💰178
Includes tonkotsu ramen, karaage chicken, a side dish, and a pudding. 🍮
📍 Restaurant's Signature Dish 💰168
Simply put, it's a pork cutlet set meal.
📍 Broth Sauce Soft Egg Rice Bowl 💰148
A filling combination includes one fried noodle dish and one rice box, topped with an egg and sausage.
📍 Bite-Sized Pork Cutlet Set Meal 💰238
The most generous set includes three side dishes, Aiyu jelly, soup, and fruit. The pork cutlet is thoughtfully cut into bite-sized pieces.
📍 Manager's Favorite 💰150
Simply put, it's a karaage chicken set meal. The portion of the karaage chicken isn't very large, but you'll feel full after finishing the entire set.
Overall, the place offers large portions at reasonable prices. The quality of the ingredients shouldn't be overly scrutinized, as you get what you pay for.
Parking
Scooters 🛵 can be parked in nearby scooter parking spaces or white lines.
Cars 🚗 can be parked in the parking lot near the train station 🅿️ 30/hr.
Service
There isn’t much service; they will bring food to your seat, and there is no service charge. You pay after your meal.
Payment Methods
Cash 💰
🍱 Taitung City ▫️ Near Ren'ai Elementary School
🍱 A specialty shop for fried pork chops that will fill you up to your limits
I completely don't understand why the Google landmark
searching in Chinese shows an English store name 🔍
Lantian Handmade Japanese Pork Chops
But thankfully, I was able to find it smoothly ❤️
On the last day of my stay in Taitung,
I chose to dine at a handmade Japanese pork chop shop recommended by a foodie friend.
I heard this place is extremely popular and always has long lines 🔥
Besides the usual pork chop meals, there are also creative ways to enjoy them.
So, without a reservation, we rushed over right after checking out,
and luckily, we didn’t have to wait and became one of the first few customers ✌🏻
The wooden decoration creates a warm atmosphere of home-cooked meals,
and you can feel the strong Japanese style inside and out 🇯🇵
At the beginning, the staff brought out hot tea 🍵
and informed us that we could refill it as much as we wanted at the entrance.
Then we proceeded to the ordering phase.
The menu has both a version with pictures and a simplified version,
so it's easy to see what set meals and add-on packages are available 🉑
and decide what you’d like to eat 🥢
Since we found the drinks and desserts in the shop to be average,
we both just chose set meals and added some croquettes we were interested in.
Originally, I also wanted to order a pork chop toast 🍞, but thankfully, I overlooked it.
Otherwise, by the end, I would have been too full to eat another bite.
In summary, this is a place that offers great value for money.
If you have a chance, you should definitely eat here at least once.
However, there are many delicious and unique dishes in the eastern region,
so it might be a long time before I can come back again ~
Please check the images for meal introductions ✨
🚩Long business hours, delicious and comfortable Japanese set meals
Baibai Fishery was established in 2009, with its first store located at the Minsheng store near Shuanglian Station, emphasizing simple prices and offering fresh and delicious Japanese set meals.
The Nanjing store we visited today is located in the Songshan District of Taipei City, with the nearest MRT station being Nanjing Sanmin Station, just about a minute's walk from Exit 3. The entrance features a counter and waiting area, and the interior decor is styled with light wood paired with white, creating a comfortable overall atmosphere. The seating is divided into several areas by high partitions, ensuring a certain level of privacy; the tables and chairs are made of wood, with a moderate size.
Once inside, we were shown to our seats by the staff, and we ordered via the tablet on the table. After dining, we settled the bill, and the receipt service was available.
Today we ordered:
🔸 Tomahawk Pork Chop Set Meal $280
The two bone-in pork chops looked quite large 😆, seasoned with barbecue sauce, and were quite tasty (very reminiscent of barbecue during the Mid-Autumn Festival). The edges were slightly charred. When accounting for the bone and the inedible hard cartilage, the thickness was normal, and the portion was actually okay. It was also served with green broccoli, bell peppers, baby corn, and garlic slices, which made for a well-balanced and visually appealing presentation.
🔸 Salt Grilled Mackerel Set Meal $190
The mackerel was grilled just right and served with lemon slices. The saltiness was moderate and paired well with rice, while the meat was tender with a bit of bones, but it did not affect the overall taste. Each set meal also came with side dishes, chawanmushi, and miso soup, all of which were quite tasty. You could refill white rice once per set meal, while the miso soup was available for unlimited refills.
Additionally, we ordered separately:
🔸 Handmade Tamagoyaki $50
This was served cold 🥶, which was different from the hot tamagoyaki one might expect (at least it should be at room temperature...). Each slice was quite thin, with an ordinary taste; the only advantage was that it came to the table quickly, but I personally do not recommend it.
Baibai is also a part of my youthful memories (?)—over a decade ago, when I first entered the workforce, I often went to the Minsheng store for lunch. Back then, the menu items were all priced at a uniform $180, and the miso soup was self-served; I always left feeling satisfied. Over the years, the taste of the mackerel has remained unchanged, the portion sizes have hardly shrunk, and the prices have only slightly increased by $10, which is quite touching 🥺.
