All reviews of category "Seafood"
The "Katte Don" is a local specialty here. You first go to other shops to purchase plain rice (you can choose between regular rice or sushi vinegar rice) and soup (miso soup or crab soup), and then you can choose the sashimi you want to make into a donburi. Of course, you can also just order sashimi to eat, along with various crabs and grilled fish to choose from.
There are many shops available, and the prices and selections are generally similar, so it depends on which one you prefer. I specifically chose sashimi I had never tried before, such as yellowtail, cod, hirame, seasonal salmon, as well as my favorite shellfish, snails, shrimp, and red snow crab (similar to Matsuba crab but smaller). It was really satisfying. Although it might not be considered cheap when you add it all up, the variety is something you usually can't find, so I highly recommend it.
Located in the Kushiro Washo Market, most of the shops here are known for their popular katsugodon or for selling fish and crabs. It seems that this one is the only shop that specializes in selling fresh oysters and scallops.
Eating them fresh and live is truly the best! There are different sizes, varieties, and price ranges, so it depends on personal preference and budget. Today, there were only two types, so I ordered two fukujyu (a specific type of scallop) and one large fukujyu. Just one word to describe it: fresh.
🌊 Super high CP value fresh seafood bowl, one bowl with three ways to eat! The sea bream broth with rice is sweet and rich; I regret not adding rice!
I stumbled upon this inconspicuous little shop. When I glanced at the menu, I saw that the seafood bowl starts at only 1,000 yen, so I immediately decided to come back for lunch the next day!
The ordering method is via a ticket machine at the entrance. After ordering, if there are no seats, you wait outside. The shop only has four seats and is almost always fully occupied.
Today, I ordered the regular 1,000 yen seafood bowl. The seafood here is directly delivered from the Choshi Port in Chiba, the home of the owner, so it's not only fresh and varied but also has fewer middlemen, which makes it so affordable.
The special thing about the seafood bowl is that it can be enjoyed in three ways! Initially, you eat it like a regular seafood bowl, mixing the wasabi into the soy sauce and then enjoying it with the ingredients. The fish on top is fresh, sweet, and chewy, cut into small pieces making it very convenient to eat.
About a third of the way through, I added the transparent "sushi vinegar jelly" that was provided during the meal into the rice, giving it the feeling of eating chirashi sushi! This method of adding vinegar was super unique to me!
Finally, when there's about a third left, I could take it to the counter and ask them to add "sea bream broth" to make it into a porridge. They would ask if I wanted to add rice, and I thought I wouldn't want to eat too much, so I declined. But everyone else, regardless of gender, added rice, and I really regretted it!
The broth they added was concentrated seafood essence and turned slightly cloudy. It wasn't the clear broth you usually get with tea rice; the flavor was mild and elegant. I really wanted to eat another bowl of rice! If you come here, you definitely need to add rice at this point!
This place is highly recommended, and I will definitely come back often!
The restaurant is very impressive, with a landscape design at the entrance, including a long fish tank. The seating area has individual partitions, and in the center of the restaurant, there’s a large tank with quite a few sharks and rays swimming around. The restaurant has a section for freshly caught seafood, featuring a lot of king crabs, lobsters, etc., making it a very respectable place for hosting guests.
Perhaps due to the high prices, there were many expectations for the food. Overall, the ingredients were very fresh, but the flavors were not particularly breathtaking.
Sturgeon roe fried rice: generous in ingredients and large in portion, with distinct rice grains, but there was no noticeable wok flavor.
King crab: fresh, seasoned very lightly to maintain its original taste, presented impressively, though not inexpensive.
Steamed egg with king crab: the crab flavor was somewhat weak, tasting quite like soy sauce steamed eggs?
Wong Bok and enoki mushrooms were very delicious! The geoduck was also surprisingly tasty.
There were many spices; those who are sensitive to onions, ginger, and garlic might want to choose carefully.
Tainan's Guohua Street is a place with a very high density of delicious food; whether it’s braised pork buns, rice cake, or beef soup, you can find places with long lines just by walking around. However, this time my goal was more specific: I wanted to eat fish soup, and ideally, it should be made with fish freshly killed and cooked on the spot – the fresher, the better. The Shuixian Temple Sanxiong Fish Soup shop is located inside the Shuixian Temple market, and it’s an old shop that locals often frequent. At first glance, the sign might make you think it's just a fish soup stall, but after experiencing the food, you’ll feel that their braised pork rice could stand on its own as well.
Their braised pork rice features fatty meat with a light sauce color; it’s not overly salty, but instead has a subtle sweetness, and the gelatinous texture leaves your lips slightly sticky after eating. It’s rich but not greasy, full of aroma, and pairs perfectly with the fish soup.
During a previous visit, I asked the owner at the counter what kind of fish was available that day. I ended up trying a black ling fish and ordered it as a two-in-one dish: pan-fried fish + miso fish soup. It was incredibly impressive. The skin of the pan-fried fish was perfectly crispy, while the meat inside was tender and without any muddy taste; the soup tasted as if it had just been scooped from the sea, and the fish was so soft that even drinking the soup made my lips curl into a smile.
This time, I got to eat a red fish; the owner mentioned it was called 'red stripe fish,' but I had trouble understanding his Taiwanese. For those who know fish, maybe you can look at the photo and tell me what it is🤩. Anyway, it was also crisp on the outside, with delicate and tender meat, with hardly any bones, making it a comfortable bite.
What stood out to me about this shop is that the fish is really fresh, the frying technique is impressive, and the miso soup is not too strong, allowing you to taste the freshness of the fish. Overall, it’s very simple but has real strength. Pairing it with a bowl of braised pork rice was extremely satisfying. If you ask me to recommend a fish soup place on Guohua Street, I would unhesitatingly point to the Shuixian Temple shop first.
This Toyosu Market is likely familiar to those who have been to Tokyo, Japan 🇯🇵, and you could say it’s actually an updated version of Tsukiji! Although it’s located a bit further away than before, I feel that the entire area is much more spacious, and upon entering, you can definitely feel the presence of some Japanese style!
This restaurant is located on the second floor at the back of Toyosu Market, and in this entire area, you can enjoy a wide variety of seafood 🦞, especially for those like me who love sea urchin; I can't help but want to try every single shop!
When I arrived at this restaurant, I saw a picture outside featuring sea urchin hand rolls, so once I got inside, I immediately ordered two without even thinking! Later, I realized one hand roll costs ¥5,000, which is indeed a bit too expensive! So I quickly changed it to one; luckily, the chef was a bit busy, so we were able to make the adjustment in time!
However, when the sea urchin was presented in front of me, I truly felt it was worth it because they didn't just put a layer of sea urchin on top; even after taking several bites, there was still sea urchin inside the hand roll. The freshness of the sea urchin was exceptional, delivering the freshest sweetness, and each bite melted in my mouth. Paired with the Japanese rice, it really allowed the sea urchin's flavor to blend perfectly in my mouth! Still, I can't help but feel the price is a little too high, given that this small hand roll was gone in just a few bites.
Although we only ordered this one dish, I could see that there were quite a few people dining on-site. If you have a lot of time and really enjoy seafood 🦪, I think you should consider trying some of the other rice bowls or more seafood options! I hope interesting people can share their experiences with me!
If you want to eat fresh stir-fried dishes on Orchid Island, the top recommendation near Hongtou is the Orchid Island Seafood Restaurant. The location of the restaurant is quite hidden; you have to walk in through a temple, so it's not easy to find. Next to the restaurant is a health station. There is convenient parking available at the entrance of the restaurant (or rather, the temple entrance).
Orchid Island Seafood Restaurant has quite a few signature dishes. For instance, the steamed grouper is very fresh and has a certain firmness, making it very delicious. Even the chicken from the sugarcane retains its original sweetness and tenderness.
Additionally, the preparation of white shrimp combined with the freshness of rice wine makes it so tasty that you'll find yourself eating one after another. The locally caught abalone may not be big, but its freshness is unmatched by seafood restaurants, and it doesn’t have a strong fishy smell. Overall, the cooking standards of this restaurant are above average, making it a top choice for many business visitors to Orchid Island. It's very suitable for gatherings, drinking, and chatting.
If travelers coming to Fengzhoushi Market should not miss this restaurant, it's not hard to see why. After all, the big sign will attract you, especially if you really love oysters 🦪; you will probably be drawn in just like I was!
There are actually quite a few options inside. Everyone can just Google Translate a bit, or if someone happens to be very knowledgeable about the types of oysters, they can choose directly! But personally, I think no matter what kind of oyster you choose, you won't be disappointed because the freshness already makes a huge difference!
The size of the oysters is truly astonishing, big enough to fill your mouth, and combined with their remarkable freshness, they taste sweet and delicious like milk 🥛 in your mouth! We also ordered sea urchin, which was similarly fresh; the feeling of it melting in your mouth is pure bliss. I think only someone who really likes sea urchin can fully appreciate it when they try it personally~~
I highly recommend this place to seafood lovers 🦞! Even if you just take a few bites to try, it's worth it, as it's like tasting something fresh and unique! I encourage everyone to share more of their experiences with other dishes from the restaurant!
Dining at the Seafood Restaurant for Fishermen in Back Bay, Kenting this time was still very satisfying. I had been there once before and left a great impression; this time I brought my family along, and it was just as good.
The limited-edition cuttlefish egg was fried to be crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, simply seasoned yet full of flavor. The stir-fried mackerel with cabbage was a pleasant surprise; the texture of the mackerel was more tender than I expected, with a bit of a chewy quality similar to that of squid, which was quite unique. The fried tofu had a crispy outer layer, and when paired with the savory sauce, it tasted even better.
A plate of sashimi costs only 200 NT dollars, and it's thickly sliced and large, especially the rare red grouper, which was extremely fresh and satisfying with every bite.
This place is really impressive, with fresh ingredients and reasonable prices; it's definitely worth a revisit!
📍Location: Chiayi. Budai
Personal Summary: The food was quite good, but the serving times were very inconsistent, making the dining experience quite unsatisfactory. Additionally, I dislike restaurants with opaque pricing, so I cannot give a good review.
This time, we specially came to Budai for seafood!
The more famous Heipi Seafood Restaurant next door only offered set dishes for a group of people during the Spring Festival and did not provide a la carte options, so we looked for another seafood restaurant next door (although there aren’t many nearby, we just searched randomly).
🙂↔️Let’s first discuss the negative aspects:
I personally care a lot about transparent pricing. The restaurant didn’t provide a physical menu and only had a printed menu on the wall, which indicated prices for large, medium, and small portions. However, I think it’s difficult to have a "uniform price" for different types of seafood. When it came time to pay, the owner listed the prices for each dish, which indeed did not match the menu.
Furthermore, we asked the owner how "large, medium, and small portions" were determined. The reply was, "I decide based on how many of you there are."
While it sounds considerate for the owner to recommend portion sizes based on the number of people, it actually felt somewhat coercive in deciding the portions. For those who have a budget for a meal, it’s almost like unboxing a surprise box.
Regarding the seafood, the owner also strongly recommended a dish with two preparations of one fish, so we ordered a fish. Choosing the fish on-site seemed great, but how the fish was priced was only revealed later.
A small fish for two preparations cost $630. To be honest, I don’t know what the average price range for that fish is. Could it actually be an expensive fish? (We just wanted to eat fish, not to be foodies indulging in delicacies.)
The owner only talked about the texture and quality of the fish, but didn’t provide a price upfront (it was only known at checkout). So, how big was the fish? I couldn’t take a picture as the owner quickly whisked it away, but the steamed fish in the photo was basically just the body without the head or tail.
What happened to the fish head, tail, and bones? They were all made into miso soup.
🍲Regarding the serving time:
The sequence of dishes was as follows:
Oyster Omelet ➡️ Stir-fried Water Lily ➡️ Fried Noodles with Oysters ➡️ Steamed Fish ➡️ Fish Soup
But the feeling of waiting was:
Oyster Omelet ➡️ Stir-fried Water Lily ➡️➡️Fried Noodles with Oysters➡️➡️➡️➡️➡️➡️➡️➡️Steamed Fish➡️Fish Soup
Basically, we finished the first three plates before the steamed fish arrived, and even the empty plates had been cleared away.
No matter how tender the fish was, it felt dry to eat... (The flavor was very plain with nothing to pair it with). At one point, we even thought if the dishes didn’t arrive soon, we might as well not eat and urged for the dishes, which took a while to arrive afterward.
🐟Regarding the taste:
My family praised the taste of the dishes, but personally, I feel that "as long as the seafood is fresh enough and cooked properly, it can taste good." The fish market is nearby, and we are at the harbor, so if the seafood isn’t fresh enough, this restaurant would probably get a negative review.
🥘This time's meal cost:
- Fried Noodles with Oysters $120 * 2 portions
- One Fish Two Preparations (Steamed1 + Soup1) $630
- Stir-fried Water Lily $150
- Oyster Omelet $280
(No extra rice ordered)
Three people were quite full after eating, but personally, I felt full from the soup rather than the actual dishes; without soup, it was about 70% full.
The taste was passable, and the establishment was relatively clean, so if there weren’t really other options nearby, I might consider it again. (Budai is indeed a rural township, and there aren’t many shops around).
🅿️Regarding parking:
Since there’s a public fishing market nearby, there are both free public parking and paid private parking. The private parking isn’t too expensive ($10/visit).
We were originally worried that there would be no parking space due to the crowd, so we parked at a private lot as soon as we saw one. There were quite a few parking spaces; even though there seemed to be a lot of cars in line on the road, it was mostly just people walking slowly to park.
The nearest parking lot is a 3-minute walk to the restaurant.