All reviews of category "Taiwanese-style Japanese"

I have visited many times, and each time I can eat until I'm full. The sushi is freshly made and very fresh. My personal favorite is their century egg and garlic cold noodles; the portion is generous and very delicious. After finishing, I pair it with oden, and I'm very satisfied and delighted, plus it's super cheap! A cabbage meat roll that's as long as my hand is only 20 yuan. Eating it in the cold weather warms me up completely.

The 228 holiday has arrived, and I finally visited a place that has been on my wishlist for a long time. Previously, every time I walked by, it was always packed with people. This time, I booked a table for 5:00 PM using inline reservations.

During this time slot, apart from us, the rest of the restaurant was reserved. When we entered, the staff suggested that we order quickly to avoid delays in serving, which made me a bit anxious. Luckily, I had already looked at the menu beforehand and quickly helped everyone choose their dishes. I only started taking photos after placing the order. 😮‍💨

Today, we ordered four main dishes for four adults and one child, with the main courses priced around 260 to 350 each. We also added some side dishes, desserts, and drinks. I found there were many add-on options available at reasonable prices. For instance, I added a side dish that included a serving of vegetables, a plate of fries, and a pudding made with century egg, all for just 60 NT dollars, which is a great value.

The food came out quickly, and each main dish included a bowl of miso soup and tofu. The miso soup contained onion, carrots, and seaweed sprouts, which was quite a sincere touch. The sauce for the tofu was likely made with century egg, which added some points. The appetizers felt well-prepared and not rushed. However, the performance of the main dishes was a bit disappointing. For example, the flavor of the lemon butter pasta was good, and the salmon was a large piece but on the dry side. The pork belly rice was lacking in meat, and there wasn’t anything to go with it if I wanted to add more rice. The beef curry had tender meat, but the curry flavor wasn't distinctive. The Lanbo double sauce noodles also tasted pretty average. The signature chiffon cake for dessert was eye-catching, but the cake itself was a bit dry, and the pearls were hard. Considering it was just 60 NT dollars, I won’t be too demanding.

Overall, after finishing the meal, it felt like something was just a little off. Each dish seemed to have one part that left me a bit disappointed, but the add-on items had quite good value.

Taste of the meal 🌕🌕🌗🌑🌑
Price of the meal 🌕🌕🌕🌑🌑
Quality of service 🌕🌕🌕🌑🌑
Dining atmosphere 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑

Kaohsiung's old brand of all-you-can-eat Japanese food.
Prices keep increasing...
One person costs $798 + service fee $80 = $878.

Not cheap, at this price you could eat better.

The salmon and tuna sashimi are delicious.

The deep-fried shrimp tempura is okay, but not as good as Marugame's.

The shrimp are ice-cold with a hint of alcohol and ginseng flavor — not bad, but the shrimp are super small.

The tender beef tastes nice as well,
and the grilled scallops are also good.

Their business is booming,
so make sure to order lots of “salmon and tuna sashimi” right away,
then order some classic dishes like tempura and such.
Don’t order things that will fill you up too quickly, like grilled pork ribs.

As for drinks,
I drank cappuccino from the Nestlé coffee machine,
it’s really cold in winter, so there’s hot barley tea,
and there’s a soft serve machine along with a scooped ice cream cabinet.

After eating the soft serve, I had to run to the bathroom...
I didn’t eat much after that,
and when I got home, I had to go again — it was terrible.

A Japanese small shop near the school that I've been keeping an eye on for a long time
I never went for it because the prices were a bit high, but this time I decided to treat myself well since I was exhausted after an all-nighter yesterday!

The shop is hidden in a small alley, and it's not easy to find parking; my friend and I walked over.
There are also many other small shops and cafes around to explore!

What I ate:

🌻 Chicken Karaage Curry Omelette $280

As soon as the dish arrived, it had a rich aroma.
The curry was delicious when I took a bite; for those who are afraid of spicy food, you can order it mild. As someone who doesn't eat spicy food at all, I felt it was just right (it didn't really have a spicy impression).

The portion size is just enough to fill someone with a small appetite, but I was surprised that there were only three pieces of chicken karaage (although they were quite large), but really... it was just so little... The chicken tasted average.

Honestly, it was quite delicious, but the price-to-value ratio is really low; if you have a big appetite, you'll end up spending a lot of money in this place...

What my friend ate:

🌻 Sunday Red Wine Dry Curry $300

I took a bite, and it seemed like his dry curry was more like meat sauce; the curry flavor wasn't strong.
It felt like eating meat sauce with rice? The red wine flavor was also not very obvious.
It was said to be similar to Okinawan taco rice.
But the flavor was fragrant enough, and it was still not bad.

For students, the prices at this shop are really... quite expensive... Especially since you don't really get full, so if your budget is tight, you'll need to think carefully...

Every time I pass by this store, I wonder why it's called 190. Is the owner very tall? Later I found out it should be the house number. 😅

Because of a colleague's group dinner, it was my first time stepping into this place. At first, you might think you went to the wrong place when you walk in because the style of the first area looks very much like a stir-fry restaurant, and there's a hot air balloon for bar beer. You have to open a second door to get into the actual dining area of the restaurant.

Now back to the food, their dishes are a mix of Taiwanese and Japanese cuisine, so don't expect authentic Japanese food. However, in terms of value for money, it’s quite high because you only need 2 bills of the Father of the Nation to get salmon fried rice, swordfish fish cake sides, chawanmushi, miso soup, salad, fried pork cutlet (depending on what meat you order), and so on. You can really eat a lot. If you don’t mind the level of refinement, it’s definitely a fulfilling and tasty option for a regular lunch.

This is an old restaurant that has been around for over a decade, known for its barbecue in Taichung, a place only locals are familiar with. It offers both Taiwanese and Japanese cuisine, making it suitable for gatherings with friends, company meetings, or birthday celebrations. With various options for food, beer, and spirits, it features private rooms indoors and allows smoking outdoors. The spacious indoor area allows for tables to be combined for larger groups, catering to diverse dining needs.

While passing through the Gongguan area, I came across a Japanese-style dining place that specializes in eel rice, where you even have to use a self-ordering machine outside to pay.

However, this is actually a Taiwanese take on Japanese cuisine. Fooday just happens to have this type of restaurant!

I ordered the grilled eel set meal (small), and the rice was plentiful. The eel sauce was rather sweet, and the texture was not soft enough; in fact, it was a bit bouncy. This seems to be a common interpretation of Taiwanese eel rice? There were small bones, but the main issue was that it wasn't hot enough.

My basic understanding of Japanese grilled eel is that it should be grilled at high temperatures until the meat is extremely tender, easily falling apart when picked up with chopsticks. Even if there are fine bones, they should be grilled to the point of being soft enough to swallow without getting stuck in your throat. Unfortunately, this dish did not meet those standards.

Dine-in customers can help themselves to warm tea, and the set meal also comes with apple vinegar and Taiwanese side dishes. The music playing in the restaurant was all Mandarin pop music.

Every store has a story behind it. A young man, in pursuit of his dreams, founded this shop in the streets of Changhua in 2016, specializing in Japanese-style grilled meat bowls and steak sets. He hopes to bring Japanese street food culture to Taiwan and provide high-quality meals at affordable prices. In addition to the main dishes, the shop also offers a variety of set menu options, along with free soup, side dishes, and drinks, allowing customers to enjoy delicious food while experiencing great value for their money…

✅ "Extreme盛" Kyoto Jiro Pork Bowl: The amount of pork is double that of the regular portion, nearly completely covering the rice. The pork belly is sourced from Taiwan and grilled to release a fragrant aroma of fat, resulting in tender meat. The sweet-salty sauce pairs well with the rice, making you unable to resist taking bite after bite. Additionally, you can add a soft-boiled egg for an extra 30 TWD, mixing the yolk with the rice for a smoother and richer flavor.

✅ Hirata Soul Thick-Cut Cheese Pork Chop Bowl: The pork is made from Iberian pigs, coated in a golden and crispy batter, with rich mozzarella cheese stuffed inside. Taking a bite releases a rich layer of cheese and the tender pork chop's meatiness. The slightly sweet pork chop sauce enhances the dish's flavor. Although the pork chop is thick, it remains tender and juicy, with a slightly thicker coating that still maintains its crispiness.

✅ Flame God Grilled Marble Beef Bowl: The beef used is American flat iron steak, paired with the shop's special barbecue sauce. It is grilled over an open flame to fully release the fragrant fat of the beef. The sinew is also removed to make the meat even more tender and easy to chew. Paired with onions, pickled ginger, and broccoli, it balances the overall flavor, making it refreshing and reducing the greasiness of the beef.

✅ Nanban Pepper and Spicy Fried Chicken: The chicken is made from chicken thighs, which are very tender and juicy, retaining the chicken's essence inside. Paired with the shop's special sweet and sour sauce with a hint of pepper, the flavors are rich and layered.

✅ Volcano Lava Cake: The cake is not the typical fluffy type but has a rich chocolate aroma and a moderate sweetness that isn't overly cloying, making it a satisfying treat without feeling too heavy.

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This restaurant offers excellent value for money. In addition to the meals, the shop provides unlimited access to chicken soup, smoothies, and side dishes, which, despite being free, are quite flavorful. The portion sizes are generous, making it highly recommended for meat lovers, especially the "Extreme盛" series. The best part is that the prices are very affordable!

If you get really hungry late at night and want to have a proper meal, the Artisan Eatery is a great choice. They offer a variety of Japanese donburi (rice bowls) and also have soup dumplings available. The dining space inside the restaurant is quite spacious, allowing you to sit down and enjoy your meal slowly.

The restaurant has many motivational slogans from the owner, and one that impressed me the most is: "You must eat to your fill!" If you’re not full, you can tell him. This really gives a warm feeling to those living alone outside, as if they are being cared for. Plus, the owner’s wife is very kind; after my delivery arrived, she directly offered me some red tea.

However, let's get back to evaluating the food. Regarding the chicken thigh donburi I ordered, the seasoning was fine, but I believe some details could be improved. For example, the chicken bone wasn’t cleaned well, and I almost got pricked by it. Additionally, the rice in the donburi was a bit too wet, making it somewhat mushy. Otherwise, given the portion size, I think the price is reasonable.

Next time, I would like to try their soup dumplings.

📍Zhonghe District, New Taipei City (near Biyang Plaza)

🐷Golden Fried Pork Cutlet Bento $150
The side dishes of the bento include cauliflower and a soft-boiled egg, along with stir-fried cabbage, chilled kelp salad, and homemade pickled radish. The golden pork cutlet, while not thick, is tender and not dry; the dipping sauce is slightly sweet and salty, making it an overall decent and tasty bento.
Drinks (black tea, water) and soup (bonito kelp soup) are available for unlimited refills. After finishing, you need to return the utensils to the serving cart.

You can order online via Line, and takeout services are also available. It's not a destination restaurant, but if you're passing by and unsure of what to eat, this place is a good choice.