A Japanese-style yakitori place that only operates for 3 hours is located on a small road near Donghua University. The same building hosts a café that is open until 18:30 during the day, while the yakitori shop starts serving at 18:30, discreetly in a corner. The day and night operations do not interfere with each other, which is quite interesting.
The main dish is yakitori, with a wide variety of cuts to choose from. The owner's skills are impressive, as they manage all the meals themselves, ensuring quick service and good control of the grilling. We were a group of four dining together, and aside from a few rare cuts that were not available that day, we managed to try a lot of the menu. The most outstanding item was the chicken liver, cooked to medium, tender and juicy—amazing! The chicken knee cartilage, chicken thigh Achilles, chicken gizzards, and chicken gizzard edges were also quite good, though nothing else was particularly surprising. Unfortunately, we missed out on the chicken thigh filet, chicken thigh oyster meat, chicken diaphragm, and chicken heart, leaving us with some regrets for our next visit.
This time, I visited "Torikizoku" in Ikebukuro, Tokyo, and I recently noticed a new branch opened in Taiwan as well. On that Sunday evening, it was almost full. We used a tablet for ordering, and as is customary in Japan, we started by ordering drinks. Here's what we ordered, each dish priced at 370 yen:
The total came to 4,810 yen.
Many skewers were over-grilled, and eating too much chicken became a bit overwhelming. The flavor was quite ordinary, though the cabbage helped cut through the richness a bit. The chicken skin and draft beer were pretty good; the grilled chicken back meat with the butter tasted fine even without dipping it in anything. It was worth trying once, but I wouldn't go out of my way to visit again.
🔅 Actual dining date: 2024/10/13
*Please do not repost & commercial use the photos without permission
The first time I ate at this place was in Osaka, and I remember thinking it was very delicious and cheap with my friends!! I've been thinking about it ever since, and this time coming to Japan I felt I must try it again (also I didn't want to line up at a new store in Taiwan, haha).
Even though the staff knew you were a foreigner, they didn't want to speak English, which my friends who have been to Tokyo in the past few months have mentioned, so I was already prepared for it. I believe as foreigners, we should respect the language of the host country, but it can feel a bit lacking in warmth, especially because the guy at the counter that day was a bit shocking.
Upon seating, you need to order drinks with the staff first, but due to language barriers, the lady who seated us allowed us to order by ourselves. Fortunately, ordering was done using a tablet, which was easy to understand at a glance.
I went overboard with ordering, only realizing afterward that everything was chicken skewers in various flavors. I actually forgot exactly what I ordered, so didn't note down each item.
Basically, the skewers are uniformly priced at ¥370, approximately $82 NT (at an exchange rate of 0.22). Except for the limited-time smaller ones, the soy and salt-grilled ones were quite large (roughly twice the size of Taiwanese skewers) and a serving comes with two skewers. The flavors were average and not particularly strong, but towards the end, it all felt the same. Honestly, by the end, I was a bit scared 😂 as it's all protein and quite filling. Luckily, I ordered a non-alcoholic blackcurrant soda, which was delicious! The free cabbage was a good palate cleanser, the pickled cucumbers were normal, and the chicken cartilage was quite tasty.
Overall, next time I come to Japan I probably won't eat here again, as I'd prefer a place with more variety, although the place had a very Japanese style with some semi-private seating which had a nice atmosphere.
Taipei Zhongshan District - An outstanding spot for Japanese skewers. Highly recommend the cod roe stir-fried squid and udon noodles, a perfect place for after-work gatherings with friends and family for skewers and drinks.
There were four of us in total, and we ordered many dishes, so I'll only write about the more memorable ones:
📍 Salmon Parent-Child Skewer 140 TWD
🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑
This dish is quite special, featuring deep-fried salmon with a heap of salmon roe on top.
📍 Grilled Salmon Rice Ball 65 TWD
🌕🌕🌕🌖🌑
Comes in two pieces, great value for money, a good choice to fill up your stomach.
📍 Wasabi Salmon Skewer 90 TWD
🌕🌕🌕🌑🌑
A bit ordinary, with a strong wasabi sauce flavor.
📍 Matsusaka Pork 90 TWD
🌕🌕🌕🌖🌑
Comes with kumquat on the side that you can squeeze. The Matsusaka pork is grilled juicy, but the portion is a bit small, haha.
📍 Cod Roe Stir-Fried Squid 180 TWD
🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕
Five-star recommendation, this dish is really delicious! The seasoning with cod roe and green onion salt is well done, and the portion is ample!
📍 Sake Clam Soup 150 TWD
🌕🌕🌕🌖🌑
Fresh and large clams are used, but the sake aroma is quite subtle, and the flavor is on the lighter side.
📍 Cod Roe Udon 290 TWD
🌕🌕🌕🌕🌕
Five-star recommendation, with rich cod roe sauce and plenty of fish roe on top. Mixing them all together is very satisfying!
▶️ Environment
🔹 The dine-in space is quite large, with two floors
🔹 Decorated in a very Japanese style
🔹 No drinking water provided
🔹 Storage bags are provided
▶️ Friendly Reminder
🔹 It is recommended to call for a reservation in advance
🔹 There are first-floor and second-floor areas, and the staff will arrange seating for you
▶️ Overall Evaluation
🔹 The quality of the food is very good, the skewers are delicious, but the overall prices are slightly high. Sharing a few dishes with friends typically costs each person over 500 TWD! The dining environment is comfortable without feeling crowded or having an overwhelming barbecue smell, making it a great spot for gatherings and dates!
Overall Review: 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑
Dickson's Fooday Mouthpiece Review #247
This time I'm introducing a skewers izakaya that I stumbled upon while passing through Nanjing Fuxing Alley.
There are quite a few branches of Charcoal Jiro, and since I was passing by, I decided to go in and give it a try.
The establishment has a very traditional Japanese izakaya and skewers izakaya vibe.
Most of the food is centered around skewers, but there are also some basic Japanese dishes to choose from.
The variety of skewers is extensive, including choices of chicken, pork, and beef.
So since I came here, of course, I had to order skewers as the main dish!
Additionally, how can one visit an izakaya without trying a drink?
They also offer some unique drink options here.
For instance, I ordered a drink that came with a popsicle placed inside it.
I can only say it's quite special!
I think the skewers and food at this place are quite good.
In terms of skewers, the cooking is done really well, and the other Japanese dishes are above average.
So if you're in the mood for skewers or Japanese cuisine, you can choose the nearby Charcoal Jiro izakaya to give it a try!
Food: 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑
Drink: 🌕🌕🌕🌘🌑
Atmosphere: 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌘
Service: 🌕🌕🌕🌘🌑
Price: 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑
⭐️ Food
I ordered a few skewers that day, such as beef and chicken skewers.
The skewers were quite flavorful, which made them very enjoyable to eat!
The cooking of the skewers was on point, not too burnt or overcooked.
Additionally, I ordered a combination of raw beef that day.
The beef was paired with egg yolk and seasoning, and it was quite fragrant~~
However, similarly, the seasoning here might be on the heavier side.
So for those who can't handle too much seasoning, it might be good to remind the staff in advance!
In terms of the flavor and texture of the food, I think it’s quite good for a skewers izakaya.
It’s a great spot for after-work drinks and chatting over some skewers with friends.
⭐️ Drinks
I ordered a beer with a popsicle as a quirky combination.
Overall, because of the added sweet popsicle, the drink turned out to be quite sweet in the end 🤪🤪🤪
I can say that this drink is more about its uniqueness than its taste; it’s quite novel!
⭐️ Atmosphere
The interior and exterior of the establishment have a very authentic Japanese izakaya feel.
Just by pushing the door open from outside, it feels like stepping into a genuine Japanese izakaya.
The decor and layout are also quite traditional Japanese style.
Although the dining space isn't very large, the arrangement is decent.
The tables aren’t too close to each other, so you don’t have to worry too much about being disturbed by other customers.
Overall, the dining environment is quite nice!
⭐️ Service
On that day, I didn’t notice anything particularly special regarding service; it was just the basic food ordering and serving.
However, since this place allows online reservations,
if you plan to dine here, it’s a good idea to book a table in advance to ensure they hold a spot for you!
⭐️ Pricing
The prices for the dishes, especially the skewers, are standard for a Japanese izakaya in Taipei.
They aren’t particularly expensive or cheap.
However, since the food is quite quality and tasty,
I think the prices are reasonable.
⭐️ In summary
I believe that in terms of the quality of skewers izakayas in Taipei,
this establishment is above average overall,
from the deliciousness of the food to the cooking methods for the skewers.
With the inviting atmosphere for dining,
this is definitely a place worth returning to!
Here is the translated text in English:
"Seeing something new and quite close, I decided to join the trend and give it a try. It's on the 5th floor, to the right side of the escalator 🫱; you can also take the elevator, and it’s just to the right of the elevator exit 👉. There are a lot of people coming to taste it even on weekdays. On the day I visited, it only took about half an hour for number 10 to come up, and if your waiting number exceeds 20, you can wander around for an hour and then come back to check.
About the dishes:
Noble Roasted Chicken Leg, NT$100. The chicken is quite thick, and the original flavor of the chicken is not covered in other sauces, with three pieces per skewer, just right for a bite.
Sauce Grilled Beef Skewers, NT$100. The sauce has a nice flavor, and each piece of beef is quite generous, also just right for a bite.
Noble Chicken Soup and Rice Mixture, NT$100. The chicken soup has a perfect flavor—not too bland or too strong—and there are quite a lot of ingredients. They don’t provide ice water, but this goes perfectly with the meat skewers."
Overall Review: 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑
Dickson's Fooday Mouthpiece Review #226
This time, Dickson visited a series of izakaya skewers ~
This skewer shop is located on Civic Boulevard
And the name is quite funny ~
The main offering is Japanese cuisine focused on skewers
Of course, they highly recommend their own oysters
The variety of Japanese dishes available in the shop is quite extensive
It includes everything from appetizers and cold dishes to seafood soups, fried foods, and stir-fried dishes
You could say it encompasses a wide range of Japanese cuisine!
It's perfect for a few friends to come here after work, have a drink, and enjoy some snacks
To get through a dreary workday!
I think the food in the shop is generally above average
It depends on what kind of Japanese dish you want to eat today
And if you pair it with some cocktails or beer
You can eat and drink happily ~
Of course, the shop specializes in skewers
The types of skewers are categorized mainly by various meats
So whether it’s pork, chicken, or beef, you can order them here!
Additionally, there is a whiteboard in the shop showing daily specials
You can check to see what unique dishes are recommended for the day!
The atmosphere in the shop feels more like a small roadside izakaya
So it’s really suitable for office workers to come in after work for a bite and a drink ~
Food: 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑
Beverages: 🌕🌕🌖🌑🌑
Atmosphere: 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑
Service: 🌕🌕🌖🌑🌑
Price: 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌘
Location: 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑
⭐️ Food Review
The food offered by the shop is quite diverse
On that day, we ordered
👉 Wasabi Octopus $160
At a Japanese restaurant, seeing cold dishes,
Of course, the first choice is to try the wasabi octopus!
I think the taste of the wasabi octopus here is quite good
The octopus part is relatively fresh
And the wasabi is just like any regular seasoning ~
I highly recommend ordering this as an appetizer to refresh your palate!
👉 Tsukimi Beef Tongue Braised Rice $180
We ordered a rice dish as the main course ~
I have to say that the braised meat rice here is quite delicious
It even comes with a raw egg yolk
Stirring it into the rice is just delightful!
The portion of the beef tongue is also reasonable
Blending the whole raw egg yolk together
The flavor is indeed quite rich!
I would definitely recommend ordering this rice dish ~
👉 Yilan Black Hair Pig Sausage $160
The sausage is somewhat ordinary
It feels like one of those sausages you can find outside ~
👉 Sour and Spicy Pig Tongue $150
That day, I saw this very unique item on the menu
My friend immediately ordered it
Since pig tongue is not something people usually eat
But when it arrived, it tasted soft and tender
The level of sourness and spiciness was just okay
But we could imagine you now pulling a pig 🤣🤣🤣
👉 Charcoal-grilled Chicken Thigh with Salt $140
We also ordered a few different skewers
Some are not on the fixed menu
But this grilled chicken thigh is definitely on the fixed menu
I found the skewers to be quite flavorful
Their focus for grilled meat is heavily on chicken
There are many more chicken options compared to beef or pork ~
The skewers taste above average
Although it doesn't reach the level of being very impressive
It's still decent!
👉 Mongolian Flat Iron Steak $280
This item on the menu is one of the higher-priced offerings
From this, it's clear that the prices in the shop are really not high ~
When this dish was served, it looked quite appealing
It seems they additionally put effort into the presentation
However, as for the flat iron steak,
There isn’t anything very special about it
But considering the price, I think the cost-performance ratio is already very high!
👉 Hokkaido Oysters $250 each
There’s a page on the menu dedicated to introducing oysters
You can choose from different oyster origins
Of course, their prices also vary
But before ordering, make sure to ask the shop
About the differences between the various origins of oysters and whether they have stock today
This way, you can enjoy oysters smoothly
That day, we ordered the Hokkaido oysters
The taste and freshness were quite good
I immediately thoroughly enjoyed two of them
However, they were just standard oysters
There isn't a huge difference compared to oysters sold at other shops
👉 Mentaiko Tamagoyaki $160
I also want to recommend this shop's tamagoyaki
That day we ordered the mentaiko tamagoyaki
I think overall the cooking was quite good
The mentaiko on top, when seared, paired well with the tamagoyaki underneath
The combination tasted great
This dish is also something I recommend ordering when you visit ~
Overall, I think most of the items are generally above standard
It’s typical izakaya Japanese cuisine standards
Although it won't leave you amazed,
I find it to be very stable and delicious
The standards of the skewers are alright
And the focus is on chicken dishes
With many options available, I think you should give them a try!
⭐️ Drink Review
Though this place is a skewer izakaya
But I remember there wasn't anything particularly impressive about the drink selection
It’s just average and standard
More suitable for pairing with food
So I find the drinks and beverages in this shop just okay
⭐️ Atmosphere Review
The shop's exterior and interior decor follow a very traditional roadside izakaya feel
Inside there are many small tables for customers to sit at
The space inside isn't particularly large
So the distance between tables and chairs is quite close
However, since the interior space is fairly open,
It doesn't feel overly noisy
In terms of overall atmosphere,
I think it’s more suitable for office workers
To come here for a meal and drinks after work
It has a vibe of a social gathering after work for the corporate worker 🤣🤣🤣
⭐️ Service Review
That day, there weren't any particularly special services
Simply the basics of taking orders and serving food, etc. ~
⭐️ Price Review
I think the prices here are really one of the shop's significant advantages
Whether from the menu or the items we ordered that day
You can see that the prices are indeed very affordable
Most items are under $300
In the vicinity of the East District, I think this price is quite reasonable
With these prices combined with the food flavors and freshness here,
I personally highly recommend it
Thus, it’s great for office workers
To come here after work, eat a few dishes for dinner
The prices really won't put a big burden on you!
⭐️ Location Review
This shop is located next to the road on Civic Boulevard
Just like other shops in the area
The entrance directly faces the road
Of course, it’s quite close to the East District
So it’s really suitable to stroll around the East District and then come here for dinner
And if you need to continue the party on weekends
You can easily jump right into the nightlife in the East District
Additionally, if after eating, you want to grab a drink or smoke some shisha,
There are plenty of shops nearby
Thus, in terms of location, I think there are many places around to switch to
The location is quite good
And it’s close to two MRT stations
After all, this area is the primary battle zone of Civic Boulevard
There are many izakayas, wine bistros, and restaurants in the vicinity
⭐️ Overall
I think this shop is a small Japanese izakaya
Very suitable for a few friends to gather for dinner, grab a bite, and enjoy some cheap drinks
Everyone can have a wonderful evening
In terms of food, I think it’s pretty good
Friends can share a few dishes together ~
Everyone can sip beer, eat dishes, and catch up on recent happenings
It would be a great gathering spot ~~
🤪 Dickson's Mouthpiece Area 🤪
This introduction is more geared toward a Japanese izakaya for gathering with friends
Of course, this is also a great place to bring your girl and friends together!
After all, it wouldn’t be nice to only have solitary dates with her every time ~
You still need opportunities to understand each other's social circles!
Being able to step into each other's social and life circles
That’s the real way to blend into one another 🥺🥺🥺
Or else, you might just remain strangers
Not only understanding each other but also needing to understand each other's world
You see,
The more you learn about each other's different aspects,
Doesn’t that deepen your relationship with her? 🥰🥰🥰
🤪 Dickson's Mouthpiece Area, see you next time 🤪
Upon arriving at the restaurant, you have to scan a QR code to wait for a seat, and you need to fill in your last name, phone number, and also leave your email (I find leaving an email very troublesome). However, they will notify you by email when your table is almost ready.
I specially went for a meal on a weekday afternoon to avoid crowds. I waited for about an hour and 40 minutes. You need to order using a tablet. The restaurant does not provide ice water (most Japanese restaurants usually do).
I ordered:
Salt-grilled chicken gizzard, one order comes with two skewers. I really love eating chicken gizzards, and I was not disappointed.
Noble grilled chicken thigh skewers with pepper, one order comes with two skewers. It was quite good; there's a bit of green onion added which is a plus.
Sauce-grilled beef skewers, one order comes with two skewers. There was quite a lot of sauce.
Noble chicken soup with rice, similar to chicken soup rice. Overall, it had great flavor and was delicious—a dish worth ordering.
Currently, it looks like every dish is $100, including drinks. The restaurant also adds a 10% service fee to the total bill.
Located near the Chenghuang Temple in Hsinchu, 🔸Ran Hand串🔸 originated from a Japanese skewers restaurant in Chiayi. Currently, there are three branches in Chiayi, Taichung, and Hsinchu. The variety of dishes is extensive, and there are many creative items, such as pork pineapple, pork mochi, beef apple, and more.
Since our dinner at a ramen shop nearby was a disappointment, we decided to order some basic items that are less likely to go wrong, which we took out to eat immediately. However, dining in comes with free chicken soup to enjoy! 🥣
✅ Beef Cheese 🍢
The cheese wrapped inside didn’t seem to pair well with the beef slices, and its flavor completely overpowered the beef. Maybe trying a different type of cheese would make it taste better.
✅ Pork Enoki Mushroom 🍢
The enoki mushrooms wrapped in pork slices are very juicy. This is the most basic and arguably the tastiest skewers.
✅ Pork Tomato 🍢
The heavily flavored pork on the outside complements the refreshing tomato on the inside quite well.
✅ Beef Thai Chili 🍢
The Thai chili is almost not spicy 🌶️ at all. The grease from the beef pairs nicely with the aroma of the Thai chili, making for a delicious combination.
✅ Chicken Wing 🍢
The chicken is grilled to a point where it’s slightly tough, making it a bit hard to bite. The seasoning has more pepper than the previous skewers, and it tastes pretty good.
Recently, I saw someone sharing about a skewer restaurant online. They focus on affordable food and plum wine, with prices ranging from $79 to $99, and each skewer is served in pairs. The end result was a huge disappointment—it felt like I had never eaten such a... casual skewer izakaya before.
I checked the reviews and information about the restaurant, and there were reviews as recent as eight months ago, so it seems they are not new to the business. None of the staff at the restaurant were Taiwanese, and they were not very familiar with reading or speaking. When the dishes were served, they didn't know what they were, and they were unclear about the drinks; there were also some missed orders.
I ordered a glass of plum wine and a non-alcoholic lychee drink. However, one of the pink drinks was served in the same cup as the plum wine. I thought it was a mistake! I asked the server what that drink was. He didn't respond and just showed me my order receipt 😀... Later, they realized they had served it wrong and came back to exchange it.
I went specifically for the oysters, and I was super disappointed. The oysters came to the table very quickly, and it felt like they had been defrosted to be served so fast. The owner said they were fresh, but to me, they tasted like room temperature, without the cold sensation. The owner assured us that they would improve on this next time (but we won’t be coming back anyway…).
The Matsusaka pork lacked a crispy texture and was mushy. The chicken was prone to being dry; the only decent dish was the mentaiko chicken skewer. The grilled rice balls had a hard and sticky outer layer. The yam puree was tasty, but quite salty.
They kindly provided utensils to easily remove the food from the skewers. The owner was very proactive and enthusiastic, but the kitchen staff really fell short... and so did the front-of-house team.
On Friday night during dinner time, it was packed! I really don’t understand why. It can only be described as home-cooked level, with regular home dishes being tastier. You get what you pay for; spending just a little more could get you much better food—like at “Qixi Di.” The above is my personal dining experience for your reference.
