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.
🍢 Chiayi East District ▫️ Around Cultural Road Night Market
🍢 Highly recommended! So many Japanese creative skewers that I've never tried before.
The day I arrived at the homestay, the owner casually overheard that even during my cold, I couldn't help but drink alcohol🥃. So, she enthusiastically recommended several great places to drink❤️.
Since I had just gone to a gastropub the day before and had two cocktails, I decided to choose a different route today and went to a Japanese skewers or izakaya to enjoy sake🍶 and beer🍺.
Little did I know that this place had so many different flavors of skewers: mackerel wrapped with sour cucumber, pork belly rolled with a soft-boiled egg, cod roe pork omelet, thick cheese zucchini, and all sorts of skewers from Kaohsiung I had never heard of. My partner and I couldn't help but keep trying more, along with classic grilled chicken hearts and soft bones, plus steaming hot chicken soup 🉑 with unlimited refills. I accidentally overindulged, and the result was
So full❗️❗️❗️❗️❗️
It was my first time eating skewers late at night to the point of almost dying! Even I, who love beer, could only drink half a cup; the rest all went into my partner's stomach🥹.
Overall, most of the skewers were freshly grilled and very tasty. Basically, they’re worth trying. There were only a few that were more ordinary that I wouldn't order again next time. But I might have also been too full, which could have affected the taste, so I'll just have to come back next time to battle it out💪🏻.
Follow-up:
When I got home and chatted with my sister, I found out that she eats at this place every time she goes to Chiayi. Highly recommended for both drinkers and non-drinkers✨.
That day, my friend said he wanted to give it a try, so we came here. They use an electronic menu at their place, but couldn't find it online.
🌟 Open from 18:00 to 01:00, a great late-night spot that offers WiFi.
🌟 Multiple private rooms suitable for gatherings and dining options.
"Kura Bird Tavern" is located in the alley next to Tea Demon on Section 2 of Fuchien Road, in a renovated old house styled as a Japanese izakaya. The entrance is very discreet, and if you don't pay close attention, you might miss it. They offer private seating and venue rental services.
Kura Bird Tavern has a narrow structure typical of old houses, with a front area that has counter seating, featuring an open kitchen. The seating area behind on the first floor can get a bit smoky when cooking. On the second floor, there are two rooms subdivided into private areas for 6-8 people and 10-12 people, available by reservation with no minimum spending requirement.
Kura Bird Tavern employs a mobile ordering service. After seating, the staff provides a QR code that you can scan with your phone to order online. Each seating area is equipped with utensils, seasonings, and tissues for customers to take as needed. They offer a service to call for drinks and can store alcoholic beverages, though a corkage fee will apply for bringing your own drinks.
The menu has a variety of options: salads, sashimi, soups, fried dishes, sushi, grilled items, and main courses.
Yam Noodle 💰
The knife skills on the yam noodles are really impressive!!
Octopus Cold Dish 💰
A very good appetizer that's perfect with drinks; I love this flavor.
Mackerel Sashimi 💰
This one's highly recommended. Once you try mackerel, you won't go back, but I was a bit puzzled to find a fishbone??? This isn’t how sashimi should be served.
Creamy Udon Noodles 💰
I’m not sure if they added milk powder? The taste is rich with a creamy flavor, but it feels powdery when eaten!! I wasn't a big fan of the texture, but the udon itself is delicious.
Fried Oysters 💰
This dish is recommended; it's really juicy and sweet.
Chicken Liver 💰
It’s powdery, which I personally don’t like, but it is tasty.
Zucchini 💰
You can tell from the picture that it isn’t very moist.
Tsukimi Chicken Meatballs 💰
With the aroma of charcoal, mixed with egg yolk, the tender and crispy texture of the chicken cartilage along with the rich egg yolk aroma is smooth.
Dried Fish 💰
Personally, I think the texture is on the dry side.
Grilled Rice Balls 💰
Fried Pork Chop 💰
We've dubbed this the worst pork chop we've had so far; it might be because the connective tissue wasn’t very tender, leading to a hard texture that requires some effort to eat.
Takeaway: I feel that their standards are hit or miss. Overall, the drink accompaniments are good; the main dishes didn’t quite suit my taste.
If you prioritize the food: I recommend the sides for drinks.
If you prioritize the environment: It's a renovated old Japanese-style place, and the seating at the back on the first floor can be smoky.
If you prioritize parking: Scooters can park out front, but it's not easy for cars.
If you prioritize the restroom: There is one.
If you prioritize waiting time: It's very fast; hardly any waiting time.
If you prioritize service: Average.
If you prioritize value for money: 🌟🌟🌟
(Just discussing food and prices)
【New Taipei City, San Chong】 Qixi Di Skewers Izakaya
Definitely worth revisiting!
A wide variety of dishes, excellent service, and a clean environment with plenty of seating.
After being seated, you'll receive a complimentary small dish.
On average, you can indulge for about $600 per person.
On the day I visited, there were several in-store promotions:
✨ Personal recommendation:
◽ Grilled Crispy Intestines ✨ $100
> Grilled to a crispy texture on the surface, perfect with drinks!
◽ Angel Red Shrimp (two pieces) ✨ $140
> Already deveined, easily peeled off with chopsticks.
◽ Japanese Oysters (three pieces) ✨ $220
> Fresh and plump ❤️ Available raw or grilled.
◽ Secret Sauce Grill Series
> Chicken Thigh Skewers ✨ $49 (marinated)
> Beef Brisket Skewers ✨ $55 (better than green onion pork 👍)
> Snowflake Lamb ✨ $50 (had two orders of this)
> Tofu Skin ✨ $30 (outer layer grilled crispy)
> Sweet Potato Noodle ✨ $30 (crispy outside, soft inside)
> Rice Sausage ✨ $32 (soft and chewy 👍)
> Beef Rib Strip Skewers $50
> Green Onion Pork Skewers $45
> Squid $90
> Dried Tofu $25
> Shiitake Mushroom $35
> Green Pepper $35
> Zucchini $35
> Boneless Chicken Thigh $85
◽ Taiwanese Matsusaka Pork $180
◽ 1664 White Beer ✨ $150
(The table next to us even got extra ice!)
📍 No. 230, Sec. 1, Ziqiang Rd, San Chong District, New Taipei City
☎️ 02 2971 7717
⏰ 18:00–01:30 (Instagram states closing at 23:30 on Sundays)
💰 5% service fee, currently cash only
🚇 MRT San Chong Elementary School (a bit far)
🚌 Bus Stop: Dazhi Street Entrance
🅿️ Map search: Che Ting Parking - San Chong Zheng Yi Elementary School Parking Lot
❤️ Can't go back to the 3 skewers for 100 dollars; it has now increased to 4 skewers for 150 dollars. Now, I can only buy a little bit of wild boar meat skewers to munch on.
Overall rating: 🌕🌕🌕🌗🌑
🚗 Here at the Wanhua Mengjia Night Market, you can park in the Longshan Temple underground parking lot. There are many spots, but you'll still need to wait a bit for a parking space. There are also places to park outside the night market for scooters, and I saw some people riding directly into the night market.
💬 I used to always come here for three skewers, including chicken leg skewers, wild boar meat skewers, and wild boar sausage skewers (sometimes there's also cartilage and chicken butts). After the price increase, there are no longer any options for three skewers for 100 dollars (now it’s 4 skewers for 150). The vendor offers four types of sauces (spicy, sour spicy, sweet spicy, wasabi) for you to choose from, but definitely don’t dip the sauce after taking a bite. The store also provides various payment methods, so you won't need to worry about having to give change; just give them a thumbs up~
Food Quality: 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑
Service Quality: 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑
Restaurant Atmosphere: 🌕🌕🌕🌑🌑
Price Value: 🌕🌕🌗🌑🌑
For detailed food reviews, please continue reading below ❤️
Roadside barbecue is really my favorite shop
I never get tired of eating it! !
I was just going to have dinner with friends today, so I suggested dining here.
If there are a lot of people, there will be more varieties to order.
You can eat a little bit of everything~Steamed clams😌
But today I ordered black tea for the first time...
The ice cubes are just like the photo, almost a full cup.
The tea taste is very light
Let everyone decide for themselves😅😅😅
☛ #NICK EATING GOOD EVERYWHERE ღ
☛ #caramel maple Zhongxiao Fuxing Store
☛ Affordable and exquisite chain skewers restaurant
Located near Zhongxiao Fuxing MRT Station in East District.
Caramel Maple has more than 25 stores across Taiwan.
Available for dine-in and take-out, focusing on affordable and exquisite skewers.
You can get it starting from only 20 yuan!
Each branch will have a different style and theme.
This is a fashionable micro-nightclub with a very atmospheric dining environment.
The dining environment is clean and comfortable, with self-service ordering.
Get whatever you want to eat👍There are more than 50 kinds of ingredients.
There are so many choices, including a variety of soju, shawar,
Drinks, cold brew tea, freshly pressed Idyllwild white draft beer,
The skewers are grilled to order and not fried. The ingredients are fresh and seasoned with care.
Paired with the special Chinese barbecue powder, the salty and sweet taste is highly recommended.
Perfect for a drink after get off work
The savory and sweet skewers are neither greasy nor greasy.
The golden ratio of seasoning exudes a charming caramel aroma,
Every bite is a taste of happiness.
If you have trouble choosing, these are all recommended must-haves!
Every skewer is delicious😋无雷
☛ Pig blood cake $26
☛ Scallion meat roll $35
☛ Grilled Mochi $35
☛ Grilled Mochi $35
☛ Tomato beef pork belly roll $40
☛ Cold brew tea $49
☛ Idlewild Draft Beer $190
Cold brew tea is refreshing and smooth, removes oil and relieves greasiness.
There is also freshly pressed white beer which is also great for cooling off.
The finish has a unique floral and fruity taste that is smooth and delicious.
Both styles are perfect for pairing with skewers!
[Menu ordered]
Assorted sashimi 880 yen
5 kinds of yakitori 900 yen
Chicken fillet rare cutlet 980 yen
Miso garlic clam hotpot 3000 yen
Chinese noodles 350 yen
6 minutes walk from Osaka Metro Honmachi Station.
In addition to charcoal grilled yakitori and chili chicken hotpot, this yakitori restaurant also serves a variety of other dishes such as sashimi, seafood, mushroom hotpot, and gout hotpot.
The restaurant has counter seats and table seats.
The warm Japanese-style interior and soft lighting create a relaxing atmosphere.
It seems like it can accommodate a certain number of people, and when I went it was very lively and energetic.
Assorted sashimi
The assortment of salmon, sea bream, and bonito is a great deal at just 880 yen.
Chicken fillet rare cutlet
It's crispy on the outside and rare and soft on the inside.
The rich egg yolk and sweet and spicy sauce go great together!
Assortment of 5 kinds of yakitori
A type of yakitori that is not on a skewer.
The aroma of the charcoal fire and the savory sauce make it perfect for drinking!
Miso garlic clam hotpot
The clam broth is well-seasoned and the miso and garlic add a nice balance of richness.
It's packed with plenty of clams and has a rich flavor!
The final dish was Chinese noodles. The chewy, thick noodles absorbed the soup well and were very satisfying.
Thank you for the meal.
❤️A cheap charcoal-grilled skewers restaurant that is unknown (and doesn’t seem to be advertising) can easily be ignored.
🚗This is Shulin Boai Street, and the traffic is very congested. You can park on the side of the road if you are biking, but for driving, it is recommended to park in the Yongqi parking lot next to it (20 yuan an hour). It only takes two minutes to walk there.
Every time before the end of Shulin Night Market, I have to order Zhongpu Barbeque. It is closed only on Thursdays. The rest of the time, you can see the boss grilling it himself. The sauce is a bit sweet, but the charcoal grilling is in good condition and there will be no grilling. A burnout situation occurs. However, all the ingredients are not priced, so it is recommended to confirm the price of the ingredients with the boss before ordering to avoid discrepancies with expectations. In addition, the ingredients are all purely charcoal-roasted, slowly roasted over low heat, and there is a little waiting time between ordering and delivery. It just so happens that mochi is not on sale today, otherwise I recommend ordering some mochi to watch the conflict between sweet and salty dissipate in your mouth.
🥩 Rice blood cake $20
This is probably the largest piece of charcoal-grilled rice blood cake I have ever eaten in the greater Taipei area. The texture is just right, a bit soft but the ingredients are cooked, and the sweet sauce adds a bit of flavor.
🥩 Sweet or Spicy (3 slices) $20
Sweet and spicy is also a must-order ingredient. Three slices are 20 yuan. It tastes softer and tenderer than Q, with a hint of sauce flavor and the delicious flavor of sweet and spicy. Once you try it, you will know why you order it every time!
🥩 Beef Skewers $40
After the epidemic, the price of beef skewers has increased to 40 yuan per skewer, but his meat skewers are grilled to perfection. The beef is tender and juicy, and the charcoal fire locks in the gravy so that it is not dry. The green onions bring sweetness and crispiness, which contrasts perfectly with the richness of the beef.
Recommended to all gourmets who love charcoal grilled flavor!!