Oh my!原燒 台北林森北店
[Foodholic Niko @ Taipei]
"Oh my! Original Grill" is a barbecue restaurant under the Wang Group. I've always known about this place but had never tried it before. Today, on a whim, I decided to give it a shot. I called to make a reservation right at 5 PM when they opened, but since it was Qixi Festival, I had to wait until 7:50 PM for a table.
The Lin Sen North store in Taipei is located near Zhongshan Station, about a 9-minute walk from Exit 2. The restaurant is on the second floor and has a dim atmosphere, giving off a distinct Japanese barbecue vibe.
We ordered the luxurious pork two-person set for $1598, which includes a large platter of 24oz assorted pork, a small plate of seafood, seasonal vegetables, side dishes (also meat), salad, the main dish (rice, which can be upgraded for an extra charge for other rice or noodles), small side dishes, dessert, and drinks.
To be honest, I initially thought the price was not high and that the portions would be relatively delicate, but we ended up feeling incredibly full after the meal!
Here are my thoughts on the food:
Upon being seated, the restaurant served us a pot of complimentary hot chicken soup. I ended up drinking 3-4 bowls because it was so delightful!
The sesame fresh vegetable salad was super delicious, and the crispy seaweed and croutons on top added an extra touch. The taste was very refreshing; by the time the meat arrived, we had almost finished the salad.
For the side dish, we chose marinated pork, but I didn't particularly like it as it was soft and a bit too salty. Next time, I might consider ordering the salt and pepper squid instead.
The assorted pork platter surprised us right away upon arrival; it was beautifully presented and looked very fresh. It included tomahawk pork, Iberico pork, Matsusaka pork, snowy pork, pork belly, duck breast, and deboned chicken thighs. However, I personally found it quite average—decent, but it didn't give me that heavenly feeling as soon as it hit my mouth.
The seafood included scallops and shrimp; I only tried the scallops, which I wasn't very fond of. I was looking forward to it, but it had a bit of a fishy taste.
The seasonal vegetables were yam, and there was a generous portion that tasted quite good when dipped in the sauce.
For the main dish, we added $119 to upgrade to garlic salmon bibimbap, and everyone got a generous bowl of rice, which was quite substantial. However, I felt the garlic flavor was too strong, and once it cooled down, it didn't taste as good.
There were many drink options available, and they tasted average, but the portions were large, making them quite satisfying with the barbecue.
I chose the brown sugar milk pudding for dessert, which was quite nice, though on the sweet side.
At 8:30 PM, the restaurant even organized a bingo game, creating a cheerful and lovely atmosphere!
Overall, I highly recommend coming to Original Grill for a meal. The two-person set ended up costing less than $1000 per person, which offers great value! I would definitely be willing to return!