森森燒肉 新竹清大店
A barbecue restaurant very close to National Tsing Hua University is located right next to POYA. There's an underground parking lot for cars and it's also relatively easy to park scooters nearby.
I had tried it before when it opened in Zhubei. I heard that after coming to Hsinchu, they added an all-you-can-eat self-service bar. It's not available in Taichung, so the prices in Hsinchu are a bit higher.
I was really happy when the Tsing Hua University branch opened. Now I don't have to drive all the way to Zhubei to eat.
The lobby at the Tsing Hua University location is very spacious, and there's even a photo booth next to the waiting area. The environment is spacious, with a green and wooden theme. When two of us go, we usually sit at a table for six, so there's plenty of space and no worry about the table feeling crowded once the meat plates arrive. Ordering is done via QR code, but the table-side service and grill mesh changing frequency are very high, so you won't worry about not being able to find staff members.
Since I don't eat beef, I ordered the Iberian black pork set. Previously there was also a premium set (with both beef and pork) available, but this time I found out it's now a weekday exclusive.
My favorite part of Sensen's self-service bar is the dessert area. There's a wide selection and new desserts appear from time to time. For an all-you-can-eat dessert offering, they are very generous. After ordering, I head straight there. The dessert area is manned by dedicated staff. The must-try is the caramel crème brûlée. Watching the staff caramelize the sugar just makes me anticipate eating it. The red bean soup is adjusted for temperature with the seasons; it's warm now but not too hot.
The quality of the meat is in line with expectations for this price point, though not particularly astonishing. The amount of meat is just right, especially if you plan on trying everything at the self-service bar as well, you'll likely be quite full.
If you like desserts and also want to eat barbecue, I highly recommend coming to Sensen. But if you're simply looking for barbecue, there are other options at this price point.