[2013TW] Day 09: Nicely Priced Japanese Food Restaurant - 三本味 San Ben Wei

三本味 San Ben Wei

Recommended? Yes

Food = 4/5

Price = 4.5/5 

Phone: (02) 2721-7729
FB page: http://www.facebook.com/japanmma
Address:
台北市大安區延吉街131巷2弄5號

No. 5, Alley 2, Lane 131, Yánjí St, Daan District,

Taipei City, Taiwan 106
Map:

View Larger Map

We've made reservation a few days prior through phone, because usually they're full. It's hidden inside small alleys, I don't think it's easy to find at all. But, it's really close to one of the biggest shopping circle in Taipei, near the underground shops (connecting MRT stations) and SOGO department store. As you can see in the map above, it's pretty easy to get to with public transit.

  Decoration inside is warm, cozy and Japanese styled:

  The owner Mr. Huang was very friendly and welcoming. My sister had a different view, though lol,  she thought he talked a bit much hahaha. I like him, he's nice and warm. This is how the menu look like:

We went with his recommendation when we ordered:
Starting with the combined deluxe sashimi (綜合生魚片拼盤) $480NT=$16CAD

combined deluxe sashimi (綜合生魚片拼盤)

All the fishes are pretty fresh, salmon and tuna are not cut too thin (thanks!) while bream and golden menhaden are cut quite thin. I love the salmon - like always, the sweetness of the oil, jelly-like feeling when chewed -  but, Taiwan salmon cannot be better than Canadian ones, sadly, even though this is quite fresh. Tuna is a bit on the harder side and plain taste - as good as it gets for this type of tuna. Cutting and freshness are two big factors that governs how good the sashimi is, I think they nailed both of these. I don't like the golden menhaden (I mean the fish in general) it's sour and sweet with the texture of dish scrubbers= =" really can't like it. Many Taiwanese like this type of fish, though~ well, just not me. Bream taste great, it's a bit sweet and with the fish scent Mmmmm :P.

  Grilled Pine slope pork with salt (鹽烤松阪豬) The salt they used were the rose sea salt, which enhances the pork's taste. $160NT=$5.33CAD

鹽烤松阪豬 Pine Slope Pork

 Tofu Skin Sushi (豆皮壽司) $20 is not too sweet, smells great and taste even better. They've put sesame and seaweed sprinkle inside that helped the aroma :D

豆皮壽司 Tofu Skin Sushi

 炒水蓮 Stir fried white water snowflake $120NT=$4CAD. I have no idea what this is before I've eaten this today. Taste surprisingly great XD it's got a special taste, doesn't taste like regular green veggies. I think they've cooked it in fish soup or something.

炒水蓮 Stir Fried White Water Snowflake

 Then comes the bento (定食) Comes with side dishes, salad, miso soup, and the rice dish. We chose the Terriyaki Chicken Leg bento. Their terriyaki chicken is a bit dry, but the chicken is not overcooked like many other restaurants', the chicken is soft with its elasticity intact. Rice is cooked just right, not too sticky or too dry.

照燒雞腿定食 Terriyaki Chicken Leg Bento

 I forgot to take picutre/ start video before the owner started stiring our Oyako Don (親子丼) $110NT=$3.66CAD The raw yolk add to the wetness of the rice and gives off the aroma. This is probably my favourite rice dish since I've came back to TW! Kudos :D

親子丼 Oyako Don

Lastly, their special dish- Cheese Salmon Nigiri (起司鮭魚握壽司). Actually, I didn't want to eat it at first, because I don't really like cheese... especially in Asian food... I don't think the mixing of Asian and Caucasian food styles is a good idea (most of the time, people's attempts fail badly). But this time, it turns out to be delicious. I cannot taste the bitterness and fatness from the cheese, instead, the milky cheese added onto the salmon oil's aroma. The rice they used for their nigiri were a little sweet which balances out the taste of fish oil and cheese. The burning process of the top layer also gives the salmon a texture gradient (from cooked to raw), and nicely brings out different tastes of the salmon oil (from cooked to raw). LOVE it!

  The owner noticeably liked our family a lot more than others, probably because we were the first customers there today lol. He even took a family photo for us before we left the restaurant. The videos I uploaded- these things, he only did them for us--- hahaha other people had the food already finished in the back. I felt good~ The whole meal with 10% service fees and all costed $14XXNT which is about $45CAD for 4 people- really good price for Japanese food :) I really like this restaurant and I would recommend it for my friends!