Local recommendation！Changhua’s super-popular Japanese restaurant — a fusion of Taiwanese and Japanese cuisine

Text and photos by /viviyu

In Taiwan’s travel map, there aren’t many opportunities to visit Changhua, and I probably only come here about twice a year. This time, I visited what locals say is the best restaurant in Changhua City, and that really raised my expectations！

I only knew it was called Fushan Restaurant before arriving, but once I got to the entrance, I found out it actually serves Japanese cuisine. From the outside, I thought it was just a place for sashimi, but it actually combines Taiwanese dishes, making it quite different from traditional Japanese food.

Inside the restaurant, there are also counter seats where you can watch the chefs prepare the dishes. Later on, I noticed that almost every table ordered sashimi — it must be a signature must-order dish here.

When you’re seated, they serve a big plate of pickles. These pickles are crispy with a slight spiciness, which really stimulates the appetite. They were almost all gone after going around the table once！

Treasure Ship Sashimi

When this ship was served at the table, the visual impact was really something. It’s a huge boat, filled with botan shrimp, salmon, swordfish, and tuna. What was truly unforgettable was how sweet the shrimp heads were — I couldn’t help but suck on them. I think roasting the shrimp heads would make them even more fragrant~

Truffle Shark Fin Delicacy

Seeing such large pieces of shark fin was really high-end. It was the first time I’d seen shark fin so big that it needed to be cut before cooking. The broth uses truffle as an ingredient, but honestly, it mostly tasted like butter, which actually took away from the umami of the shark fin. Personally, I didn’t really like this flavor combination.

The large pieces of shark fin were served hot and bubbling when brought to the table, but the buttery taste was just too overwhelming, overshadowing everything else…

Lamb Chop and Beef Tenderloin Combo

I don’t eat lamb, so I went for the beef tenderloin. Taking a big bite was truly satisfying, paired with kumquat to cut through the richness, and the meat wasn’t too tough, staying quite tender and springy.

Black Sea Cucumber with Small Abalone and Chicken Broth

This dish is practically a classic main course from a Taiwanese restaurant, right? There were so many small abalones, tendons, shiitake mushrooms, and sea cucumbers. The essence of the broth was all in the bottom layer of Boston lettuce. It was such a luxurious dish.

Garlic Eel

When this huge platter, almost like a piece of artwork, of garlic eel was served, it looked really beautiful, with a very colorful presentation. The spoon on the side was garnished with lobster salad and cherry tomatoes. The eel in the middle is said to be very nourishing, but after hearing a friend mention it had a muddy taste, I didn’t dare try it.

Salt-Grilled Silver Cod Belly

This was my favorite dish of the day. Grilled fish has always been one of my favorite cooking styles, and this silver cod belly was incredibly tender and fatty without being dry. The sweet and fresh taste made me want to take another bite. They squeezed some fresh lemon on top to add a tangy aroma, and I ate so much of it…

Salt-Grilled Prawns

Huge prawns were served at the table, and you get to enjoy the original flavor of the prawns. They’re cooked by grilling, and the prawns on their own are already sweet and delicious！

Dried Scallop Shreds with Cabbage

This was a complimentary dish from the restaurant — dried scallop shreds with cabbage. It was really sweet and delicious. Even with the dried scallop shreds added, it didn’t lose its refreshing taste. I ended up eating a lot of the greens.

King Crab and Scallop Premium Hotpot

When this hotpot was served, the spread was really rich, especially with the generous amount of king crab on top. Although it was frozen king crab, the texture was still pretty good. The essence was all in the broth, but you have to scoop out the crab meat first because the longer it cooks, the smaller the meat gets. The noodles also soaked up all the flavors. On a cold winter day, having a bowl of this steaming hot soup warms your stomach and your body. The ingredients in this hotpot are very similar to what you’d find in Japan. I ended up drinking two bowls of the clear broth — it was just too delicious！

Salted Cod Roe, Preserved Meat, Scallops, and Live Shrimp Steamed Rice

The final dish served was actually steamed rice!! When the lotus leaf was opened, the aroma was overwhelming. Everyone had just said they were full, but the moment we smelled the fragrance, we couldn’t help but want to try some. It turns out they also added Chinese sausage and soy sauce, giving the steamed rice a slightly sweet taste. On top, they added fresh shrimp, scallops, and salted cod roe.

Seasonal Fresh Fruit

The final dish was red bean and black rice porridge to end the meal. It was truly a fantastic seafood feast. We had sashimi, king crab, abalone, shark fin… It’s really an impressive set of dishes fit for entertaining guests. This whole meal cost 12,000 NTD, which is actually quite affordable compared to the north. Often, wedding banquets cost around ten thousand NTD per table, and you’re lucky if there’s just one lobster dish. Coming here, you can really enjoy seafood without worry. It truly lives up to being the best restaurant in Changhua~

Fushan Restaurant
Address: No. 661, Section 2, Zhongzheng Road, Changhua City
Phone: (04)7238690

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