No-menu Japanese restaurant: Charred nigiri sushi grilled over charcoal instead of a torch

Text/Photos byViviyu

Plain and Innocent (Tian Ma Sa)
Address: No. 102-2, Section 1, Dunhua South Road, Taipei City (at the entrance of Lane 100)
Phone: 02-8771 8575
Business hours: Monday - Saturday: 12:00 - 14:30, 18:00 - 22:00 (Closed on Sundays)
Nearby transit: 5-minute walk from Zhongxiao Dunhua MRT Station
Facebook page:www.facebook.com/tenmasatw

I've really been enjoying some great food lately. I was invited to the newly opened "Plain and Innocent" in Taipei City. Just looking at the first photo tells you how lucky I am. A whole box full of fresh salmon roe and Japanese sea urchin—absolutely luxurious!

Located about a 5-minute walk from Exit 8 of Zhongxiao Dunhua MRT Station, the entrance is very discreet. If you didn’t know the address beforehand, you’d probably think it was a private residence. The interior and exterior are designed with bamboo as the main theme. Walking along the stone path to Plain and Innocent gives off a distinct Japanese garden vibe.

After checking out the menu, I learned that it’s served omakase-style, meaning the dishes you get may vary each time. You can still communicate with the chef if there’s something specific you want to try or a preferred cooking method. Currently, lunch sets are priced at NT$1500 and NT$2000, while dinner sets are NT$2800, NT$3500, or NT$4200, with optional additional sides for an extra 10% service charge.

Once inside, you’ll find seating close to the chefs. On this day, the two chefs serving us were “Ganzhe” and “A-Hao,” who have 11 and 8 years of experience in Japanese cuisine respectively. Both have worked at well-known Japanese restaurants in Taipei. Their collaboration brought out some truly creative dishes.

Instead of using a torch, the restaurant grills fish over charcoal, which really gives off an authentic Japanese feel—almost like the salt-grilled dishes I enjoyed in Japan’s Yoshino region, though adding some grilled sweetfish would’ve made it even more reminiscent.

The chef placed the prepared sashimi in a box, showing us the day’s catch. Seeing scallops larger than a 50 NT coin had me practically staring in awe!

On this day, Chef A-Hao was in charge of the preparation. Watching him carefully handle the ingredients with good technique—and wiping everything clean afterward—was very reassuring.

There’s also a private room available, complete with its own restroom, ensuring privacy—perfect for dignitaries or families wanting an undisturbed meal.

On the counter were various fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as soy sauce brushes—all possible ingredients for the day. First thing I cared about was the fresh wasabi; high-quality wasabi can really elevate sushi.

The interior space was personally designed by one of the owners, and even the tableware is custom-made with great care. I’m particularly fond of this squid-shaped chopstick rest.

Even the soy sauce dishes are thoughtfully designed, with a little crab motif so you don’t dip too much soy sauce. But honestly, I don’t even need much soy sauce—I love the natural flavor of nigiri sushi.

You can request extra small side dishes like pickled radish, ginger slices, and seaweed sprouts. The pickles here aren’t overly salty but have a refreshing taste that complements the nigiri without overpowering it.

Appetizer – Sea Urchin Tofu

Fresh daylily blossoms garnish the sea urchin tofu. The yellow, creamy tofu has a texture similar to soft egg tofu but with the rich umami of sea urchin. It’s also very pleasing to the eye.

First Soup – Angelica Clam Soup
Made with Angelica (known as “Angelica acutiloba” in Japan), topped with gold leaf, caviar, and a broth that’s bursting with umami. It’s perfect for warming up your stomach and heart during winter meals.

Sashimi – Japanese Spotted Sardine

Spotted sardine is a specialty of Akita, Japan. The fresh sashimi is served with grated radish and green onions, drizzled with a touch of slightly sour kumquat for a refreshing flavor.

The charcoal grill in the back uses longan wood. The chefs are preparing grilled dishes—you can see those huge scallops... sigh... not part of my set...

Sashimi – Mackerel
Cut thick, the mackerel has delicate, sweet flesh with a rich fat content. The first piece is enjoyed with wasabi, but I actually prefer the second piece wrapped in shiso leaf.

Sashimi - Hokkaido Yellowtail

The topping uses Okinawan sea xi, pickled with sudachi citrus. When you take a whiff, there's indeed a hint of cucumber, hence it's also called cucumber fish.

Grilled Japanese needlefish
It’s grilled with matcha xi seasoning. The seared skin gives the impression of dripping fat, while the center retains some sashimi-like texture. The technique combining these elements is truly impressive—I love this mouthfeel.

Yellowtail tuna nigiri
The flavor is incredibly sweet, almost melting in your mouth. It pairs wonderfully with the vinegar rice. The grains are distinct without the overly sharp acidity of the vinegar, which I really enjoy.

Wild sea bass

Topped with shiso leaves and sesame seeds. The first bite brings out the aroma of shiso, and the tender fish dances on your tongue with a hint of soy sauce flavor.

White trevally
Topped with Japanese bitter orange. Its subtle citrus aroma enhances the flavor, and the creamy white color seems to glow.

Watching Chef Wei’s exquisite knife skills made us look forward even more to the upcoming nigiri. During the meal, we even joked that Japanese sushi chefs can’t afford to have presbyopia...

Japanese Pacific saury

The simpler the fish, the more meticulous the preparation. This saury nigiri looks almost like a piece of art—like a blooming flower. I personally love saury for its sweet flesh, but only when it’s fresh does it shine like this. The lingering aftertaste is unforgettable.

Japanese mackerel
It has a richer skin and fat content, presenting a particularly beautiful appearance. I’ve usually had it salt-grilled or marinated and pan-fried, but this fresh nigiri version is surprisingly good.

Otoro (fatty tuna belly)

Seeing this piece served was truly a sight—the fat content is incredibly rich. When I took a bite, I closed my eyes to savor the feeling of the fat melting on my tongue. It was an absolutely satisfying, sweet richness. I also ordered a cola purely because I’d just returned from mainland China the day before. Drinking that flat, sweet cola made me nostalgic for Taiwan’s great-tasting Coca-Cola and helped reset my palate.

My friend opted for plum wine and Golden Carp Kamui whisky instead. Actually, whisky pairs wonderfully with Japanese cuisine too.

I really enjoy watching the chef shape the nigiri—just a pinch and a twist, and it’s done. Paired with different types of fish, if you don’t want to eat too much rice, you can ask for a smaller portion and avoid getting too full.

Seeing this box full of Japanese uni (sea urchin), I really wanted to scoop it all up and eat it greedily. But that would be way too luxurious—better to leave it to the chef.

During the meal, since my friend was afraid to eat salmon roe, the chef said they should definitely try the restaurant’s version because it’s guaranteed to be fresh—each ruby-red bead carefully extracted from the fish.

Grilled red throat seabream

Grilled fish is always one of my favorite cooking styles because I can never get it as crispy yet tender at home. So every time I dine out, I look forward especially to grilled fish. The flesh of the red throat seabream is exceptionally delicate. A squeeze of fresh lemon juice makes it absolutely delicious—I cleaned my plate clean.

Uni sushi

A burst of sweet richness fills your mouth, instantly melting on your tongue. The intense sweetness of the uni is simply marvelous.

Salmon roe donburi

The translucent ruby-red pearls dance in your mouth, popping with flavor. There’s no usual fishiness, just the aroma of the vinegar rice. It’s truly delicious.

Fried items - cod milt, willow leaf fish, golden sweetfish

The willow leaf fish, served fresh out of the fryer, was so good I even ate the head clean. But what I loved most was the cod milt coated with shiso leaves and fried—it had the texture of warm snow ice cream in the middle. Absolutely delicious!!
The batter is also very thin, with absolutely no fishy taste. It’s incredibly tasty.

Deep-fried Kinshiki Sweet Potatoes
I was thinking I was already a bit full and shouldn't eat sweet potatoes to avoid feeling too stuffed, but after one bite, they turned out to be as sweet as molasses. The chef repeatedly assured me that these were definitely Japanese Kinshiki sweet potatoes that had only been steamed and then fried—sweet with a soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture.

Simmered Scallop Nigiri

The simmered scallops weren’t as moving as the sea urchin or salmon roe for me, but the texture was still quite delicious.

Red Miso Soup
A soup made with mountain celery and other Japanese vegetables—nothing extraordinary, but solid.

Matcha

Classic Cheesecake

Honestly, I was ready to skip this at first, thinking that desserts in Japanese cuisine aren’t usually their strong suit. But after everyone kept saying how good it was, I gave it a small try. To my surprise, the combination of the two types of cheese created such a well-matched texture—the mousse-like feel melted in the mouth with a rich cheese aroma, paired with the biscuit base underneath. It really made me look forward to their daily homemade desserts. Turns out, Japanese desserts can be really good too.

This experience showed me that even with the same ingredients, Japanese cuisine can offer vastly different flavors and sensations through varied knife techniques or creative plating. This meal was truly delightful. The freshness of the catch is really important—it’s a key factor in making the dish delicious.
Postscript: The reason behind the restaurant name “Píngdàn Tiānzhēn” (平凡天真), which translates roughly to "Ordinary Naivety," is that within simplicity, there lies purity. Through seemingly ordinary and simple Japanese dishes, customers can feel the care put into each plate, as well as the playful, extraordinary charm in the ingredients and cooking methods.

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