Japanese-style yakitori alley grill among Asia’s top 500 restaurants – specialty is having a chef grill for you

Text and photos byPingzi
Pingzi, who loves Japanese-style grilled meat, wanted to share this famous yakitori grill today. It insists on using premium ingredients for great cooking, making diners feel safe and healthy. There are many branches in Taipei, and on this day, Pingzi and her family came to enjoy a hearty meal at Hutong No. 3. Hutong has been recognized by The Miele Guide, Asia’s gourmet dining guide, for three consecutive years, being selected as one of the top 500 quality restaurants in all of Asia. Meat lovers, don’t miss out.

Hutong Japanese Grill No. 3 is a small shop tucked away in an alley off Civic Boulevard. It's very eye-catching and easy to find, featuring floor-to-ceiling glass windows that allow a glimpse into the interior. Hutong has been listed among Asia’s top 500 quality restaurants. For three years running, it has earned recognition from The Miele Guide, Asia’s gourmet dining guide, and has been selected as one of the top 500 quality restaurants across Asia. The Miele Guide is professionally evaluated by a panel of influential Asian food critics and renowned food writers, drawing from about 500 restaurants across 17 countries in the Asia region, including China (including Hong Kong and Macau), Japan, Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, and Thailand.

Along the entire alley, shops have lit up their signs, and Hutong, having multiple branches, uses “No. 3” to differentiate itself — it’s very noticeable and hard to miss.

Hutong Japanese Grill - Hutong Grill No. 3 uses the number “3” prominently to indicate it’s the third branch.

The seating layout at Hutong Japanese Grill is mainly composed of 13 counter seats, one 10-person table, one 8-person table, and one 6-person table. No matter which Taipei location you visit, they’re always small and often fully booked. Visiting a grilled meat spot is perfect for a casual drink and chat with family, or for unwinding after work with colleagues over drinks and bonding time.

On this day, Pingzi sat at the counter. Having visited Hutong Japanese Grill many times, she enjoys having the staff grill for her. First-timers, remember you can ask them to do the grilling for you. All the ingredients are freshly prepared, so you can catch some special performances by the kitchen staff — that’s one of the perks of sitting at the counter.

The counter also displays daily limited-edition ingredients for ordering.

At the back, there’s a small area that can seat dozens, but it’s often fully booked — be sure to reserve in advance.

Upon entering the restaurant, you’ll first be directed to store your belongings. They give you a key to lock your bag in a locker to avoid any smell of cooking oil — a thoughtful touch.

The dining table is neatly set with utensils, and right in front is the charcoal grill.

The coasters are specially printed with Hutong’s orange-red logo.

There’s also a lemon on the table, which you can place on the grilled meat to enhance the flavor. Since lemon is alkaline and meat is acidic, the combination gives the perfect taste.

The menu has a leather-like texture, giving it a classy look, though it’s a pity the Hutong logo isn’t printed on it. Plastic sheets overlaying multiple menu briefs — Hutong Grill operates on an à la carte basis, plus a 10% service charge.

Just for beef, there are many cuts and quality options to choose from: filet mignon, ribeye steak, thick-cut beef tongue, diced beef, fan-shaped beef, beef tongue, and more.

Taiwan black pork is also available, and pork comes in various grades: premium pork belly, large intestine neck, plum blossom pork shoulder, special selection pork ribs… etc. The menu price list is very clear, making it easy to read and order.

When eating grilled meat, you’ll either want beer, Japanese sake, or a glass of ice water.

Also inevitable when eating grilled meat are scallions and onions, which are available unlimited.

Hutong also offers its own pickled tomato marinated in red wine — the tomato is flavorful and sweet, great for cutting through greasiness, and delicious.

Pingzi’s favorite two items at grilled meat spots are rose salt and seven-spice powder.

Hutong uses low-smoke charcoal, different from most other grilled meat shops, so you won’t come out smelling like smoke. It uses selected Malaysian fir sawdust, mechanically compressed, then heated to vaporize hydroxides to create a product with high purity carbon. It lasts longer than regular charcoal, is completely smoke-free and odorless. That’s why there’s no lingering grilled meat smell, making the dining space really pleasant.

To start, try the rose salt sprinkle on Hokkaido pork with霜降 (marbled fat). Each slice has clearly defined marbling, although the Hokkaido pork slices are a bit thin. Once placed on the iron plate, it takes just minutes for the pork to become crispy outside, glistening with oil yet not greasy, with sweet tender meat. Paired with the specially prepared rose salt and a squeeze of lemon, it’s delicious — Pingzi orders it every time.

Creamy boneless chicken thigh, 180 NT$ — you can see a big chunk of boneless chicken thigh alongside a small dish of cream.

Place the boneless chicken thigh on the grill and cook until soft and tender. Due to the thickness, you need to keep flipping it to ensure even cooking. When the thigh is almost done, brush it with cream and grill a little longer — the aroma of the cream infuses the meat, making it incredibly tasty.

Spicy salted pork large intestine, 180 NT$.

The grilled large intestine has a crispy, golden skin, and when you bite into it, juices absorbed by the intestine seep out — the texture is really good.

Salt and pepper king oyster mushrooms, 120 NT$.

After roasting, the king oyster mushrooms lose moisture, making the entire mushroom sweet and juicy. Simply dip it in some rose salt or shichimi spice, and it becomes incredibly flavorful. For those who enjoy eating mushrooms, Pingzi highly recommends giving it a try.

Yam, one serving for 120 NTD. Hard to imagine, right? Yam can also be grilled. Once roasted, you can enjoy its silky gelatinous texture. When you bite into the yam, it’s crispy, and the texture is quite impressive.

Half portion of beef belly, 160 NTD. My family loves beef, and the alleyway recommended the shop’s beef belly, so we ordered a portion to try.

In just a minute or two, the beef belly is ready. It’s most tender and has the best texture when cooked to an 80% doneness.

The beef belly is sliced very thinly, with evenly distributed fat. As soon as it’s grilled, the fat renders out, and the thin slices of beef belly become glossy. With the fat rendered, the beef is incredibly tender.

Grilled shrimp is a must-order; seafood lovers shouldn’t miss it. One serving is 230 NTD, with a total of six shrimp per plate, averaging about 40 NTD per shrimp.

They’re placed on an iron plate and grilled by the staff, who help manage the heat. Before long, the shrimp all turn color. Grilling shrimp requires skill—grilled this way, it looks fresh every single time.

Pingzi, who loves fresh shrimp, absolutely adores this dish. At the alleyway, they peel the shrimp shells for you, so once it’s grilled, you can just bite into the shrimp meat. It’s super tender and delicious. If you have a bit more budget, you can order their large prawns, which cost around 400–450 NTD each—absolutely delicious.

Cream cheese sweet potato, one serving for 120 NTD. This was the sweet dessert to end our meal, and Pingzi orders it every time she comes. It’s made by grilling sweet potato together with cream and cheese, resulting in a thick, luscious texture. It’s served hot and piping, with sweet potatoes that are naturally sweet and cheese that’s rich and creamy. It’s really tasty—a must-order for anyone who loves sweet potato and cheese. It’s also a signature dish at the alleyway.

The bill for our meal that day, even with just simple orders, came to 1551 NTD. The price isn’t cheap at all, but it’s truly delicious—the ingredients are fresh, which makes it worth it. Whenever we crave grilled meat and want to eat good-quality grilled meat, we usually go for à la carte. Pingzi always thinks of the top three grilled meat restaurants she loves, and one of them is Taipei Hu Tong Japanese Grill, a branch of Hu Tong. Their grilled meat comes with a server who grills it for you, and the best part is that the ingredients are incredibly fresh, leaving a memorable taste that keeps you coming back. I recommend grilled meat lovers to try it out one day—this place is ranked among the top 500 quality restaurants in Asia.

upssmile Pingzi (up’s smile 向上微笑)!
She is a designer and also the photographer for Upward Smile Travel Food Photography.
She is passionate about “travel,” food, “design,” photography, and movies.
Blogger:http://upssmile.com/

Taipei Hu Tong Japanese Grill - HUTONG Japanese Grill No. 3

02-2577-3738.

No. 18, Lane 70, Alley 12, Section 3, Bade Road, Songshan District, Taipei City.

Business hours: 6:00 PM – 12:30 AM (Last seating at 11:00 PM).

À la carte dining, with a 10% service charge applied at checkout.

Hu Tong Japanese Grill official website:http://www.hutong.com.tw.

Hu Tong Japanese Grill fan page:https://www.facebook.com/hutongyakiniku.