Taipei’s Secluded High-End Restaurant – Enjoy a Whole Juicy Lobster, Served Fresh!

Text & Photos /Xiao Hu’s Dream Food Blog

I know many people dislike reducing food and cuisine to cost-performance value. Recently, I read an article discussing the cost-performance of dishes. The article pointed out that the cost-performance of a dish shouldn’t be judged solely on ingredients—it should also take into account the dining environment, the chef’s reputation, and their experience. That is, if you really must talk about cost-performance.

The article gave an interesting example: if Lin Chi-ling cooked for you, even if the ingredients were ordinary and the taste not ideal, just being able to share it on Facebook and brag about it for life would make it worth it. So how do you calculate the cost-performance of that meal? The reason I started with all this rambling is to say one thing: this meal might have been the most enjoyable restaurant dining experience I’ve had—certainly the most pleasant in terms of taste. As for other elements? Irrelevant. And cost-performance? Who cares!

Before visiting, I’d heard many good things about Sansan House from close friends. Today, finally, led by a veteran in the food scene, I got the chance to try it.

I’d thought Sansan House was located up in the mountains of Beitou, but walking up the path, I realized it’s actually less than a ten-minute walk from Xinbeitou Station—somewhere just past the Beitou Civic Center. However, the entrance is very unassuming, with no eye-catching signboard, so it’s easy to walk right past. I took a photo for everyone’s reference.

Though the exterior is understated, as soon as you turn the corner inside, there’s an “aha” moment of openness. I absolutely love the elegance of this courtyard—it’s so serene, it feels like you can hear the rustle of leaves right by your ear.

If it were a cool, crisp autumn or early spring day, how relaxing would it be to enjoy a pot of fine tea and an afternoon tea here...

Stepping into the restaurant, you also feel an indescribable sense of tranquility—perhaps because it used to be a private guesthouse. It’s said that’s also a key reason why many celebrities love it. Of course, there are also several private rooms of varying sizes, but since they were occupied that day, I couldn’t take photos. The largest private room can accommodate over twenty people—perfect for our little foodie group, Team Xiao Hu XD.

Sansan House is most famous for its white truffle season. Many of my friends have tried it and raved about it. Its asparagus dishes are also quite well-known. This time, we enjoyed the seasonal “Sansan Seafood Festival.”

The minimum spend for this set menu is NT$4,600 plus 10%, with prices varying slightly depending on the main course. But the actual dishes served far exceed what’s listed on the menu—meaning there are some small dishes not shown. From my experience that day, unless you’re a big eater, most women would struggle to finish it... Even guys with smaller appetites, like me, were probably half-full halfway through XD.

The bread basket is refillable, but I wouldn’t recommend over-ordering just because it’s delicious—you might not have room for the good stuff later (laughs). It comes with three different dips, diced tomatoes, and olive oil.

“Blueberry-Flavored Vinegar”Typically, such vinegar drinks are served before the main course to cleanse the palate in anticipation of the evening’s flavor highlight. But at Sansan House, they serve it right at the start. The fruit bubbles on top resemble molecular gastronomy techniques—fine and fluffy—but they melt on your lips into a gentle tang. The fruit vinegar itself isn’t as sour as I expected, or rather, it lacks that overly sharp bite. It’s refreshing and appetite-whetting.

“Glass Squid Cup”Though it looks beautiful, I hesitated a bit before trying it since I’m not usually a fan of glass squid. Surprisingly, there was zero fishy taste I dislike. It’s not something I’d call a favorite yet, but at least I don’t dislike it anymore XD

The base has a mashed potato-like texture, smooth and creamy, with a hint of seafood umami.

“Kinki with Garlic Sprout and Fresh Fish Sauce”Kinki represents high-end in Japanese cuisine—and, of course, that means “expensive” XD. Getting to try it at Sansan House is truly a win, considering how easily a single serving can cost over a thousand yen at Japanese restaurants... Here, they don’t over-season it. Instead, they use a sauce made from garlic sprouts, but it’s not poured all over the fish, preserving much of its natural flavor so diners can dip as they like. The sea grapes on top not only enhance the visual appeal but also add a “pop” and juicy, bouncy texture as you chew—brilliant.

“Seafood Golden Consommé”At first, I thought, “Why is there a cup of tea in the middle?”—only to realize it’s actually a soup made from seven types of seafood, meant to complement the next dish, “Underwater World.” You could even say these two dishes form a set. The moment it touches your tongue, there’s a long-lasting sweetness; the umami is overwhelming. Though I can’t name which specific seafoods contribute to the sweetness, my entire palate is filled with it. Even after finishing, there’s a lingering, unsatisfied craving for more umami. Calling it the best seafood soup I’ve ever had wouldn’t be an overstatement—it’s simply amazing!!!

“Underwater World”—what a beautiful name. This plate features a combination of seven different premium seafoods. Even the garnishing sauces are intentionally made with two different kinds, satisfying both the eyes and the palate even before you take a bite.

Aside from the insanely sweet uni (sea urchin), the shrimp and scallops are also incredibly delicious. Because each bite is small and easy to eat, I finished the whole thing in under three minutes... I even couldn’t resist the choux pastry side accessory—so good!

“Steamed Live Lobster with Lobster Broth”This is practically the prelude to a double main course. Just looking at these two lobsters is enough to make your heart race.

And the best part? One lobster per person... Yes, one each—that’s beyond satisfying!

Tableside service includes the chef shelling the lobster for you, with a small side dish made from mushrooms and beans underneath, topped with rich lobster broth.

Honestly, over the years, I’ve had my fair share of lobsters, but rarely have I encountered one with so much juice. With every bite, the juice just bursts out—it’s insanely sweet. Even eating it without the broth is ridiculously delicious. And since the sauce is also made from lobster, though rich in flavor, it doesn’t overpower the natural sweetness of the lobster meat. Absolutely ridiculously delicious!!!

"Pan-seared Hokkaido scallops with Australian winter black truffle", and here I think our dear readers can understand why this set meal costs four to five thousand — because the ingredients are all top-tier, and many are flown in fresh directly from abroad.

Just this simply pan-seared Hokkaido scallop blew my mind — so fresh and tender, it practically melted after just two or three light chews. Absolutely delicious!!!

At first, I thought drizzling black truffle sauce on top was overkill and might ruin the natural umami of such high-quality scallops. But it was completely the opposite — the slightly oily truffle not only didn’t overpower the scallop’s flavor but actually enhanced the initial taste, acting like a flavor booster. Incredible. No wonder many say the chef at Sanshi has exceptional sauce-making skills. I truly witnessed it today, even if I still can’t remember his name XD.

"Pan-seared live prawns with bamboo clams", many people don’t like eating bamboo clams, mostly because of their living environment and their almost indiscriminate diet XD, which affects their taste and texture. However, Sanshi uses bamboo clams raised in Yilan’s pristine mountains and waters. Not only do they lack those unpleasant flavors and textures, but they also have a tender, sweet taste reminiscent of mantis shrimp, along with a slight roasted aroma — completely changing my perception of bamboo clams.

"Chef’s handmade noodles with king crab meat", when these handmade noodles touched my tongue, I was surprised — they were so smooth, almost lacking chewiness like Japanese sanuki udon, yet the more I chewed, the more flavor I discovered. Delicious, even with such a simple taste. The king crab was just a small piece, but incredibly juicy... and sweet too, with a hint of charred shell aroma from roasting. Absolutely heavenly. To be honest, by this point, the seafood had already filled me up by about 90%... I felt a bit too full to continue, so I went out for a walk before returning to the table XD.

Grilled American premium ribeye cap, seeing this not-too-large portion of ribeye cap, I truly felt happy... otherwise, not finishing such high-quality meat would be unforgivable, even for me XD.

It was simply sprinkled with a bit of sea salt and drizzled with a sauce made from beef fat — yet it looked so beautiful I didn’t want to cut into it XD. These two pieces of beef weren’t big, but just slicing into them with a knife revealed their tenderness and softness. Though the meat looked relatively red, it had an almost melt-in-your-mouth texture, and the sweetness of the juices was among the best steaks I’ve ever had. Even without my preferred fatty richness, it was still absolutely amazing. Even though I was already 80–90% full, I devoured it in seconds — so sinful XD.

Probably rose salt and truffle salt? Because by the time I noticed them, both steaks were already gone XXD.

The latte had a relatively strong coffee aroma, with the milk flavor not being too overwhelming. Tasty.

Osmanthus, mint, and chili crisps — a small dessert before the main one. Don’t underestimate these three leaf-like cookies; they might have excited my taste buds even more than the upcoming main dessert. These three crisps are thin and crunchy, with a slight oily crispness that melts in your mouth. Flavor-wise, I’m not too moved by the osmanthus, but the mint is refreshing and clean, while the chili is my favorite — a mild spiciness that stands out, paired with a slight sugary sweetness like melted icing. Absolutely delicious, I love it.

"Mango mousse with yuzu jelly", using fresh Irwin mangoes made into mousse, ice cream, and diced variations, paired with yuzu jelly for a touch of flavor — visually very appetizing.

The mango mousse is naturally delicious, but the best part is how it pairs with the tangy, sweet, and slightly bitter yuzu jelly — the flavors are incredibly layered and surprising. I loved it to bits. Also, the pastry under the mango mousse roll is like a mille-feuille — flaky, oily, and fragrant. So good!!!

For this Sanshi Seafood Festival, they also offer packages that include hot spring and accommodation options, as well as afternoon tea choices.

PS: The hot springs at Sanshi are probably the best I’ve experienced in Taiwan!!! Let’s meet up again at the end of September or early October with our little foodie group, Tiger Eats Dreams!!!

Sanshi House
Official website
Address: No. 32, Zhongshan Road, Beitou District, Taipei City
Phone: 02 6611 8888
Restaurant hours: Lunch: 12:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Afternoon tea: 3:00 pm – 5:00 pm
Dinner: 6:00 pm – 10:00 pm

"Tiger Eats Dreams
If 'eating' is just about filling your stomach, then 'food' would be far too boring～～"