UKAI TEI KAOHSIUNG Soft Opening   Kaohsiung’s Michelin-Inspired Restaurants Now Total Four

Travel Center / Comprehensive Report

The UKAI TEI KAOHSIUNG restaurant at Silks Club officially began its soft opening on July 15. This outlet is a branch of the Japanese Michelin one-star teppanyaki restaurant UKAI TEI, making it the fourth Michelin-influenced dining establishment in Kaohsiung, following Celebrity Cuisine, Tim Ho Wan, and Old Fashioned.


▲UKAI TEI KAOHSIUNG began its soft opening on July 15.

UKAI TEI KAOHSIUNG Restaurant
The UKAI TEI KAOHSIUNG restaurant at Silks Club is a branch of the Japanese Michelin one-star teppanyaki restaurant UKAI TEI. It includes the UKAI Western Grill on the third floor and the UKAI Teppanyaki on the second floor. UKAI TEI KAOHSIUNG uses premium ingredients such as U.S. prime beef, Australian wagyu, Australian Tajima wagyu, and Australian chocolate wagyu. The menu also features a rich selection of seafood including Ise lobster, Bairdi crab, and butterfish. Additionally, the restaurant will introduce the classic Japanese dish “Rock Salt Steamed Live Abalone.”

Address: No. 199, Zhongshan 2nd Rd., Kaohsiung City
Phone: 07-973-0189


▲Celebrity Cuisine’s new summer dishes. (Photo / provided by Han Lai Cuisine)

Celebrity Cuisine
Located within the Howard Plaza Hotel, Celebrity Cuisine is a branch of the renowned high-end Cantonese restaurant from Hong Kong. It was introduced to Taiwan by the Howard Group, which also holds the Asian agency rights for Celebrity Cuisine. The Hong Kong branch is helmed by Chef Zheng Jinfu, famously known as “Fu Ge” or “Hidden Master Chef,” who was once recruited by Hong Kong textile tycoon Lim Por Yen to work in his private residence for over 20 years due to his exceptional culinary skills. However, the Hong Kong branch, which had maintained its two-Michelin-star status in recent years, dropped to one star in the 2017 Michelin Hong Kong & Macau Guide. It remains to be seen if it can reclaim its two stars in the 2018 guide.

Address: 12F, Howard Plaza Hotel Kaohsiung (No. 266, Chenggong 1st Rd., Qianjin District, Kaohsiung City)
Phone: 07-213-5732


▲Tim Ho Wan’s summer chef’s special recommendations. (Photo / provided by Tim Ho Wan)

Tim Ho Wan
Before the Singaporean Hainanese chicken rice shop earned its Michelin star, Tim Ho Wan was dubbed “the world’s cheapest Michelin restaurant.” It held a Michelin one-star rating for several consecutive years. Founder Chef Mak Kwai Pui once said he hoped to offer Michelin-quality taste at affordable prices. Tim Ho Wan’s “Four Heavenly Kings” are the “Siu Mai Bao,” “Pork Liver Sausage,” “Smooth Malay Cake,” and “Pan-Fried Radish Cake.” The crown jewel is the “Siu Mai Bao,” which breaks from traditional steaming methods — Chef Mak bakes it to achieve a crispy yet fluffy texture using a specially formulated flour refined through 11 processes.

Hanshin Dome Branch
Address: No. 777, Bo’ai 2nd Rd., Zuoying District, Kaohsiung City
Phone: 07-559-7178


▲Shanghai Old Fashioned earned a Michelin one-star last year. (Photo / provided by Banbei Group)

Old Fashioned
Founded by the Banbei Group in 2005, Old Fashioned was created after the group noticed a gap in the market for a premium yet relaxed yakiniku (Japanese BBQ) restaurant tailored to adults who appreciate the finer things in life — what they call a “sanctuary for mature gourmands.” They added the word “Old” to emphasize this concept. Old Fashioned sources whole wagyu cattle and continuously researches ways to successfully commercialize every cut — this is what “one whole wagyu” means. The Shanghai branch, which opened on August 1, 2015, at No. 5 Building on the Bund, earned the Michelin one-star, bringing prestige to the Taiwan branches as well. The Kaohsiung location is inside the Dream Mall.

Address: 2F, No. 789, Zhonghua 5th Rd., Qianzhen District, Kaohsiung City (Blue Whale Pavilion, Dream Mall)
Phone: 07-811-5022