A diverse selection of steaks — choose your grade and cut to your heart's content

Photos & Text /Ahmon

Recently, I got an invitation to this steakhouse at the end of Zhongxiao Road. Since I’d been eating too much sushi lately, switching to a steak meal sounded great, so I went with a friend. As I mentioned, Zhongxiao Night Market has tons of steak joints, mostly around $130, with free salad bars. Back in my uni days, I used to hit up Zhongxiao Road for steak all the time. So I arrived expecting this place in Yellowstone Park to be just like those night market steakhouses — but I couldn’t have been more wrong. Keep reading to see what made it different.

Seeing that food truck outside the door gave me the feeling that this place might be a bit different. The sign also said “Charcoal-Grilled Steak K8,” which is not your usual teppanyaki-style steak. So what’s the deal here? We’ll find out when we check out the menu.

No greasy iron plates piled high with meat like in traditional night market steak joints — instead, there’s just one sizzling hot grill in front of you. Oh my god, it really is charcoal-grilled K8 — today we’re having grilled meat instead of steak proper, lol.

They open at 6 PM, no lunch service. The interior is clean and bright, with good lighting — no dim or messy night market vibe, which is a nice plus.

Cutlery and soup are self-service, and the bowls go through a dishwasher — huge points for hygiene. But there’s no free drink or water provided, which is a bit of a letdown. Hopefully they can improve on that. There’s a fridge with some sodas, but those come at an extra cost.

Each table has a sauce tray with salt & pepper, ketchup, and flaky sea salt — help yourself as much as you want.

Menu
As soon as I saw the menu, I realized this isn’t your average steakhouse — it’s more like a steak specialist. The prices for set meals start at $150, but their main steaks are all $200 and up. You can choose from American beef, Australian beef, New Zealand beef, and more, with different cuts and weights priced accordingly. Your steak meal comes with a side salad, corn chowder, garlic bread, and a soda. But the coolest part? They even have dry-aged steaks sold by weight — that’s serious foodie stuff. I’ve had the chance to try it a few times before, and the flavor is unforgettable — absolutely delicious. With so many steak options, I think it’s fair to call this place a steak specialist.

The steakhouse also sells skewers — now that was a surprise. But then again, they have a grill, so why not? I was thinking of ordering a few, but the owner told me they’re temporarily unavailable, so no such luck. That was a real bummer.

Fried items, tea & drinks

Soda
Honestly, I felt one soda wasn’t enough because the whole meal is super filling, and you’ll definitely want something to drink afterward. One bottle just doesn’t cut it.<

Garlic bread
Hmm — there were also a few fries on the side, not sure why, but the owner didn’t take them back, so I ate them. Crispy and dipped in ketchup — yum. The bread itself was okay, but the garlic flavor could’ve been stronger.

Corn chowder
It’s richer and not watery at all. Sprinkle some black pepper on top, and the flavor gets even better.

Side salad
A mix of fresh shredded greens with the owner’s special dressing — pretty tasty.

Squid balls $30/skewer
They’re called balls, but they’re actually long-shaped. They looked pretty unique at first glance. I heard the coating includes Japanese egg powder, which makes them extra crispy. The squid itself was nice and chewy too.

Tofu puff $30/skewer
Fried tofu puffs — these are a personal favorite. Frying gives them a smoother texture that’s still bouncy, not at all like regular tofu, haha.

Croquette $80 (vegetable or curry flavor)
Two flavors: vegetable and curry. Both are the same price. Crispy on the outside, soft inside. I personally prefer the curry one — the flavor is richer.

Tempura $200
Comes with four pieces, fried to order. Getting tempura shrimp at a steakhouse is such a weirdly fun experience XDD. The batter isn’t too thick, so you get both the springy shrimp and the crispy crust. Pretty tasty, though the price is a bit steep.

Black Pepper Red Wine Grilled Steak $150
The most affordable among the restaurant’s steak dishes, but it’s still a generous two large pork chops, about one centimeter thick. Like the steaks, they’re grilled over charcoal, and served with side dishes such as shredded onions, broccoli, and baby corn. The sides are relatively simple to complement the flavors of the main meat. The shredded onions are specially prepared—no sharp bite, just sweet, which I really liked.

Cross-section Show
The pork chops here aren’t thin and soft like those you’d find elsewhere. Yellowstone Park’s pork chops are thick and hearty—you can take big bites and really enjoy the taste of the pork, along with a subtle wine aroma. Amazing.

Italian-Style Grilled Lamb Chops $270
This one was ordered by my friend, but since I don’t eat lamb, I had to pass. The portion is quite large, and the sauce looks rich. According to my friend, there’s no gaminess and the meat is very tender—just sharing for reference.

New Zealand Bone-in Ribeye 11 oz $250
Honestly, the portion is really quite generous ==. After finishing the appetizers, eating 10 oz of beef in one go is quite the challenge. This one seems cooked more well-done, around medium-well or above—maybe because my friend doesn’t eat rare. I tried a small piece: since it’s grilled, there are grill marks on top, adding a bit of smoky char flavor. The meat is still pretty tender with some juiciness.

Premium Snowflake Sirloin 12 oz $270
When I saw the snowflake sirloin, I didn’t hesitate to order it. When it arrived, it had already been pre-sliced—you could see the pink interior. The doneness was about medium, the perfect level for steak. It looked incredibly delicious. The sirloin has rich marbling, so the aroma is absolutely captivating. The texture is super tender and juicy. A sprinkle of rose salt enhances the flavor even more. Personally, I think this might have been the best dish of the day. At 12 oz, it’s perfect for sharing between two people—one person might find it a bit too much.

Dry-Aged Bone-in Ribeye 1g/$2
After the aging process, the beef becomes even more aromatic and tender, making it a delicacy many foodies crave. There aren’t many Western restaurants in Taichung that serve dry-aged steaks, so I was really surprised this place offers aged beef. When the steak arrived, I noticed the edges showed clear signs of air-dried aging. Of course, the price is by weight. The ribeye has some connective tissue, giving it a bit more chew. For aged steaks, medium-rare is usually recommended to enjoy both tenderness and texture—cooking it too well-done would be a waste. Adding a bit of rose salt is also a good idea.

Hungarian Spicy Chicken Leg Steak $180
Wow, it’s been ages since I’ve seen such a huge chicken leg—ever since chicken leg prices went up, the ones in bento boxes keep getting smaller. I heard they even switched to drumsticks in Taipei. This one looks super tender and springy. It’s been marinated beforehand, giving it a hint of Italian herbs and a touch of spiciness—but it’s really quite delicious. Makes me want to eat it again.

Overall, because it’s grilled over charcoal, the wait time is a bit longer, and the flavor is quite different from pan-seared dishes—it’s more like a barbecue joint. The portions are generous enough to fill you up. There are many types and grades of steak to choose from, depending on your budget. The drinks could use some improvement, in my humble opinion. Just sharing my thoughts for reference.

[Yellowstone Park Charcoal Grill Steakhouse]
Phone: 0982-973720 / 0970-9123040
Address: No. 306-1, Zhongxiao Road, East District, Taichung City
Price: $150 and up, no service charge
Dining Date: August 2014

阿mon台湾趴趴走~Food, Travel, Photography, Outdoor Shooting
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