A popular family-style Japanese diner open only at night features nearly 80 dishes on the menu

Photos and text byOrange Dog Loves Candy

I’m used to exploring Tainan on foot, slowly tracing the historical tracks of this ancient capital with my own footsteps. Of course, walking also makes it easier to discover interesting restaurants—whether new or old. Anyway, the unhurried pace suits my travel style in Tainan, even though I’m actually from here. The most famous spot on this street is undoubtedly Zaifa Haw Kua, a century-old renowned restaurant, while the butter rolls from Shin Yuchin Old Pastry Shop have been very popular with tourists in recent years, often drawing long queues. But what caught my attention this time was this 【Utamaro Uta Maro Japanese Izakaya】—it’s really so unassuming. Only after looking it up did I find out it has pretty good reviews online, so when a friend’s birthday came up, we decided to eat here.

【Utamaro Uta Maro Japanese Cuisine】is only open in the evenings. It was opened a few years ago by a Japanese person in Tainan. I think there are quite a few seats inside, but the restaurant only lets guests in right at 6:00 PM sharp.

And I didn’t expect the place to be so popular—by 5:50 PM, there were already about 20 people waiting under the covered walkway to get in.

The interior is a long, narrow space, and the decor is very Japanese, with Japanese calligraphy and decorations covering the walls.

As soon as you enter, you can see the tatami-style seating on the left, with hanging curtains, ukiyo-e prints, and a Japanese menu.

Pretty much anything with Japanese writing is plastered all over the walls on both sides—it’s quite lively. I really like the atmosphere the owner has created. Another highlight inside is the huge collection of Japanese manga shelves, featuring several popular series in Taiwan.

Titles like Attack on Titan, One Piece, and Slam Dunk—but they’re all in the original Japanese, and the volumes are pretty complete. I heard quite a few Japanese people come here to eat too. There’s also a TV wall playing Japanese variety shows. I’d say the overall decor is quite thoughtful. It may not feel new, but that slightly worn feel is actually part of the charm.

When you open the menu here, it’s almost overwhelming—there are just so many dishes. Apparently, there are nearly 80 different dishes, ranging from skewers, fried foods, grilled items, to set meals, and they’re all available in both Chinese and English.

The prices aren’t exactly cheap, but they’re not overly expensive either. Many dishes can be ordered individually or upgraded to a set meal for a little extra. There’s something suitable whether you’re dining alone or with friends. I saw quite a few people ordering set meals by themselves.

But for first-timers like us, it was a bit overwhelming. Fortunately, the restaurant offers three special combo sets: A, B, and C.

You can pick two main dishes from the options listed on the last page to create your own combo, which is great for those who want to try a variety of dishes.

They started us off with simple iced barley tea—it seems you can get refills, or you can ask for plain water. But the staff is really busy, so if you want a refill, you might have to wait a bit.

【Stir-fried Vegetables / 160 TWD】
It’s kind of a mix of vegetables—cabbage, bean sprouts, spinach, and eggplant stir-fried together. The portion isn’t huge, and the eggplant slices are a bit too thin, so they don’t really stand out, but it’s still pretty tasty.

【Cheese Fried / 160 TWD】
The price surprised me a bit, but it’s actually really good. The outer coating is light and crispy, and when it’s hot, the cheese inside is slightly salty but rich and gooey. We all thought it was delicious.

【Deep-fried Juice Tofu / 140 TWD】
It’s your typical Japanese deep-fried tofu, but the coating is white, and it’s not tightly wrapped around the tofu. It sits in a pool of sauce, so the coating becomes slightly salty and soft, but the top is still crispy. I quite liked it.

【Steamed Clams in Sake / 120 TWD】
The price is reasonable, and there’s a generous portion of plump clams, which is always a plus.

I’ve been craving this dish lately, probably because I watched an episode of Midnight Diner. The briny flavor of the clams paired with the sake aroma is mouthwatering.

【Tamagoyaki (Japanese Omelet)】
I forgot to check the price for this one since I ordered it on the spot. It has a smooth, bouncy, and thick texture with a Japanese flavor, though it’s not sweet—it has a unique aroma I can’t quite describe, and I’m not a huge fan of that taste.

【Chicken Skewers / 3 sticks / 120 TWD】
These are really quite cheap—about 40 TWD per stick—and the chicken pieces are quite large.

They’re paired with a sweet grilled sauce that has a mellow aroma, and I quite like them.

【Beef Skewers / 2 skewers / NT$180】
Topped with mashed radish, though the beef wasn’t as tender as I’d expected. The radish mash added a refreshing touch, but there wasn’t anything particularly outstanding about it.

【Grilled Mackerel / NT$180】
This one was pretty good—the fish was grilled just right with no burnt spots. The portion had a decently thick cut of flesh, the meat was tender with a fragrant oily edge, and the skin wasn’t burnt at all, staying juicy and delicious. It was a well-executed and high-quality grilled mackerel.

【Hamburg Steak + Fried Cheese Pork Cutlet Combo Set / NT$270】
The rice that came with it was a huge portion—that explains why most customers were ordering set meals. It’s definitely filling, and they also included cantaloupe, enoki mushroom pork skewers, and miso soup. The content was pretty substantial, though set meals are always tricky for me to photograph, so this is about as good as it gets.

The portions of the two main dishes were quite hearty. The pork cutlet was big enough, though the cheese wasn’t as impressive as I’d hoped.

The thick, golden, crispy pork cutlet had a decent firm chew to the meat. The seasoning wasn’t overly salty or greasy, though the meat itself didn’t have much juiciness—it was just about not dry. All in all, it was pretty decent.

The hamburger steak was a mix of beef and pork—I actually really like hamburger steak as a Japanese dish.

But theirs wasn’t particularly outstanding. It was solid but on the dry side, and I did like the tangy sauce on the outside. As a main dish, the portion was generous, but the texture didn’t wow me. On the other hand, the rice really had that Japanese texture—translucent, soft, chewy, and bouncy, making me want to eat another bowl.

The miso soup was on the sweeter side, more like Taiwanese-style Japanese miso soup, but it still had plenty of ingredients like seaweed strips and tofu.

【Japanese Fried Chicken + Fried Oyster Combo Set / NT$270】
Although the main dish plate didn’t seem as generous as the previous combo, it was indeed a double-item set.

Their Japanese fried chicken was pretty tasty—juicy and tender with a coating that wasn’t too thick, and the pieces were fairly large. Though it’s rare to see both the fried tofu and fried chicken coating in white.

The oysters were good too, though having tried the Hiroshima oysters from Xiao Jizang in Tainan—which were huge, plump, and incredibly delicious—these felt just average.

So the oysters here were just solidly good, nothing more.

Having lived in Tainan for so long, when it comes to Japanese food or izakayas, I usually think of Itto, Tokyo Yoshida, or Ginza first, occasionally picking Xiao Jizang. I had no idea this place, Komakura, even existed—the storefront is so low-key, and I only found out about it online. After eating here today, I’d say the set meals are generous, and it’s not common for Japanese restaurants to offer double-main-course combos, but while the details and flavors were decent, they weren’t particularly special. I actually preferred the à la carte dishes, like steamed clams in sake, fried cheese, and chicken skewers—they were all pretty good. Though some items were reasonably priced while others seemed expensive to me. There didn’t seem to be a clear pricing standard, but the atmosphere was nice. Worth checking out if you’re interested.

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【Komakura Japanese Restaurant – Set Meals & Izakaya | Minquan Rd., West Central District】
Address: No. 76, Section 2, Minquan Road, West Central District, Tainan City
Phone: 06-2287030
Business Hours: 6:00 PM – 11:30 PM
Note: Minimum charge of NT$100 per person; phone reservation recommended
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