Packed with sashimi, the value is amazing—summer is the perfect time for a bowl of seafood rice.

Text and photos byAhmon

Kyō Sushi is a sushi restaurant that’s been hugely popular online, famous for its low prices, attracting many customers. It’s busy on both weekdays and weekends, and its location in Yonghe District is quite a distance from the Bannan MRT line where I usually hang out. One day, on a whim, I decided to make a special trip to try it out. After multiple transfers, I finally arrived at the shop. Since it had just opened, there were still plenty of seats available. Even though I hadn’t made a reservation, I managed to snag a seat at the counter.

The restaurant doesn’t have many four-person tables, and each one has a sign that says "Reserved." It wasn’t even 11:30 yet, which shows how popular the place is. Guests who arrived just a few minutes after us could only opt for takeout because even the counter seats were full.

Sitting at the counter allows you to get a closer look at the ingredients in the fridge—so many fresh catches that’ll make your mouth water.

All the sauces are laid out on the table: wasabi, pickled ginger, and soy sauce are all self-serve.

A whiteboard lists some special seafood and ingredients, probably seasonal offerings. You can give them a try—there might be some pleasant surprises.

The edamame appetizer is pretty average.

Nigiri and gunkan sushi

Tekka maki and hand rolls

Crab roe gunkan sushi $70/piece. I don’t often get to eat such a high-end ingredient, but seeing the reasonable price, I decided to give it a try. It’s a generous dollop of crab roe and crab meat on top of vinegared rice, wrapped in seaweed. The flavor is rich and briny, and the addition of crab meat adds layers of texture—it’s delicious. For this price, it’s a steal.

Monkfish liver $100/2 pieces. I’d never tried this before—usually, I’ve had cod or eel liver. The liver chunks are large, with a smooth and delicate texture, and the flavor is intense. But afterward, it felt a bit too rich for my taste, and I’m not used to it.

Seafood N<+海胆 $320。今日的重头戏就是这个海鲜N<饭拉，也是因为这个慕名而来的，这样一碗只要$320价格真的太杀了，如果不要海胆的话，就只要$280，那当然是选有海胆的 阿。整碗被生鱼片和海鲜附盖的满满的，有鲑鱼、鲑鱼卵、干贝、鲱鱼子、鳗鱼、鲔鱼、海胆、甜虾、花枝、蟹膏、旗鱼、玉子烧、、等，真个CP值高超，不点一 份都对不起自己，入宝山空手回的感觉，鱼片的新鲜度都不错，海胆挺鲜甜的，不会吃起来口感烂烂的或出水，底层醋饭用的不错，跟生鱼片一起吃也不会抢味，很 合拍。其中干贝、鲑鱼、花枝这几样我觉的是较好吃的。以一个人的食量来说，这样一份可能会有点多，比较建议多人分食。

My friend was taking pictures super seriously too @ _ @

The third plate is a selection of individual nigiri and grilled (aburi) sushi—each piece looks absolutely delicious.

Grilled flounder $80/2 pieces. The fish is cut from the fin edge, so it melts in your mouth. This time, the fat content was a bit lower, so the aroma wasn’t as strong, but the chef added red ginger and chopped scallions, which gave it a nice kick. I’d never had this combo before.

Grilled salmon belly $70/2 pieces. My favorite salmon belly—two pieces for just $70? That’s insanely cheap. I ordered it right away. The price is great, and the portion isn’t skimped on at all—a big slice of grilled salmon belly covers the rice. The unique fatty aroma is mouthwatering, and the jelly-like texture is so good. And it’s cheap too. If it weren’t for the earlier seafood N...<饭吃的有点多，不然还真想再点几分鲑鱼肚来满足口欲，推荐必点。

Grilled scallops $90/2 pieces. The grilled scallops are sweet and juicy, and a few drops of yuzu juice make them even more refreshing. The price is also very reasonable—definitely a must-order.

Kuruma shrimp $90/2 pieces. These tender and bouncy kuruma shrimp are also a great deal at under $100. They’re seasoned with a hint of wasabi, which enhances the flavor—it’s really good, and I’d recommend trying it.

Pacific saury $80/2 pieces. Since it’s in season, the plump saury is on the menu. It was my first time having saury nigiri—the chef kindly removed the tiny bones, so there’s no need to worry about getting pricked. It’s served with yellow ginger and red ginger, giving it a unique flavor. I’m not sure everyone would like it, but for me, it’s more of a novelty worth trying.

Overall, it’s affordable and delicious. It’s rare to find such good value in Taipei, which explains why it’s always so crowded—especially for that seafood N.<饭，CP直真的超高的，这次吃完后都会让我再回访了阿，推荐这间给大家，以上是个人浅见，仅供参考。

Kyō Sushi
Phone: 02-89252223
Address: No. 278, Section 2, Yonghe Road, Yonghe District, New Taipei City