Irresistibly fragrant, melt-in-your-mouth grilled nigiri sushi that keeps you coming back for more

Text and photos by阿mon

Back in July last year, I came to Rikka Sushi for my birthday dinner and was immediately hooked by its affordable prices and delicious flavors. It’s just a shame it’s so far from where I live—otherwise, I’d probably come here every week. A few friends who live nearby often come here to feast, and I’ve seen them enjoying themselves. This time, I was invited by Rikka Sushi to dine here again just before my birthday, which made me really happy. I heard there were also plenty of special treats today.

The layout of the restaurant is pretty much the same as when I visited a year ago—one side has the counter, and the other has four-person tables. But this time, we didn’t sit at either.

Instead, we went straight to the semi-open Japanese-style table at the very back of the restaurant, which is more spacious and comfortable.

If you want to watch the chef make sushi, I’d definitely recommend sitting at the counter. But since this was more of a group meal, we skipped the counter this time.

The small blackboard lists today’s special seafood and dishes, which change depending on the day’s fresh ingredients. I wanted to try the oysters, but they were sold out—such a bummer.

There was so much fresh fish and ingredients, all looking incredibly tempting. I hoped my stomach had enough capacity to try a bit of everything.Perfect!!

For Japanese appetizers and salads, I got my favorites: salmon roe and lobster salad.

Menu

Nigiri sushi. The prices are the same as when I came a year ago—starting at $25 per piece, and you can order single pieces.

Grilled sushi, sashimi

Gunkan sushi, rolls, hand rolls

Hot pot dishes, appetizers

After a few sips of barley tea, we started waiting for the sushi to arrive.

Salmon roe hand roll – $60 each. I didn’t order a hand roll last time, so I had no idea how big they are here. When it arrived, I was pleasantly surprised—the portion of salmon roe was huge, practically too much for one bite. The owner assured us it was real salmon roe, not artificial. The salmon roe burst with flavor in my mouth T?Ｔ?５, rich and creamy, with layers of umami. I wanted to take another bite right away, but if you’re not careful, you might end up eating the whole thing in one go. Once you start, it’s hard to stop.

The last time I came to Rikka, fresh wasabi wasn’t an option—it was the more artificial kind. This time, fresh wasabi is available for an extra $20, so of course, I had to get some to go with the sushi and sashimi. It makes a huge difference in flavor.

Freshly grated wasabi has a lighter green color and a slightly grainy texture. The flavor starts mild but builds into a sharp heat. The wasabi on the right in the photo is the more common pre-made kind, which is easy to tell apart by color. I highly recommend trying the fresh wasabi.

Penghu Ice Roll – $250. The Penghu ice roll is in season, making it super fresh and delicious. Since it’s a crowd favorite, we ordered one right away. Rikka’s version is more like a chilled cold dish—the ice roll is blanched until cooked, then chilled. The cool, chewy texture is perfect for hot days, and the Japanese-style sauce adds a slight tanginess that whets the appetite. Honestly, the portion is quite large—it took our group of three a while to finish it, but it was really tasty.

Sprinkling some white sesame seeds for aroma is a common touch, and it definitely enhances both the flavor and texture. Writing this at midnight while looking at these photos is pure torture—I really want to eat it again.

Assorted sashimi – $200. On a whim, I ordered a plate of assorted sashimi featuring salmon, tuna, and swordfish. The slices were fairly thick and tasted super fresh. The salmon had a good amount of marbling, leaving a lingering aroma in my throat after each bite.

Crimson shrimp nigiri – $120. A premium ingredient I didn’t get to try last time, but it’s here now. It looks like one piece, but actually, it’s more like two because the shrimp head is also stuffed with vinegar rice to soak up the essence of the shrimp paste—nothing goes to waste. The crimson shrimp is lightly grilled, giving off a wonderfully smoky aroma. A few salmon roe and scallions are placed on top as garnish. It’s in season, so the shrimp is sweet and firm—highly recommended if you’re visiting now.

Sea urchin sushi – price available upon request. Sea urchin is an ingredient I both love and fear. I rarely order it at sushi restaurants because of the high price and the worry about fishy flavors. After trying a few places with off-putting tastes, I stopped ordering it. But this time, the owner assured me it would be delicious, so I tried a few. The vinegar rice is first wrapped in a thin layer of cucumber, then topped with a generous amount of sea urchin. It feels like a cholesterol bomb—if you eat too much, you might have a heart attack. But this sea urchin is simply divine. Even if it gave me a heart attack, it’d be worth it. The flavor is sweet, rich, and completely free of fishiness. Paired with the crisp cucumber, it’s absolutely amazing. Boss, I’ll take the whole box of sea urchin!!!

First the crimson shrimp, then the sea urchin—each bite better than the last. And now, the main event: the grilled sushi lineup arrives.

Grilled salmon belly – $60. Grilled sushi is one of my favorite styles because the aroma after grilling is so enticing—hardly anyone can resist it. Looking at the large piece of salmon belly, glistening under the light, you can tell it’s rich in fat. The vinegar rice is less prominent, mostly covered by the salmon belly, with some salmon roe and scallions on top. At $60, it’s really not expensive, though finishing one bite might be a bit of a challenge. The flavor is rich and tender, with the aroma lingering in your mouth, making you want another bite right away.

Grilled scallop sushi – $70. I fell in love with Rikka’s scallop sushi the last time I tried it. The scallops are consistently thick and large enough to fully cover the vinegar rice, offering a sweet and delicious taste. A friend said they prefer the non-grilled version, but I’m team grilled. It’s all about personal preference.

Grilled fin meat sushi – $70. A must-order dish—flame-grilled halibut fin meat, bursting with oily aroma and offering a melt-in-your-mouth texture that lingers long after the last bite.

Grilled cherry duck $40. After my last visit, I thought it was excellent and it seems to have become a staple dish here. The meat is tender, not fishy, rich in fat, and has a bit of chewiness. After eating it, you’ll want another one—highly recommended. Having eaten several pieces in a row, I also noticed that the vinegar rice is consistently well-made. The taste and texture don’t vary between each piece; it’s almost identical every time, likely due to the restaurant’s strict standards for vinegar rice quality. For comparison, when I ate at Genmai Sushi last time, I found the vinegar rice tasted and felt different with each order.

Grilled wagyu $70. Wagyu has always been my favorite type of grilled sushi, and this time the presentation was quite unique. A large slice of meat is stacked rather than the thin single slice you often see elsewhere, so it feels thicker. It’s tender, juicy, and bursting with rich umami flavor, plus a bit of chewiness—the more you chew, the more the meaty taste comes through. Highly recommended.

Grilled unagi $60. Since a friend doesn’t eat beef, we ordered unagi instead. The size was one of the larger ones I’ve seen in Taichung. The vinegar rice is fully wrapped inside the eel, with about two eels used per piece. After eating, my friend immediately said it was delicious—the flesh is delicate and tender, and it made me want to try some too.

Miso fish bone soup $80. The weather outside was a bit hot, so I hadn’t planned to order soup this time, but the owner highly recommended it, so we got two bowls. When the soup arrived, we were all shocked—it’s such a huge portion. Just looking at it made me feel full, and it seemed packed with ingredients, with chopped green onions floating on the surface.

When I scooped it up with a spoon, I was even more surprised—there was just so much fish and tofu. The bowl was completely full. The owner is really generous!! This miso fish soup is almost like a miso fish hot pot. It’s refreshing to drink, but I’d recommend sharing one order among multiple people.

We added a few more items, this time focusing on nigiri sushi to avoid getting tired of grilled sushi. We got scallops, squid, sweet shrimp, and others.

Squid nigiri $25. My friend highly recommended this squid nigiri, saying it’s a must-try. It’s a large, springy piece of squid paired with fresh wasabi—pretty good.

Sweet shrimp nigiri $30. Each piece has three sweet shrimp, just like last time. The shrimp meat is springy, and it’s one of the restaurant’s popular dishes. But after having the ruby shrimp earlier, I couldn’t go back—the ruby shrimp are really that good!!

Tuna nigiri $40. I only ordered one, but it was eaten by a friend, so I didn’t get to taste it.

Overall
The nigiri sushi was satisfying, the service was great, and the prices are quite reasonable. The vinegar rice is especially well-prepared, with consistent quality. You can enjoy a great meal without breaking the bank. Some of the items we ordered this time were a bit pricier. If you’re looking for more affordable options, check out my previous visit review [click here]. And remember to make a reservation before coming—otherwise, you might find it fully booked. I recommend this place to everyone. The above is just my personal opinion, for reference only.

Restaurant name: Tachibana Sushi
Phone: 04-22470858
Address: No. 223, Section 2, Dalian Road, Beitun District, Taichung City
Price: $15 and up