Foodies, this one’s for you: A super lazy guide to 22 new restaurants that opened in the first half of the year

Reported by Huang Shiyuan / Taipei

The biggest talking points in the food and beverage scene in the first half of 2017 were the opening of Ippudo Ramen in June. Not only did it attract hordes of fans who queued up, but its streak of over 250 hours of continuous queuing broke the previous record set in Hong Kong. Then there was the debut of Tsuta Ramen, the first ramen shop to earn a Michelin one-star rating, as well as Lau Fai Hong Kong Soy Sauce Chicken Rice & Noodle, the world’s first street vendor to receive a Michelin one-star. Also making waves was Japan’s Gyukaku, a Chinese cuisine chain that sells 2 million dumplings daily in Japan—its opening was equally buzzworthy. In total, 22 new restaurants opened in the first half of the year. How many have you tried?


▲ The upgraded version of Din Tai Fung’s buffet, INPARADISE Xiangxiang, officially opened on June 20. (Photo / Huang Shiyuan)

INPARADISE Xiangxiang
The upgraded version of Din Tai Fung’s buffet, INPARADISE Xiangxiang, officially opened on June 20. Located on the 46th floor of Taipei’s Breeze XinYi, it has become the highest all-you-can-eat buffet restaurant in the city. The dining area is divided into eight sections, including the usual seafood and dessert zones, as well as clay pot soups, Japanese yakitori, and the popular French teppanyaki section favored by the staff for tasting.

The eight dining zones include: “Feng Da Hai,” offering fresh sashimi, sushi rolls, grilled sushi, nigiri, hand rolls, and seafood; “Xun Qiao Wei,” serving Japanese and Western appetizers, chef salads, and greens; “He Peng Hu,” featuring clay pot soups; “Da Kuai Di,” with French teppanyaki, Western hot appetizers, and freshly sliced steak; “Jing Shan,” offering Hong Kong-style dim sum, Peking duck served five ways, and Asian wok dishes; “Zhi Qiu,” with Japanese grilled, steamed, and fried items; “Chang Yin Chuan,” providing coffee, tea, soft drinks, juices, and cocktails; and finally, the dessert zone loved by many women, featuring French pastries, ice cream, and fruit. There are over 190 dishes in total, including desserts.

Address: 46F, No. 68, Section 5, Zhongxiao East Road, Xinyi District, Taipei City (Breeze XinYi, Exit 3 of Taipei City Hall MRT Station)
Phone: 02-8780-9988

▲ Tan Yu’s signature dish—the Chongqing Tofu Pudding Szechuan Fish. (Photo / from Tan Yu’s Facebook)

Tan Yu
Tan Yu, a popular Chinese grilled fish chain from mainland China, opened its first Taiwanese branch in Taichung’s Gongyi Store (opened June 16). Using cooking techniques like marinating, grilling, hot pot, and hot pot dipping, Tan Yu creates a variety of tender, spicy, and flavorful grilled fish, offering more than 10 flavors with up to 18 variations. Its grilled fish is known for three qualities: spiciness, aroma, and freshness. The Chongqing Tofu Pudding Szechuan Fish is Tan Yu’s signature among signatures, using spices such as wrinkled pepper, Sichuan pepper, mint, and fish mint root, resulting in a fragrant, numbing, and spicy flavor. Paired with a unique sauce, it delivers an authentic Sichuan-Chongqing taste. Other options include soy sauce-flavored grilled fish and fresh green pepper-flavored grilled fish.

Address: No. 171, Section 2, Gongyi Road, Nantun District, Taichung City

▲ Mahou Dada, a new brand under Wang Group specializing in Sichuan-style spicy hot pot. (Photo / provided by Wang Group)

Mahou Dada
Mahou Dada, a new brand under Wang Group specializing in Sichuan-style spicy hot pot, officially opened on May 29. The themed meal prices start at NT$128, with the most expensive option, the “Invincible Beef Trinity,” priced at NT$218. The average spending per customer is around NT$200. Mahou Dada offers three soup base choices: Dahongpao, Dry Spicy Fragrance, and Rich Pork Bone. Dahongpao is made using 20 Sichuan spices, including seven or eight types of peppers, along with low-temperature extracted spicy oil infused and aged for 30 days, then stir-fried and simmered for two hours. Dry Spicy Fragrance is a dry-mixed flavor preferred by those who love a stronger numbing kick, with a unique taste combining sesame paste and spicy fermented tofu. For those who can’t handle spice, there’s also the Rich Pork Bone soup base, slow-cooked with pork bones, chicken skeletons, and plenty of vegetables and fruits, offering a rich aroma with black and white sesame paste.

Address: No. 182, Section 1, Meicun Road, Taichung City
Phone: 04-2301-1969

▲ Ippudo staff serve ramen within five minutes of ordering. (Photo / taken by reporter Ji Xiangru)

Ippudo Ramen
Ippudo Ramen’s Taipei flagship store opened on June 15, operating 24 hours a day just like in Japan. The interior has 60 seats, all featuring Ippudo’s unique “flavor concentration seating.” There’s also a souvenir display area. The dining flow at the Taipei flagship store is slightly different from Japan’s—you’ll be seated upon entry rather than purchasing tickets at a vending machine (which doesn’t exist in Taiwan). Once seated, you can start selecting your ramen preferences, such as soup concentration, oil level, garlic amount, whether to include scallions, spice level, and noodle firmness. After pressing the service bell in the upper right corner of the table, staff will collect your order form. According to Ippudo’s standards, your ramen must be served within five minutes of order submission. After eating, you’ll take your bill to the payment counter. Currently, only cash and credit cards are accepted—mobile payments are not yet available.

Pricing-wise, a bowl of natural pork bone broth ramen costs NT$288. Add-ons include extra noodles for NT$58 (half portion for NT$48), extra rice for NT$58, extra char siu for NT$58, extra scallions for NT$38, extra black fungus for NT$38, half-boiled salted egg for NT$38, and broth with pork bone char siu plus garlic for NT$38. Additionally, a Taiwan-exclusive premium set is offered, with extras like a half-boiled salted egg, three slices of char siu, and two sheets of seaweed, priced at NT$134. Ordering a bowl of ramen plus the Ippudo premium set brings the total to NT$422.

Address: No. 97, Songren Road, Xinyi District, Taipei City

▲ Ma Shou... (Photo / from Ma Shou...)

Ma Shou...
Ma Shou..., a restaurant popular for its LINE stickers, opened this month. It specializes in Italian cuisine, offering pasta, pizza, risotto, grilled dishes, steak, and light meals. Menu items start at NT$160, and drinks start at NT$120.

Address: No. 130, Section 1, Zhongshan Road, Banqiao District, New Taipei City
Phone: 02-2959-5958

▲ Maple Tree House’s secret marinade boneless short rib. (Photo / provided by Maple Tree House)

Maple Tree House Maple Tree
The Taiwanese flagship store of the Korean BBQ brand “Maple Tree House 枫树” opened in May. In Korea, Maple Tree is known for its Korean beef, but since imported Korean beef is not available, Taiwanese customers can’t enjoy it. However, the restaurant uses Australian and American wagyu as substitutes, along with Iberico pork and black Kurobuta pork, so you can still savor delicious barbecue. The most authentic way to enjoy it at Maple Tree is with Korean sesame leaves (also called perilla or Korean shiso). Ronald, one of the investors (of mixed Taiwanese and Korean heritage), said they specially imported the Korean sesame leaves from Korea, then marinate them before serving them with beef, scallions, garlic slices, and Korean doenjang (fermented soybean paste).

Address: No. 585, Guangfu South Road, Taipei City
Reservation phone: 0909-920-696

▲The 192-layer flaky egg tarts and Hong Kong-style pineapple buns are must-tries at Island Shanghai Restaurant. (Photo by Huang Shiyuan)

Island Shanghai Restaurant
The Taiwanese flagship store of the Hong Kong-style restaurant Island Shanghai Café (Island Shanghai Restaurant) has officially entered Taipei’s Shin Kong Mitsukoshi A11 B1, and officially opened on May 5. In addition to fully replicating the authentic Island Shanghai Café experience, the 192-layer flaky egg tarts and Hong Kong-style pineapple buns are must-tries. Many Taiwanese associate egg tarts with the once-popular Portuguese egg tarts, but those at Island Shanghai Restaurant are not Portuguese-style—they have a distinct Hong Kong flavor. Their most distinctive feature is the 192-layer flaky crust—crispy, fragrant, and clearly layered.

Address: B1, No. 11, Songshou Road, Xinyi District, Taipei City
Phone: 02-6613-1013

▲Chicken thigh meat with snow peas. (Photo by reporter Huang Shiyuan)

Taipei Torikibi
The yakitori restaurant “とり喜” (Torikibi), which has won one Michelin star for seven consecutive years, opened on April 15. Just like yakitori shops in Tokyo, it serves all charcoal-grilled chicken dishes. The owner, Yasuto Sakai, uses different breeds of chicken for different parts, including the recently popular Kintori chicken, broiler chickens, and free-range chickens. Pricing-wise, a set of 12 skewers costs NT$1,000, with each skewer priced between NT$70 and NT$100.

Address: 1F, No. 26, Songshou Road, Xinyi District, Taipei City
Phone: 02-2218-2612

▲Nagasaki Champion Ramen (Chankonabe-style) packed with vegetables. (Photo by reporter Huang Shiyuan)

Ringer Hut Japanese Nagasaki Champion Ramen
The vegetable-packed Chankonabe ramen is a must-try local dish when visiting Nagasaki, Japan. The well-known Japanese chain Ringer Hut specializes in Nagasaki Chankonabe ramen and has over 750 branches in Japan. It originally had stores in Taiwan, but due to quality issues with the local agent, the contract was not renewed after it expired, leading to its exit from the Taiwanese market. However, Ringer Hut Japan remains optimistic about the Taiwanese market and relaunched in Taiwan two years later under the name Ringer Hut Japanese Nagasaki Champion Ramen.

Address: 3F, No. 186, Jingmao 2nd Road, Nangang District, Taipei City (Hao Shi Cheng Mall)
Phone: 02-2785-6071

▲The signature soy sauce ramen from Tsuta ramen. (Photo by Huang Shiyuan)

Tsuta Ramen
The broth at Tsuta is made by simmering whole chicken for 8 hours, shellfish for 2–3 hours, and clams (mussels) for 5 hours, resulting in three separate broths that are then blended in the optimal ratio to create the final soup base. The signature soy sauce ramen combines this broth with a secret soy sauce blend. This soy sauce was chosen by Tsuta’s founder and owner, Yuki Onishi, after testing over 30 soy sauce manufacturers, eventually selecting one from Wakayama Prefecture. He also uses a combination of dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, and white soy sauce to craft the secret blend. The salt ramen uses the same broth combined with a special salt sauce made from a unique ratio of Okinawan sea salt and Mongolian rock salt.

Address: 1F, No. 36, Section 1, Zhongxiao West Road, Zhongzheng District, Taipei City (MRT Exit M6)
Phone: 02-2370-3978

▲Liao Fan’s soy sauce chicken rice, NT$100. (Photo by Huang Shiyuan)

Liao Fan Hong Kong Soy Sauce Chicken Rice Noodles
The world’s first one-Michelin-star hawker stall, “Liao Fan Hong Kong Soy Sauce Chicken Rice Noodles,” has officially opened its first overseas branch—and its first store in Taiwan—on April 21. It offers four signature dishes: soy sauce chicken, char siu, roast pork, and spare ribs. As for the much-discussed price, you can enjoy the signature soy sauce chicken rice for just NT$100, while soy sauce chicken noodles and plain soy sauce chicken noodles cost NT$120. Other rice and noodle dishes range between NT$120 and NT$160. In the days following its opening, customers had to wait 2–3 hours to get their food (or buy it).

Address: 1F, No. 36, Section 1, Zhongxiao West Road, Zhongzheng District, Taipei City (MRT Exit M6)

▲Dumplings from Gyudon no Oukawa. (Photo by Huang Shiyuan)

Gyudon no Oukawa (Dumplings' King)
The Chinese cuisine chain "Korokke no Ouji" (Dumplings' King), which sells 2 million dumplings daily in Japan, opened its first Taiwan branch on April 20. To maintain the same quality as in Japan, the flour used to make the dumpling wrappers and noodles is imported from Hokkaido, Japan. There is also a dedicated production facility in Pingtung responsible for manufacturing, after which the products are transported to the stores and go through the final cooking stage before being served to customers.

Although the goal is to provide the same quality as in Japan, the dishes offered at the Taiwan store have been adjusted in terms of salt content, taking into consideration that Taiwanese generally find Japanese food a bit too salty overall. For example, the Japanese version of Tianjin Rice has a darker sauce due to the addition of soy sauce. However, since there are many Japanese people in Taiwan, both Japanese customers and those Taiwanese who prefer a stronger flavor can request a saltier taste when ordering.

Address: 4F, 777 Bo’ai 2nd Rd., Zuoying District, Kaohsiung City (4th floor, Hanshin Dome Shopping Mall)

American top-tier gourmet steak. (Photo / Reporter Huang Shiyuan)

CAPSTONE steakhouse
Known as the "godfather of steak," Deng Youkui has expanded his business from steakhouses to include pasta, hot pot, and various restaurants. Now, he is further expanding his restaurant presence to southern Taiwan. After more than a year of preparation, a new steakhouse has opened near the Kaohsiung Arena in the H2O Hotel, named CAPSTONE steakhouse. The location is at the convergence of large parks, department stores, high-speed rail and metro lines, art museums, and other cultural and transportation hubs, resembling Taipei’s Xinyi Planning District “Nong 16 Special Zone.” This also officially marks the southern expansion of his restaurant group.

Address: 1F, 366 Minghua Rd., Gushan District, Kaohsiung City (1st floor, H2O Hotel)
Phone: 07-555-9682

Meat Love offers authentic Korean charcoal-grilled barbecue. (Photo / Provided by Meat Love)

Meat Love
Meat Love, which offers authentic Korean charcoal-grilled barbecue, debuted in April. The restaurant is established in Taiwan by the large South Korean catering group Ken Woo Li Culture. Meat Love serves wagyu beef, marinated meat dishes, homemade naengmyeon (Korean cold noodles), a variety of savory pancakes, spicy chicken soup, and other Korean specialties. Side dishes are also available in unlimited portions. In terms of interior design and equipment, everything—from solid wood tables and chairs, extendable exhaust hoods that efficiently absorb smoke, to brass cutlery—has been specially imported from Korea. Additionally, Meat Love has two standout features: oak charcoal and grill grates. Oak charcoal, also known as white charcoal, turns silvery-white when burning, emits a faint aroma, produces negative ions and infrared rays, and costs four times as much as regular charcoal.

Address: 468, Section 4, Xinyi Rd., Xinyi District, Taipei City (intersection with Keelung Rd.)
Phone: 02-2729-9488

Spicy stir-fried Pad Kra Pao pork. (Photo / Reporter Huang Shiyuan)

Right Hand
For those who love Thai food, it's often hard to satisfy cravings on a whim, as most Thai restaurants in Taiwan operate on an à la carte basis, making solo dining less cost-effective. The owner of the well-known American-style restaurant Er Lou (Second Floor), who is also a food enthusiast, decided to open a new type of Thai set-menu restaurant called "Right Hand" based on common feedback from friends and personal experience. Each set meal includes a classic Thai soup, traditional Thai appetizers, signature side dishes, a classic salad, and jasmine white rice—allowing even solo diners to enjoy a full Thai meal.

Address: 306, Section 3, Roosevelt Rd., Zhongzheng District, Taipei City
Phone: 02-2369-2582

Ichimi Tonkotsu Ramen. (Photo / Reporter Huang Shiyuan)

Tonkotsu Ichimi
The sister brand of Tokyo’s Tabelog No. 1 ramen shop "Menya Ichimi," "Tonkotsu Ichimi," will officially open on the 29th on the B2 floor of Taipei’s Uni-President Department Store. The ramen lineup includes the signature rich seafood ramen, Ichimi Tonkotsu Ramen, tonkotsu seafood tsukemen, and the Taiwan-exclusive Spicy Twelve Aroma Ramen, priced between NT$190 and NT$300.

Compared to Menya Ichimi, which uses chicken broth as its base, three out of the four ramen varieties at Tonkotsu Ichimi—the rich seafood ramen, Ichimi Tonkotsu Ramen, and tonkotsu seafood tsukemen—are primarily flavored with pork bone broth. The broth is simmered for 14 hours using pork backbone and leg bones until they dissolve completely, resulting in a rich, gelatinous texture with a creamy smoothness. Its flavor profile differs from that of Menya Ichimi’s ramen and tsukemen. Restaurant manager Wang Yiren explains that the rich seafood ramen is essentially a pork bone and seafood broth ramen, where the broth achieves a well-balanced umami through a proprietary golden ratio of pork bone and seafood, then slow-cooked over medium heat to create a rich yet not overly salty or heavy flavor.

Address: B2, 8, Section 5, Zhongxiao East Rd., Xinyi District, Taipei City

Unagi don set. (Photo / Reporter Huang Shiyuan)

Kogura-ya
Japan’s century-old unagi (eel) restaurant from Kitakyushu, Tanba-an, has officially opened its first overseas branch in Taiwan under the name "Kogura-ya" on March 15. The signature unagi don set and unagi steamed set come in three sizes: pine, bamboo, and plum, with the lowest price starting at NT$380—nearly half the price of the original Tanba-an in Japan. Other options include grilled unagi bone, grilled unagi liver, and grilled unagi roe, priced between NT$80 and NT$120.

The unagi don set and unagi steamed set are available in three sizes—pine, bamboo, and plum—priced at NT$580, NT$480, and NT$380 respectively. Compared to the original Tanba-an in Japan, where the same sizes are priced at 3,800 yen (NT$1,026), 3,200 yen (NT$864), and 2,500 yen (NT$675), the Taiwan prices are nearly half. Despite the lower pricing, all eel used is sourced from farmed Taiwanese eel from Lukang.

Address: No. 27, Lane 280, Guangfu S. Rd., Da’an District, Taipei City
Phone: 02-2721-8555

Afternoon tea set, with the Frangipane Sachertorte (back) and Italian ricotta cheesecake (front). (Photo / Reporter Huang Shiyuan)

Caffè Florian – Florian Flower Café
One of the most beautiful cafés in the world, Caffè Florian – Florian Flower Café, officially opened on March 21. To authentically recreate the ambiance of this centuries-old Italian café, not only was the interior designed by the brand’s original designers, but the tableware, furniture, cutlery, and even the artworks on the walls were all imported from Italy. The café also introduced its iconic silver tray service. Enjoyment starts from just NT$160.

In addition to enjoying classic beverages at Caffé Florian such as Venice Coffee, Florian Coffee, and Bronze Filter Coffee, the restaurant also recommends three signature desserts and two main dishes: Florian Sachertorte, Italian Ricotta Cheesecake, Venice Traditional Biscuits, as well as Italian Carpaccio and handmade tagliatelle from Bologna.

Address: 2F, No. 9, Songshou Rd., Xinyi District, Taipei City (2F, A9, Shin Kong Mitsukoshi Xinyi New World)
Phone: (02)2345-1720

▲ Lady M classic layered cake. (Photo / Huang Shih-yuan)

Lady M
Taiwan’s first Lady M store, the Crystal Plaza boutique, will open on January 12. It will initially offer Original Classic Layer Cake, Green Tea Layer Cake, Cheese Cloud Cake, Vanilla Chocolate Checkerboard Cake, Chestnut Walnut Cake, and Strawberry Sponge Cake, with a limited-time Strawberry Layer Cake to be introduced later.

The must-try New York dessert Lady M officially opened its flagship store near Taipei’s National Theater (Exit 2 of Taipei Metro National Theater Station) on February 27. In addition to the six flavors available at the Crystal Plaza boutique, plus Chocolate Layer Cake, the flagship store will add five more flavors, bringing the total to 12 options for customers. Coffee and tea will also be available on-site to pair with the cakes. In March, a selection of light meals will be offered.

The five new flavors are French Banana Tarte, Red Velvet Cake, Green Tea Mousse Cake, Raw Chocolate Cake, and Raspberry Chocolate Cake. Additionally, the Valentine’s Day-exclusive Chocolate Square Layer Cake, previously available at the Crystal Hotel, will return to the Lady M flagship store after its February 14 discontinuation. The other six flavors include French Classic Layer Cake, Green Tea Layer Cake, Vanilla Chocolate Checkerboard Cake, Strawberry Sponge Cake, Chestnut Walnut Cake, and Cheese Cloud Cake.

Lady M Flagship Store
Address: No. 26, Lane 240, Guangfu S. Rd., Taipei City

Crystal Plaza Boutique
Address: No. 3, Lane 39, Sec. 2, Zhongshan N. Rd., Zhongshan District, Taipei City
Phone: 02-7730-3060

▲ Korean star GD’s favorite Japanese ramen “Abura Soba Tokyo Abura Soba Jimen” (Photo / Huang Shih-yuan)

Abura Soba Tokyo Abura Soba Jimen
The Japanese ramen favored by Korean star GD, “Abura Soba Tokyo Abura Soba Jimen,” opened on January 15. Its biggest difference from regular ramen is that it comes without broth—much like Taiwan’s dry noodle dishes. Diners are meant to mix the sauce underneath with the noodles before eating quickly, as the lack of broth means the noodles cool fast, hardening and losing flavor. Thus, it’s recommended to finish the dish within 10 minutes of being served.

Address: No. 5, 236, Sec. 1, Dunhua S. Rd., Taipei City (near Exit 12 of Taipei Underground Mall East)

▲ Cook Beef tender steak. (Photo / Huang Shih-yuan)

CooK BEEF ! 酷必
The latest brand from the Din Tai Fung Group, “CooK BEEF ! 酷必,” officially opened on February 5. The brand combines Western-style classic steaks with Eastern rice dishes, aiming to deliver five-star quality steak rice meals at accessible prices. Five main dishes are available, priced between NT$220 and NT$320.

The five main dishes include beef, pork, and duck options: Cook Sous Vide Steak, Jazz Rose Steak, Wild Short Rib, Rock ‘n’ Roll Cherry Duck, and BBQ Tatu Pork. The star item is the Cook Sous Vide Steak—a medium-rare, pink-hued steak that’s sliced into 1 cm-thick pieces, neatly arranged over Taiwanese Zhusui rice, and topped with a half-cooked egg to satisfy any meat lover’s craving.

Address: No. 33, Sec. 5, Zhongxiao E. Rd., Xinyi District, Taipei City
Phone: 02-27654147

▲ “Nihonbashi Tamai,” recommended for three consecutive years in the Tokyo Michelin Guide (Bib Gourmand), is famous for its grilled eel boxed meal. (Photo / Huang Shih-yuan)

Nihonbashi Tamai
Recommended for three consecutive years in the Tokyo Michelin Guide (Bib Gourmand), “Nihonbashi Tamai” is famed for its grilled eel (unagi) dishes. Its first overseas branch officially opened in Taiwan on January 9. Unlike typical unagi donburi, Nihonbashi Tamai offers its grilled eel boxed meal (unaju) in two cooking styles: stewed and teriyaki. The stewed version highlights the eel’s tender texture, while the teriyaki boasts a richer sauce flavor.

Nihonbashi Tamai’s grilled eel boxed meal (small NT$480, medium NT$780) allows diners to choose either stewed or teriyaki style—or both. Unlike ordinary unagi donburi, Nihonbashi Tamai’s eel rice offers a three-part dining experience: first, enjoy it as-is; second, sprinkle with yuzu peel, wasabi, sesame, green onions, and sansho (adjust to taste); third, pour in dashi broth made from eel bones to turn it into a soup rice.

Address: No. 23, Lane 313, Fuxing N. Rd., Songshan District, Taipei City
Phone: 02-2719-6660