Hearthstone-grilled cuisine from Sendai — surrounded by fresh ingredients, with dishes served on wooden paddles, an exceptionally unique experience

Photos & Text byXiaohu’s Food Dream Net

Good photos, good reviews, and great food are the three key elements of a great restaurant that I often talk about. But great taste is usually hard to appreciate through tasteless photos or videos, so good photos and good vibes might be the main reasons I’d want to visit a place recently. Of course, the food looking delicious is also an important factor.

The restaurant I’m introducing today checks all three boxes, which is why even though it’s far away in Taichung, it couldn’t escape my radar — I dug it up and am sharing it with everyone.

Xiaolan Ge, who just started working in Taichung last month, found a place he was sure I’d love, so we planned to visit after my recent food trip in Tainan.

At the time of making the plan, I had no idea what kind of place it was, not even the name. But just two days before I was set to leave, I suddenly came across a food review from a friend. I briefly thought about asking Xiaolan Ge to change the destination, but it turned out we were actually going to the same place — a hearthstone-grilled restaurant called “Lezuo.”


Lezuo is located in Beitun District, Taichung. It’s said to have only been open for three or four months but has already become a popular new spot in Taichung. Even people from Taipei and Kaohsiung make special trips here to try it, and of course, that includes me.


As soon as I walked in, I was blown away by the scene before me. It was completely different from your average restaurant — whether it was the dining atmosphere, the chef’s cooking counter, or even how the dishes were presented. Now, let me take you through what “hearthstone-grilled” cuisine is all about.


As far as I know, there are one or two hearthstone-grilled restaurants in Taipei, but the overall environment and vibe are vastly different from “Lezuo.” Simply put, it’s more unique and has more atmosphere. Though I’m not entirely sure what traditional hearthstone-grilled cuisine in Japan is really like.

Between the chef’s counter and the diners are various types of fresh ingredients, completely visible to both chef and customer, giving off the feeling of shopping at a market and cooking on the spot — very special indeed.


Even more special is how the chef climbs up onto a central platform to grab ingredients after taking orders. I was stunned and quickly snapped a photo. And because it was so amusing, I insisted on posting even the slightly blurry ones XD.


This is the first-floor seating area that resembles a Japanese counter. Isn’t it super atmospheric? But Lezuo’s unique vibe isn’t limited to the first floor — I also absolutely love the second-floor dining space. Now, let me take you up to the second floor.


As soon as you step onto the second floor, you’re greeted with classic Japanese decor and furnishings that make you want to take pictures non-stop. The slippers in the hallway also indicate that shoes must be removed in the dining area upstairs.


Yes, the second floor is mainly tatami-style seating, and it’s designed to feel just like you’re really in Japan. Plus, there’s no need to sit in seiza (kneeling position); you can comfortably enjoy the tatami dining atmosphere.

On the left side of the second floor, there are several paper doors. I’m guessing they lead to private rooms? If so, that would add even more charm. I wonder if the servers kneel down to place the food before sliding the doors open (lol).


I don’t drink alcohol, but I love taking photos of liquor bottles, especially Japanese sake bottles. Which one is your favorite? =)


Just look — even the restroom here has such a Japanese vibe. It’s truly a wonderful place that gets better the more you look around.

After snapping some random photos, I returned to the table to start ordering. But before we get to the menu, let me explain what “hearthstone-grilled” means.


The menu states that hearthstone-grilled cuisine originates from Sendai City, but I’ve also read elsewhere that it comes from Hokkaido. But no matter where it’s from, as long as it looks great and tastes amazing, that’s what matters. The most important thing is that this dining style and environment are truly extraordinary.


If you paid close attention to those descriptions earlier, you’ll notice that aside from the unique dining environment, the most distinctive aspect of “hearthstone-grilled” is how the chef serves the food.

That’s right — after cooking the dish, the chef doesn’t walk around the long, wide table or ingredient platform. Instead, they slowly and smoothly extend a long, heavy wooden paddle to deliver the food. Interestingly, when the chef noticed me lifting my camera to take a picture, he intentionally slowed down — super considerate.

 
One photo isn’t enough, so I took a few more. Poor chef — his right hand was shaking slightly from the effort, though he kept smiling =)


If the close-up photo earlier wasn’t clear enough, here’s a wider, candid shot. Isn’t it fun? =)


Flipping through the menu, you’ll find nearly all the major categories of Japanese cuisine — simmered dishes, grilled dishes, fried dishes, and even nigiri sushi. This made sushi-loving Xiaohu extremely happy, and it also helped cure my “I’ll-die-without-sushi” syndrome.


This is the complimentary appetizer — raw cabbage dipped in miso paste. The cabbage was nice and crispy, with just a hint of “umami,” juicy when bitten into, though the flavor of the vegetable itself wasn’t particularly outstanding. A dip in the savory miso paste balanced it out perfectly. A light start to the meal.


The nigiri sushi at Lezuo Hearthstone Grill is divided into regular nigiri and grilled (aburi) nigiri. As someone who loves rich, oily textures, I naturally went for the grilled ones.

The first piece was, of course, my all-time favorite — “Hirame Engawa.” This piece probably melted in my mouth faster than any I’ve ever had before. It seemed like just the warmth of my saliva could soften it almost completely. In less than a second and a half, all that remained in my mouth was the oily richness of the engawa and the slowly dissolving sushi rice. The only slight downside, I felt, was that it lacked a bit of sweetness — though I suspect that might just be me being overly picky.

The first piece was an old favorite; the second was a new love — “Grilled Anago Nigiri.” This piece of conger eel was incredibly long; so long that the chef had to fold it into three sections just to form it into a bite-sized roll. As a result, it filled my mouth completely. The sweetness was also wonderfully delicious. But my nitpicky self felt the texture could melt just a bit more smoothly, even though I found the grilled, caramelized sweetness of the eel absolutely captivating.


The third piece is my old favorite: grilled salmon belly. If it were just grilled salmon, I’d find it delicious and satisfying, but calling it “belly,” I felt it lacked enough fat, meltiness, and sweetness. As for the difference between a salmon nigiri and salmon belly, I suppose those who enjoy it will understand. But still, I have to emphasize that this piece isn’t bad—it’s just... I’m too picky. P.S.: The sushi rice at Reza is really good—so good I almost forget it’s there.


The wasabi served on the side is freshly grated, fragrant but not harsh. What’s more unique is that the ginger used is red ginger, with a touch of shiso added—but I couldn’t quite taste the difference.


Although there are also simmered dishes, grilling is still the main focus at Reza, and what’s relatively special is the variety of grilled “vegetables and fruits.”

Brother Xiaolan ordered the miso-grilled eggplant. Japanese eggplant has a sticky, soft, and sweet texture, melting in your mouth with a slightly stringy feel—it’s really delicious.


The grilled corn shoots are also crispy and juicy, with a very good level of sweetness. If you love this flavor, you definitely should order a portion.


The yellow croaker leaf-dried piece was just hanging in the ingredient display case earlier. I’ve had plenty of overnight-dried fish before, but this might be the first time I’ve had yellow croaker prepared this way. The fish has tender flesh, and the juiciness and sweetness are both quite good. However, I’m not a big fan of the excessive “chili powder” on top—it’s not unbearably spicy, but it does somewhat overpower the natural sweetness and umami of the fish. It pairs better when eaten with some mashed radish.

This grilled mustard green pepper is really delicious—very juicy and sweet, yet without too much of the intimidating “pungent” flavor that green peppers can have. Sprinkled with mustard salt, the flavors pop wonderfully. Good choice by Brother Xiaolan.


When this grilled mushroom was served, I wondered where all the moisture came from. But after one bite, I was speechless—this mushroom is just too delicious and too juicy... Plus, it’s large, thick, and incredibly satisfying to bite into. Simple yet insanely tasty—don’t miss it if you’re a mushroom lover.


This was the last thing I added: “beef N<”，180看起来很小碗，但上面的肉质相当软嫩，可惜我偏好的油质较少，但也还算是美味。不过，这饭中的蛋很新鲜很甜，拌开后非常美味，可惜饭煮的不好有的黏成一团，味道上因为没有太多像是寿喜烧的酱汁，是以吃来牛肉的甜度很自然也较能吃出饭本身的香甜。

If I go to an izakaya-style skewer place and don’t order a grilled mentaiko potato, I’d feel something’s missing. But Reza’s version is cylindrical and quite unique, topped with salmon roe—which I dislike—and the overall presentation is nice. But...


When I pried open the potato with chopsticks, I discovered it was hiding a full, slow-flowing serving of cheese sauce inside... As a result, the flavor of the mentaiko wasn’t as captivating, somewhat overshadowed by the cheese sauce. But of course, cheese mixed with mashed potato is never going to be bad. The freshness and sweetness of the potato itself are unquestionable, and its melt-in-your-mouth, smooth texture is excellent—it’s just that I’m not sure why it felt a little less moving than expected.


Finally, Brother Xiaolan ordered the grilled mackerel, served with a sheet of seaweed to wrap it in. There might have been a light brushing of soy sauce on top, giving it a subtle salty aroma. The texture is on the firmer side with a strong chewiness after biting—very authentic. I’m not a huge fan, XD, but I imagine those who enjoy the simple flavor, texture, and bite of mackerel would probably like it.

Finally, there’s the complimentary fruit. The toothpicks placed next to the fruit are thoughtfully angled to one side, so you can pick them up without getting juice, syrup, or drips all over your hands. On a side note, the service at Reza is really warm and friendly—they even changed my plates three or four times during the meal. Both the chefs and the servers greet you with genuine smiles that come from the heart.




【Reza Robatayaki】

Address:No. 120, Section 2, Rehe Road, Beitun District, Taichung City
Phone:04-2238-7739
Business Hours:17:30～24:00
Xiao Hu’s Food Dream Network
If “eating” is just about filling your stomach, then “food” would be far too boring~~~