Popular "Unagi Don" from Kyushu, Japan, now in Taiwan — also featuring tender unagi tamagoyaki!

Text & photos byXiao Hu’s Dream Food Blog

When it comes to Japanese cuisine, my all-time favorite is always "yakiniku," followed closely by "unagi don." But strangely, I rarely crave unagi don in Taiwan — maybe I’ve just been disappointed by a few places I’ve tried. A while back, I heard that the famously popular and often queueing Kyushu restaurant “Tasoya” was opening a branch in Taiwan, and I was very excited, since I hadn’t managed to get a spot during my earlier trip to Kyushu.

But as much as I was looking forward to it, I waited quite a while — until there was no line — before finally coming to check it out. Before going, I deliberately avoided reading online reviews, just to enjoy what might be a classic, time-honored flavor.

Speaking of “Tasoya,” it’s quite famous in Kyushu, with a TABELOG rating of 3.78. But after looking it up online, I found out this branch in Taiwan is operated by a local representative and has been renamed “Koguraya.” I’m guessing the name change is because the original “Tasoya” is located in the city of “Kokura” in northern Kyushu?

Alright, the interior decor of the shop isn’t anything particularly noteworthy — we can skip that part XD. But the service is pretty friendly, although the staff kept coming over to clear the table... which felt a bit like they were trying to rush customers, which I’m not used to. I mean, I’m still eating and they’re already trying to take things away XD.

In Japan, unagi don is generally divided into two main styles: Kanto and Kansai. The Kansai style typically cuts the eel from the belly and grills it entirely over fire, while the Kanto style cuts from the back, steams the eel first, then grills it. However, due to fast communication and travel these days, not all Kansai-style unagi shops follow the traditional Kansai method, and the same goes for Kanto. Customers don’t really need to know all the details — just pick what you like. Pricing is based on the number of pieces (10, 8, 6, or 4), ranging from 380 to 680 NT.

My friend ordered the Unagi Jūbako set with 10 pieces (680 NT), which came with a side dish and a kelp soup (some unagi restaurants in Japan serve eel liver soup instead). To be honest, the price isn’t too steep — after all, any decent century-old unagi shop in Japan would easily cost over 3000 yen, so this is actually quite affordable when converted. Not to mention, some unagi dons can go for tens of thousands of yen per serving.

First, I have to say the grilled eel here is probably the crispiest I’ve had in Taiwan. Or maybe I should say, that slight crispiness is exactly what I love most. Of course, compared to what I’ve had in Japan, it might still fall a little short. But I have to admit, sometimes eating is about the atmosphere — there are so many factors that affect the experience, and some things just taste especially good in Japan. Aside from the nice crispy texture, the tenderness of the eel itself is also quite good. The sweetness isn’t mind-blowing, but it’s definitely tasty. If I had to point out a flaw, it’s that the pieces are cut a bit small — not very satisfying to eat XD.

As for the sauce, compared to what I’ve had in Japan (not referring to Tasoya), it tastes a bit milder — neither the saltiness nor the sweetness is very strong. But of course, that’s a matter of personal preference. If you find it lacking, you can sprinkle some sansho from the gourd on the right, like the Japanese do. The sauce on the left is usually meant to be poured over the rice.

The kelp soup didn’t really have much flavor to me — I wouldn’t say it’s good or bad. The pickled cucumber, however, had a sweet-and-sour level that suited my taste perfectly.

Next is the Unagi Mushimono set with 10 pieces (680 NT). As for the Kanto style, aside from the different cutting method (back vs belly), as mentioned earlier, it’s usually steamed first and then grilled. But I’ve heard that some shops grill first, then steam, then glaze and grill again. At least for now, my favorite shop...[Japan - Chiba Food] Narita Meiyō “Surugaya”: Freshly Ordered, Slaughtered, Grilled, Steamed, and Grilled Again Unagi Donfollows this process, and the pricing doesn’t vary based on the number of steps involved.

The container has an extra wooden box in the middle, which I’m guessing is for steaming the rice together with the other components. Alright, let’s talk about the rice. Since not much sauce is poured on, I felt the rice lacked aroma, but you could solve that by adding more sauce from the table. However, the rice being steamed into a soft, mushy texture is a big no-no — after all, in Japan, how good the rice is matters a lot. That said, the overly mushy rice wasn’t much of an issue with the Unagi Jūbako set earlier, though the rice still wasn’t particularly delicious.

Just focusing on the eel itself, this Unagi Mushimono set lacks the incredibly tempting crispiness of the Unagi Jūbako, but it’s undeniable that the eel is even softer and more tender. Which one you prefer might depend on your texture preference — personally, I lean toward the former. But I’ve also had Kanto-style eel in Japan where the skin was still super crispy, like the previously mentioned “Surugaya.”

Besides the two options above, you can also choose the Unagi Oke set, which is the so-called “three ways to eat unagi,” mainly featuring the concept of unagi ochazuke (unagi rice with tea). If you like varied textures, maybe this option would be better for you!

Grilled eel can also be ordered as a single item, if you feel the set meal isn’t enough (lol). Other dishes commonly found at Japanese unagi shops include grilled eel liver, eel liver stew, unagi tamagoyaki, and fried eel bones.

Unagi Tamagoyaki for 120 NT. When it arrived, I thought the presentation looked pretty good — at least it seemed quite moist =)

When I actually ate it, the outer tamagoyaki was indeed juicy and tender, and quite tasty. The eel in the middle wasn’t very much, and didn’t have much flavor... it felt like the eel and the tamagoyaki were separate things, you know?

Koguraya

Address: No. 27, Lane 280, Guangfu South Road, Da’an District, Taipei City
Phone: 02 2721 8555
Business Hours: 11:00–15:00, 17:00–21:00

"Xiao Hu’s Dream Food Blog
If 'eating' is just about filling your stomach, then 'food' would be far too boring~~~"