April brings a trio of Michelin-starred delights: yakitori, soy sauce chicken, and ramen—what’s your pick?

Reported by Huang Shiyuan / Taipei

Today marks the grand opening of Michelin ramen spot Tsuta Ramen, drawing huge crowds. The first in line arrived as early as 6:00 AM. In addition to Tsuta Ramen, earlier this month, two other Michelin-quality eateries—Van HK Soy Sauce Chicken Rice Noodle from Hong Kong and Taipei’s Nichii—also launched their first Taiwan outlets in April. It’s truly a star-studded month.

▲ Tsuta’s signature soy sauce ramen. (Photo / Huang Shiyuan)

Tsuta Ramen
Tsuta’s broth is crafted from three separate stocks: whole chicken simmered for 8 hours, seafood for 2–3 hours, and clams for 5 hours. These are then blended in the optimal ratio to create the premium dashi. The signature soy sauce ramen features this dashi combined with a secret soy sauce recipe. The founder and president of Tsuta, Yoshihito Onishi, tested over 30 soy sauce manufacturers before selecting one in Wakayama Prefecture. He uses a blend of dark, light, and white soy sauces to create the unique flavor. The salt ramen is made with the dashi plus a specially balanced salt sauce featuring Okinawan sea salt and Mongolian rock salt.

Address: 1F, 36 Section 1, Zhongxiao West Road, Zhongzheng District, Taipei City (Exit M6, Taipei Metro Station)
Phone: 02-2370-3978

▲ Van HK’s soy sauce chicken rice, NT$100. (Photo / Huang Shiyuan)

Van HK Soy Sauce Chicken Rice Noodle
The world’s first Michelin one-star street food vendor, “Van HK Soy Sauce Chicken Rice Noodle,” has officially opened its first overseas location—and its Taiwan debut—at 1F, 36 Section 1, Zhongxiao West Road, on April 21. It offers four signature dishes: soy sauce chicken, char siu, roast pork, and pork ribs. As for pricing, you can enjoy the iconic soy sauce chicken rice for just NT$100, while soy sauce chicken noodle soup and plain noodle soup with chicken cost NT$120—prices comparable to typical Taipei BBQ shops. Other rice and noodle dishes range from NT$120 to NT$160. Since opening, customers have had to wait 2–3 hours to get their hands on (or in line for) these treats.

Address: 1F, 36 Section 1, Zhongxiao West Road, Zhongzheng District, Taipei City (Exit M6, Taipei Metro Station)


▲ Taipei Nichii uses binchotan charcoal for grilling. (Photo / Huang Shiyuan)

Taipei Nichii
The Michelin one-star yakitori restaurant “Tori-ki,” which has held its star for seven consecutive years, has arrived in Taiwan through the Taiwanese Juyan International Catering Group. It officially opened on April 15, serving exclusively chicken-based dishes. Owner Yasuto Sakai selects different chicken breeds for specific cuts, currently using the popular Gui Ding chicken, broiler chicken, and native chicken that have recently gained fame in Taiwan. Pricing for the 12-skewer set is NT$1,000, with individual skewers ranging from NT$70 to NT$100.

Address: 1F, 26 Songshou Road, Xinyi District, Taipei City
Phone: 02-2218-2612