Exquisite Teppanyaki in Taichung – Fragrant Flame-Seared Brandy Sirloin

Text & Photos /阿mon

I’ve loved teppanyaki since I was young, always enjoying watching chefs quickly stir-fry all kinds of ingredients, then artfully arrange them into refined dishes. This time, I heard about Yuanshen, a great teppanyaki spot inside the Grand Formosa Regent Taipei, so I scheduled a lunch here during my stay. Yuanshen Teppanyaki is on the 3rd floor of the hotel. After taking the elevator up, you’ll spot its sign. As soon as I walked in, a server asked to seat me—no surprise, it’s a hotel restaurant with top-notch service.

The restaurant offers both private and non-private seating, arranged based on group size. The ambiance is quite Japanese-style, even featuring a beautiful cherry blossom tree XD. The chairs are spacious and comfortable, and tables are spaced well apart, allowing guests to chat comfortably.

Today, I was seated in a private teppanyaki room. The interior has a more Western-style decor, and the privacy is great—you can chat freely with friends while closely watching the chef’s masterful cooking. I must say, Yuanshen Teppanyaki’s ventilation and smoke extraction are excellently designed; there’s no greasy smell in the room, making the meal very pleasant.

Thanks to our advance reservation, the table was already set with utensils and appetizers when we arrived—knives, forks, the works—giving off a very professional and refined vibe.

There were three appetizers: pickled radish, braised potatoes, and diced onions. These are meant to whet your appetite while waiting for the main cooking. The leftmost pickled radish was crisp with a spicy kick—I quite liked it. The potatoes were well-seasoned but on the firmer side, probably a hit with those who enjoy crunchy peanuts. The diced onions were for cutting through richness, though I didn’t end up needing them much.

We didn’t order any additional drinks, so we just stuck with water.

After sitting down, we asked the server for the menu. The cover and paper quality of Yuanshen’s menu had a nice tactile feel, adorned with cherry blossom patterns. Since the menu had many pages, I only snapped a few sections for reference.

Teppanyaki Lunch Set $980 – For lunch, they offer an 8-course set at $980 per person, which seemed like a great deal, so we went with that.

Teppanyaki Set (Meat) – Includes appetizers, soup, seafood, and a meat-based main course (options include beef, chicken, pork, and lamb) at varying price points.

Boston Lobster Duo Set – This premium duo set includes all the usual meat mains plus Boston lobster. Lobster lovers, this is the one for you.

A la Carte Meat & Seafood – For those with specific ingredient preferences, you can also order items individually with plenty of choices beyond the set menus.

Japanese Cuisine Set – Since we opted for teppanyaki that day, we didn’t get to try the Japanese cuisine section—something to save for next time.

Japanese-Style Fruit & Veg Salad – The first dish was a refreshing salad with fresh greens and veggies tossed in an orange yogurt dressing and topped with Parmesan cheese powder. It had two distinct flavor profiles: a fruity, tangy freshness and a rich, creamy cheese aroma. Both were delicious, and we polished it off quickly.

Soup – When ordering, the server informed us there were three soup options that day: pumpkin bisque, oxtail consommé, and seafood soup. We chose both the pumpkin bisque and seafood soup. The soups were served in ceramic bowls with lids to keep them warm—a thoughtful touch showcasing the restaurant’s attention to detail.

Seafood Soup – I initially thought the seafood soup would be thick and creamy, but it turned out to be a clear broth. Inside, I could clearly see a shrimp lying in the bowl along with other seafood ingredients.

When I scooped around with my spoon, I noticed the shrimp had already been shelled—super convenient. The shrimp meat was firm and springy, earning praise from my friend. There were also slices of fish, squid, and clams, giving the soup a layered texture and a deliciously fresh taste. Of the two soups, this was my favorite.

Pumpkin Bisque – The second soup was the pumpkin bisque. Lifting the lid revealed a golden-yellow soup topped with a bit of butter and toast for added flavor. The pumpkin was simmered to a luxuriously thick consistency, bursting with the natural sweetness of fresh pumpkin. Pumpkin lovers will absolutely adore this soup.

After the soups, the teppanyaki chef began prepping the seafood on the grill. Two large prawns and two hefty pieces of cod were beautifully displayed on the hot plate, looking incredibly tempting. The chef skillfully flipped the ingredients with a spatula, sending waves of aromatic scents our way—making us hungrier by the second QQ.

Pan-Seared Prawns with Honey Mustard Sauce – The prawns cooked quickly and arrived at our table soon after. They were probably jumbo prawn grade, and conveniently shelled for easy eating with a fork. A sprinkle of salt enhanced their natural flavor, and for those who prefer bolder tastes, honey mustard sauce was available on the side.

Let’s dig in~

While eating the prawns, the chef specifically instructed us to start from the tail, trying the original flavor first before adding the honey mustard sauce to fully appreciate the flavor transition. So, I separated the head from the body and started eating from the tail—the tail being the most active part of the prawn, the meat was especially tender and springy. The area near the head had a firmer texture. Since the prawns were so fresh, they were naturally sweet. Paired with the honey mustard sauce, it offered a different flavor profile. Personally, I preferred the original taste the most.

Seasonal Fresh Fish with Italian Balsamic Vinegar – Next came the seasonal fresh fish—today’s choice was cod, which was exciting. It was plated with green pesto, blackcurrant sauce, and redcurrant sauce, then topped with king oyster mushrooms, cod, and zucchini. It looked absolutely delicious.

I started with the tender and juicy king oyster mushrooms, then moved on to the succulent cod. First, I tasted the original flavor to appreciate the delicate texture of the cod. Then, I paired it with blackcurrant or redcurrant sauce—the slight acidity complemented the fish’s umami. Finally, I finished with a rich layer of green pesto for a perfect ending. I really liked the green pesto, and when I asked the server, they confirmed it was house-made, not store-bought.

Plum Juice – After the seafood, the server brought over a small glass of chilled plum juice. Seeing this meant the main course was coming up next, so the juice was meant to cleanse the palate for a better main dining experience.

Next came the main courses. The lunch set offered four options: American sirloin, cherry duck breast, pan-seared chicken thigh, and premium pork chop. We chose the American sirloin and pan-seared chicken thigh, asking the chef to split each into two portions so everyone could try both. Each chef has their own techniques, and a single main can be prepared in various flavors—you can discuss preferences with them.

American Sirloin – We opted for American sirloin. The chef asked how we liked it cooked—we naturally went for medium-rare to medium (3–5), as anything more would lose that tenderness. We also learned that this teppanyaki uses the meat’s natural fats for cooking instead of salad oil or butter, resulting in a more natural and flavorful steak. The sirloin was prepared in three different ways.

The first way was the original flavor. I initially asked for medium rare, but the chef said that would be too rare, so he went with medium instead—slightly more done than medium rare. When I took a bite of the beef, it was incredibly tender, absolutely delicious. I thought medium rare would be the best, but turns out the filet mignon is even better at medium!

The second way was filet mignon with Parmesan. Next, the chef’s move really surprised us—he sprinkled Parmesan cheese directly onto the hot iron plate. Once the cheese melted, he placed the beef on top and quickly wrapped it up, creating a Parmesan-wrapped filet mignon. This method was so unique, XD. The result was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with the rich aroma of Parmesan perfectly complementing the filet mignon. It was quite impressive.

The third way was flame-grilled filet mignon with brandy. Out of the three methods, this one was the most dazzling and dramatic. I didn’t expect this technique, so by the time I got my camera out, it was almost too late.<。将菲力牛淋上白兰地酒后点火烧烤，大约数秒后火焰就会熄灭，这时牛肉会带有白兰地酒香，那香气根本是超犯规的!但吃起来是没有酒味的喔，三种吃法中我最爱的就是这个了，视觉效果最吸睛，味道也是最赞的。

Pan-seared chicken thigh steak. Since the previous steak had two preparations, the chicken thigh also got two ways. The chef mentioned this time he used the method for roast suckling pig—you heard that right. I was stunned at first. This is a chicken thigh steak, how did it become a roast suckling pig style? XDDD? So I was half skeptical. Visually, it looked just like a pan-seared chicken thigh steak. I tried a small piece, and wow, it really shocked me—the chicken skin was insanely crispy, with a crunch that had a bit of hardness to it, delivering an amazing texture. It really did taste like roast suckling pig!! Totally different from any chicken thigh steak I’ve had at other teppanyaki places before!!

The first preparation was sprinkled with salt and pepper. It highlighted the natural flavor of the chicken thigh, crispy outside and tender inside, with the juices well locked in. It was absolutely delicious.

The second preparation had a more Japanese flavor. Still using the roast suckling pig method, but this time with a generous sprinkle of shichimi spice @@. So the aroma and taste had more layers. I preferred the shichimi version, probably because I’m too used to the salt-and-pepper style.

Seasonal vegetables. I thought after the main course we’d get dessert and drinks, but then the chef started stir-frying some cabbage on the iron plate, reminding me there were still veggies XD. Today it was mushrooms stir-fried with cabbage. The crisp cabbage paired with the smooth mushrooms created a refreshing and not greasy flavor, which I quite liked. But since the main meal was quite filling, I could only manage a few bites of the veggies.

The dessert was also cooked on the iron plate, which was quite an eye-opener for me. Today’s dessert was a Western-style red bean roll. Let’s see how it’s made. First, the chef used batter to draw the crust of the red bean roll on the iron plate.

The red bean paste filling was then heated on the iron plate. The chef said it’s all homemade, and the flavor changes with the seasons, so next time you might not get red bean filling.

Once the crust was ready, the red bean filling was placed on the rolled dough, which was then wrapped up to complete the dessert.

Dessert fruit platter. The finished red bean rolls were first taken away by the server to be plated, then served together with fruits. While eating the red bean roll, the texture reminded me a bit of dorayaki XDDD. The red bean paste was smooth but not overly sweet, so it wasn’t cloying at all. There were three kinds of fruits on the side. Though it wasn’t watermelon season, the watermelon was still sweet and juicy.

After-dinner drink. For beverages, there were three choices: coffee, green tea, or black tea, each available hot or cold. I chose iced green tea and iced black tea, using the light and elegant tea aroma to round off the meal nicely.

Overall, when having teppanyaki, besides enjoying the delicious food, what I love most is the interaction with the chef. The chef at Genzan Teppanyaki gave off a very professional impression and discussed with us how to enjoy the food for the best taste. These were all great experiences that I really enjoyed. For the price of a business lunch, getting such high-quality ingredients and dishes, plus the lovely restaurant environment, it’s definitely worth a try. It’s great for family gatherings or dates. That’s my review from a satisfied customer.

Genzan Japanese Teppanyaki
Phone: 04-24656555 ext. 5311
Address: 3F, No. 610, Section 4, Taiwan Boulevard, West District, Taichung City
Price: $980 and up

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