This Taiwanese Japanese restaurant in Taichung serves an exclusive “Cheese Salmon Ball” sushi

Text & Photos /Ahmon

There used to be a sushi shop in Taichung that I really loved called Hakomachi Sushi. Their cheese salmon ball was especially beloved by all my friends, but it eventually closed down, leaving me disappointed for quite a while. Then recently, a friend told me a new shop had opened at the same spot, also serving Japanese food and sushi. It seemed to be Hakomachi Sushi under a new name and reopened. Hearing this news made me want to come back and try it again — for that cheese salmon ball sushi.

The new name is Maruno – Japanese Cuisine. The name feels more professional. It’s also very close to the National Museum of Natural Science, so you can visit the museum and then come here for a meal. The space in front of the shop is more convenient for parking motorcycles, but if you’re driving, you might need to find another parking spot.

The first floor has very few tables and chairs because of the kitchen and self-service area, so it’s recommended to go directly to the second floor for dining. The dining environment upstairs looks almost exactly the same as when it was Hakomachi Sushi. Once you head up to the second floor, you’ll find there are far more tables and chairs than on the first floor, and the space is brighter and more spacious. There were quite a lot of diners that day, and the business seemed to be doing well.

Menu
After sitting down, I took a look at the menu, which is still full of affordable Japanese dishes just like before. Free miso soup, black tea, and ice cream (available for dine-in) are still offered, making it feel like nothing much has changed apart from the shop name XD. The menu includes sashimi, sashimi rice bowls, sushi, hand rolls, ramen, etc. With a wide variety of dishes, it has the concept of a Japanese canteen. One person could easily be full with 1–2 dishes, but if you come with friends and share dishes, you can try even more delicious items.

In addition to the regular menu, new winter dishes have been added, such as hot pot and skewers — both very popular options.

If it’s your first time here and you’re not sure what to order, there are photos of popular dishes posted on the wall that you can use as a reference.

There’s also a picture menu on the table that you can refer to. I spotted uni (sea urchin) on it.<的时候，口水都要流下来，本来想点来吃看看，不过怕吃完胆固醇爆表，所以这次就先PASS了。

Self-service area on the first floor
This section offers free items including miso soup, drinks, and ice cream. In an era of rising prices, it’s truly heartwarming that the owner is still providing these for free. That’s one of the main reasons why I love this place. While other Japanese restaurants keep raising their prices, this one remains affordable — no wonder the business is doing so well.

Miso Soup
A simple Japanese-style miso soup with wakame seaweed and a bit of tofu. The taste is slightly sweet rather than overly salty. My friend really likes this soup. It’s warming to drink on a cold winter day.

Drinks
They serve lemon black tea, and you can drink as much as you like — it’s unlimited.

Ice Cream
There are three ice cream flavors: milk, red bean, and strawberry. Though the selection isn’t extensive, you can tell they put care into it, and it’s very easy to scoop. This might be the only Japanese restaurant in Taichung where you can enjoy unlimited free ice cream.

Curry Pork Hot Pot – NT$170
The hot pot is the fastest dish to be served, as all the ingredients are already placed inside and ready to cook. Just the aroma of the curry makes you hungry. The shop guarantees that the broth is simmered with real ingredients for your peace of mind. From the surface, you can see it’s packed with plenty of pork slices. Ordering the hot pot also comes with a bowl of rice.

This hot pot is loaded with ingredients. Just look at the generous amount of pork slices — not to mention the vegetables and other hot pot items that fill up the whole pot. It feels like the owner isn’t making any money at this price!! The curry broth has a rich and smooth flavor, perfect for eating with rice. For a solo diner, one hot pot is enough to make a filling meal. It’s perfect for winter.

Cherry Duck Skewers – NT$90
If you’ve tried cherry duck before, you’ll remember its tender yet chewy texture. Maruno – Japanese Cuisine also serves grilled cherry duck. To add more texture, it’s paired with crisp spring onions, creating layers of flavor along with the sweetness of the onion. It’s a great drinking snack. If you’re having drinks, definitely order the cherry duck skewers.

Scallop Skewers – NT$140
Each order of scallop skewers comes with two sticks, and each stick has five scallops — quite a deal. Seafood lovers will absolutely adore this. These skewers are prepared with a teriyaki glaze, adding a touch of sweet sauce flavor. The scallops are sweet and delicious. For extra texture and aroma, they’re sprinkled with plenty of white sesame seeds, making them even tastier — a dish that both adults and kids will love.

Maruno Fresh Fish Rice Bowl – NT$265
A signature seafood item at the shop<饭，一碗才$265，但却用十多种食材，海鲜更高达8种，感觉老板超大方的，生鱼片部分有鲑鱼、鲔鱼、旗鱼、虾子、鲭鱼、螺肉、帆立贝、鲑鱼 卵等，当天因为鲔鱼缺货的关系，所以有用其他食材代替，除了生鱼片外，还有玉子烧、海带芽等小菜，真的用料很丰盛，可以吃到多种海鲜但又不用花大钱，看许 多桌的客人也都点这个呢，感觉就是店内超人气的餐点。

The freshness of the sashimi has always been something I pay close attention to. This bowl of sashimi<用的生鱼片种类很多，甚至还有炙烧过的，一种一种的分别吃下来，觉得新鲜度都不错，可以吃的到该有的鱼肉甜 味，尤其是鲑鱼生鱼片，非常的鲜美阿，另外玉子烧部分，我觉的表现也出我意料，口感嫩口且甜美，是很好吃的玉子烧呢。一碗$265的生鱼盖饭，能有这么多的海鲜料，也算是很超值了，预算有限的小资族，就点这个解解馋吧XD，预算较充裕的话，就直上$360的海鲜N<吧。

Tempura shrimp $160
A common fried dish in Japanese cuisine, this tempura primarily showcases the chef's frying skills. A good tempura should have no oily smell or heavy greasiness, and must be crispy enough. This tempura platter includes not only shrimp but also mushrooms, enoki mushrooms, eggplant, and other vegetables. The portion is generous, the texture is delightfully crisp, and you can taste the sweetness of both the shrimp and vegetables without any greasy aftertaste. It’s a well-executed fried dish that tempura lovers simply must try.

Grilled mackerel $120
Those who’ve had barbecued mackerel during Mid-Autumn Festival gatherings have probably tried this dish. The flesh is tender, making it a great accompaniment to drinks. However, grilling it well requires some skill. This grilled mackerel performed fairly well—it wasn’t dry or tough and still had some juiciness, though the fish was on the smaller side and disappeared after just a few bites. A bit unsatisfying, haha.

Grilled prawns $160
Next up after the grilled mackerel came the grilled prawns, and our eyes lit up at the sight of them. The aroma wafting from the grilled shrimp was simply irresistible, making our stomachs growl. They were probably large kuruma prawns, prepared simply with salt-grilling. When you peel back the shell, the plump shrimp meat springs out. It’s juicy and sweet, with a nice bounce to the texture. These prawns are delicious—highly recommended.

Pork belly rice bowl $185
This is a newly introduced dish at the restaurant, so of course we had to try it. It features a base of plain white rice topped with slices of tasty and tempting pork belly, a sunny-side-up egg, and a piece of daikon radish. Its appeal is just as strong as the seafood rice bowl we had earlier. The aroma of the pork belly is rich and hard to ignore. When eating, pierce the yolk first and mix it with the rice—that makes it even better.

Close-up of the pork belly—you can tell just by the color that it’s well-marinated. The ratio of fat to lean is about 1:1. The texture is firm and not overly fatty, and you can taste the savory umami of the braising sauce. It’s so good you won’t want to stop eating. There are four generous slices per bowl, which shows a lot of sincerity.

Japanese-style red sauce egg fried rice $220
This egg fried rice is also reportedly a new dish, but by the time we got to it, we were already too full to eat much—just a few bites to taste. It’s built on a base of creamy egg fried rice, topped with chicken cutlets and beef in red sauce. Visually, it’s quite appetizing. The rich beef red sauce blends beautifully with the fragrant, soft scrambled eggs—truly delicious. This dish is best eaten hot, as the scrambled eggs lose their texture once cooled. The chicken cutlets are crispy outside and tender inside. This bowl of fried rice is very filling, with a very generous portion.

Cheese salmon balls $270
My favorite cheese salmon balls naturally make a grand finale appearance. There are six cute little balls per serving, and they immediately caught everyone’s eye as soon as they were served. This is likely a creative take on nigiri sushi, evolving from grilled salmon nigiri, so you can enjoy the aroma of the grilled salmon. It’s also topped with cheese and fish roe. Undeniably, this combination is incredibly delicious—pleasing to the eyes, taste buds, and nose. It’s truly unforgettable, and our companions snatched up two pieces the moment we finished taking photos.

Ready to eat... ah (open mouth), one bite per ball. Take a big bite and chew together the grilled salmon, cheese, and vinegar rice. The tenderness of the raw fish, the slightly sour and appetizing vinegar rice, the salty richness of the cheese, and the grainy texture of the fish roe all blend together. It’s simply super delicious. After eating, your whole face lights up with happiness. You’ll understand once you try it—this is a signature sushi only available here. Highly recommended, a must-try.

After all that food, we were really full. Before leaving, we had to finish with some ice cream for the perfect ending. They actually had a less common red bean flavor, which felt pretty cool. The ice cream from this brand has a fairly rich milky taste, and I thought it was quite good.

Overall, compared to many Japanese restaurants in Taichung currently, I think Maruno Japanese Cuisine is really a high-value-for-money option. There are many affordable dishes, plus free soup, drinks, and ice cream. It’s suitable for both student group gatherings and family meals. I hope the shop can maintain this quality. I recommend this place to anyone who wants to try Japanese cuisine. The above is just my personal opinion for reference.

Maruno Japanese Cuisine
Phone: 0933-345655
Address: No. 329, Section 1, Xitun Road, North District, Taichung City
Price: $100 and up
Dining date: October 2016

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