Taichung’s High-Value Affordable Japanese Cuisine: Seafood N< Rice Piled to the Brim

Rice Bowl (Cooked)

Rice bowls come in both cold and hot versions, catering to customers who don’t eat raw food. So, those who are hesitant about sashimi can opt for the cooked rice bowl.

Sushi

Salad, hand rolls

After browsing the menu, we simply marked our choices on this small slip of paper and handed it to the server. Payment is made after the meal. Prices are around 150–300 New Taiwan Dollars, which is quite reasonable. You can also upgrade to an A or B set meal. Since it was our first time here and we weren’t sure about the quality, we ended up ordering a sweet shrimp and scallop N< rice, upgrading to the B set, and also ordered a sweet shrimp and scallop N<, just trying these two dishes to start with XD.

B Set – Salad
A refreshing salad made with a variety of fresh vegetables, Japanese-style dressing, and bonito flakes. Perfect for summer, and it’s nutritionally balanced too, haha.

B Set – Chawanmushi (Steamed Egg Custard)
My friend was super hungry, so she started digging into the chawanmushi as soon as it arrived. By the time I noticed, there was less than half left. According to her, it was pretty tasty, and there were some ingredients at the bottom too.

B Set – Miso Clam Soup
This is the soup that comes with the upgraded B set. The A set has miso fish soup, but the B set version includes clams too, making it feel even more worth it. The fish part didn’t seem to be the same type each time—I remember having salmon and some kind of white fish. The clams were plump and juicy, and the saltiness was just right for Taiwanese tastes—not overly salty.

Sweet Shrimp & Scallop Parent-Child N< $300
I had originally wanted to order the Angel Red Shrimp Parent-Child N<, which was just $30 more, but I decided I preferred scallops, so I went with the Sweet Shrimp and Scallop Parent-Child N<. When this dish arrived, we were really amazed — the rice was almost completely covered, and the seafood was overflowing. In addition to the expected sweet shrimp and scallops, there were also salmon roe, lobster salad, crab shreds, fish roe, tamagoyaki, and more. It felt like an amazing value for money — definitely the right choice. Highly recommended!

with ikura (salmon roe), lobster salad, and tamagoyaki (rolled omelet).
These probably count as side dishes, but they made the meal feel even more worthwhile and exciting. The mountain of orange ikura was both delightful and frustrating—you love the texture of each individual roe, but it’s gone in just a couple of bites, leaving you wanting more. The lobster salad was packed with ingredients and had a layered texture. The tamagoyaki was mini and cute, with an appealing shape, though the taste was more average.

Salmon Roe
When I first ordered the sweet shrimp & scallop N, I never expected there would also be salmon roe, so seeing the salmon roe was really like a bonus. The sensation of the salmon roe bursting in your mouth is just amazing.

Raw scallops
Two raw scallops were sliced into four pieces each. They were sweet, tender, and delicious—absolutely yummy!!

Sweet shrimp
A bowl of N< rice includes five pieces. The shrimp heads are left on, but the shells have been thoughtfully removed. You can simply pick up the shrimp with chopsticks and enjoy the sweet and delicious meat.

Premium Grilled Sushi $280 (6 pieces)
Because my friend ordered the rice dish, I decided to try the sushi. This is the premium grilled sushi, which is the second most expensive in the sushi category XD. My friend even said I was really splurging, lol. When the waiter served it, it was presented on a wooden tray, giving off a very traditional Japanese vibe. On the wooden plate were six items: red shrimp + crab roe, squid + shrimp roe, starry eel + caviar, grilled salmon with onion, grilled scallop, and grilled shrimp head. There was also a small piece of tamagoyaki (grilled egg) with the character “Shinbei” branded on it. Strictly speaking, I think this should count as only five nigiri, with the grilled shrimp head served as an extra piece, which felt a bit...

Tenshinhan (red shrimp) + crab roe Nigiri
The most satisfying piece in the whole sushi set for me was this one. It featured an oversized Tenshinhan red shrimp topped with crab roe and chopped scallions—it looked extremely vibrant and tempting. However, this one wasn’t grilled; it was served completely raw. I’m not sure why it’s considered grilled sushi? Also, while taking pictures, the vinegar rice seemed a bit off. When we picked up the sushi with chopsticks, the rice actually fell apart =_=, which really surprised us. A few other nigiri pieces had the same issue—it felt like the sushi wasn’t formed well. A bit of a shame, really. The red shrimp itself was incredibly sweet, and paired with the rich crab roe, it was absolutely fantastic. Too bad the rice didn’t hold up. The shrimp head nigiri was also rather average.

Grilled squid + fish roe Nigiri
The chewy squid paired with individual fish roe added more texture to the bite. Aside from the rice, this grilled squid piece was quite tasty.

Star eel + caviar
This was a very luxurious combination—tender star eel paired with richly aromatic caviar. It was truly the pinnacle of indulgence.

Grilled onion salmon Nigiri
The sushi I was most looking forward to—the salmon was topped with plenty of sweet, juicy onion slices and a touch of mayonnaise. But after eating it, I felt a bit let down. The salmon didn’t have as fragrant a flavor as expected, and the overall taste was just so-so.

Grilled Scallop Nigiri
One Nigiri piece contained two grilled scallops, but these scallops were somewhat different from what I’d imagined, and also different from what my friend...(rice used for it is different, seems smaller, tastes rather ordinary, and was a bit disappointing.)

We finished eating around 2 PM, so we quickly settled the bill and left. After exiting the restaurant, we noticed writing on the window glass that said "grilled salmon"...<$240,XD.

Overall
After trying both dishes today, I feel the seafood ingredients at this place are quite good. But I’d recommend going for the seafood...<,,N<,,,.

Shinbei Handmade N<
Phone: 0987292354
Address: No. 478, Chenggong Road, North District, Taichung City
Price: $150 and up

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