Affordable Japanese cuisine in Taipei!Sushi with 7 ingredients & rice

Text & photos byAmmon

I was in Taipei for work and, after finishing, used a food app to find something to eat in the nearby alleys. I was originally thinking of trying Xiao Liu Shi Tang, but then I saw that this N-ya (N-ya) had quite good reviews, and its exterior made a good first impression, so I decided to try eating here. The shop is quite close to the Taipei Metro Tian Gong Station—you can walk here in under three minutes from Exit 2. N-ya is open from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., and from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

There’s a menu posted at the entrance for passersby to check out. After glancing at it, I saw they offer quite a variety of dishes, mainly rice dishes, in addition to udon noodles and grilled items. The lowest-priced meal starts at $150, which is within my budget, so I decided to walk in and try it.

When I first walked in, the place was almost fully booked—even on a weekday lunch hour, the business was surprisingly bustling. The server asked if I had a reservation, and after I said no, I was seated at the counter near the kitchen area. It seemed like the restaurant had added more seats to accommodate more guests, so the spacing between tables was a bit tight—you could actually overhear other tables’ conversations, which made for a less private dining experience.

Seasonings: basic soy sauce and shichimi spice

The N at this restaurant

The price of cooked dishes and rice bowls ranges from $160 to $350. There is also a less common eel rice bowl—wondering if it uses live eel XD? If you add $100 to the rice bowl or udon, you can upgrade to a set, which includes a shrimp hand roll and two small side dishes.

As for udon, there are different types based on the broth—there are curry and miso options, with prices starting from $150. There are also quite a few topping choices, and it seems like this option is relatively more affordable.

In the lower left corner of the menu, it’s noted that during peak hours, dining is limited to 90 minutes. I think I only stayed for about an hour that day, so I’m not sure what would happen if you exceed the 90-minute limit.

Besides the individual menu items mentioned above, if you ask the server for this additional menu, you’ll find even more dishes—including grilled items, side dishes, and soups.

Apart from the items on the regular menu, there are also some daily specials written on the small blackboard. If your budget allows, you can try ordering those too. I really wanted to try the grilled yellowtail, but it was a bit too expensive for just one person, so I ended up skipping it.

After placing my order with the server, the chef started preparing the dishes. Since I was seated at the counter, I could clearly see the preparation process—it was almost like a visual treat.

There’s also this small sign on the table, which seems to feature a signature dish. But judging by the ingredients used, the price might go over my budget ==. Anyway, I’ve already ordered, but I’ll come back to try it next time if I get the chance.

They offer free hot tea, but you have to get it yourself. The tea is quite tasty and smooth.

The single shrimp hand roll is $50, so getting the set is a better deal. I was looking forward to this hand roll, but was a bit disappointed when I saw it—it was just simple shredded lettuce + shrimp + seaweed. The shredded lettuce was nice and crispy, and the shrimp were fresh, but overall it felt a bit empty—as if something was missing.

Assorted seafood N< $300 +100 upgrade combo
After staring at the menu for a while, I finally decided to try an assorted seafood set. I heard it has 6–7 different ingredients, including sea urchin!Hearing “sea urchin” totally won me over, and I accidentally swiped my card without thinking XDD. The seafood N< comes with salad and soup, and because I was afraid I might not be full, I paid an extra $100 to upgrade to the combo. When the server brought it out on a tray, it looked quite generous.

The sushi had around 6–7 types of fish, completely covering the vinegared rice. It looked super appetizing, and I didn’t even know where to start eating. The vinegar rice underneath tasted a bit on the acidic side, but because of the hot weather, it actually helped whet my appetite, so it was okay.

There was tuna sushi, sea urchin, sweet shrimp, and mackerel sushi—all part of the assorted seafood N. So the variety of ingredients is quite diverse, but each type comes in just about 1–2 pieces. The tuna sashimi seems to be from the akami (lean) part, and the freshness is good. The sea urchin was just okay for me—I couldn’t really taste that sweetness—but at this price, having sea urchin is already a win, can’t ask for more. The sweet shrimp is deveined, tender, and sweet—great. The mackerel sashimi is less commonly seen in mixed seafood sets, as it’s not a favorite for everyone, but the freshness is decent, and the slices are thick enough to be satisfying.

Salmon roe, salmon sushi, red snapper?, scallops
The salmon roe was just for garnish and was pretty average. They gave me two pieces of salmon sushi—one of them had more fat marbling, maybe it was from the belly part? But since salmon might be pricier, those pieces were thinner and smaller. I love salmon, so can I trade the mackerel for more salmon XD? As for the scallops, there was just a tiny piece—it was barely enough to taste the texture or sweetness. The red snapper sushi, though, was delicious—the texture was great.

Side dishes
I paid a little over $100 for two side dishes: burdock root strips and fish egg squid (?)—the burdock root strips were decent in portion and flavor, but somehow felt a bit empty ==. The fish egg squid, on the other hand, was much tastier. So if you’re thinking of upgrading for $100, it’s better to ask what the side dishes of the day are first.

Salad
Ordered with the rice and it comes as a complimentary side. Compared to the two small dishes mentioned earlier, I found this salad to be more thoughtful. The crisp lettuce is paired with a Japanese-style sesame sauce, offering a refreshing and crunchy bite that’s quite appetizing. There are also some crab stick pieces on top of the lettuce, adding texture and flavor.

Miso soup
Comes with the Parent-Child N<, and the flavor is just average.

After eating, you can just pay directly at the counter. Overall, although I only ordered one bowl of N<,N<,,,,,.

N< (DOM BU RI YA)
Phone: 02-25035741 (Closed on Sundays)
Address: No. 35, Lane 235, Songjiang Road, Zhongshan District, Taipei City
Price: Minimum charge $100 per person
Dining date: May 2016

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