Hard-to-get Japanese cuisine in Taipei: Snow crab and fried oysters wrapped in yam threads

Text and photos by /Kuni

(The small bits on the snow crab are its roe eggs — the more there are, the tastier it is!)

I finally got to try the famous Hatsu Uo, one of the most talked-about Japanese kaiseki restaurants in recent years. Like ?? (another restaurant with a similar price range), it’s always very busy. ?? opened earlier and has been expanding southward lately—just recently opening a branch in Hsinchu, and now even Taichung is part of its territory.

The main reason I hadn’t tried Hatsu Uo until now was “how hard it is to get a reservation.” I’ve always disliked those extremely unfriendly reservation systems. The most infamous example is RAW Restaurant, which is almost like a hunger marketing strategy. Every time I eat at such places, it’s either as part of a group or because someone kindly transferred their spot to me—like today, thanks to my friend who successfully booked a table and even brought me along.

(Entrance)

(Next door is the second branch)

When we arrived, we learned that Hatsu Uo had already expanded to three locations.

Besides the narrow main store, the larger space next door is the second branch. A few doors down is Hatsu Uo Uotai, which offers more raw seafood. The set meal here is fixed-price: NT$1,100 for both lunch and dinner, but an additional 10% service charge applies.

Don’t be late when coming here, because “dishes will be served even if you’re not there.” I arrived at 1:31 PM—one minute late—and as soon as I walked in, I saw my marinated abalone already sitting on the counter. For a moment, I felt a bit upset.

(Counter seating)

(Marinated Abalone)

Here’s what we ate:
----------------------------
Marinated Abalone
Kyushu Red Snapper Nigiri (Kyushu Red Snapper Nigiri)
Deep-fried Taro Shreds with Oysters
Bluefin Tuna Lean Nigiri
Cod liver (Cod liver)Fish Liver)
Mackerel Nigiri
Earthquake Fish Steamed with Yam
Horse Dung Sea Urchin Gunkan Maki
Wagyu Beef Nigiri
Deep-fried Spotted Saddlefish Milt
Pacific Saury Nigiri
Penghu Caridean Prawns with Snow Crab Roe Steamed Egg
Snow Crab Chirashi Sushi
Miso
Dessert
----------------------------

After finishing, I was surprisingly quite satisfied.

Although mood can strongly affect appetite—that’s something we all know—sometimes the goodness of food can do the reverse, though it’s rare. The negative emotions I had from the marinated abalone gradually faded as the meal went on.

First, the first nigiri actually had decent harmony of flavors. Then, the taro-wrapped oysters were pleasantly textured after frying. The bluefin tuna lean, ?? fish liver, and mackerel all performed steadily. The earthquake fish steamed with yam was warming and comforting.

The sea urchin gunkan, however, was terrible—it was among the worst I’ve had at the counter. Besides looking unappealing, the seaweed was severely damp. No need to elaborate further. The wagyu nigiri felt a bit superfluous, and the spotted saddlefish milt wasn’t as delicate as cod’s. The saury wasn’t fatty or appealing either, leaving my quest for great saury still unresolved.

The crab roe steam egg and the prawns from Penghu reignited some enthusiasm. The final snow crab chirashi sushi, freshly steamed and mixed, was delicious but came in a small portion. Overall, the cooked dishes outshone the raw ones, but the sushi was still of decent quality. The entire meal cost just over NT$1,200—that’s pretty okay.

(Kyushu Red Snapper Nigiri)

(Assistant handling fried items)

(Taro-shredded fried oysters)

(Bluefin Tuna Lean Nigiri)

(Draft Beer)

● ETtoday News Cloud reminds you: Don’t drink and drive, don’t drive after drinking.

(The owner himself happened to be at the second branch today)

(?? Fish Liver)

(Mackerel Nigiri)

(Earthquake Fish Steamed with Yam)

(Today’s stars: Snow Crab and Earthquake Fish)

(Didn’t expect the legs to still be moving)

(Starting to prepare the snow crab)

(The worst horse dung sea urchin gunkan I’ve had in years)

(Wagyu Beef Nigiri)

(Deep-fried Spotted Saddlefish Milt)

(Pacific Saury Nigiri)

(Guess I’ll keep searching for delicious saury)

(Starting to extract the crab meat)

(Crab Roe Prawn Steam Egg)

(Strictly speaking, it should be mini snow crab rice)

(Miso)

(Dessert)

(A rather unique scene of queuing to pay)

(Official website announcement from May)

Just read the official website’s May announcement—they’ve changed the rules now. Love this new method where you can reserve just by pre-authorizing your card. Looks like multiple visits won’t be far off.

Hatsu Uo Kaiseki

Address: No. 2, Taisun St., Da’an District, Taipei City
Phone: 0963-599-875
Hours: 11:30 AM–9:30 PM

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