Taipei’s Legendary High-End, High-Value Teppanyaki: Feast on Palm-Sized Abalone Belly

Text & Photos /Burnt-Out Nurse

If you’re looking to indulge in high-end teppanyaki in Taipei, Shanglin Teppanyaki is definitely your top choice—not only is it often fully booked on Father’s Day, Mother’s Day, and Valentine’s Day, but it’s also on the high-value restaurant list recommended by upscale socialites. You might think there’s a typo in this article? High-end teppanyaki vs. high value-for-money? What are we even talking about—how can those two go together? But no, we didn’t make a mistake. Who ever said high-priced teppanyaki always offers good value?

Some places just charge high prices, but the quality of ingredients served can vary drastically. Today’s menu featured steak, abalone, lobster, and truffle mushroom soup. Comparing the price and freshness of the ingredients to previous meals I’ve had, this one was off the charts in value—there’s simply no comparison. If it weren’t for this opportunity where a socialite hosted the meal, I wouldn’t have had the chance to experience Shanglin Teppanyaki. Truly, better late than never！

The newly renovated Shanglin Teppanyaki doesn’t just offer a low-key luxurious space; to accommodate frequent celebrity guests, there are also private dining rooms. Dining at Shanglin Teppanyaki isn’t anything new, but among the socialite crowd, what they really compare is which chef is in charge. (By the way, today’s burnt-out nurse dined under Chef Li—he’s a veteran, so he must be amazing!)

As expected of high-end teppanyaki—the red and white wine glasses as guardians, with an array of cutlery laid out. If it weren’t for the senior socialite sister treating us today, my wallet would’ve been trembling in fear.

The full course includes appetizers, soup, bread, two main dishes, coffee, and dessert. Without adding any extra seafood or à la carte items, just the Australian wagyu + lobster combo is priced at 4,980 NTD—and it’s a great deal. The overall ingredients, sauces, and plating? Wow—truly premium-quality ingredients. I couldn’t help but think that socialites not only eat well but are also incredibly picky, with every detail meticulously considered.

Each guest’s seat comes with a pile of Dijon mustard, chopped onions and garlic, plus stir-fried peanuts. Surprisingly, I got addicted to the onion and garlic mix, and the servers kept coming around to refill it. The peanuts, however, are a bit too addictive if you eat too many—they’ll numb your mouth.

Appetizer – Scottish Smoked Salmon

I was a little apprehensive about starting with smoked salmon for the first dish of the day, but it turned out unexpectedly fresh and odorless. Paired with capers and onions, and cleverly topped with salmon roe and boiled egg, this appetizer was fresh, smooth, and appetizing. The exquisite plating was also eye-catching—I felt like I was sitting in a French Michelin three-star restaurant, sipping a glass of red wine and shouting “Bravo!” inside.

The guests and socialite sister next to me kept alternating between red and white wine. Despite their persistent toasts, I had to work the next day. Even though the slight squint in everyone’s eyes and upturned smiles after taking a sip, along with the boss casually mentioning it was a 10-year white wine, made it obvious—“This wine must be delicious!” But burnt-out nurses have professional ethics—we don’t drink before work. (I immediately glared at Ali for scheduling a workday dinner.)

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

Grilled Garlic Bread

This garlic bread is highly recommended. From what the guests said, the boss started out in the bakery and pastry business—every aspect of this garlic bread’s crispness and softness is perfectly balanced. So delicious. With the appetizer and bread already this good, I’m even more excited for the rest of the meal—especially when the seasoned, handsome head chef appeared, slowly preparing the dishes, making my adrenaline spike all through the meal. Every dish felt like a thrilling, anticipated moment.

Soup: Choose one from Seafood Soup, Truffle Mushroom Soup, or Pumpkin Soup

Seafood Soup – A small bowl packed with seafood. No need to say much—it’s undeniably fresh.

Truffle Mushroom Bisque

Mushroom Soup—this first sip immediately made me turn to the boss and ask if there was some secret. The flavor was just too rich. The mushroom base was intense yet not watery, with the aroma of truffle adding to the fragrance. This mushroom soup is truly delicious. (The boss answered that the secret is using plenty of ingredients.)

Pumpkin Bisque

Took a sip from the bowl—wait, what? Why is this one not as expensive as expected? This bowl isn’t a budget option either, but it lacks the rich flavor you’d expect. It has a mild sweetness, with a light creaminess, but nothing overly impressive.

Pan-Seared Fresh Foie Gras

Foie gras—this is definitely a high-end menu item. But seeing the huge slab of foie gras in front of me, based on past experiences, I was actually a little apprehensive.

Watching the chef slowly flip and sear it to perfection, removing excess fat, the appearance was oddly appealing... (but I was still nervous inside).

Oh wow—this is the finished seared foie gras. Then came the dramatic plating—watching the chef sear, plate, garnish, and drizzle sauce.

Finally, truffle was added to complete this pan-seared foie gras. The foie gras is from Hungary, paired with red wine grape sauce, two raw grapes, and the alluring truffle...

For eating, it’s recommended to have a bite of foie gras with truffle and grape together. Mmm—the inherent richness of the foie gras, mellow and not fishy, melts in your mouth without being greasy. In the past, I was hesitant because it often ended up too soft and slightly fishy, leaving a weird aftertaste. But today, the exterior was perfectly crispy, the interior tender yet fully cooked without any fishiness, paired with grapes and truffle in one bite—fragrant and cutting through the richness. It completely changed my previous impression of foie gras.

Pan-Fried Live Australian Abalone

Money talks. The boss says abalone has to be big to taste good. And wow, yours is MASSIVE!!! I was genuinely shocked when I saw it earlier.

The removed abalone belly was set aside to be slowly pan-fried until dry.

This was truly a series of serving spectacles—whether it was the main dish, side dishes, or plating, each course showcased the chef’s dedication and the freshness of the ingredients.

The abalone was simply seasoned with lemon, and the fewer the added seasonings, the fresher the ingredient is meant to be. Up to this point, there hasn’t even been any heavy-handed sauce like black pepper gravy to interfere~

The side dish—Japanese wakame sprouts—was also prepared on the spot.

When it was finally served, only one word could describe it: “ultra-seafood!” This sauce is magical. As it turns out, it was sea urchin sauce. Fresh abalone with wakame sprouts and sea urchin sauce—this dish is seriously impressive~ So infuriatingly good, the umami and springy texture make it hard to go back to normal meals. Valentine’s Day or family birthday celebrations might not be the best occasions to come here; I’m afraid one bite and you’ll get hooked like me~

This abalone belly was the last dish to arrive, just as nearly everything else was almost finished. It may not look like much, but the flavor is simply indescribably wonderful. Eating it makes you wonder again: is this really abalone belly?

Belt fish with tartar sauce

All the ingredients and condiments were presented right here on this iron plate. Honestly, I really do love teppanyaki because there are no gaps in the action—it’s entertaining just watching the chef cook.

First, the Parmesan cheese was pan-fried into thin slices.

A huge piece of belt fish was dusted with flour and placed on the iron plate to cook.

While the belt fish was being cooked, tomatoes were being prepped nearby.

Then, everything was slowly assembled.

After assembly, tartar sauce was drizzled on and the dish was plated. This... Boss, you’re really amazing. The surface is crispy yet oil-free, the fish is tender with juicy meat. This frying skill is top-notch. Now I understand why they paired it with a handsome veteran chef—the great cooking skills combined with top-quality ingredients truly bring out the ultimate deliciousness of the food.

Pan-seared live lobster

The size of this Boston lobster is just drool-worthy. I thought the scissors were for something else, but when these lively sea creatures hit the iron plate, my mouth instantly watered.

The preparation here is seriously over-the-top. They don’t deliberately use wine or other sauces to mask the flavors, just the simplest cooking methods to let the ingredients shine on their own—that’s bold.

After being drizzled with freshly sautéed scallion sauce, it was served. At this point, I was giving a mental standing ovation. By the way, with so much butter used, there wasn’t even a strong greasy smell. I couldn’t help but ask the chef what kind of oil he used. The answer? Anchor butter—not the common margarine. Truly high-end teppanyaki.

Beef rolls

I thought we were finally going to have some stir-fried vegetables, but nope—it was actually the side for the beef rolls. The beef used was American Prime grade. Upon hearing that, the chef asked how I’d like it cooked. I immediately said, “The most delicious level!”

The way it was served made this beef-loving reviewer swallow several mouthfuls of saliva. One big bite—so sweet and flavorful.

American premium ribeye steak

Prime grade beef with just a sprinkle of pepper, then straight onto the iron plate. That’s really luxurious.

Served. On the side, only pepper and sea salt were provided as seasonings—implying this steak is that good? Chef Li’s skills are truly unmatched. It was indeed fresh. With a sprinkle of salt, the sweetness stands out even more. The grade of this steak is definitely premium, and the whole meal at Shanglin has been consistently excellent—priced just right too.

The restaurant provides ozone water for handwashing, which completely removes the fishy seafood smell.

Dessert is served in the back area of the restaurant.

You can also watch the lobsters swimming.

There’s matcha and Blue Mountain coffee available, but that day I was in a rush to get to work and could only watch the desserts being served while I had to hurry off (sniffles). Aside from the brand-new, cozy decor, there’s also a scenic terrace—right next to Eslite Bookstore in Dunhua, Da’an District, Taipei. This space could easily fit two more tables, but they leave it for guests to relax in. Overall, the dining experience, ambiance, and service—looking at everything, it’s no wonder the ladies who lunch highly recommend it.

Those trendy ladies are troublemakers. They got me hooked—I’ll really keep wanting to come back to Shanglin after this.

Shanglin Teppanyaki
Address: 1F, No. 10, Lane 247, Section 1, Dunhua South Road, Da’an District, Taipei City
Phone: 02-2752-8569
Business hours: 11:30–14:30 / 17:30–22:30

We are the overworked nurses “Meatball” & “Bowl | Junbao”... We started this food blog to share more of the delicious food and cozy atmosphere we've discovered with everyone. We hope our written introductions can bring you closer to the hidden gems, cultural vibes, and local cuisine of Taiwan, leaving an unforgettable impression on all our fellow food-loving friends. Blog、Facebook Fan Page