Artistic "Hachinin" rice bowl (N<饭)! New Taipei's Japanese cafeteria offers N<饭 and omakase-style cuisine

Text/Photo byLao K

It was only because she had lunch with two friends living in Zhonghe that Meiji got to visit the famous No. 4 Park. She’d heard it was a great spot for dog-walking, surrounded by plenty of cafés. That noon, after exiting Yong’an Market Station, Meiji explored the area on her own and stumbled upon a café with a queue called "Across from the Library." Sure enough, just ahead was the library and the large 823 Memorial Park. Turns out, the 823 Memorial Park is the renowned No. 4 Park ~ Her friend mentioned that in the afternoon, many people come here to walk their dogs.

After exiting Yong’an Market Station, turn right and then take the first alley on your right—you’ll soon see the library and the park. Walk through the park, and near the intersection of Anle Road and Dehe Road, you’ll find a uniquely charming Japanese-style shop with the sign “Little Deer.”

On the nearby pillar, there’s a cute deer logo that reads “Flying Out with Caution.”

When you pull open the door, Jin Xiaolu is a refined yet spacious eatery. To the right is an open kitchen and a row of L-shaped bar stools, with walls adorned with numerous decorations and utensils. The left side also has some seating. What stands out most are the shiny little deer figures on the floor and the trail of deer hoof prints leading onward.

On the nearby ceramic urns sits a whole row of adorable little ceramic figures, somewhat resembling a line of Ikkyū monks. In fact, the entire Jin Xiaolu is filled with similar charming decorations.

After admiring the shop’s décor, we waited for our other friend, who was out playing Pokémon GO, to arrive. Then, the server began explaining the menu verbally, which included N<饭跟无菜单料理，最便宜的无菜单料理是10道菜，价格大约是一千五百多，N<饭有生鱼片跟其他熟食料理，生鱼片N<饭是依有几种海鲜来分，友人选择了八种的，因为大家都是第一次来吃，所以都选了N<饭，美姬跟另外一个友人都是选鱼类熟食N<饭，这个时候其实美姬跟友人们都不知道自己选择的N<饭是多少钱。

Before long, everyone was served the same salad. The dressing was a fruit-flavored yogurt-like sauce paired with a Japanese-style dressing, along with appetizing pickled radish. The salad had a nice flavor, and the vegetables were very fresh.

Since two of the dishes were cooked items N<，所以只有看到师傅在准备八品生鱼片N<饭，在师傅忙碌了一阵子之后，友人的八品N<饭终于完成了。

There were eight beautifully presented dishes that looked like little works of art N<饭～

Meiji had the filefish<饭，来的时候是三道小菜、一只烤鱼、一碗白饭，跟美姬认为的N<饭有点落差，不过排盘摆得蛮漂亮的，尤其是装鱼的盘子看起来很有质感，剥皮鱼烤得恰到好处，吃起来是很单纯的鱼鲜味，再搭配上三道很日本风味的小菜，比较可惜的是白饭蛮普通，通常这样应该会搭配很美味的越光米煮的白饭，整体来说口味蛮清淡的。

Her friend ordered the eel<饭，用鳗鱼

Everyone was given a bowl of clams cooked in fish head broth, but the bitterness was a bit strong—Meiji didn’t care for it much.

That Saturday noon at Jin Xiaolu, only Meiji and her friend were dining in the restaurant, making for a comfortable atmosphere. The food was tasty, and the meal for three cost around 500 NT dollars. Meiji thought this place is perfect for long-lost friends wanting a quiet spot to chat over an unlimited amount of time, and afterward, they could continue the gathering at a nearby café.

Jin Xiaolu Handmade Happiness Cuisine
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Address: No. 1, Dehe Road, Yonghe District, New Taipei City
Phone: 02-2923-5553
Business Hours: 11:30–14:30, 17:30–22:00

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