A homely Japanese dish — fluffy, moist mentaiko cheese tamagoyaki

Text & Photos /kuni

(Truffle Tamagoyaki)

When I arrived at the entrance on Nanchang Road, I might have still harbored some slight doubts. But once seated and looking around at the clean floors and furniture, all those uncertainties vanished.

It probably started back in February last year when a fan began occasionally emailing me to ask for sushi recommendations. Then one day she suddenly mentioned that her boyfriend had opened a canteen — not purely Japanese, but more home-style. Concerned about initial instability, she waited quite a while before finally daring to extend an invitation to me, which I found truly an honor.

(Entrance of the Nanchang Road branch)

(Business is brisk)

A quick glance at the menu revealed similarities with typical Taiwanese-style Japanese eateries, also offering tonkatsu rice and udon noodles, though no sashimi or sushi, clearly focusing on cooked dishes. Upon closer inspection, the entire right column dedicated to various types of tamagoyaki piqued my curiosity. I immediately ordered a truffle tamagoyaki (NT$130), along with a red wine cheese tower spicy curry tonkatsu (NT$200), miso tamago tonkatsu udon (NT$200), fried chicken nuggets (NT$100), shrimp sauce cabbage (NT$80), spicy pickled pepper chicken soup (NT$60), and eggplant simmered in sauce (NT$50).

(Menu)

(Cups printed with the shop's logo)

The tamagoyaki was a good start. Even before taking a bite, the distinctive aroma of the truffle sauce wafted over. Once eaten, the scent hit again from the back of the nasal passage — turns out the inner filling also contained truffle sauce. The overall cooking level was good, though I wished for a softer texture, something that was indeed confirmed in the additional tamagoyaki I later ordered.

(Truffle Tamagoyaki)

Today’s rice and udon noodles were decent, not particularly outstanding, but the main issue was that the tonkatsu lacked the expected juiciness and tenderness. The chicken nuggets were generous for the price, though unfortunately a bit bland in flavor. The soup was tasty, with a tangy and spicy kick from pickled peeled chili peppers that helped stimulate the appetite. The eggplant was first deep-fried using a tempura-style technique, with a delicate and thin batter creating a crisp exterior and soft interior. It was then drizzled with sauce, and the first bite revealed something truly special — a refined yet not overpowering sesame aroma. All the cups, bowls, plates, and spoons had the restaurant's name logo printed on them, suggesting they were custom-made.

Upon closer look, you’ll notice the consistency in plating angles — for instance, both tonkatsu pieces were placed horizontally facing the logo. When I asked the chef, who also owns the place, he confirmed there are specific internal standards. The later-added mentaiko cheese tamagoyaki didn’t quite match the earlier truffle version in aroma, but with excellent cooking, softness, and moisture from the cheese, it was still up to par.

(Red Wine Cheese Tower Spicy Curry Tonkatsu N<)

(Miso Tower Spicy Tonkatsu Udon)

(Fried Chicken Nuggets)

(Shrimp Paste Cabbage)

(Peel-Chili Chicken Soup)

(Eggplant Stewed Dish)

(Salt-grilled Mackerel added later)

(Mentaiko Cheese Tamagoyaki)

(Good cooking level and cheese)

Though not from a traditional culinary background, today’s flavors were genuinely delightful. The team’s attention to detail was evident in how clean and tidy the environment was kept — this is not something achieved by just sweeping and mopping every day. That’s the kind of care I’m happy to see. Perhaps not every dish reaches the pinnacle of perfection, but that genuine effort to think from the customer’s perspective is something rarely seen in the food industry these days, and it left a deep impression on me.

Yoshino Canteen
Address: No. 169, Section 2, Nanchang Road, Zhongzheng District, Taipei City
Phone: (02)2367-5761
Hours: 12:00–21:30 Mon–Sun

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