Relax and unwind: Kaohsiung’s late-night izakaya where peach sake creates a magical taste in your mouth

Text and photos byShadow

Two young men from Pingtung opened a small Japanese creative cuisine shop last year, which received high praise at the time. Recently, the owner went on a research trip to Japan, drew a lot of inspiration, and created new dishes. We were warmly invited back to try the new flavors, giving us the chance to share these freshly launched dishes with you firsthand.

For details about the interior decor, please refer to the article from our previous visit (Hidden gem in the alleyways: a late-night izakaya barbecue spot ~ Wait a Sec Yakitori). The handwritten menu is a signature feature here. After several months in business, the menu has undergone some adjustments, condensing from a notebook format into one large sheet.

Free bonito dashi is one of the highlights here. As soon as guests arrive, they are served a steaming cup of dashi. Even though it's free, it’s brewed with great care, resulting in a rich and delicious flavor.

The pickled cherry tomatoes offered as a welcome snack are something the owners make every day after work. They peel the tomatoes and pickle them with plums, creating a slightly sour yet sweet and refreshing taste that whets the appetite.

Fish egg simmered in soy (NT$170)

The usual way to eat fish roe is quite fixed—just with mayonnaise. But the shop uses the simmering (nimono) method, soaking the roe in sauce until it absorbs the flavors. The result is firm, sweet fish roe with a hint of saltiness. This creative preparation is really unique.

Rice wrap big roll (NT$260)

I really admire how well the shop manages the flavors. Squid wraps seasoned rice, topped with mentaiko (spicy cod roe) and drizzled with their own sesame sauce, adding both flavor and texture layers for a perfect finishing touch.

Parent-child N<230元

N<饭的呈现方式和一般我们吃到的不一样，将饭和料分开，半生熟的蛋液裹上炸过的鸡肉，搭配的是香甜的酱汁，拌入白饭相当可口好吃。

The chicken is tender with juicy meat locked in, and the sweet sauce infuses into the chicken—absolutely delicious.

Japanese Hiroshima-style fried oysters (NT$160)

The plump oysters, when coated and deep-fried, offer an amazing crispiness. Wrapped in lettuce and dipped in a slightly tangy sauce for flavor, they’re not greasy at all and let the umami of the oysters shine through.

Skewered Matsusaka pork (NT$90 / 2 skewers)

Eating Matsusaka pork alone might feel a bit plain, but the added leek oil flavor highlights its springy texture and refreshing taste even more.

Handmade bacon shrimp (NT$160)

Just peel off the shrimp head lightly and it’s ready to eat. The shrimp is wrapped in bacon and brushed with a sweet sauce—an inventive flavor combo.

Japanese dried blackthroat seaperch jaw (NT$360)

It really takes skill to grill a fish jaw to such a beautiful state. The blackthroat seaperch jaw is thick and fatty. When we tried lifting the skin, steam poured out. The flesh is delicate and sweet. Just a little wasabi pepper salt makes it incredibly tasty.

Salt-grilled pork belly (NT$160)

The charred pork belly has a chewier texture, making it great drinking food. The shop offers wasabi-flavored pepper salt as well as shichimi spice, so you can try different flavors.

Cast iron vegetable hot pot (NT$350)

The cast iron pot used for camping is quite heavy. The special feature of this kind of pot is that it preserves the original flavors of the ingredients. Even with just a mix of vegetables, dashi, and salt, the resulting broth is full of vegetable sweetness, and the vegetables don’t turn yellow. It’s truly a great pot. The idea originally came about when the owner collaborated by chance with a friend from a camping gear shop. For those who enjoy light-tasting dishes, this is a fantastic option.

This peach-flavored sake is personally selected and imported by the shop owner. Upon opening, it gives off a peach aroma. With an alcohol content of 7%, it has a sweet taste with a slight acidity and the flavor of brewed sake, making it smooth and easy to drink—we love it. (Excessive drinking is harmful to health)

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

Imported original Asahi draft beer from Japan, perfect with grilled dishes. (Excessive drinking is harmful to health)

Even after business stabilized, the owners continued to innovate relentlessly, developing many astonishing dishes. This spirit and attitude are worth learning from by many small shop owners. Taste is something absolute, yet the owners have precisely captured the essence of deliciousness. Every dish they offer is impeccable, taking the possibilities of Japanese creative cuisine to the extreme through the skilled hands of two young chefs. It’s truly a pity not to come and try it — we wholeheartedly recommend it to everyone.

Skewers coming right up
Address: No. 88, Yuxing Road, Gushan District, Kaohsiung City
Phone: 0913-900316
Business Hours: 17:00–24:00
Closed: Mondays

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