Secret sauce recipe passed down from the Edo period!! The super-popular "Tian N" by Kaneko Hannosuke

Text & Photos /Mi’er

With an increasing number of Japanese dining brands opening branches in Taiwan, I can’t help but wonder if it’s because Japan’s economy isn’t doing so well — many renowned eateries that were previously reluctant to expand overseas are now setting their sights on Taiwan. They emphasize serving the same great taste as in Japan, allowing Taiwanese food lovers to enjoy these famous establishments without having to travel far.

It’s just that the first wave of famous brands to come to Taiwan mostly focused on noodles like ramen and udon, which didn’t appeal much to me since I’m not particularly a noodle enthusiast. To me, while different ramen shops may excel in broth or noodles, the basic flavor profiles are quite similar. So as more and more ramen shops opened, few really tempted me to make a visit. Thankfully, there was finally something more appealing to me — the “Tian N”<”来台了，那就是“金子半之助”。

Kaneko Hannosuke is certainly not the first Japanese brand to bring “Tian N”<专卖店，东区的天吉屋也开了好一阵子了，只不过米儿吃过天吉屋之后，并没有留下太深刻的印象，东西是还不错，但总觉得没什么很让人怀念的特色，所以米儿虽然拍了照片，但连食记都懒得写。倒是这家金子半之助，虽然菜单非常简单也没有变化，但整体吃下来却会发现，它在细节处的讲究是吃得出来的，虽然米儿并没有吃过日本东京的本店，但是如果在台湾能吃到这样水准的天N<，已经让人额手称庆了。

The menu here is very simple — just three types of N<饭：江户前天N<、上天N<、天N<，差别只在于主食材，最贵的江户前天N<有整条长达30公分的穴子鱼(星鳗)，上天N<则是肉质细致的?鱼、天N<则以舞菇为主，搭配大虾、小干贝鱿鱼海鲜炸、青龙椒、半熟玉子、海苔片，整碗的料非常多，让人看起来很满足。

But the downside is that the air conditioning at Breeze Taipei Station is really terrible!! So eating N<饭实在会有点喘不过气来的感觉，尤其是用炸出来的食材，刚开始热呼呼的时候吃，真的非常美味，但像米儿这种一边吃一边拍照，往往到菜都凉了才开始认真吃的人，吃到一半就开始觉得有点腻。很大的原因就是因为空调差，空气中会一直弥漫着油烟味，肚子饿的时候闻着很香，但吃饱时闻到就觉得很不舒服。

It’s a pity that the next Kaneko Hannosuke branch will be in Linkou — it’s a bit far. Looks like I’ll have to wait until they open another branch somewhere else in Taipei City to enjoy this deliciousness again. Because I really don’t want to eat at Breeze Taipei Station again, it’s just too uncomfortable............XDDD~~

Edo-style large N<，390大洋。最长那个就是人气“穴子鱼”，肉质很嫩且绵密，咬起来很过瘾，食材直接来自东京筑地，以急速冷冻方式直送来台，价格相对实惠。因为酱汁咸中回甘又醇厚，搭配着吃会觉得层次非常丰富，虽然各种食材都是炸的，但吃得出不同食材本身该有的美味!

Once seated, you can help yourself to delicious black bean tea and two types of special pickled side dishes. Paired with the “ultimate flavor” of seven-spice powder, it helps cut through the grease when eating fried foods.

There’s a way to enjoy your Tian N<的步骤图~~

Devouring your N<，320大洋。其实炸好之后，一堆堆在碗上也看不出什么是什么，不过那球圆圆的炸半熟蛋很厉害(我居然忘记拍切开流出来的画面...XXXDD~~)，切开之后蛋黄流淌出来，温润了米饭，吃起来更美味。

This little seven-spice powder jar from Japan is just too cute~~ I wonder if it’ll get stolen one day, haha~~

The Tian N<，300大洋。但吃下来米儿个人比较喜欢基本款天N<，因为炸舞苦多汁又鲜甜，和其他海鲜搭配吃起来更为清爽。因为光炸虾吃起来就很过瘾，食量不大的人其实不用点到江户前天N<。

N<饭中的“小干贝鱿鱼海鲜炸”是最难炸的部分，因为都是零碎的食材，要把它们炸成一块饼状需要一点功夫！这里的炸粉来自日本面粉加上红鸡蛋，炸油则是以麻油为主，所以闻起来有种浓郁的香气，炸出来的成品外酥而内多汁，口感很棒。

These are the Tian N<里会用到的食材，因为食材够好，所以炸过后呈现的滋味也很棒。

The secret to Kaneko Hannosuke’s deliciousness also lies in this sauce recipe passed down since the Edo period. Just drizzle it over the rice, and it’s incredibly tasty～～

The small open kitchen is bustling with many busy staff members.

Besides frying, the technique and amount of sauce poured at the end also need to be carefully controlled to achieve the perfect level of deliciousness.

Kaneko Hannosuke
2F, No. 3, Beiping West Road, Zhongzheng District, Taipei City (2F, Breeze Taipei Station)
Phone:02-2314-029802-2314-0298
Business Hours: 10:00–22:00 (No reservations, meals served all day)

"Article by: Mi’er, who transitioned into food journalism after graduating in Chinese Literature from National Chengchi University. Raised under the guidance of her chef mother, she has a keen sense for food — not only loving to eat but also to cook. Due to her work, she frequently travels around the country in search of delicious eats, sharing her experiences on her blog and often organizing group food outings. She is the author of the book 'Group Food Tasting Reports'.

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