4ever Discovering
Did Someone Say Sushi!?
Current Update: You Don’t Want to Know How Many Times We Eat Sushi in a Week
There’s no surprise here: Emily and I LOVE to eat sushi. There is nothing like sitting in an all-you-can-eat sushi restaurant, chowing down on many different types of rolls and dishes. That was my life back in Canada; here there are no all-you-can-eat sushi places. Instead, you can find it anywhere from street stalls, to convenience stores, to sit-down restaurants. It seems to be everyone’s favourite meal here (including my students). I don’t blame them; it is my go-to meal whenever I’m feeling hungry and need a quick bite to eat. Thank God for the sushi lady right outside our apartment! It is always a disappointment when she is closed, or doesn’t have any salmon rolls left. Emily and I go so often, she feels bad for us when she sees us coming and doesn’t have our favourites rolls left. She doesn’t speak a whole lot of English, but emotions are universal. Anyone can understand the face of disappointment.
Along with our regular sushi stand, Emily and I have tried a few different sushi restaurants in Taipei. Taiwan isn’t like Japan by any means, but the love for sushi is just as real. Most of the times we eat out, the restaurants are packed! They are so busy, we usually have to take a number and wait. We are still trying to find the perfect time to go to a restaurant; a lot of people eat late here, but sometimes even when we go earlier we end up waiting. Maybe it’s just because the population is so high, or maybe it’s just because everyone wants to eat salmon as much as we do. Either way, we always end up waiting. Here are three sushi restaurants Emily and I have tried since living in Taiwan (next to sushi lady, of course):
1. Sushi Express: Probably the most well-known sushi restaurant in Taiwan, Sushi Express is your cheapest option for delicious rolls. The first time Emily and I tried to go, we actually didn’t stay. There were over 30 people in line in front of us, so we decided to come back another time. Luckily for us, there are two Sushi Express restaurants very close to our apartment (one conveniently located right beside the gym we go to). After a great workout, what better way to reward yourself then grab a few salmon rolls? When we finally made it to Sushi Express without waiting in an insane line, Emily and I were seated on stools just like sitting at a bar. The only difference was instead of beer, there were plates of sushi passing by us on a conveyor belt. You can grab whatever sushi you want; they have everything from salmon, to crab, to various types of fish. Most of the plates come with two pieces of sushi, and every plate you take costs 30 NT (about $1.30 Canadian). It’s a great deal, and is a pretty cheap way to fill your belly. Naturally, as soon as we sat down, we started grabbing everything that looked good to us. Surprise surprise when I tell you I ate too fast, and was feeling pretty stuffed after only about 10 minutes. When you’re all finished, the workers come and count your plates to add up your check. It always costs less than 20 bucks for the two of us to eat (and that’s a big night out for us!)
2. Yummy Sushi: Our next sushi restaurant was a little more pricey (definitely a treat). I saw this restaurant advertised on Facebook, and it didn’t take much convincing to get Emily to agree to go. The selling feature for Yummy Sushi is how the sushi is delivered to your table: by moving trays disguised as cars. I know what you’re thinking; you are intrigued already. You order the dishes you want from an iPad in front of you, and when the order is ready, it will come on top of a toy car. The track the cars move on only come from the kitchen to your table. When the order is about to be delivered, your iPad will make a little sound announcing the arrival. The car will stop in front of you, and you just take the dish off. Once you take your food, the car will move back into the kitchen, awaiting the next order. The only time we had to communicate with a server was when she came to give us the check. We even asked for the check using the iPad. I’m telling you, this is the future of the restaurant industry. One day, we won’t even need servers anymore. Although we got to try many new types of rolls at Yummy Sushi, it was about double the price of Sushi Express. They don’t count your plates here; each roll costs a different price and the iPad counts your tab. It was definitely an experience to eat here, but Emily and I won’t be rushing back anytime soon.
3. Kura Sushi: Our last sushi stop was at Kura Sushi. This was recommended by a Taiwanese friend as one the best places to go in Taipei. Of course, we had to try it and see for ourselves. First, I’m going to start by saying if you ever come, MAKE A RESERVATION IN ADVANCE. Emily and I made the mistake of just showing up, and taking a number. There was about 20 people in front of us, but we figured it would go by fast considering the amount of tables they had in the restaurant. We were right about one thing: the turnover rate was fast. Unfortunately, there were two different numbers on the screen, and it seemed like ours was never being called. Only the people who made a reservation were being called, and people like us who did not think in advance had to wait for the leftover tables. After about an hour of waiting, it was finally our turn to eat, and boy were we hungry. Kura Sushi was a mix between the other two restaurants; you could take the sushi off of the conveyor belt, or you could order off the iPad in front of you. It was like the best of both worlds. The only thing was the sushi was not delivered by a car when you ordered a dish. You win some, you lose some. Here, you pay $40 NT per plate, so it was a little more expensive than Sushi Express. The cool attraction here was after finishing 5 plates, you put them in the slot in front of you for a chance to win a keychain. After putting your plates in, your iPad will turn into a slot machine; if you get three sushi rolls, you win. Unfortunately, there were no winners at our table (another surprise lol). Sometimes luck is just not on our side.
After our extensive sushi research in Taipei, I have come to the conclusion that our sushi stand on the corner of our street is the best place to grab a bite. Of course there is no seating, but nothing beats sitting in the comfort of your own home (with Netflix). I’m sure Emily and I will continue our search for new sushi restaurants; however, I’m still waiting to try the real deal in Japan. I’m excited to come home and eat all-you-can-eat sushi again. Sometimes I feel like I’m paying more here because of the number of plates I order. The only good thing about not pigging out at an unlimited sushi restaurant is not falling into a sushi coma after you’re finished eating. But of course, sometimes I don’t mind sacrificing the coma after such a delicious meal. The good always outweighs the bad!