The Best Restaurants for Teppanyaki in Taipei and Taichung

The cooking philosophy here is based on the four principles of serving diners fresh, hot and well-executed food with a good attitude. The menu changes according to the seasons and signatures include U.S. beef sirloin roll, grilled unagi, and freshly popped corn. Premium ingredients such as Japanese A5 Omi Wagyu Beef rolls, sashimi-grade Hokkaido scallops, and red sea urchin, as well as Rougié Duck Foie Gras, are popular on the grill, as are the chef’s innovative creations like gua bao stuffed with Australian grain-fed Wagyu tongue and fried rice with Hiroshima oysters — a taste of the sea paired with rice fragrant with the addition of tea leaf, mixed nuts, and dried fruit.

Located in the Regent Hotel, Robin’s Teppanyaki, named after a long-serving maîtred’, offers spacious seating, an extensive wine list, and a variety of set menus featuring premium steaks and imported seafood from the US, Japan, and Australia, cooked to the customer’s preferences. The six-course dinner unfolds according to your pace as experienced chefs time things just right, communicating freely with guests at close range.

The Taiwanese outpost of the Ukai Group in Japan weaves in Taiwanese ingredients and Western techniques, but everything from the cooking philosophy and interior design, to crockery and utensils, are meticulously Japanese. A variety of set menus are available, changing according to the seasons and availability. Signatures include Wagyu sirloin imported exclusively from Tamura farm, premium Taiwanese “Nine-Holes” abalone steamed with Japanese kelp and Tainan rock salt, as well as a seemingly simple garlic fried rice that features Niigata Koshihikari rice, minced garlic, kelp salt, and soy sauce.

Tucked away discreetly, the Italian stained glass, atmospheric windows, and luxurious tableware make dining at this restaurant a unique and elegant experience. The chef, who cut his teeth in one of most prestigious teppanyaki restaurants in Japan, pays close attention to the quality of the ingredients, utilizing premium meats and seafood, as well as local organic vegetables and freshly caught fish. The restaurant also specializes in sauces; every dish is perfectly paired with unique French sauces including porter sauce with pan-seared foie gras, honey mustard, or truffle-infused pumpkin purée with lobster, or champagne and chicken jus black truffle sauce with kombu-cured steamed abalone.