[Shanghai 上海] Maison Asano 淺野府 (2)

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Maison Asano 淺野府

Add: 318-2 Julu Lu, near Maoming Nan Lu / 巨鹿路318-2, 近茂名南路
Tel: 6216 2019 / 18019363910
Hours: [Tue-Sun] 5:30-10:30pm (closed on Mon)
Price: 888~1980 RMB/set
Visited: Mar 2016

Please note that this was an invited tasting.

It’s been over a year since I last visited to Maison Asano, and during the past few months, this high-end Japanese restaurant has gone through some significant changes. The original open space has been sectioned off into various private rooms, and even the bar feels more intimate now. The chef in charge has also changed from Liam to Simon, a young Taiwanese chef in his early thirties, but we will talk about him a bit later.

請注意本次為餐廳邀請試吃。

記得 2010 年 Sushi Oyama 開幕時,曾是上海唯一一家高級壽司店,讓我非常著迷。在離開上海的幾年,陸續聽說多了不少類似級別的壽司店,而其中一家開幕時備受矚目的是巨鹿路上的淺野府。後來通過朋友介紹認識了老板Judy,上周受她邀請去用了晚餐,除了好奇這家餐廳的現況,也想了解下這位臉蛋精致的像洋娃娃的台灣日本混血女孩,怎麽會想要跑來上海開一家日本料理。

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What’s left unchanged is the price – Maison Asano still offers set of 888 and 1380 RMB, but they can also go up to 1980RMB for those who really want to splurge – but they do request an one-week advance notice to prepare this special menu. For me, dinner commenced with a bowl of Japanese yellowtail soup – a perfect start for this chilly Spring evening.

淺野府自 2013 年開幕後有了不少變化。本來開放的空間改成了包房的設計,吧台的位子多了不少私密感,料理長也在最近換了人 - 這點,稍後再細說。淺野府有888元和1380元的套餐,也可以根據客人的要求做1680和1980的極致套餐(需一周前預訂)。我當天的晚膳,由一碗熱騰騰的鰤魚蒜味前湯開始。

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Appetizers: sesame spinach, red conch, tuna withmountain yam, and tomato poached in red wine.

前菜:胡麻菠菜、紅螺、山藥金槍魚、紅酒番茄。

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Japanese sea bream with orange vinegar.

鲷魚,佐橙醋。

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[Taipei] Fresh Station Sushi & Fruits 逸鮮棧

Fresh Station Sushi & Fruits 逸鮮棧

Add: No. 500-5, Sec. 4, Zhongxiao Dong Lu, Taipei / 台北市忠孝東路4段500號之5
Tel: (02) 2725 3555
Hours: 11:30am-3pm, 5:30-10:30pm
Price: [lunch] 320-660 NTD [dinner] 600-1200+ NTD
Visited: Feb 2015

When some friends invited me to have dinner at “Fresh Station Sushi & Fruits”, I wasn’t sure what to expect. “Fresh Station” itself sounds like a salad bar, and the sushi + fruits combo just threw me off completely. Apparently this is a sushi bar that incorporates fruits into its cuisine, which sounds like a desperate attempt to differentiate itself from the hundreds of other sushi restaurants in Taipei…but the friends who invited me to dinner are serious foodies, so I trusted their opinions and went in for a try.

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Upon being seated, my friends told me that they are actually not a fan of Fresh Station’s fruit cuisine, but really enjoy the more traditional sushis prepared by the chefs here. So that’s what we had that night.

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One of the restaurant specialty is its large variety of pickles – apparently they pickle everything – which are supplied to customers generously throughout the meal.

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[Shanghai] Maekawa 前川

Maekawa 前川

Add: 4/F, 1157 Hongqiao Lu, near Yaohong Lu / 虹桥路1157号4楼,近姚虹路
Tel: 6270 6107
Hours: 5:30pm~12am
Price: [sets] 600~1000 RMB, [a la carte] 300~600+ RMB/person
Visited on: Jul 2012

If you are craving top quality nigiri sushi for dinner but want something lighter than a full-on Sushi Oyama-type of meal, try Maekawa. This understated sushi bar doesn’t have much superfluous flair to it, it simply serves very, very good fish.

I always go for the bar seats, but tables and private rooms are also available.

Complimentary appetizer.

Maekawa offers kaiseki sets that range from 600 to 1000 RMB, but we were in the mood for nigiri sushi only and decided to order by the piece. The meal started with Hiramasa 平政 (90 RMB/pc), a type of yellowtail that’s regarded by the Japanese as one of the finest sashimi fish. Its pale pink flesh is firm, sweet, and rich with a higher fat content compared to the other yellowtails. What a luxurious mouthful! I almost want to say that I like this more than tuna belly.

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[Taipei] Nomura Sushi 野村壽司

Nomura Sushi 野村壽司

Add: No. 34, Alley 78, Anhe Rd. Section 1, Taipei 台北市安和路一段78巷34號
Tel: (02) 2755 6587
Hours: 12-2pm, 6-9:pm (closed on Monday)
Price: [lunch] 1200 NTD/set [dinner] 2500~3300+ NTD/set
Visited: Oct 2011

2013 update: Nomura Yuji has left and reopened elsewhere.

Behind the Ren Ai circle and very close to the stylish a poet, Nomura Sushi quietly sits. Opened just a month ago, this 12-seat sushi bar is headed up by Nomura Yuji 野村裕二, a young but experienced sushi chef who has been in the trade for over 15 years. I’m not too familiar with the dining scene in Taipei, but apparently Nomura-san has quite a loyal following from his days at the wildly popular “No Sushi 野壽司”. Well then, let’s take a look at he’s got.

A half-opened wooden gate beckons passerby, but as Nomura Sushi is almost always fully booked, you won’t have much luck as a walk-in guest. Reservations highly recommended.

Upon entering, we were seated at a plain, spotlessly clean sushi bar built from pristine wood. Warm lighting, Ono Lisa in the air, hot tea, warm towels…instant good feeling.

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