匠樂 割烹 壽司

Address: No. 31, Lane 52, Siwei Rd, Daan District, Taipei. 台北市大安區四維路52巷31號

Telephone: (02)7709-1188

Adorably different chopstick holders.

First two dishes of our 2380NT omakase (most expensive one. Hey.. it was the mother's bday.. who couldn't give her the cheap stuff could we?). Top right is shrimp, fish eggs over some bean curd with some vinegar sauce. Bottom right is abalone with figs in a sesame sauce. Both exhibit very delicate skill by the chef and a interesting mix of flavors.

Ahh... birthdays. Basically all they are to me is an fantastic excuse to go out and eat something delicious. This is true for just any random friend or acquaintance, but when it's your very own mother's birthday? Well then, better hit up some place that meets the standards of a mother's love. It was my sister's choice to come to 匠樂, and I was eager to come along for the dining experience.

Both my mom and sister have been here before, but they came to 匠樂 on separate occasions. It was the opinion of my sister that 匠樂 was a quality establishment while suggesting something was awry with the bday gals taste buds for her to not think highly of the restaurant. I believe her plan was a success, as for once, my mother didn't offer me food off her plate but instead chose to eat it all herself. This is a woman who claims fullness after a few nibbles of anything (probably sounds like your mom too), so for her to happily ingest everything placed in front of her is a rare thing indeed.

Lotus root and burdock side dish.

Some hamachi with ponzu sauce.

The restaurant is a very neat space with seating for about 10 or so at the bar, with addition seating in the back for larger parties or people who prefer to dine on a table. There is a nice little courtyard as you first enter through the outer doors, and it does give a very Japanese flavor to the atmosphere and feel of the restaurant.

We made reservations for 3 on a Thursday afternoon, and ordered the 2380NT omakase. They have cheaper options available, ranging from about 1000NT and upwards. This is probably on the pricier side for omakase in Taipei, but as you'll see, it comes with a lot of food and if you have particular tastes, the chef will cater to your preferences.

Showing the pictures in the order that the food was prepared and delivered. Top right is red kanpachi. Followed by water octopus in vinegar and wild salmon. All the sashimi was incredibly fresh and I loved the chewiness of the octopus in that dish.

Scallop from Hokkaido. One of my favorites anywhere. Just the right amount of sweetness in the scallop.

I have stated in various ways that the standard of sushi in Taiwan really is superb. When the consistent quality of the fish ranges city wide to a multitude of restaurants, to nit pick on quality becomes something of a burden. How many ways can one describe a awesome piece of uni? This isn't to say that there is no way to judge the food in these restaurants, it's just that it comes down to the details and the daily precision that the chefs put into their work. The little things such as presentation, cleanliness, service and general dining atmosphere begin to weigh as much if not more than the sushi itself because one comes to expect nothing but excellence from the food
I could classify the food at 匠樂 as indeed excellent, but not to the point where everything made my eyes widen. I found myself nodding a lot while I took the first bite of whatever was in front of me, almost as if i was acknowledging what a treat it is to expect nothing but great food and to receive it almost every time.

Delectable Toro.

Amaebi

Different kind of hamachi.

Very interesting soup dish. Fish, shrimp, mushroom, pumpkin and little pieces of mountain yam. The broth wasn't too cloying and you could really taste each individual ingredient in the dish.

Keeping a spotless work area is essential when talking about a Japanese restaurant, especially one that presents itself as a high class dining spot like 匠樂. We aren't dealing with a lot of cooking oils and such, so keeping the prep area immaculate is a lot easier than say in a Chinese restaurant. 匠樂 does a fantastic job of this as many of the sushi chefs were from other Japanese restaurants in Taiwan that were run by the notoriously neat-freaky Japanese. Our chef was incredibly friendly and as expected, very knowledgeable about the food and was able to answer any and all questions presented to him about the food. Service was excellent as well, as they were consistently present without being bothersome.

Amadai (a type of tile fish) with a green pea sauce. Loved the sweetness of the green peas. Saori. And of course, the star of many a meal... Hokkaido Uni.

Tai. Some miso soup with oysters. Tuna marinated in soy sauce with a splash of ouzo.

The closer to the main dishes. Small chirashi that was as good to look at as it was to eat. My friend saw the picture and labelled it as dessert sushi. A very apropos description if there ever was one. Yum.

So where does 匠樂 stand in the pantheon of sushi restaurants here in Taiwan? Well, I think its safe to say that as far as freshness, it won't lose to anyone. It is right there as far as I'm concerned. But i'm still partial to other restaurants such as Masa or YIOU SUSHI - 游壽司. The reasons for this have something to do with price and it just comes down to the value of your dollar. It is my opinion that while the selection at 游壽司 may be somewhat lacking, they make up for it in their reasonable prices and equally excellent quality of fish. Masa both has the selection and a relatively affordable menu. 匠樂 by anyone's standard must be talked about when speaking about a sushi restaurant that tries to create interesting dishes while utilizing the very best of ingredients. It is a relatively new addition to the sushi scene here in Taipei, but it is already carving out a name for itself and with this one trip I can see why. I greatly enjoyed my dining experience here, and while it may not have blown my socks off, it was probably only just short of doing so.

Overall 匠樂 receives: