Some fine restaurants can be found in Taipei’s Tianmu (天母) area, and Xun Sushi and Japanese Cuisine has proudly joined them. Opened on June 1, the restaurant is a brand launched by the Hirotama Co (宏璞餐飲公司), which also operates the Onikiri Ramen (鬼切拉麵專賣店) chain. In Japanese Kanji, the word “Xun” (旬) means “in season,” which highlights the restaurant’s spirit of sharing the freshest seasonal ingredients.
The restaurant is directly behind Tianmu’s Sogo Department Store, itself a 5-minute walk from the Zhishan MRT Station (芝山站). As my friend and I walked in, our attention was quickly grabbed by the clean open kitchen in the middle, which was surrounded by an exquisite sushi bar and a huge fish tank full of marine life — a living proof to the absolute freshness of the seafood. Instead of the sushi bar, we chose to sit at a quiet corner, and the smiling waitress promptly offered us hot hand towels.
Xun provides a set menu, along with various a la carte options at market prices. The three "lunch sets" (商業午餐) for NT$380 include a main dish of braised beef, steamed or grilled fish. The four "regular sets" (定食) ranging from NT$680 to NT$1,200 include a main dish of nigiri rolls, chirashi sushi, grilled Japanese amberjack jaw or Boston lobster. The lunch and regular sets are served with side dishes, including salad, steamed egg, soup and fruit. For serious foodies, there are five "luxury sets" (套餐) ranging from NT$800 to NT$3,500. Just tell the waitress what set price you are paying, and the chefs will put together a set based on the best ingredients available on that day.
Photo: Eddy Chang, Taipei Times
Recommended by friendly head chef Jack Yang (楊天恩), I ordered the NT$2,000 set featuring two lobster dishes and a lobster soup. The meal started with abalone salad garnished with some greens, and the abalone from South Africa was bouncy but tender. The raw oyster from Japan was fresh and thick without any offensive smell, and the sweet and sour vinegar jelly cubes on top were a nice touch.
Next, the Hokkaido scallop and sea urchins were slightly grilled and eaten with crispy dried laver. The large scallop was light and sweet, while the sea urchins with a paste-like texture had a long-lasting aftertaste.
For the seafood and fish sashimi combos, the former included high-quality lobster, scallop, star eel and geoduck clam, also known as “king clam,” and such imported high-end ingredients are not commonly seen at regular restaurants. The latter included flounder, chicken grunt, Argentina red shrimp, Japanese amberjack and two varieties of tuna belly. They were beautifully arranged on a plate that looked like a colorful artwork, and the freshly prepared sashimi was impeccable.
Photo: Eddy Chang, Taipei Times
As for the nigiri combo, the inshore squid, snapper, right-eyed flounder fin meat and beef rolls were served on a bamboo splint woven container. As some people say, “We eat with our eyes first!” The talented head chef seemed to have paid special attention to presentation, so every dish not only tasted but also looked fabulous.
I was also impressed with the stewed flounder garnished with some greens, ginkgo nuts and a Japanese fish cake (Kamaboko). The fish was moist and delicate.
The young head chef served the grilled lobster personally to show his hospitality, and he dabbed some fish roe and light mayonnaise on the item to dazzle the flavor. Still in his late 20s, the award-winning Yang is already demonstrating mature cooking skills.
Photo: Eddy Chang, Taipei Times
Finally, the juicy grilled lamb rib was served, followed by the miso-flavor lobster soup and some fruit. With its elegant sweetness and fruity flavor, the pomelo sorbet was a perfect ending for the meal.
The restaurant also carries a good selection of Japanese sake, but we did not have any alcohol during lunch hours. My fancy lunch set cost me NT$2,200, with the 10-percent service charge included. Overall, it was an enjoyable dining experience. I do not normally spend so much on a meal, but at Xun, the food is well worth the price.
Photo: Eddy Chang, Taipei Times
Photo: Eddy Chang, Taipei Times
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