The Japanese colonial history right up to 1945 may have left some of its mark in Taiwan – or perhaps the love of Japanese food and culture. You could find outstanding or even Michelin standard sushi establishments in the heart of Taipei. Whenever I have the chance to visit Taiwan’s capital, I would hunt around for small nigiri sushi shops.
I visited two such places during a late October business trip – Jiangle and Nomura. Both are situated just a few blocks away from each other in a neighbourhood resembling the silhouette of a Japanese suburb.
Nomura is family owned, and you can find it just around the corner of Anheh Road. Chef Nomura Yuji started his restaurant about a year ago, training at Ikkyu in Tokyo before relocating to Taipei as the head chef at No Zushi, a branch of Ikkyu. That branch quickly became one of the more popular sushi places in town.
Similar to Ikkyu in Tokyo, Nomura is a disciple under the Edomae-style system – his rice of the nigiri sushi comes with a stiffer press, giving a denser texture in the mouth.
As for the other restaurant Jiangle, it was more fitting to the Michelin standard, but Nomura offers a more cozy and relaxing environment.
Having tried both, I would say… I’ll visit Jiangle again to satisfy my picky stomach, drop by Nomura with my family and friends to pair casual chats with nice food.
Nomura (野村壽司)
Address: No. 34, Alley 78, Anhe Rd. Section 1, Taipei
Tel: +886 2 2755 6587
Opening hours: Tuesday-Sunday 11:30 am – 2:00 pm; 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Visited on: 2 Nov, 2012
Price: Lunch – NTD$1200; Dinner – NTD$2500 or above
K's Luxe Dining Table 