Kyoto Ya 鰻料理京都屋 - (Taipei)

 I noticed many people eating loads of Japanese food in Taipei,  but little did I realized how many times I also did so myself until I looked back at my own photo albums!!   Previously we already visited the much lauded  浜松や Hamamatsu Ya,  one of the 3-4 famous eel shops within the same district but which turned out to be a below-par experience.    Anyway since I was walking to Coffee Sweet,  I saw Kyoto Ya and 肥前屋　along the way and dinner was settled!

 

 

Smells like Charcoal already -
From the outside.   Taiwan has lots more charcoal-based cooking places than Hong Kong,  which is too strict with the fire regulations if you ask my opinion.  What’s more,  there are actually no dedicated Unagi-eel restaurants in Hong Kong either,  it’s one of those odd omissions .  I suspect a major reason is because eel prices have been on the rise every year and the very business-oriented investors in Hong Kong wouldn’t want to touch it?

 

 

Eel Chawan Mushi – Egg Custard
It is served sans any Japanese herbs,  which is still odd to me.   It’s also a little rough.  ~ 6/10

 

 

 

Cold Eels -
What I liked about this shop is that if you order an eel course, they give you lots of them.

 

 

 

Eel Salad -
Not sure if this is repetitive with the Unagi rice below in concept.  If you love eel however,  it is never too much!!  ~  7/10

 

 

Eel Egg Roll – Umaki
Grilled omelette with eel.  This was quite smooth and one of the best items,  although the eggs taste could still be stronger.  ~  8/10

 

 

Grilled Eel Livers -
My side order.  This was decent with a sweetish kabayaki sauce and smokiness from the charcoal bed.   The cooking time was also spot on,  moist inside and just caramelize-glazed outside.  ~  8/10

 

 

Shira-Yaki Unagi – White Grilled Eel
The eel flavour and also charcoal aroma was much more apparent than the other shop.  Anyway the wasabi was  a powdered type which lets it down a bit.  What was also interesting was the presence of all the lime, scallions, pickled ginger and the two daikon oroshi at once.  In Japan you just get one or the other,  or with some salt.  Seems like here they tried to give you the whole package so you can choose for yourself.   ~  8/10

 

 

 

The Unagi Set Meal -

 

 

Unaju – Unagi Rice
The unagi was very fragant and crispy on the skin.  The meat as I agreed with another foodie who visited afterwards,  was a little too lean.  I just think it wasn’t the best season to eat fatty eel which will be towards Autumn-Winter.  The rice and sauce was also pretty authentic to the Japan taste.  Really liked this but only if it could be less lean.  ~   9/10

 

 

 

Eel Liver Soup -
This is the norm when you eat at Unagi restaurants in Japan. Here they tried to replicate the same. The same can’t be said about my other experience at 浜松や Hamamatsu Ya , which was missing all the components despite us paying extra for the so-called fresh slaughtered eel.  This shop was a much better and pleasant experience in general ~ 7/10

 

 

 

Price:   TWD $1500 Per Person
Food:  ♕♕♕♕ 1/2
Opening Hours:
Mon to Sun -   11:30 am – 2:00 pm, 5:30–9:30 pm

Address:  No. 41號, Tiānjīn St, Zhongshan District, Taipei City, Taiwan 104
Ph: +886 2 2541 9803