First proper sit-down meal of 2019 with BB — tempura don at NT$935 at a Taipei Taiwanese-Japanese restaurant. After the late-night oyster mee sua earlier, the proper brunch slot called for the sit-down format.

We ordered:

Premium tempura don — NT$935

The tempura don is the Japanese rice bowl topped with assorted tempura pieces. The premium tier usually adds more seafood — multiple prawns, white fish, scallop — plus the vegetables (sweet potato, eggplant, pumpkin, lotus root). The whole spread piled high over short-grain rice with the signature sweet-soy tare drizzled through.

The batter was the test. Proper tempura batter has the airy translucent crisp — cold batter, hot oil, fast cook, minimal absorption. This bowl had it. Each piece had the hollow-crisp golden shell with the ingredient inside still snappy (prawns) or tender (vegetables).

Two large prawns sat on top — properly battered, the tails left poking out, the prawns inside still slightly translucent in the centre. White fish piece next — flaky, mild, clean. Vegetable pieces filled in — pumpkin had the proper sweet-roast flavour after the fry, eggplant went silky inside its crispy shell, sweet potato had the slow earth-sweet.

The sweet-soy tare drizzle hit the rice and the tempura, with the rice underneath absorbing the sauce as you ate. Standard accompaniments — pickled radish, miso soup, a small portion of cabbage salad.

NT$935 (~SGD $42 at 2019 exchange) is premium tempura don pricing in Taipei — slightly elevated for a holiday brunch, fair for the spread.

Taipei New Year’s Day energy is the quiet kind — most locals sleeping in, the tourist crowds spread thin. The restaurant was unhurried, the kitchen could focus on each plate.

Overall: 4.5 / 5. 😋👍🏼 Strong first proper meal of 2019 — would absolutely return.

Original IG post