SHOUN RYUGIN
By the time chef Ryohei Hieda opened Shoun Ryugin, Ryugin’s sister restaurant in Taipei, in 2014, he had already visited more than 200 producers. It’’s no wonder the two Michelin-starred Japanese restaurant is a temple of gastronomy. Located within Zhongshan District, in an office building that also houses Andre Chiang’s RAW Shoun Ryugin is situated on the fifth floor - diners are warmly welcomed by seasonal flowers arrangements at the lounge area before they are led into the main dining room.
Most Japanese chefs are inclined towards top-notch, seasonal produce from their own country. Hieda, however, bucks the trend by insisting that his restaurant uses 95 percent of ingredients from Taiwan, a bold move. Owan, a Japanese dashi based clear soup, is made from the best Taiwanese kelp and bonito flakes. Threadfin fish and eggplant are sourced from local markets to pair with the dashi. The eggplants are grilled, peeled and soaked in soya sauce based marinade, while the threadfin is steamed with Taiwanese rice wine for added aroma.
If there’s one lesson Yamamoto has imparted to Hieda, it is this: never stick to traditional Japanese cooking techniques but to choose the method that is most suited for the ingredient. “I learned to respect nature from him. For me, it is more natural to use the ingredients from Taiwan, because my restaurant is in Taipei. We have amazing products here,” he says. Lequn 3rd Road, #301, Zhongshan District, Taipei City. Tel: + 886 2 8501 5808 nihonryori-ryugin.com.tw