Japanese BBQ (Yakiniku) is an interesting genre of food that is served all over Greater China. Yet, in most instances, the food served at these restaurants has little resemblance to the original concept found in Japan. This is particularly true in Taiwan. Having said that, unlike sushi or ramen, I find Japanese BBQ to be more charming when it diverges from its Japanese origins. The only thing that matters when eating Japanese BBQ is the quality of meat. Everything else comes down to personal preferences and budget.
Which brings us to Umai (屋馬烤肉料亭), or as I like to call it, The People’s Champion Japanese BBQ of Taichung. Now, there are plenty of very good Japanese BBQ shacks in Taichung and even I myself have a favourite. However, ask around where you should go for Japanese BBQ and you will find that local Taichung-ites will consistently suggest Umai as the place to go.
The first thing you will notice about Umai is the amount of people waiting outside to be seated. Reservations are a must and I strongly suggest that you plan ahead at least a month if you have a specific date in mind. We asked for the first open date available and still had to wait two weeks to get a 7:00 p.m. reservation. The People’s Champion indeed!
The menu comprised of typical Japanese BBQ items; meats and veggies to grill and soups and salads as sides. For you beef lovers out there, Umai has a wide selection of beef to choose from ranging from basic sirloin (~NT$150) to imported USDA Grade A beef short rib (~NT600). Wagyu beef is also on the menu if that is your thing. If you like pork, chicken and/or seafood, you will be happy to note that Umai’s selection of other meat is moderately priced at around NT$200 per plate.
My first reaction is that Umai is one of those restaurants where you eat with your eyes. A lot of attention to detail was placed on plating the raw meat. But once you start grilling the air fills with… disappointment. Yes, disappointment. The meat is sliced too thin and the portions (total net weight) are small which leads to a lack of substance in each bite. Worse still, it was impossible to build flavour (Maillard Reaction) without overcooking the meat on the propane grill. In the religion of grilled meat, these are two sins that cannot be easily forgiven. And, the taste of charcoal is superior over the convenience of propane (yes, I have lived in the Deep South of the US).
Umai is really best suited for large group gatherings. The restaurant has quite a few long tables each with multiple grills. The staff are quite enthusiastic (almost like Friday’s) bringing out the cake and singing Happy Birthday. However, Umai can get a bit loud on a busy night (which seems like every night) so smaller groups may wish to book another Japanese BBQ restaurant in town.
Let me know what you think about Umai by leaving a message in the comment section below or posting something on our Facebook page.
