YORU by Dennis Wang is all about delicious food, made affordable. Just north of Zhongxiao Fuxing MRT station in Taipei, you’ll find this place in an almost secret location. Understated on the outside and with only a few spaces in the restaurant itself, you’re going to have to book ahead of time to get in here. Use this booking link to book online, it’s really easy. But, why should you even go here?
There are many reasons why YORU by Dennis Wang has been recommended in the Michelin Guide for 3 consecutive years. This Japanese-style restaurant showcases high-quality, carefully created, and delicately put-together dishes that will not break the bank. You can eat here for around $300 per person, which is quite unreal for a place recommended in the Michelin Guide for 3 consecutive years.
You’ll only find 7 dishes on the regular menu here, but this strikes me as the kind of place that will have a few blackboard specials now and then. You’re going to find Katsu, curry, beef tongue, ramen, and even New York Strip on the menu. There’s certainly a fusion element to their cooking style, but the predominant style you’re going to get here is Japanese-style cuisine, and it’s definitely worth taking note of.
Table of Contents
Simple aesthetics are on show outside, which should pique your curiosity.
The menu is likely to change here on a semi-regular basis, so if you’re walking by after just finishing your deliciously iconic bowl of beef noodle soup from Lin Dong Fang just around the corner, and curious about what’s going on to decide on whether you want to book a table here or not, then scan that QR code and you’ll be taken to the newest menu that they have on offer.
The inside of the restaurant is about as understated as the outside, with a distinct grey and black theme running throughout.
If you aren’t sure how to order or what to do when you arrive at Yoru by Dennis Wang, then this is the post for you. See below for How to Order in Taipei Restaurants like a definitive pro!
3 Fast Tips on How to Order in Taipei Restaurants like a definitive pro!
The Menu at YORU by Dennis Wang
At each seat, you'll find a QR code that has been updated with the latest menu. As you scroll through, you'll probably find the classics like katsu pork 炸豬排, beef curry 牛肉咖哩, and New York Strip 紐約客, as well as their house special ramen 拉麵 and their limited beef tongue rice bowl set 限量牛舌定食.
This seems like a perfect place to teach you some secret Chinese that will serve you well if you're looking to get involved in house specialities or limited-quantity meals at restaurants:
- 招牌 zhāo pái - House special
- 限量 xiàn liàng - Limited
Any time you see '限量' on the menu, it's a good idea to ask if it's available. There's always a reason why something is listed as limited. This is especially common with meat dishes, where a particular cut of meat may be limited per animal, whether it's a specific type of fish, beef, or shellfish like lobster or crab.
As I placed my order and sat drinking in the atmosphere and watching the chefs as they prepared each meal, I noticed this guy stoking some coals. This is always exciting to see, as you know that anything cooked in there is going to take on that characteristically smoky flavour generated by such ovens as this one.
And here it is, the fruits of the oven's labour. How good does this look? See below for more details about what exactly we have in the bowl.
What Did We Order?
Beef Tongue Set - 限量牛舌定食
This picture probably goes a way to explain why YORU by Dennis Wang has been recommended in The Michelin Guide for 3 consecutive years - that beautiful architecture of food and delicate plating is stunning.
With each of the sets, you'll get sides such as pickled daikon radish (top left), king oyster mushrooms (top middle), pickled seaweed with onion (top right), miso soup (middle left, covered), and then the main dish in the middle.
Let me go ahead and tell you that if you can get this '限量' beef tongue, then you absolutely should. The texture and flavour of this decadent cut of beef are astounding. I've never had beef tongue quite as thick as this before. While I've enjoyed it at some Japanese BBQ spots where it's cut really thin and flash-barbecued, then served with salt or a squeeze of lemon, this thick chunk of beef tongue was exactly what I never knew I always wanted.
That soft egg is going to coat that chunk of silky smooth beef tongue so perfectly - a match made in heaven. Beef tongue is definitely going to go on my list of surprisingly good cuts of beef, alongside beef cheek. From this point on, whenever I see it on a menu, I am going to order it.
We didn't eat this, but just like at sushi restaurants where you watch the incredible sushi chef and just marvel at the cuts, the plating, and then the ultimate creation of the final dish, I found myself taking pictures in amazement. The delicate nature of the cutting and preparation here is clearly what ensures them those Michelin Guide recommendations. Above is the New York Strip in all its blushing pink glory.
We also didn't eat this, but for the same reason as posted above, I had to take pictures of it. This was cut up, skewered, and then shoved in that amazing barbecue oven. This was the beef rib, and it looked phenomenal. In fact, if I had seen this before ordering the dish below, I would have gone for it.
Katsu Pork - 招牌炸豬排
As stated above, whenever you see something like '限量' or '招牌' on the menu, you should invariably go for it. This is especially true at YORU by Dennis Wang, where you're likely to get some delicious Michelin Guide-recommended food carefully prepared and plated up for you.
Served with the same sides as the Beef tongue, my Katsu pork looked resplendent, dressed with that rich soy sauce and sprinkled with dried seaweed.
The skin was incredibly crispy and fragrant. However, the pork was on the drier side compared to what I was expecting. Having recently come back from Japan, where I was lucky to have had some incredible katsu pork that was still blushing pink on the inside and as juicy as any beef that you'll ever get, maybe my expectation was a little too high here. I really enjoyed the flavour, and the egg cooked with onions that is sitting underneath brings a lovely extra texture and flavour to the dish, but I will probably go for that beef rib next time.
The Bottom Line
Is it worth it? YORU by Dennis Wang is absolutely worth it. They really should be commended for the incredibly low prices of every dish on their menu, especially for this high quality.
What is the best dish? The Beef tongue should not be missed here.
Are there other places like this? I think YORU by Dennis Wang is set apart from almost all other Michelin Guide-recommended restaurants in Taipei for the simple fact that it is infinitely affordable. It seems that they have taken it as their calling to bring Michelin Guide food to the masses, and they are absolutely hitting the brief.