Location: Taipei, Mandarin Oriental Hotel 5F, Tajimaya Premium Shabu Shabu
Travel note summary: Only upon visiting today did I learn that this place operates independently from Tajimaya. Tajimaya is a century-old Japanese meat supplier with many specialized restaurants in Taiwan, while Tajimaya is its importer in Taiwan, mainly with this restaurant at Mandarin Oriental and a second branch. Regardless, Tajimaya remains one of Taipei's top shabu shabu spots. On Monday night, only seats after 7:30 PM were available. Including drinks, the per-person cost starts around over three thousand NTD. The American red wine Skyside paired with the meal tonight was okay. Each table offers an independent dining environment with dedicated table-side service, allowing for a very relaxed meal. The beef and seafood ingredients, with the final essence broth cooked into porridge, made for a quite enjoyable overall dining experience. Coincidentally, there was Jolin Tsai's concert tonight, so passing by the nearby Taipei Arena, it was truly crowded. Taiwan really doesn't seem much affected by the pandemic. @@ By Morgan @ evening of 2021.4.26
