Location: Hsinchu, Shinbashi Shokudo New Japanese Cuisine
Travel Notes Summary: On Sunday noon, while watching an anime, my friend Junhong called to ask if I wanted lunch. We went to Wenhua Street near the Hsinchu Moat and entered a house that looked like a regular residence—but inside was a different world. Shinbashi Shokudo is a branch of the famous Shinbashi Yakiniku. Since I like the yakiniku place, I had decent expectations. The restaurant was full, so we shared a large table with others. We took off our shoes and got a wooden key for the shoe cabinet. The interior has wooden floors, with two seating areas: one with floor cushions, the other with large wooden tables for 12 split in half. It's designed for groups of 4–8. The menu blends Japanese dishes with creativity. We ordered Italian Crispy Chicken Leg Salad (NT$180), Pork Neck Stone Pot Rice (NT$180), Soft Shell Crab Sushi (NT$180), and Grilled Eel (NT$140). The stone pot rice was mixed by the staff—okay for filling up. The crispy chicken with onion and vinegar sauce was tasty. The grilled eel portion was small. The soft shell crab sushi, with deep-fried crab inside, was decent—reminiscent of a dish I had long ago at A-Plu…