WATAMI JAPANESE CASUAL RESTAURANT
(02) 2723-2623
Hours:
Sun- Thurs 11 am-1 am
Fri/Sat: 11-2 am
$ - $$
website: watami.com.tw
Kid friendliness: high chairs available.
Visit reviewed: 6/17/2007
Decent enough chain restaurant of Japanese food with a wide variety of things on the menu including sashimi, yakitori, noodles, hot pot, fried foods, and even stone bowl bim bim bap (NT$180-220) with the most expensive thing on the menu at NT$480 (the combo sashimi platter). The menu has Chinese and Japanese and pictures for everything, though no English.
Service can be slow since they can get very busy though I spotted this service bell, though we didn't use it.
Moderately priced, Watami is a popular choice for business lunches and large groups and the decor is modern infused with lots of red.
The Neo 19 location (next to Chili's, at the old Spoon Thai food location) is more noisy and open than the more ambient Dun Hua basement location which has the dim lighting and bamboo divider curtains that grant a bit more aura of privacy.
I doubt that anyone will ever say that they had the best Japanese food ever here, but they have enough things on the menu to suit almost everyone with a wait during weekends and their rush dining hours to show for it.
Personally, I like their cold ramen noodles (NT$160) bathed in a vinegary sauce and found the broth in their big bowl of soupy ramen (NT$160) was even pretty tasty. I also like the option of ordering the yakitori, though it was a bit on the salty side at the Neo 19 location at my last visit. The bamboo wrapped in beef and mixed combo (NT$250) with six skewers.
I also liked the mixed mushroom appetizer (NT$80), but found the fried lotus chips too salty (NT$100).
While they don't have as many desserts as the neighboring Azabu Sabo, they do have a lot of different colorful drinks, mostly of the Calpis variety. I guess all in all, it's like eating a Japanese version of TGIF, offering fast and relatable foods for the business casual lunch or family budget and atmopshere.
OTHER LOCATIONS:
Hsi Men
at Jun Plaza, 3 FL
No. 37,
(02) 2361-5198
11AM - 1 AM
No. 225, Dun Hua S Road, Sec 1, B1
(02) 2771-6947
11AM - 1AM (Sun- Thurs) 2AM (Friday, Sat)
at Cesear Park Hotel, 2nd FL
No. 38, Chung Hsiao W Road, Sec 1
(02) 2370-9188
11AM- 1AM
