Taikoo's approachable new elite @Haiyouzen

Taikoo is definitely a bit far for me! But if there's a good restaurant, I'm willing to travel any distance for it. Like the Japanese izakaya I'm introducing today—affordable and delicious, it's definitely worth the money!

It's the newly opened Japanese restaurant Kaiyuzen in Taikoo, and of course, I had to try it out today.

The restaurant specializes in fresh, carefully selected sashimi, hand-rolled sushi, and Japanese skewers—all three of my favorite dishes, so tempting!

Of course, you have to have sake at an izakaya! My stomach was ready to be satisfied, so let's get started!

The sushi at the izakaya starts at just $16 per piece, offering something for everyone! We opted for the luxurious Yu-Sushi Three-Flavor Platter at $258.

The three-layered scallop dish contains Hokkaido sea urchin, scallops, and salmon roe. One bite and you're treated to the sweet and savory flavors of the sea—absolutely amazing!

The three-layer botan shrimp sushi is made with Hokkaido botan shrimp, seared shrimp paste, and black caviar. The sweetness of the botan shrimp roe and the salty aroma of the caviar create a very luxurious and tempting flavor.

The three-layer red shrimp sushi is made with Hokkaido sea urchin, lightly marinated red shrimp in soy sauce, and shredded tuna belly. This sushi has an added sweetness from the fish oil, making it even more exquisite.

Then we enjoyed the skewers, which were presented on a small stove, adding a touch of ceremony.

The chicken skin and perilla shrimp roll ($48) has a very outstanding texture. The oily chicken skin is paired with crispy fresh shrimp, and the perilla leaves I love make it even more delicious. The Awao vinegar and tangerine chicken kidney skewers ($54) are also grilled to a very tender and juicy perfection.

The grilled beef tongue with three fillings ($138) is another highlight! The tender, pink grilled beef tongue was soft and chewy, with a rich beef flavor that wasn't overly gamey. It came with three condiments: light salt, lemon salt sauce, and shiso daikon radish sauce, creating a variety of flavors – a thoughtful touch that Mr. Che was extremely satisfied with.

The Snow Crab Meat and Plum Somen ($68) was a beautifully presented and incredibly fun dish. Snow crab meat rested on pink somen noodles skewered with chopsticks, served in a glass of lime bonito broth. To eat, you simply remove the chopsticks, and the noodles fall into the broth – a fun and delicious experience.

The plum somen noodles were smooth and refreshing, perfectly complemented by the lime bonito broth. The generous amount of sweet crab meat added to the overall delight.

In addition to à la carte dishes, the restaurant also offers super affordable chef's specials, with prices ranging from $288 to $488 for 11 to 16 delicious dishes. I'm sure I'll be back to patronize this restaurant soon because it's so affordable.