One of our favorite malls in Kaohsiung is called Dream Mall. I like malls that have a lot to offer, so I can basically get all my shopping done in one place. In Dream Mall, there is many restaurant to choose from. Steve is a big fan of Japanese cuisines, so he was thrilled to find a food court that's dedicated to Japanese cuisines. We have tried most of the restaurants in the Japanese food court already, except a restaurant called "Ikki". "Ikki" always has long wait, and it never really occurs to us to actually make the reservation. So this time, I made the reservation a week advance. Since we have been on the "green smoothie dinner diet" lately, we were so excited to finally have some real food for dinner at "Ikki".
<店家資訊>
ikki藝奇新日本料理(高雄夢時代店)
地址：806 高雄市前鎮區中華五路789號7樓
電話：07-823 0988
營業時間：中餐時段 11:30-2:30 晚餐時段 5:30-10:00
粉絲專頁：https://www.facebook.com/ikki.cuisine/
官方網站：http://www.ikki.com.tw/
消費方式：現金、刷卡
停車：夢時代有停車場
<Store Information>
ikki Japanese Cuisine (Dream Mall location)
Address: 7F No. 789, Zhonghua 5th Road, Qianzhen District, Kaohsiung City, 806
Phone: 07-823 0988
Hours: Lunch Hour 11:30-2:30 Dinner Hour 5:30-10:00
Facebook Fanpage: https://www.facebook.com/ikki.cuisine/
Official Website: http://www.ikki.com.tw/
Accepting Payments: Cash, Credit Cards
Parking: Parking garage inside the Dream Mall
＊大家記得去我們的粉絲團按讚喔！
Please go "like" our Facebook fan page by using the following link.
Steve&Angela FunTV 粉絲專頁
＊還有訂閱我們的YouTube頻道！
Please subscribe our Youtube channel by using the following link.
Steve&Angela FunTV Youtube 頻道
「藝奇」位於藍鯨館的高樓層，想必視野一定很好。
"Ikki" is in the corner with a great window view!
「藝奇」的招牌以紅色和黑色為主，兩個對比的顏色在簡單的幾何線條下，特別有一種日式／東亞文化的感覺，雖然走的是低調風，但是也不失高雅的格調。
As soon as you walked out the elevator, you can see their black and red sign. The contrast colors with simple design not only make a unforgettable statement, but also makes the restaurant looks sophisticated.
有別於一般的餐廳，一進門看到了不是餐桌，而是簡約設計的櫃檯，少了普通餐廳的吵雜聲，「藝奇」鼓勵用餐的客人預先訂位，我們到的時候，確定預約時間／姓名，馬上就帶位到預先準備好的位置了！
"Ikki" is usually really busy, especially during weekends and holidays. You may have to wait for a while if you don't have reservation. We made the reservation a week in advance, so our table was already set and waiting for us as soon as we arrived. It was so cool that we didn't even have to wait and the table is already assigned and set up.
我們平常在家6點前就吃晚餐了，本來想說我們預約晚上7:30會是很熱門的用餐時間，沒想到，用餐的人其實沒有很多，反而之後陸陸續續出現了不少人，原來大部分的台灣人還是比較晚吃晚餐。
I thought the restaurant would be busy on Friday night, but it turns out we are one of the early birds. The restaurant was slowly filling up around 8 o'clock. We were so surprised how late Taiwanese people have dinner, since we usually have dinner before 6 PM.
在「藝奇」用餐其實不用想太多，不會有不知道要吃什麼的情形，所有都是套餐制，除了主菜有8個選擇和湯品是固定的以外，其他每道菜選擇差不多2-3種，簡簡單單就可以完成點餐，一人一份的餐點，也不用擔心會不會點多或點少了。
The menu at "Ikki" is quite straight forward. One price for all, but you can pair up with different combination. You don't have to worry about portion or anything else, because "Ikki" already covers from appetizers, entree to desserts.
套餐不包括酒精類飲料！
The set menu doesn't include alcohol beverages, but you can always order some special Japanese drinks with a little extra money.
我們最喜歡餐廳的菜單上有餐點的照片，不但省了翻譯給Steve的時間，還可以知道餐點的呈現方式，讓客人點完餐點會有所期待！
（當然，店家通常都要對自己的餐點很有信心才會秀出照片，不然期望太高，失望就會越大！哈哈～）
I love their menu so much! It's easy to read and also comes with three languages, Chinese, Japanese, and English. And the best part is the pictures of each dishes. You don't have to imagine the food that you order, you can expect it look exactly like the pictures!
除了上圖的八個主菜，當季還有特別加價的主菜餐點，加價費用才＄100，算是很親民哦！
There is 8 different main courses you can choose from, but you can also upgrade to this special main course with $100 extra.
除了主餐和甜點有特別的季節限定升級，秋天是吃螃蟹的季節，「藝奇」也推出“大蟳祭”，可以加價加點，但是每一天進貨不一定，所以不是每一種螃蟹都有，這天我們特別嘗試了加價＄90的軟殼蟹。
Fall time is crab season in South East Asia. This kind of crabs are nothing we had in the US. In the US, we usually have one of those huge crab legs from Atlantic Ocean. But here in Taiwan/Japan, we have smaller crabs that usually serve as whole, and these crabs are freshly caught in Pacific Ocean. They are known for the eggs inside the crab, not so much for their meat.
杯盤以簡約的黑白兩色為主。
We saw a crab season special that's a soft-shelled crab for $90 extra, so we decided to give it a try. Can't wait!
放筷子的小石頭好可愛哦！但是Steve不太會用筷子，「藝奇」也很貼心提供了叉子給他使用。
Most plating are using simple black and white color, sometimes that's the only way to make the food shine. "ikki" also offers forks for people who is not used to using chopsticks!
點餐之後沒多久，照片還沒拍夠（因為靠窗的位置景色太好了！），服務員就端上「藝奇」招待的小菜了！
As soon as we finished ordering, the cold dish/appetizer already came out. Check out the plating! They really work hard to make every customer feel special.
涼拌百香果青木瓜
脆脆甜甜但是又酸酸的，是一道開胃的小菜。
蜜黑豆
這個在家我也常常自己DIY做，因為Steve很喜歡，黑豆的營養價值高，QQ甜甜的，常常一顆接一顆，小小一碗，Steve一下就吃完了。
This is our favorite cold dish/ appetizer. Steve loves this sweeten black bean so much that I actually learned how to make it at home. Black bean has lots of nutrition benefits, but it's usually hard to incorporate into daily diet. When it's chewy and sweet, you can eat it by itself. Simple but really yummy!
涼拌龍鬚菜螺肉
涼拌洋蔥海菜
從小我就不喜歡洋蔥，長大之後發現洋蔥加入料理可以增加甜味，慢慢可以接受煮熟／煮爛的洋蔥，然而生洋蔥真的不是我的最愛，「藝奇」冰鎮洋蔥減低洋蔥的辛辣味，配上海菜，其實是一個不難吃的料理，但是因為我個人對洋蔥的偏見，我比較不愛這個小菜。
You have to be very adventurous to love Japanese Cuisines, because you never know what kind of seafood is going to end up on your table. LOL
This seaweed with onion is quite interesting. I love the seaweed but not so much the onion.
你看看，後面的景色，真的會拍照拍到忘了來「藝奇」是來吃飯的。
P.S. 大家可以預約早一點的用餐時間，這樣就可以一次看到白天、黃昏到晚上的景色。
Check out the view!! Make sure you ask for the view seats when you are making the reservation. Why not make the reservation earlier, then you can enjoy the view from the day time to night time.
其實一坐下來，除了水杯、菜單、餐具以外，還有兩個有蠟燭像是用來保溫茶壺的器具，我們一直以為是要保溫待會的茶壺的，但是上菜之後，才驚覺是要保溫當天的蒜味蛤蜊湯！（哈哈！兩個鄉巴佬！）
There are two little candle stands on the table, we have no idea what it's for. We totally had an "A-ha" moment when they brought out the matching tea pot that goes with candle stand, so the candle can keep the tea warm.
蒜味蛤蜊湯
看到濃郁的湯頭就讓我們好興奮！
Clam Soup with Garlic
Guess what?! It's not tea!! It's our soup. Check out the creamy color!
好特別的喝湯方式，像茶壺一樣把蒜味蛤蜊湯倒入小小像喝茶杯子的湯碗裡，每一次都倒一次喝可以喝完的份量，剩下的湯繼續放到蠟燭上保溫，很貼心！
This is such a special way to have your soup. You only need to pour out the amount you like to have, then the tea pot can keep the rest warm for you. Very thoughtful!
也因為是用茶壺倒出湯，不用擔心隔離會掉出來，可以放心得喝湯，要吃蛤蜊的時候再打開茶壺撈就好了！
超級愛蒜頭的我們，真的很喜歡，尤其是Steve，他不但把自己的湯喝完，還來搶我的湯喝，真是的。
P.S. 美國人其實不太會喝湯，即使要喝湯也以濃湯為主，大部分的人吃越南湯河粉的時候，都是把裡面的料和麵吃完，然後一大碗的湯就留著。
The soup is simply delicious. You can taste the clam and lots of garlic, and we are big fan of both. Steve loves the soup so much that he even finished my soup for me!
我們的服務員是「藝奇」的襄理－陳悅溱，她的服務真的很貼心，在一旁看到怕燙但是又愛吃的Steve拿起小湯杯發出“斯～Hot”的聲音，就趕快過來用濕紙巾把湯杯包起來，讓Steve不用被燙到！
Our server saw Steve almost dropped the cup due to the hot soup inside, so she wrapped the cup with some wet towel for us. So it's easier for us to pick up the cup. We love the service here!
喝完湯，就可以看到滿滿的蛤蜊，這些也可以吃哦！「藝奇」也有特別準備小盤子，讓客人可以放蛤蜊的殼哦！
Check out the little clams inside the pot! You can enjoy it while having the soup.
甜蝦時蔬捲
其實我們本身都沒有很喜歡生食，沒想到「藝奇」為講求他們食材的新鮮，好多道菜色都採用生食，雖然一開始看到有一點小意外，但是沒想到每一道都沒有我們想像的生食的腥味，一點都不覺得吃到的食材是生的。
Vegetable Rolls with Shrimps
To be honest, We have never tried raw shrimps before. First of, we are so breathtaking by "Ikki's" plating. Even though it's raw shrimp, there is no fishy smells to it. Must be very fresh then!
這道真的是很特別又好吃，是用豆皮捲蔬菜配上甜蝦和麻醬沾醬，平常就很喜歡胡麻醬的我，當然超級喜歡這個味道，一點都沒有任何違和感。
I am very fond of this dish. The tofu skin wraps with veggie with raw shrimp and sesame sauce. The shrimp has very subtle sweet taste that goes well with everything else. It's the perfect portion for every bite!
一個份量有四小捲，一口剛剛好。
魚皮野蔬沙拉
我想這一定是一個很難處理的料理，不但要採用新鮮的魚皮，還要細心挑出所有的魚鱗，烹煮後在冰鎮，以顯出魚皮膠質的Q度。
Fish Skin and Vegetable Salad
Fish skin has lots of natural collagen, and it's easy to prepare the ingredients. Not only can you choose from fresh fish's skin, but be careful as you have to clean the skin off the scales.
「藝奇」的擺盤真的很讚，有時候真的不知道要怎麼吃，感覺一不小心就會破壞了這個好吃的藝術品，哈哈～，但是服務人員都很貼心，就在我們盯著魚皮野蔬沙拉的同時，偷偷和我們說吃的時候要攪拌一下！
Every dish looks like an art piece, we didn't know where or how to start. "Ikki's" server will inform you eating instruction of each dish.
這道菜不得Steve 的心，但是卻很得我心，到最後Steve把我的生牛肉吃光光，然後我把他的沙拉吃光光。有點像是薑汁酸酸甜甜的薑汁，新鮮的魚皮是沒有什麼味道的，沾上薑汁，酸酸甜甜QQ的，超級好吃，多吃一點，自然的膠原蛋白！！！
The sauce of this salad dish is ginger vinegar flavor, it goes really well with flavorless fish skins. The fish skins are really chewy and fresh. Steve is not a big fan of this dish, that's awesome, more natural collagen for me!
生牛肉刺身
生牛肉，一聽到，真的有點可怕！但是愛嘗試新東西的我，當然要點一個從來沒有吃過的東西。
Beef Sashimi
Sashimi usually means raw fish, kinda like sushi without the rice underneath. I like to try something I have never tried, so let's try some raw beef!!
幾乎只有2-3分熟，每一片都非常薄，輕輕捲起來，再沾上旁邊的柚香醬油，就可以享用了。
These beef slices are only slightly cooked, in a very rare side. They are top with garlic crunch, scallion and sweet mayo.
鮮紅色的牛肉，肉片薄到輕輕咬就會在嘴裡化開了，一點都沒有生食的感覺，柚香醬油甜甜的，真的是完美的搭配。
Roll the beef with all the toppings together, then dipped in the pomelo soy sauce. The beef literally melts in your mouth with a bit of sweetness from the sauce. Quite tasty!
連平常牛肉一定要吃全熟的Steve也超級捧場，真的會讓人一口接一口。
鮮魚一夜干
先說了，這不是主菜，這只是沙拉之後的前菜而已，份量超級實在，就像外面其他日式餐廳主餐的份量，光是前菜就可以吃一餐了！
Marinated Grilled Fish
Look at the portion, "Ikki" definitely aims to please our appetites! The grilled fish can be a entree on it's own.
除了擺盤講究之外，愛拍照的我們吃飯也比較慢（因為在吃之前就要先把食物最美的樣子拍下來，接下來當然不能忘記和餐點來個自拍！哈哈～），但是讓我們意外的是餐點並沒有因為我們忙著拍照而冷掉，原來「藝奇」在盤子裡放了一片熱石板，利用石板的熱度維持餐點的溫度，真的很特別，「藝奇」的服務人員也不會催趕我們，讓我們滿滿品嚐，準備好了，再上下一道菜，不會讓我們吃得很有壓力！
Not only does the dish looks good, it also smells good and tastes even better. Underneath the leaves that holds the fish, there is a hot stone plate to keep the fish warm. It's a really nice touch for the customer. The fish was still hot after taking all these pictures!
淋上現擠的檸檬汁，真的很好吃，有一點點刺，讓不太會挑刺的Steve吃得有點辛苦，但是烹調火候和時間抓得剛剛好，雖然是一夜干，也不會很鹹，可以吃到魚的鮮味。
The fish has perfect seasoning to serve on it's own. The marinate is not overpowering the fish, you can taste the freshness of the fish.
軟殼蟹（加價＄90）
這個應該是Steve特別期待的，看到螃蟹，眼睛都亮起來了！不會挑刺／挑骨頭／挑殼的Steve，一聽到這個軟殼蝦可以全部吃下去，超開心，但是心裡還是有點擔心，特別問了我兩次：真的全部都可以吃下去嗎？
Soft Shell Crab ($90 Extra)
This add-on was something Steve is very excited about. It's perfectly deep-fry to the perfect crunch and paired with sweet potato mash.
軟殼蝦的下面是一小球的地瓜泥，因為軟殼蝦的烹煮方式是炸的，所以透過甜甜的地瓜泥，剛好解油炸的膩。
The entire soft shell crab can be eaten, and it's really fun to eat. The sweet potato mash takes away that oily aftertaste.
Steve端過去吃之後，就沒有停下來過，下次再看的時候，盤子裡面吃得一乾二淨，好像盤子被舔過一樣！
We cleaned the plate good! There is nothing left on the plate after 5 mins.
日式牛肉釜飯
類似肉燥飯的料理方式，白飯再加上牛肉洋蔥薑汁，趁熱趕快拌一拌，攪拌的時候馬上可以聞到飯香和肉汁醬的味道，光聞就流口水了。
Kamameshi Rice with Beef
The smell of this dish is so good. Hot steamed white rice tops with beef onion sauce, after stirring it all together... OMG... If there is more sauce, it can be a meal on its own.
「藝奇」的釜飯的米飯真的很好吃，像是在日本吃到的米一樣，粒粒分明，但是又軟又Q，我們剛好8月去日本，差點就要買米回來了（最後還是打消這個念頭，因為會超重！哈哈）！
Japan is known for their rice, and we almost brought some rice back from Hokkaido, Japan in August! LOL
牛肉洋蔥醬汁很入味，配上白飯，真的很好吃，要不是這只是搭配主餐的飯，我應該會請他們多淋一點醬汁，攪一攪就可以當一餐了！
栗子蕈菇釜飯
和牛肉釜飯比較起來，香味比較沒有那麼誘人，醬汁也沒有很多，不太夠拌全部的飯，有薄薄的蕈菇，真的是非常薄，不知道是不是故意的？！但是吃不太出來蕈菇的口感，有一種空虛感。其中，栗子是真的好好吃，像番薯一樣甜又鬆軟，只有四小顆，一下子就被我們吃完了！
Kamameshi Rice with Chestnuts and Mushroom
Compare with Kamameshi Rice with Beef, this one doesn't have that attractive fragrance. It's kinda hard to taste the flavor of mushroom and a bit lack of sauce. Although the chestnuts were delicious, I will definitely pick Kamameshi Rice with Beef next time.
柚香鱸魚
好漂亮的呈現方式，像禮物一樣被端上桌，看著我們一整個晚上已經照了將近100張的照片，服務人員特別和我說：沒關係，你先照，我再把它打開！簡單但又典雅的擺盤，看到都讓人更加期待打開會是什麼！
Grilled Fish with Fragrance of Pomelo
Christmas must come early. It looks like a gift on the table. The server lets us finish taking pictures, then finally opens this gift in front of us! How excited?!
你看我的臉，就是一副：哇！的表情，哈哈！
Look at my facial expression. So funny~
雖然是柚香鱸魚，但是魚肉並沒有柚子的味道，是用上面那片糖漬柚子片來代表。以海鮮來說，越是簡單的烹煮方式，越是要使用新鮮的食材，魚肉很鮮美，一點都沒有腥味，雖然有刺，但是都很好挑出來！
The fish itself doesn't have pomelo flavor, all the pomelo flavor comes from the candied pomelo slice on the top of the fish. "Ikki" must be very confident about the freshness of their ingredients, that's they are willing to use the most simple way to prepare the dish. Really make the fish flavor shined!
牛肉箬竹燒
又是一道讓人驚艷的餐點，當食物太漂亮的時候，吃飯也變得小心翼翼的，因為怕把餐點弄醜了！哈哈～
Grilled Beef on Bamboo Leaf
The dish is served in the pocket made from bamboo leaf. It's another show stopping dish!
柚香鱸魚和牛肉箬竹燒的餐點下面，各有一塊熱石板，維持餐點的溫度，即使拍了一堆照片以後，還是熱騰騰的。
You can see the hot stone plate under every hot dishes, including the Grilled Fish with Fragrance of Pomelo. The beef and the oyster mushrooms with black pepper sauce is such a great combination. Not over powering the ingredients, but you can expect a kick from the black pepper.
每一塊肉都烹煮的恰到好處，厚切牛肉讓人看了都流口水了，配上黑胡椒醬汁，真是每位，其中還有杏鮑菇點綴餐點，不一樣的口感，增加了餐點的變化性，也利用杏鮑菇的Juicy，帶走了肉塊的膩。
The beef has thick chunks and is cooked to medium rare.
每一口都要欣賞一下！
Grilled Beef on Bamboo Leaf is perfect to go with the rice.
為了保持餐點新鮮製作，我有偷偷聽到服務人員一直等到我們吃完，才交代廚房準備我們接下來的甜點。
"Ikki's" server will not rush you to the next course. Since everyone eats in different speed, they will wait until the customer is ready to have the kitchen prepares the next course!
抹茶白玉甜點組合（加價＄70 升級）
乍看下，份量其實沒有很多，但是一定是網紅必點的餐點！
Matcha Desserts Combination ($70 upgraded dessert)
The portion is quite small, a bit less than what I expected. But I will say this is made for instagram photo.
日式餅乾夾冰淇淋，外面的餅乾有點像便宜的冰淇淋杯子，哈哈！不知道是我不懂的欣賞還是。。。因為真的不得我愛，一咬就化開了餅乾，綿綿的，沒有特別味道，感覺很空虛，即使配上冰淇淋，也沒有特別加分，但是真的是看起來蠻漂亮的！
Japanese Sandwich Cookies. I am going to be honest, I didn't enjoy it. The cookies taste like one of those cheap ice cream cone. No flavor and there is nothing special about it. The cookies are a bit gummy texture. Even with the vanilla ice cream, it's still not really tasty. Looks pretty though.
即使喜歡吃冰淇淋的Steve，也覺得這個還好而已，真的不會非常推薦。
這個麻糬應該是四樣甜點中我最喜歡的一樣，涼涼QQ的麻糬，沾上甜甜的花生糖粉！
This is my favorite among the four. It's simple mochi with sugar peanut powder.
我喜歡花生，QQ的麻糬並不會甜，花生粉也因為麻糬，不會覺得太乾。
I love peanut flavor, and the mochi is made fresh. It's chewy and tasty.
抹茶凍，其實感覺就是一般的茶凍，有淡淡的抹茶香，沒有什麼甜味，擺盤當然100分，但是味道真的還好。
Matcha Jello. This is another okay dish. Very slight tea flavor, not so much sweet to it. Not very impressed.
現沖泡的抹茶，真的好香，有特別的泡沫，茶的溫度也溫溫的，不會燙口，無糖的抹茶，我喜歡，但是說不上有那麼特別。
The fresh matcha tea is made from special brush in order to create that foam. I like tea, but I can't say there is a wow taste to it. It will be awesome if they can incorporate the tea making process, so it might be more interesting for the customers.
鳳梨奶酪＋熱柚子綠茶
雖然是一般套餐的飲料和點心，但是比起加價升級的點心更深得我心。
Panna Cotta with Pineapple + Hot Pomelo Green Tea
This is the drink and dessert without the upgrade. It's simple, and I actually enjoy it more.
我喜歡沒有過多調味的飲料，因為大部分的飲料都加了很多糖，而這些糖並沒有任何營養上的幫助，而只是滿足口慾而已。簡單的綠茶倒入糖漬柚片裡面，淡淡的柚子香氣因為熱茶而混入綠茶中，雖然口味都是清淡的，但是在吃了那麼多好吃的料理以後，喝杯熱茶，很舒服！
The hot green tea pour into the cup with candied pomelo slice, and you can taste the pomelo and the green tea flavor marinate together. It's nice to have cup of tea after the big feast!
我喜歡奶酪，一開始我以為奶酪會是有鳳梨的味道在裡面，但其實沒有，只是在奶酪上面舖了一層鳳梨果醬，有一點點鳳梨的纖維，還不錯吃！
I am always a big fan of pane cotta. "ikki" put a thin layer of the pineapple jelly on the top. Tastes really tropical!
沒有過多的裝飾，但是倒有幾個日式風格點綴與其中，像我身後牆上的扇子，就很有日本的味道。
座位採類似小包廂，每兩三個桌子就有一個隔間，桌子設計也是以多變化為主，雙人桌可以併桌成四人桌，每一個包廂空間很寬敞，桌子之間也有很大的空間，給每一位用餐客人一個獨立／私人的用餐環境！
There entire restaurant is separated into many little areas, so each area can fit 3-4 tables. Each table has large space in between to provide every individual's privacy.
「藝奇」門口櫃檯旁邊，有一個小小的像是日本神社裡面的幸福鈴，可以許願之後拉一拉！櫃檯小姐還特別幫我們照相，走入「藝奇」，真的有一種到日本的感覺！
There is a happiness bell near the entrance, similar to something you find in the Japanese traditional temple. Make a wish and ring the bell, and maybe the wish will come true. It provides an authentic Japanese experience.
我們喜歡沒有壓力吃飯，可以慢慢吃，不會感受到餐廳業者想要翻桌的壓力，也沒有限定用餐時間，出去吃飯，就是要享受對方的存在，一起享受這個吃飯的氣氛、被人服務的感覺、期待每一道菜的來臨，感覺來「藝奇」吃飯不是只是為了填飽肚子，而是創造一種記憶，一種屬於我們的記憶。
最讓我們意外的是，每一道餐點上菜時，都和菜單照片裡一模一樣，「藝奇」的一致性及對每一份餐點的要求真的讓我們佩服，除了食物好吃（雖然甜點有一點小失望，但是至少照片拍起來很值得！），「藝奇」的服務人員給予我們的一點特別的小服務，像是看到Steve怕燙，特別把湯杯包起來讓他不會燙到，或是特別準備叉子給不會用筷子的Steve，還是一看到我不小心掉了一隻筷子到地上，馬上提供一副新的筷子給我，給予這次的用餐經驗大大的加分，真的很貼心。
We enjoyed this dining experience at "Ikki". I like the fact there is no time limit or pressure rushing to the next course of the meal. It's definitely a place to enjoy the atmosphere and create a memory with your special someone. The presentation is spot on, and we were so amazed by each dish that came out it looks just like the pictures we saw from the menu. Their service was awesome. It's very thoughtful of them to put a personal touch to fulfill each customer's needs. We will go back for a special occasion for sure.
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Please subscribe our Youtube channel by using the following link.
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夢時代的大門，還會是平日來，不然假日來，廣場上往往是滿滿的人潮，
右邊藍鯨館的7樓就可以看得到「藝奇」的招牌哦！
"Ikki" is located on the 7th floor of Dream Mall. It's located in the Japanese food court section.
"Ikki" is in the corner with a great window view!
As soon as you walked out the elevator, you can see their black and red sign. The contrast colors with simple design not only make a unforgettable statement, but also makes the restaurant looks sophisticated.
"Ikki" is usually really busy, especially during weekends and holidays. You may have to wait for a while if you don't have reservation. We made the reservation a week in advance, so our table was already set and waiting for us as soon as we arrived. It was so cool that we didn't even have to wait and the table is already assigned and set up.
I thought the restaurant would be busy on Friday night, but it turns out we are one of the early birds. The restaurant was slowly filling up around 8 o'clock. We were so surprised how late Taiwanese people have dinner, since we usually have dinner before 6 PM.
The menu at "Ikki" is quite straight forward. One price for all, but you can pair up with different combination. You don't have to worry about portion or anything else, because "Ikki" already covers from appetizers, entree to desserts.
The set menu doesn't include alcohol beverages, but you can always order some special Japanese drinks with a little extra money.
（當然，店家通常都要對自己的餐點很有信心才會秀出照片，不然期望太高，失望就會越大！哈哈～）
I love their menu so much! It's easy to read and also comes with three languages, Chinese, Japanese, and English. And the best part is the pictures of each dishes. You don't have to imagine the food that you order, you can expect it look exactly like the pictures!
There is 8 different main courses you can choose from, but you can also upgrade to this special main course with $100 extra.
增加菜單的變化，甘果物＋飲料可以加價升級到宇治抹茶季的甜點哦！
"Ikki" offers lots of seasonal touch to their menu, you can swap to the seasonal special with a little extra.
抹茶季真的很有日本的味道，從擺盤到利用抹茶加入甜點，都有一種讓客人身在日本的感覺！
Right now, "Ikki" is having Matcha Festival, which they offer three different upgraded matcha desserts. It's really unique to incorporate such Japanese tradition in desserts.
Fall time is crab season in South East Asia. This kind of crabs are nothing we had in the US. In the US, we usually have one of those huge crab legs from Atlantic Ocean. But here in Taiwan/Japan, we have smaller crabs that usually serve as whole, and these crabs are freshly caught in Pacific Ocean. They are known for the eggs inside the crab, not so much for their meat.
We saw a crab season special that's a soft-shelled crab for $90 extra, so we decided to give it a try. Can't wait!
Most plating are using simple black and white color, sometimes that's the only way to make the food shine. "ikki" also offers forks for people who is not used to using chopsticks!
As soon as we finished ordering, the cold dish/appetizer already came out. Check out the plating! They really work hard to make every customer feel special.
脆脆甜甜但是又酸酸的，是一道開胃的小菜。
這個在家我也常常自己DIY做，因為Steve很喜歡，黑豆的營養價值高，QQ甜甜的，常常一顆接一顆，小小一碗，Steve一下就吃完了。
This is our favorite cold dish/ appetizer. Steve loves this sweeten black bean so much that I actually learned how to make it at home. Black bean has lots of nutrition benefits, but it's usually hard to incorporate into daily diet. When it's chewy and sweet, you can eat it by itself. Simple but really yummy!
從小我就不喜歡洋蔥，長大之後發現洋蔥加入料理可以增加甜味，慢慢可以接受煮熟／煮爛的洋蔥，然而生洋蔥真的不是我的最愛，「藝奇」冰鎮洋蔥減低洋蔥的辛辣味，配上海菜，其實是一個不難吃的料理，但是因為我個人對洋蔥的偏見，我比較不愛這個小菜。
You have to be very adventurous to love Japanese Cuisines, because you never know what kind of seafood is going to end up on your table. LOL
This seaweed with onion is quite interesting. I love the seaweed but not so much the onion.
P.S. 大家可以預約早一點的用餐時間，這樣就可以一次看到白天、黃昏到晚上的景色。
Check out the view!! Make sure you ask for the view seats when you are making the reservation. Why not make the reservation earlier, then you can enjoy the view from the day time to night time.
There are two little candle stands on the table, we have no idea what it's for. We totally had an "A-ha" moment when they brought out the matching tea pot that goes with candle stand, so the candle can keep the tea warm.
看到濃郁的湯頭就讓我們好興奮！
Clam Soup with Garlic
Guess what?! It's not tea!! It's our soup. Check out the creamy color!
This is such a special way to have your soup. You only need to pour out the amount you like to have, then the tea pot can keep the rest warm for you. Very thoughtful!
P.S. 美國人其實不太會喝湯，即使要喝湯也以濃湯為主，大部分的人吃越南湯河粉的時候，都是把裡面的料和麵吃完，然後一大碗的湯就留著。
The soup is simply delicious. You can taste the clam and lots of garlic, and we are big fan of both. Steve loves the soup so much that he even finished my soup for me!
Our server saw Steve almost dropped the cup due to the hot soup inside, so she wrapped the cup with some wet towel for us. So it's easier for us to pick up the cup. We love the service here!
Check out the little clams inside the pot! You can enjoy it while having the soup.
其實我們本身都沒有很喜歡生食，沒想到「藝奇」為講求他們食材的新鮮，好多道菜色都採用生食，雖然一開始看到有一點小意外，但是沒想到每一道都沒有我們想像的生食的腥味，一點都不覺得吃到的食材是生的。
Vegetable Rolls with Shrimps
To be honest, We have never tried raw shrimps before. First of, we are so breathtaking by "Ikki's" plating. Even though it's raw shrimp, there is no fishy smells to it. Must be very fresh then!
I am very fond of this dish. The tofu skin wraps with veggie with raw shrimp and sesame sauce. The shrimp has very subtle sweet taste that goes well with everything else. It's the perfect portion for every bite!
我想這一定是一個很難處理的料理，不但要採用新鮮的魚皮，還要細心挑出所有的魚鱗，烹煮後在冰鎮，以顯出魚皮膠質的Q度。
Fish Skin and Vegetable Salad
Fish skin has lots of natural collagen, and it's easy to prepare the ingredients. Not only can you choose from fresh fish's skin, but be careful as you have to clean the skin off the scales.
Every dish looks like an art piece, we didn't know where or how to start. "Ikki's" server will inform you eating instruction of each dish.
The sauce of this salad dish is ginger vinegar flavor, it goes really well with flavorless fish skins. The fish skins are really chewy and fresh. Steve is not a big fan of this dish, that's awesome, more natural collagen for me!
生牛肉，一聽到，真的有點可怕！但是愛嘗試新東西的我，當然要點一個從來沒有吃過的東西。
Beef Sashimi
Sashimi usually means raw fish, kinda like sushi without the rice underneath. I like to try something I have never tried, so let's try some raw beef!!
These beef slices are only slightly cooked, in a very rare side. They are top with garlic crunch, scallion and sweet mayo.
Roll the beef with all the toppings together, then dipped in the pomelo soy sauce. The beef literally melts in your mouth with a bit of sweetness from the sauce. Quite tasty!
先說了，這不是主菜，這只是沙拉之後的前菜而已，份量超級實在，就像外面其他日式餐廳主餐的份量，光是前菜就可以吃一餐了！
Marinated Grilled Fish
Look at the portion, "Ikki" definitely aims to please our appetites! The grilled fish can be a entree on it's own.
Not only does the dish looks good, it also smells good and tastes even better. Underneath the leaves that holds the fish, there is a hot stone plate to keep the fish warm. It's a really nice touch for the customer. The fish was still hot after taking all these pictures!
The fish has perfect seasoning to serve on it's own. The marinate is not overpowering the fish, you can taste the freshness of the fish.
這個應該是Steve特別期待的，看到螃蟹，眼睛都亮起來了！不會挑刺／挑骨頭／挑殼的Steve，一聽到這個軟殼蝦可以全部吃下去，超開心，但是心裡還是有點擔心，特別問了我兩次：真的全部都可以吃下去嗎？
Soft Shell Crab ($90 Extra)
This add-on was something Steve is very excited about. It's perfectly deep-fry to the perfect crunch and paired with sweet potato mash.
The entire soft shell crab can be eaten, and it's really fun to eat. The sweet potato mash takes away that oily aftertaste.
We cleaned the plate good! There is nothing left on the plate after 5 mins.
類似肉燥飯的料理方式，白飯再加上牛肉洋蔥薑汁，趁熱趕快拌一拌，攪拌的時候馬上可以聞到飯香和肉汁醬的味道，光聞就流口水了。
Kamameshi Rice with Beef
The smell of this dish is so good. Hot steamed white rice tops with beef onion sauce, after stirring it all together... OMG... If there is more sauce, it can be a meal on its own.
Japan is known for their rice, and we almost brought some rice back from Hokkaido, Japan in August! LOL
和牛肉釜飯比較起來，香味比較沒有那麼誘人，醬汁也沒有很多，不太夠拌全部的飯，有薄薄的蕈菇，真的是非常薄，不知道是不是故意的？！但是吃不太出來蕈菇的口感，有一種空虛感。其中，栗子是真的好好吃，像番薯一樣甜又鬆軟，只有四小顆，一下子就被我們吃完了！
Kamameshi Rice with Chestnuts and Mushroom
Compare with Kamameshi Rice with Beef, this one doesn't have that attractive fragrance. It's kinda hard to taste the flavor of mushroom and a bit lack of sauce. Although the chestnuts were delicious, I will definitely pick Kamameshi Rice with Beef next time.
好漂亮的呈現方式，像禮物一樣被端上桌，看著我們一整個晚上已經照了將近100張的照片，服務人員特別和我說：沒關係，你先照，我再把它打開！簡單但又典雅的擺盤，看到都讓人更加期待打開會是什麼！
Grilled Fish with Fragrance of Pomelo
Christmas must come early. It looks like a gift on the table. The server lets us finish taking pictures, then finally opens this gift in front of us! How excited?!
Look at my facial expression. So funny~
The fish itself doesn't have pomelo flavor, all the pomelo flavor comes from the candied pomelo slice on the top of the fish. "Ikki" must be very confident about the freshness of their ingredients, that's they are willing to use the most simple way to prepare the dish. Really make the fish flavor shined!
又是一道讓人驚艷的餐點，當食物太漂亮的時候，吃飯也變得小心翼翼的，因為怕把餐點弄醜了！哈哈～
Grilled Beef on Bamboo Leaf
The dish is served in the pocket made from bamboo leaf. It's another show stopping dish!
You can see the hot stone plate under every hot dishes, including the Grilled Fish with Fragrance of Pomelo. The beef and the oyster mushrooms with black pepper sauce is such a great combination. Not over powering the ingredients, but you can expect a kick from the black pepper.
The beef has thick chunks and is cooked to medium rare.
Grilled Beef on Bamboo Leaf is perfect to go with the rice.
"Ikki's" server will not rush you to the next course. Since everyone eats in different speed, they will wait until the customer is ready to have the kitchen prepares the next course!
乍看下，份量其實沒有很多，但是一定是網紅必點的餐點！
Matcha Desserts Combination ($70 upgraded dessert)
The portion is quite small, a bit less than what I expected. But I will say this is made for instagram photo.
Japanese Sandwich Cookies. I am going to be honest, I didn't enjoy it. The cookies taste like one of those cheap ice cream cone. No flavor and there is nothing special about it. The cookies are a bit gummy texture. Even with the vanilla ice cream, it's still not really tasty. Looks pretty though.
This is my favorite among the four. It's simple mochi with sugar peanut powder.
I love peanut flavor, and the mochi is made fresh. It's chewy and tasty.
Matcha Jello. This is another okay dish. Very slight tea flavor, not so much sweet to it. Not very impressed.
The fresh matcha tea is made from special brush in order to create that foam. I like tea, but I can't say there is a wow taste to it. It will be awesome if they can incorporate the tea making process, so it might be more interesting for the customers.
雖然是一般套餐的飲料和點心，但是比起加價升級的點心更深得我心。
Panna Cotta with Pineapple + Hot Pomelo Green Tea
This is the drink and dessert without the upgrade. It's simple, and I actually enjoy it more.
The hot green tea pour into the cup with candied pomelo slice, and you can taste the pomelo and the green tea flavor marinate together. It's nice to have cup of tea after the big feast!
I am always a big fan of pane cotta. "ikki" put a thin layer of the pineapple jelly on the top. Tastes really tropical!
There entire restaurant is separated into many little areas, so each area can fit 3-4 tables. Each table has large space in between to provide every individual's privacy.
There is a happiness bell near the entrance, similar to something you find in the Japanese traditional temple. Make a wish and ring the bell, and maybe the wish will come true. It provides an authentic Japanese experience.
我們喜歡沒有壓力吃飯，可以慢慢吃，不會感受到餐廳業者想要翻桌的壓力，也沒有限定用餐時間，出去吃飯，就是要享受對方的存在，一起享受這個吃飯的氣氛、被人服務的感覺、期待每一道菜的來臨，感覺來「藝奇」吃飯不是只是為了填飽肚子，而是創造一種記憶，一種屬於我們的記憶。
最讓我們意外的是，每一道餐點上菜時，都和菜單照片裡一模一樣，「藝奇」的一致性及對每一份餐點的要求真的讓我們佩服，除了食物好吃（雖然甜點有一點小失望，但是至少照片拍起來很值得！），「藝奇」的服務人員給予我們的一點特別的小服務，像是看到Steve怕燙，特別把湯杯包起來讓他不會燙到，或是特別準備叉子給不會用筷子的Steve，還是一看到我不小心掉了一隻筷子到地上，馬上提供一副新的筷子給我，給予這次的用餐經驗大大的加分，真的很貼心。
We enjoyed this dining experience at "Ikki". I like the fact there is no time limit or pressure rushing to the next course of the meal. It's definitely a place to enjoy the atmosphere and create a memory with your special someone. The presentation is spot on, and we were so amazed by each dish that came out it looks just like the pictures we saw from the menu. Their service was awesome. It's very thoughtful of them to put a personal touch to fulfill each customer's needs. We will go back for a special occasion for sure.
＊大家記得去我們的粉絲團按讚喔！
Please go "like" our facebook fan page by using the following link.
Steve&Angela FunTV 粉絲專頁
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