Foodie Market in Ren'ai Keelung: Jia Yuan Sushi

Besides the famous Keelung Miaokou Night Market, if you want to eat like a local, you definitely can’t miss the second floor of Ren’ai Market. This place is a hidden treasure trove of Keelung’s culinary delights! Ren’ai Market is mostly frequented by locals, with few tourists venturing in. So when my Keelung friend brought me here, I feel like I was living like a true local!

Ren’ai Market is located in the center of Keelung City, with multiple entrances. The easiest way to find Jia Yuan Sushi（加園壽司） is to enter from an entrance on Ren 4th Road, take the escalator up to the second floor, and you’ll see the sushi stall on your left. Although Jia Yuan Sushi is just a market stall, the freshness of its sushi rivals that of high-end restaurants. The menu here is clearly priced, so you always know exactly how much you’re spending. However, some dishes may vary in price depending on market fluctuations, so it’s best to ask before ordering.

All the sushi here is made fresh to order, so the wait time can be a bit long. I recommend starting with a plate of inari sushi to tide you over. The combination of ginger slices and rice in this inari sushi is particularly satisfying. The rice is plump and chewy, and despite having tried many other inari sushi dishes at similar price points, this one stands out as my favorite.

After inari sushi as our appetizer, the rest of the dishes began to arrive one by one:

Sweetfish Honeydew: The sweetfish is simmered for eight hours with burdock root, sake, soy sauce, mirin, malt syrup, kombu, and shiso plum, infusing the entire fish with flavor. You can even eat the bones, head, and fins. We had the roe-bearing sweetfish, and thanks to the long simmering time, any fishiness was completely eliminated, leaving behind a delicate sweetness that pairs perfectly with the sweetfish!
Shrimp Roe Sushi: The nigiri sushi is topped with a generous amount of shrimp roe. Although the shrimp roe is a bit salty, it pairs perfectly with the rice, making for a delightful bite!
Salmon Roe Hand Roll: Similar to the shrimp roe sushi, this hand roll offers a delightful combination of flavors.
Assorted Nigiri Sushi: This plate features fresh and sweet slices of snapper, amberjack, swordfish, salmon, and tuna. The fish melts in your mouth, and even as someone who doesn’t typically enjoy sashimi, I ended up eating 3 pieces in one go! The chef uses traditional nigiri techniques, preparing the sushi rice and topping it with fresh fish only after you order, so it’s well worth the wait.
Salt-Grilled Boneless Beef Short Rib: The beef is served with garlic slices, and the combination of juicy meat and aromatic garlic, with just a hint of saltiness, is absolutely perfect. Although the garlic has a bit of a kick, when eaten with the meat, it adds a fragrant, savory note that’s simply unbeatable!
Oval Squid Salad: Made with the freshest local oval squid and paired with crisp vegetables, this is a simple yet refreshing dish.
Miso Soup: The bowl is filled with fish and tofu, with a taste that isn’t too salty. It’s the perfect way to wrap up the meal, leaving you feeling satisfied!

After finishing our meal, I still couldn’t believe that I had just enjoyed such high-quality Japanese cuisine in a traditional market. According to my friend, it’s nearly impossible to find a bad dish on the second floor of Ren’ai Market. So if you ever visit Keelung, food lovers should definitely explore Ren’ai Market’s second floor to discover your own hidden culinary gems!

📍Jia Yuan Sushi（加園壽司）
200, Taiwan, Keelung City, Ren’ai District, Aisan Rd, 21號攤位A34