Around Taipei Arena, a weekday lunch needs to be convenient but still satisfying. 五弄一番 is tucked into a lane off Section Four, Nanjing East Road, reached easily from Taipei Arena MRT Exit 5. The menu centers on Japanese curry rice, beef don, and fried dishes, with straightforward set meals covering oysters, pork cutlet, and chicken. This approachable lane-side shop is especially suited to anyone who wants a complete meal quickly and enjoys crisp fried food.
Interior and dining atmosphere:
The dine-in entrance resembles the door of an ordinary home, so first-time visitors may pause to check before staff guide them in. The space is small and approaches full capacity at around six to seven groups, with plain, homey tables and décor. The open kitchen is kept tidy and makes the busy cooking rhythm part of the dining scene. The owner is warm with guests, which helps explain why regulars have returned for years. At lunch, nearby office workers quickly make the little room lively; it is relaxed but not for diners expecting a spacious, quiet setting.
The address is No. 1, Alley 5, Lane 53, Section Four, Nanjing East Road, Songshan District, Taipei, with the easiest approach from Taipei Arena MRT Exit 5. Because seats are limited, peak-time arrivals may need to wait, so coming slightly earlier helps. Set-meal sides and soup change with the day. If companions prefer fried food, curry, or rice bowls in different directions, the menu makes it easy for everyone to choose independently.
Fried Chicken Bites
The fried chicken follows a Japanese style, with the outside cooked until browned and crisp while the meat remains tender. Unlike Taiwanese fried chicken, the focus is on the balance between coating and chicken rather than a thick crust dominating the bite. Each piece is easy to eat in several bites, works well with rice, and suits diners who prefer chicken over pork cutlet or seafood.
Beef Don Set
The Beef Don Set covers rice with large slices of beef, giving the meat a clear presence and a substantial impression. Beef and rice are layered directly together, creating a more focused eating rhythm than a fried-food set without the need to manage dipping sauce. Side dishes and soup round out the set. If you do not want fried food but still want a main dish with obvious volume, this is a straightforward choice.
The appeal of 五弄一番 is fitting Japanese curry, rice bowls, and fried food into one simple little shop, with a clear direction whether you want crisp texture, seafood, or big bites of beef.
Dining note:There are few dine-in tables and peak times fill easily, so arriving earlier makes things more relaxed. Set-meal sides may change with the day; if you have a particular accompaniment in mind, it is safer to focus your choice on the main dish itself.
- Located in a residential lane beside Taipei Arena MRT.
- Around six to seven groups can dine inside; the space is compact and simple.
- Japanese curry, rice bowls, and fried dishes can each stand alone as a full meal.
If you want an uncomplicated Japanese set meal near Taipei Arena with enough food to satisfy, 五弄一番 fits the pace well. Pick your main character first from fried oysters, curry pork cutlet, Fried Chicken Bites, or Beef Don Set, then enjoy the day’s sides at your own pace. The simple room and freshly served mains create the everyday quality that keeps regulars returning to this small lane-side shop.
