"Liubijiu Chaozhou Yipin Clay Pot Porridge" is located near Zhongshan First Road and Gongyuan Road in Banqiao, New Taipei City, and the crab porridge has almost become their signature dish. This time, by chance, we passed by while they were about to close, so we took out a serving (the dining area was full at the time).
We ordered their red crab porridge. Although I hesitated at first about choosing the more expensive maiden crab porridge, the price made me think twice. The red crab porridge was actually very satisfying; the rice was cooked to just the right consistency, filled with a rich, fresh flavor and the aroma of crab, creating a layered taste of the sea in every bite. Although the meat of the red crab isn't top-tier, it was quite fresh, elevating the overall quality of the porridge.
The price of the meal isn't cheap, and reservations are required for dining in; it’s said that during busy times, it’s practically impossible to secure a seat. Overall, this crab porridge is indeed worth trying, especially for seafood porridge lovers who should appreciate the care put into the flavors and ingredients. However, the maiden crab porridge can be saved for a special treat day!
Just right near 101, I walked into the 101 Gourmet Plaza and saw that Din Tai Fung was packed with people. I didn’t expect the food plaza to be so crowded as well, but the 101 Gourmet Plaza has a special feature: there are standing spots available, so you don’t have to worry about fighting for a seat.
This time at the 101 Gourmet Plaza, I ordered the fragrant mushroom chicken porridge, which came with white pepper that you could add to your liking. I added three tablespoons, and the porridge was filled with pepper flavor, which I quite enjoyed.
As for the ingredients, they mainly consisted of mushrooms, and there wasn’t much chicken, but it all tasted good.
Overall, I personally think this is a place with a high cost-performance ratio, and I recommend everyone to give it a try.
I really like eating congee because you can swallow it without needing to chew too much (how lazy, right? XD). But when I first came to Hsinchu, I could never find a congee shop that I liked until Zhou Da Fu opened ❤️. After that, if I wanted congee, it would definitely be Zhou Da Fu.
Zhou Da Fu Southeast Branch has limited parking nearby, and there are less than 20 seats in the shop. It's always full during meal times, so many people choose to take out. There’s no break in between, and you can enjoy steaming hot congee in the afternoon (✪ω✪). If you dine in, there is a self-serve area with honey lemon water and youtiao (fried dough sticks).
You order using a QR code. If you want takeout, you can also order in advance with your phone; otherwise, if you order on-site during peak hours, you have to wait a long time.
Flower Mushroom Chicken Congee $90
At first, I always ordered using delivery platforms. I thought paying 130 NT for a bowl of congee was too expensive QAQ, but I couldn’t resist as it really suited my taste. After dining in, I found out it’s only 90 NT!!! Plus, there are many choices for extra toppings, and there’s even a congee where you can choose your own toppings. Although sometimes the amount of soup varies, the flavor doesn’t differ much. The rice isn’t cooked to the point of being overly mushy. It’s super hot when freshly cooked, but if you're too eager to eat, it can burn you.
Spicy Sichuan Noodles $130
The price is a bit higher, but the portion is indeed larger. You can choose between udon or pot noodles and pork or beef (+10 NT). It’s about a mild level of spiciness, and there’s a lot of soup.
Signature Braised Duck Blood $50
There are about 4-5 pieces in the serving. It’s slightly spicy and there’s also spicy sauce at the bottom of the plate. Sometimes, when I get a bit tired of congee, I'll pour some spicy sauce in to change things up.
Guosheng Qingzhou is definitely the first choice for eating plain congee and side dishes in Hualien City! Although the interior space is traditional and a bit old-fashioned, the overall dining atmosphere is warm and inviting.
First of all, in terms of the menu, there are dozens of options to choose from. Even for the pickiest eaters, I believe they can find something they like here. Just in terms of meat, besides the common pork and chicken, there are all sorts of fresh fish to choose from; as for vegetables, that goes without saying, and there are also egg dishes, mushrooms, tofu, and more. Each dish's tastiness may not be considered gourmet, but it is definitely above the standard of home cooking.
Even though the owner and their family are busy, they do their best to serve every customer. When ordering, you can directly tell the owner what you want, and they will bring an appropriate portion for your group to the dining table. The staples include plain congee and white rice, and after the meal, you will settle the bill based on the color of the plates.
Recently, they have a new baby in the shop, which has added even more topics of conversation and warmth to the place.
Once, I happened to have fish congee in December and was amazed by its deliciousness. I thought I would check out a nearby December restaurant. Although the price was lower, it should still reflect a certain level of quality since it's from the same group, right? However, I was a bit disappointed; it lacked flavor compared to the December restaurant. The side dishes included three kinds, which varied each time, and this time they didn't suit my taste. The good thing is that the red tea was quite good, with a floral and fruity aroma, and you could have more if you wanted.
Thank you Fooday🥳 for inspiring me to try more different kinds of food🍽
🚩Location🧭
Located on the 1st floor food court of the South Wing of LaLaPort shopping mall in Taichung City.
🪑About the overall atmosphere🎡
I heard that the porridge series in December is very delicious, and seeing this similar name made me want to give it a try. The store has the typical layout of a food street. After placing an order, you sit down with a beeper, and when the food is ready, they call you to pick it up. The red tea drinks can be refilled infinitely.
💰About the price💰
Premium Fresh Bass Porridge $228, which comes with three side dishes.
🍴About the meal☕
I didn't really like those three side dishes, so I passed on them. I was amazed with the first bite of porridge because I generally don’t like porridge, but this porridge was surprisingly rich. You can tell that the stock made from bone broth was carefully simmered. The bass was fresh and without bones; the chopped green onions on top added some flavor. However, perhaps because it was so rich, by the end, it started to feel a bit heavy, so getting another cup of red tea to cleanse the palate would be better.
🤨Conclusion♥
I used to only eat plain porridge when I had a cold, which led me to dislike porridge as I grew up. This time changed my impression of porridge. However, the red tea was a bit too sweet, and the side dishes weren’t the usual types, so I wonder if they change them regularly.
🥟 Kaohsiung Qianjin ▫️ Dali Department Store
🥟 A chain clay pot congee restaurant that completely did not meet expectations
On the day of the Mid-Autumn Festival 🌕
My family and I chose a chain congee restaurant located within Dali Department Store for a family gathering.
Initially, we opted for it because the online reservation was very convenient 📱
But in the end, we ended up having a disappointing experience 🥹
Since one family member is vegetarian, we ordered the recommended truffle mushroom congee, sautéed water lily, and sautéed cabbage 🥬
These vegetarian dishes were somewhat acceptable,
Especially with the aroma of truffle and the freshness of various mushrooms,
Along with the good blend achieved through clay pot cooking 🍄🟫
However‼️ The problem arose with the non-vegetarian dishes.
The crab roe seafood tofu pot, bamboo fungus chicken soup, and siu mai all had an obvious gamey meat flavor.
We had to rely on large amounts of seasoning
And dipping sauces to suppress this unpleasant taste,
Which made our family feel like we could barely swallow 💥
Whether it was the balance of flavors or the handling of ingredients,
Nothing met our expectations,
Especially considering the price point,
The cost-performance ratio was indeed not high 💰
In summary, this experience left us feeling disappointed,
Especially in a setting and restaurant like this,
The quality of food should be more reliable.
But this experience was truly subpar,
My family and I have decided that we absolutely will not return ❌
📍Taipei Da'an Station
The shop's decor is still quite well-maintained, spacious and bright, but I've heard they're going to renovate. During dinner time, there are a lot of people, and everyone seems to have a seat. If it's your first time here, it might be a bit unclear what to do, and there's no staff to guide you.
Step 1: Order food first: Grab a tray, and just tell the waiter in front of the dishes you’re interested in. They will serve you. Some dishes have small and large portions, so you can tell them your number of diners, and they will help you estimate.
Step 2: Find a seat: There are quite a few seats on the second floor. Although it’s crowded, the table turnover rate is fast. After going upstairs, let the staff know your party size, and they will assist in arranging a table.
Step 3: Receive porridge and the bill: A pot of porridge will be brought to you, with options for sweet potato porridge and plain porridge. Make sure to check that the bill is correct.
Dishes 🥘
Spicy Steamed Stinky Tofu / 100 NTD:
There are two pieces of tofu topped with some mushrooms and preserved vegetables to enhance the texture and saltiness. Although the tofu is of the holey type, it doesn't have much flavor and needs dipping sauce to taste good. Personally, I find it average.
Shrimp and Scrambled Eggs (Small) / 70 NTD:
The dish is pre-prepared and placed on the counter, so it's served cold, but the taste is not bad. It pairs well with the porridge, and there are about 4-5 shrimp.
Sweet and Sour Pork Loin / 120 NTD:
The coating is a bit thick, and the seasoning is just okay. It feels a bit empty when eating; I suggest choosing another dish to go with the porridge.
Sweet Potato Porridge / 30 NTD (all-you-can-eat):
The staff seems to serve sweet potato porridge directly without asking if you want anything else. You might need to mention any additional items in advance.
In summary, since the restaurant is open late, if you're hungry during night hours, this place is a decent option for taste. The environment is a bit noisy, so you can imagine it as a stir-fry place.🤣
📍Daan District, Taipei City (near Daan MRT Station)
A well-known late-night eatery that is soon to undergo reconstruction | "Little Li's" - a dedicated porridge and side dishes shop 🥣
Finally got to try this famous porridge and side dishes place, I've heard that it's easy to unknowingly order expensive dishes, so I chose a dinner when I wasn't too hungry.
In summary, it's a place I won't be returning to:
The ordering system upon entering is too chaotic, the queue flow is unclear, and the staff do not guide the situation when there's no order.
The portions of the dishes are actually small, and by the time you bring them to your table, they're cold! Additionally, the dining environment inside is too noisy.
🥘
Dishes ordered:
🌶️ Spicy Steamed Stinky Tofu ($100):
Served with an alcohol stove for heating, it's tasty stinky tofu, quite flavorful, similar to the larger holes type found in Shenkeng.
🦐 Shrimp and Scrambled Eggs (Small $70):
This dish is not bad～the scrambled eggs are very tender, but they are also cold when served.
🐷 Sweet and Sour Pork Tenderloin ($120):
Not recommended! This dish is served cold, and the meat is cut too small, mainly consisting of fried skin.
🍠 Sweet Potato Porridge ($30/person, all-you-can-eat):
The menu also offers white rice and plain porridge, but the staff seems to serve sweet potato porridge directly without asking specifically. It’s served in a whole pot and is not very hot, mostly consisting of soup.
✏️
Notes:
🔸 Cash only 💰
🔸 The dining process is to order first and then find a seat, but many people that day were taking seats first before grabbing their food.
This is a porridge shop located far away from the city
The location is located near Anshan Mountain
Just around the corner from "Manyi Main Shop"
Very suitable for finishing porridge
After taking a walk, go eat some ice to cool off😋
Eat here from winter to summer
Business in summer is naturally not as good as in winter.
But the taste and quality remain the same
There is also air conditioning in the store which is very cold.
Have eaten preserved egg beef porridge and dried mushroom noodles
Then let’s compare based on the meals we have eaten.
Preserved Egg Beef Porridge ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Mushroom and Pork Noodles ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Wolfberry Pork Belly Porridge ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Cold cucumber ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Cold fungus ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Crispy Bamboo Shoots ⭐️⭐️
The rice grains used are different from porridge
Long rice grains retain the prototype of rice
Make the portion more filling than porridge
My favorite so far
Or preserved egg beef porridge and wolfberry pork belly porridge?
Preserved egg beef porridge also contains eggs and preserved eggs.
Served with chopped green onion, pepper and beef cubes
The portion is enough for a whole night and you will feel full after eating it
Wolfberry pork belly porridge is a new flavor to try this time
The portion of pork belly is very sufficient
There are wolfberry and red dates, which feel very warm and tonic
Plus the special flavor of pepper
Greatly enhances the aroma of pork belly porridge
After eating it, I really enjoyed it💕
Must be greatly praised
Fried dough sticks with porridge
The fried dough sticks are very crispy and can be eaten with porridge.
Soft and crunchy, really satisfying!
Some of the side dishes are average in my opinion.
It can be used as a side dish for porridge and side dishes~
As for the mushroom noodles
Personally, I think the noodles and condiments are quite good.
But because the sauce is sweet
Personally, I’m really not used to eating.
If you can accept sweet sauce
It’s highly recommended to try it🩷
There are also hot pot noodles.
There are many food items throughout the store
So you don’t have to eat porridge to come here.
Just provide it for everyone’s reference!
