Review from a braces-wearing person: Has an independent wash basin
This hot pot restaurant specializing in Shabu-shabu with Wagyu beef, located near Jiangzicui, has transitioned from à la carte to all-you-can-eat. For this meal with three people, we chose the lowest price option of 988 NT dollars for the "Classic Enjoyment Buffet" to give it a try.
Here are the offered items:
Beef
US Angus shoulder petite steak, Australian 6+ Wagyu ribeye cap, Japanese F1 domestic Wagyu, US snowflake beef, Australian Wagyu chuck flap, Australian Wagyu flank
Pork
Iberico black-haired pork chuck, Danish golden six-ounce Matsusaka beef
Chicken
Taiwan Yuan Yu ranch surfing chicken, deboned chicken thigh (12 weeks), black feather native chicken neck meat
Lamb
New Zealand lamb shoulder
Seafood
Taiwan Dongshi fat and fresh oysters, Taiwan live giant clams, Taiwan golden-eyed sea bass, South American white prawns, wild giant prawns
Buffet Bar
Various drinks, various ice creams, classic side dishes, hot pot accompaniments, fresh mushrooms, seasonal vegetables
Dining time is 120 minutes, ordering time is 90 minutes (you can place an order every 7 minutes)
Overall performance is good, recommended for dining with friends.
The vegetable buffet area is standard, but has all the common vegetable types, and this time there was chrysanthemum greens, which I ate a lot of.
Broth
There are quite a few choices, we ordered spicy hot pot and flower wine chicken.
Meat
The Wagyu options performed quite well, the meat was tender, especially the Australian 6+ Wagyu ribeye and Japanese F1 domestic Wagyu, both were good.
Iberico black-haired pork chuck: the fat distribution is even, the texture is great, friends who enjoy pork shouldn’t miss this.
Seafood
The shrimp were very fresh, and the staff kindly helped peel them, which is a nice touch.
The speed of dish serving after ordering is very fast, it doesn't keep you waiting too long, which is very satisfying.
This time, we chose the 988 NT dollars classic buffet and were satisfied with the quality of the ingredients and service. Although it’s the lowest price option, we could still enjoy Wagyu and Iberico pork, plus good seafood choices. The value for money is high. Next time, I’d like to try a higher-priced meal.
Environment
The decor is not specially arranged, and the tables are mostly round, suitable for group dining 🍲. Although it's hot pot, the unique cooking method uses charcoal, which is very special. The chairs are small stools, and it seems that this is to maximize table turnover 🤣.
Dishes
📍 Ginger Duck 💰 300
The ginger duck soup base includes duck meat, and if you want more, you can order extra meat plates for meat freedom. Additionally, you can get free soup refills. On cold days, it's a must to drink some soup to warm your stomach!
📍 Ling Ling Roll 💰 70
One of the must-try dishes. Unlike traditional bean curd skin, it can be enjoyed after being blanched for just 4-5 seconds. The texture has layers, and it's a must-order every time we have hot pot!
📍 Buddha’s Delight 💰 300
Buddha's Delight is very rich and is definitely a supplement for men, so it must be ordered!
📍 Duck Intestines 💰 70
They have a crispy texture, and eating more won't feel burdensome～
Parking
Scooters 🛵 can be parked in front of the store.
Cars 🚗 can park at the free parking lot near Wenwu Temple across the street 🅿️.
Payment Methods
Cash 💵
The restaurant has plenty of seating, divided into the first and second floors. It’s more convenient to sit on the first floor as both the drink machine and ice cream machine are located there.
We ordered the spicy sliced beef hot pot for two, priced at $485, which comes with two bowls of white rice (you can also choose other side dishes). Eating hot pot in winter is incredibly satisfying, the soup base is good, and the duck blood is also quite nice. Eating hot pot in winter keeps you warm and cozy.
The restaurant provides a drink machine with a variety of sodas to choose from at no extra charge, and there's also an ice cream machine that you can help yourself to. Overall, it was a great experience.
Recently, it has been cold, making it the perfect time to eat hot pot. Today, the rice police (a playful nickname for food reviewers) is here to introduce a spicy hot pot with pickled cabbage and pork located near the Far Eastern Enterprise building. At first, my impression wasn’t great because the sign looked a bit worn, and the interior had a very traditional, somewhat outdated decor. However, after eating, my perspective completely changed!
The most important aspect of hot pot is the broth, and both the spicy hot pot and the pickled cabbage with pork exceeded expectations. Their spicy hot pot has a medicinal flavor profile, which I personally don’t usually prefer, but I could totally enjoy it here. The taste of the beef when cooked is incredibly fragrant! The pickled cabbage and pork hot pot also tastes quite good, with just the right amount of sourness, and both the vegetables and pork are well-seasoned.
The rice was another highlight that amazed me; not only was it cooked well, but I suspect it’s Thai jasmine rice, which has a delightful aroma. It really complements the spicy hot pot perfectly!
Rice rating: 🍚🍚🍚🍚🍚
Overall, this hot pot restaurant exceeded my expectations—it has delicious food and affordable prices. I will definitely visit again!
Just as a cold wave hit, I arrived at this beef hot pot restaurant in Taichung, expecting to find the flavors of Tainan. The place was extremely crowded, with many still waiting for their seats. Even though we had a reservation, we still waited almost 20 minutes for a table.
In terms of the beef, the taste is not quite the same as in Tainan. The beef is softer and I’m not sure if that’s because of the different cuts, and it doesn’t have the fresh sweetness that Tainan's beef offers. However, the sweet soy sauce they use is basically the same. The other hot pot ingredients were average, but I highly recommend the beef balls, which contain some fat, making the broth taste really delicious after cooking.
If you’re looking for a place specifically for beef hot pot, this is a good restaurant. However, if you’re looking for the tastes of Tainan, it’s not suitable, as the flavors and textures are quite different.
Additionally, due to the large crowd, as soon as you finish eating, the staff will come to settle the bill and subtly indicate that they need to turn the table. So it’s not an ideal place for chatting unless you're planning to keep ordering. We finished our meal as three people in less than an hour and left. 😅
👉 Set Menu No. 3 $1980 includes👇
Regarding the hot pot, it is a traditional chimney hot pot, and the pickled cabbage is naturally fermented following old methods, providing a natural sour taste. The broth contains pickled cabbage, pork slices, meatballs, bean curd, and frozen tofu. The pork slices are rich but not greasy, with a balanced ratio of fat to lean meat; the perfectly tender three-layer pork combined with the pickled cabbage is truly delicious, and when paired with a specially prepared sesame sauce, it elevates the meal. The chicken rolled pancake contains chicken breast sprinkled with pepper, accompanied by fresh lettuce, and the sauce is made with mayonnaise, which is refreshing and tasty. The dumplings are of average quality, with a slightly thick skin, and the filling has a mix of chives and ground meat with cabbage. The red bean sponge cake caters to the tastes of people from the mainland, filled with red beans and topped with shredded green and red papaya; it tastes sweet without being overly rich, and is best enjoyed hot right after steaming.
I previously saw an introduction to this restaurant online and noticed they have a similar style to Japan, where they serve a lot of salmon roe on rice – they even added sea urchin! I really love sea urchin and salmon roe 🐟, so I made a reservation early to go with my friends!
The service at the restaurant was quite good. They not only help cook the seafood 🦞 at the table but also check the doneness of the meat! So the seafood we had was fresh and cooked just right. When the seafood was served, it was so fresh that the abalone was still wriggling on the plate. Additionally, the beef was perfectly tender! The server also adjusted the cooking based on our preferences!
Moreover, the salmon roe was quite generous; I was initially worried about it having a fishy taste, but both the salmon roe and sea urchin did not disappoint us!
For the three of us, the bill was around 💰4000, which is close to 5000! In terms of price, I do feel it is a bit high because the portion sizes were not very ample. We finished all the dishes, but it was clearly just the right amount and did not give a feeling of being full.
So if you're interested, you can come and taste their high-quality hot pot, but if you plan to come often, you might want to have a fuller wallet!
🔅Actual visit date: 2024/11/27
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▪️Weekday dinner $439 / person
All-you-can-eat meat, vegetables, gyudon rice, drinks, and ice cream, no service charge
I often pass by this place but never had the chance to visit. This time I came for dinner on a weekday evening; there were quite a few people. Sitting near the counter, I noticed many guests without reservations.
Basically, aside from the soup base prepared by the restaurant at the beginning, everything else is self-service, including the meat, which you take yourself. The selection of vegetables was diverse. My friends and I chose the heart-shaped stone pot (no additional charge) and the quality of the meat was acceptable. The beef was a bit tough, but the chicken seemed to have been specially processed and was super tender.
I have to mention that the braised pork is incredibly delicious!! I originally didn’t want to eat rice but couldn’t help but take a little, and there were also deliciously flavored braised eggs inside. The gyudon was also quite good; although the meat quality wasn’t extremely tender, the flavor of the egg was excellent. Just these two dishes alone were satisfying enough to eat with side dishes.
They have a promotion where you can get scallops for posting on social media, but personally, I felt their seafood was quite ordinary, including the broths at the self-service bar, which had marine flavors I’m not fond of. A bit of a pity that takes away some points.
Overall, considering the price and quality, it’s worth the opportunity to revisit. The value for money is quite good, just sharing this for your reference.
Review of Yatao: Independent Restroom
Heartstone Hot Pot - A highly recommended all-you-can-eat place in Banciao with great value!
Located at the intersection of Zhongzheng Road in Banciao, "Heartstone Hot Pot" has a convenient dining environment but parking can be a bit challenging. In terms of pricing, the lunch price on weekdays is NT$369 per person, while evenings and weekends are NT$439, with no service charge, and the dining time is 90 minutes. Special broth bases require an additional charge and only cash is accepted.
This hot pot restaurant operates on an all-you-can-eat basis, offering a rich selection of meats including beef, chicken, pork, and lamb, with moderate slice thickness and good quality. The variety of hot pot ingredients is diverse, and birthday celebrants can enjoy a special "meat cake" decoration; additionally, checking in on social media earns two free scallops, and the overall freshness of the ingredients is commendable.
Notably, braised pork rice and donburi are also all-you-can-eat options; the braised pork rice comes with a braised egg, and the aroma and texture of the pork are comparable to specialty shops outside. The beef donburi is also very flavorful. The chicken tenders in the restaurant are recommended for their tender and juicy meat.
As for beverages, a variety is offered, with milk tea paired with unsweetened green tea and pearls being sweet but not cloying; the ice cream also meets good standards. The vegetable section includes refreshing options like water lily, which adds a unique touch to the hot pot experience.
The broth is delicious, the meat quality is excellent, and with a rich array of hot pot ingredients and diverse rice options, both the main dishes and desserts display great value. It's especially suitable for friends who want to eat well and be full, providing quality protein and carbohydrates. I would definitely visit again if given the chance!
🔅Actual visit date: 2024/11/23
*Photos may not be reproduced or used for commercial purposes without permission.
I have heard about this place for a long time, and when I arrived in Taichung to wait for the meal, I discovered that it is all part of the Karuizawa Group, including neighboring places like Cha Liu, Lao Chang Zai, and Yi Ji Sushi, all of which belong to their group.
I checked the menu, and there are many variations of soup bases. You can choose the soup base and then look at the corresponding meat options. There are also special refrigerated meat options. On that day, I ordered the following dishes with my friends.
▪️ Sesame Oil Tender Pork Hot Pot $358
· Swap for Braised Black Pork Rice +$18
▪️ Spicy Tender Pork Hot Pot with Deboned Peppers $358
· Swap for Braised Black Pork Rice +$18
▪️ Refrigerated Premium Black Pork Tender Hot Pot with Deboned Peppers $558
▪️ Kombu Tender Chicken Fillet Hot Pot $298
(All sets come with the main dish, white rice, vegetable platter, winter melon tea, and shaved ice)
· Add Fried Enoki Mushrooms $18
· Add Fried Egg $30
· Add Exquisite Seafood Platter $198
· Add Handmade Squid Shrimp Paste $98
· Add Flying Fish Roe Dumplings $28/2 pieces
▪️ Shredded Ginger Rice Blood Cake $45/8 pieces
▪️ Taro Meatballs $60/3 pieces
First, regarding the soup base, both the sesame oil and the spicy pepper bases are really serious, super rich in flavor. Besides the chosen meat, the soup base itself includes chicken, along with plenty of deboned peppers. The menu design makes it feel quite reasonable without needing to pay extra.
The tender grilled pork is really delicious, with evenly distributed fat that makes it very fragrant—quite impressive. The chicken is also very tender, and although the refrigerated meats looked great, we happened not to try them.
Switching the main dish to braised pork was a great choice! The braised pork rice was seriously good, and the vegetable platter had a good variety, even including clams. The winter melon tea and the iced fruit vinegar prepared by the staff were very tasty. The additional items we ordered were all good; the fried enoki mushrooms were particularly impressive, and all the seafood items were fresh and tasty.
Overall, I really liked this place! Ordering the above items made me super full for only around $500 per person. Everything was fresh and delicious, especially the soup base, which was stunning. There is no service charge, and the overall decor and dining space are very comfortable. If it were located near my home, I would definitely visit often. This information is for reference.