永康老牌石頭火鍋
"Yongkang Old-Brand Stone Hot Pot" is located on Yonghua Road in the Yongkang District of Tainan. It is a stone hot pot restaurant highly regarded by locals. The business has always been good; we waited about 20 minutes to be seated during our visit. We ordered the classic beef hot pot, which comes with a small amount of beef and some common hot pot ingredients, such as tofu skin. However, for those with a slightly larger appetite, this portion is definitely not enough, so we added a meat platter and vegetables to barely satisfy our hunger.
What makes this restaurant unique is that the owner personally comes to help stir-fry the beef. After bringing out the aroma, he pours in the broth, adding more depth to the soup base. The flavor of the soup is indeed quite good, absorbing the fragrance of the beef, rich and complemented by the unique heat of the stone pot. However, one point that must be mentioned is that the owner chews betel nut while cooking. I had seen many people comment about this on Google reviews; I initially thought someone would mention that the owner should at least spit out the betel nut while cooking 😆, but he continued to chew while stir-frying. To be honest, it does somewhat affect the perception of hygiene, and for those with high hygiene standards, it might be a bit concerning.
Aside from these details, the overall taste of the hot pot is quite good, particularly when the broth is paired with fresh vegetables. However, the wait and the owner's habits might make some people hesitant. In summary, the food here is good, but if you don't want to endure waiting or have concerns about hygiene, this restaurant might not be suitable for you.