AI Spot Summary
The quality of the meal is quite good. The pickled cabbage fish soup has a moderate level of acidity, and the fresh fish and clam hot pot ingredients are fresh. However, the pairing of salmon with the pickled cabbage soup seems a bit unbalanced. The self-service vegetable area has a rich variety, and ice desserts need to be ordered from the staff.
The spatial arrangement is not very suitable for group dining; the seating design diminishes the interaction and relaxed atmosphere of the meal.
Reviews
Tong Le Hot Pot (Hsinchu Mega City Store) - Delicious hot pot but not very suitable for group meals
This weekend, I met up with friends for a meal at Tong Le Hot Pot near Hsinchu Mega City. The restaurant specializes in a buffet-style eat-as-you-go combined with individual hot pots. This time, I ordered the sauerkraut fish soup base (+99 NTD) and the fresh fish and clam pot. Overall, the quality of the meal was quite good, but the arrangement of the space was somewhat disappointing for a group dining experience.
🍲 Sauerkraut Fish Soup Base + Fresh Fish and Clam Pot
The sauerkraut fish soup base comes with tilapia slices, and the broth has a nice tang without being too overpowering, making it flavorful with the hot pot ingredients. For an additional charge of 99 NTD for the soup base, I think it’s a worthwhile choice. The fresh fish and clam pot included three types of fish with generous portions, and the ingredients were fresh. However, the pairing of salmon with the sauerkraut soup was somewhat uncoordinated, with a flavor that felt a bit abrupt. A clearer or seafood-style broth would have matched better.
🥬 Self-service Area and Ice Cream
The self-service area offers a rich variety of vegetables, as well as common noodle options, which are similar to the standard setup of other all-you-can-eat hot pot restaurants. What’s unique is that the ice cream is not self-serve but needs to be ordered from the staff. Although there is no extra charge, this design can be somewhat inconvenient during peak hours.
🪑 Dining Environment and Flow
Although Tong Le Hot Pot focuses on individual pots, the seating arrangement was quite inconvenient for a large group. This time, the three of us were seated in a row, making it difficult to chat, and the food pickup flow was cramped. This kind of partition design diminished the interaction and relaxed atmosphere that a group meal should have.
📝 Overall Evaluation
If you’re dining solo or with one other person, the quality and self-service offerings at Tong Le Hot Pot are worth recommending. The portions for the soup and main dishes are generous, the ingredients are fresh, and the prices are reasonable. However, for groups of three or more, the space and seating arrangements are really not friendly, which negatively affects the overall dining atmosphere.