Pingtung's Extravagant Shabu-Shabu - Ding Fu Secret Hot Pot, has been operating in Pingtung for six years. The exterior looks quite grand, but inside it is filled with traditional Chinese style; the decoration and furnishings are full of character. You can tell that the owner takes great care in maintaining the restaurant. There aren’t many seats available, so it’s recommended to make a reservation in advance to avoid long waits.

Hot pot base fee 💰110/person
Includes tofu, duck blood, milk tofu, white rice, hot tea, sunflower seeds, and three types of Taiwanese dishes.
All items are unlimited, and the Taiwanese dishes change randomly every day. This time, we had dried tofu, Mapo tofu, and fried rice noodles. I could have easily paired just the Mapo tofu with two bowls of white rice — it was incredibly flavorful! The fried rice noodles were also of high quality, not the ordinary ones you find at a buffet. I would gladly come back just for those if they were sold separately!

This time, we ordered the spicy hot pot with four signature dishes and the scallop milk broth. Their spicy broth is drinkable and has a smooth taste, not overly salty. The tofu and duck blood were very flavorful and tender. I sincerely recommend getting the spicy flavor when you order the shabu-shabu; you won’t regret it.

The milk broth is also very rich, especially since you can refill on milk tofu as much as you want. It has a texture similar to layered tofu; it’s creamy and has a texture reminiscent of tofu pudding. The boss mentioned that this is specially made by their supplier, which you won’t find elsewhere.

Although their prices are not high, the quality of the ingredients and broth is something that the whole family can agree on. After finishing, you won’t feel thirsty; you can truly appreciate the care put into the ingredients.

After the meal, I chatted with the owner, a couple who run this hot pot restaurant with great dedication. They regularly do charitable work and donate to various disadvantaged groups. There’s also a charity sale of white rice in the restaurant, and all proceeds go directly to those in need without passing through anyone else's hands. I was genuinely moved by the owner’s wife and ended up buying a bag of rice. I hope this review will let everyone know that there are many kind-hearted people and businesses in the world. I hope that, within our means, we can help others too. Everyone should strongly support such businesses.