Self-brewed broth hot pot for ¥300 in Taichung—plus an all-you-can-eat buffet and ice cream!

Text & photos by /MIKA

Haven’t written about Dajia food in ages. I’ve been busy traveling abroad, leaving no time to cover the eats in my own area. A few days ago, the owner—who’s also from Yuanli—opened a new Japanese shabu-shabu spot called Fengkuo in Dajia and enthusiastically invited me to check it out. The weather has been damp and cold lately, so I jumped at the chance to warm up. The décor at Fengkuo Japanese Shabu-Shabu is pretty unique, with a vibe reminiscent of old-school Western steakhouses—even the buffet area feels like it’s straight out of a high-end family restaurant. The best part? I think the prices are reasonable, and there’s so much to choose from. For ¥300, their Three-Delicacy Scallion Spicy Hot Pot combo comes with a seafood-and-meat combo, a plate of three delicacies, salad (choose between lobster and abalone), fruit, drinks, and of course, access to the buffet with Coke, ice cream, and more—all you can eat. For a side dish, you can pick one of three options (Prince Noodles, glass noodles, or udon), and white rice is free. Lady boss, how are you so afraid we won’t get full? XD

It’s right next to the underground passage at Dajia Railway Station—I think locals must be pretty familiar with this spot. It’s right on the main road, so it’s super easy to find.

I’ve never seen a shabu-shabu place decorated quite like this—it kind of gave me the urge to order a pork cutlet XD

What’s with those four wine glasses? Trying to make me want to order a steak or something XD

The sound of flowing water gives it a nice Japanese touch…

All-you-can-eat buffet
I feel like for a set-menu hot pot joint, having such a rich and varied buffet is actually pretty impressive. There are all kinds of drinks, plus candy and cookies too!

Braised pork rice, popcorn, Nestlé lemon black tea, and more…

Hot pot dipping sauces and grilled toast, plus four different kinds of jam—it just makes you want to fire up the toaster, doesn’t it?

Fengkuo goes all out with ‘Dairy Queen Golden Balls’ ice cream, which focuses on being ‘low-fat and functional.’ ‘Dairy Queen Golden Balls’ is one of the functional ice creams launched by Huangpin International, emphasizing both health and deliciousness. It’s not overly sweet and has a more natural flavor. Personally, I think it’s just as good as Häagen-Dazs!

Besides ice cream, the owner also prepared popsicles in various flavors—the kids will love these.

At first I thought the cola fridge was a paid service, but it turns out it’s part of the buffet too—you can drink as much as you want for free!

The menu is simple, just a few set combos. What caught my eye right away was the Scallion Spicy Hot Pot. Ever since I was a kid, I’ve loved Uni-President’s Scallion Beef Noodles. After Uni-President went under, I stopped eating them—now I really miss that scallion-spicy aroma. So when I saw they had a Scallion Spicy Hot Pot, I ordered it right away. And yes, I confirmed it’s actually a carefully brewed broth, not some chemical powder mix.

With the combo sets, you can choose either a lobster salad or an abalone salad. The cheapest combo here is only ¥230, the most expensive ¥440—do they really need to bring out the lobster and abalone?

They also give you a plate of seasonal fruit—size doesn’t matter, the gesture is what counts!

My sister has a condition where she HAS to grill the toast XD Shouldn’t she at least try all four flavors? How can she be so picky~ (shakes head)

Plum juice and orange juice are also included with the combo. Honestly, they didn’t have to include them—the buffet already has tons of drinks XD But plum juice really helps cool down the spiciness… and you can taste that old-school sweet-and-sour flavor.

I think the weakest part of Fengkuo Japanese Shabu-Shabu is the veggie plate, otherwise the meat is super fresh, and the buffet is super varied, especially the seafood which is generous and satisfying. They really go big, but the veggie plate is a bit lacking.

Premium Seafood Hot Pot – ¥350
This super-nourishing Premium Seafood Hot Pot is paired with the shop’s self-brewed broth. It’s naturally sweet and flavorful… live shrimp, plump oysters, clams, fish slices, squid, and more… a feast of fresh ingredients waiting to nourish you~

The ingredients are fresh, so the taste is naturally delicious and sweet.

Three-Delicacy Scallion Spicy Hot Pot – ¥300
I think this one gives you the most bang for your buck—it has seafood, meat, and the veggie plate for all three delicacies. Plus, the broth is that long-missed Scallion Spicy flavor I’ve been craving.

Live shrimp, plump oysters, clams—the seafood portions are really generous.

Pork
There are ten thick, juicy slices of meat. That’s why I say the Three-Delicacy combo is the best deal~

The Scallion Spicy broth isn’t super spicy—it has a light scallion aroma with a zesty spicy kick. It’s fragrant, spicy, and just hits the spot—it’s exactly the flavor I remember.

If it tastes a bit too salty, you can ask the staff to add more broth. I think everything tastes great in this scallion-spicy hot pot!! It’s basically already melted—XD

Adding instant noodles and an egg makes for the perfect ending. It’s a two-in-one meal concept—the final step is just like making scallion-spicy beef noodles, so don’t forget to add an egg too XD

When you’re near the end and there’s not much left in the pot, the scallion-spicy hot pot has already absorbed all the essence of the three delicacies. Don’t hold back—just throw in the instant noodles and cook them up. It’s basically scallion-spicy beef noodles, I’m telling you!! And it’s way tastier than instant noodles. So happy ^^ I recommend all you fellow scallion-spicy hot pot lovers to go try it ASAP. The owner is worried people won’t get full, so she prepares tons of food—definitely great value here!!

Crazy Hot Pot Japanese Shabu-Shabu
Address: No. 850, Section 1, Zhongshan Road, Dajia District, Taichung City (near Dajia Train Station)
Phone: (04)2676-0018
Business Hours: Monday to Sunday 11:00–14:20, 17:00–21:00
Latest Reservation or Ordering Time: 20:00

Traveling is to return to where you came from with a deeper understanding.
MIKA’s Foodie Travel Journal