The Satay Hotpot at Tonghua Alley — Does the “Flounder and Preserved Vegetable Pot” Have a Subtle Herbal Aftertaste That Lingers Sweetly?

Text and photos byXiao Hu’s Food Dream Net

Winter is the perfect time for hotpot, especially during the New Year, a time for family reunions. Gathering around a steaming hotpot is especially fitting. During the holiday, enjoy the pot with your family, and after the break, share a reunion meal with colleagues to kick off work. Today, Xiao Hu is introducing you to a rather rare “satay hotpot” in Taipei and northern Taiwan.

This time, our foodie group was led by our senior guide “Brother Qiang,” accompanied by a mysterious guest. Otherwise, I rarely venture into the alleys of this area. It just goes to show that great food really does require someone who knows the way to lead you there.

The bright, slightly yellow dining space is larger and livelier than expected, offering a slightly different vibe from typical hotpot restaurants. Overall, it feels warmer and more like a cozy home.

The soup bases for the hotpots include “Premium Clear Broth,” “Special Flounder and Preserved Vegetable Pot,” “Beef Brisket Pot,” and “Oxtail Pot.” The first two options are surprisingly very affordable.

Since you can choose two pots, those who prefer beef might opt for a lighter broth paired with the restaurant’s signature “Beef Brisket Pot.”

Then, select your favorite hotpot staples such as sliced meats, meatballs, seafood, and seasonal vegetables.

One particularly unique offering here is beef noodles — and they serve a fairly large bowl. Don’t even think about finishing it alone, or you’ll have no room left for the delicious hotpot later. When the beef noodles arrived, I couldn’t help but swallow a couple of times just looking at the slightly pink, tender-looking meat. As expected, the meat was incredibly soft and tender, with a nice sweetness, completely breaking the stereotype that beef tendon tends to be dry and tough. The noodles are handmade and also have a pleasant texture. Topped with a specially prepared spicy oil and sauce, they offer a unique flavor, quite different from typical beef noodle dishes. It’s recommended to try a bowl at the start of the meal, or even as a satisfying solo set meal if you’re dining alone.

What if you don’t want noodles but still crave braised beef? No worries — they also offer a double delight of braised beef and beef tendon. The beef here is thinly sliced but not overly salty or heavy with braising flavors. Instead, it highlights the pure, sweet taste of the beef itself. The beef tendon is slightly chewy before softening just right.

Before digging into the hotpot, let’s take a look at the dipping sauces — they’re all pre-mixed by the restaurant. The soy sauce has a hint of something akin to sesame oil, and you can customize it with garlic, green onions, cilantro, and chili according to your preference.

The most noteworthy is the “satay sauce.” Surprisingly, it’s not very salty at all, featuring instead an amazing flounder aroma and a subtle sweetness reminiscent of minced meat. The texture is slightly oily but pleasantly so, and it’s delicious even on its own.

As for the broth, the “Flounder and Preserved Vegetable Pot” offers a refreshing taste with a hint of the flounder’s subtle sweetness and the natural sweetness of plenty of vegetables. It’s recommended to have a bowl or two before cooking the meat to cleanse the palate. Additionally, the beef brisket broth is less spicy and more refreshing than expected. Beyond the sweetness of the beef, you can also detect a faint herbal sweetness. Both broths are enjoyable on their own, and a great feature is that even after cooking a lot of beef, the broth remains drinkable without becoming overly complex or greasy.

That day was actually the fourth stop for our foodie group, so I didn’t eat much of the dumplings. But according to the others, they were all quite fresh. Personally, I loved the tofu skin, especially when cooked in the flounder broth.

I didn’t eat much seafood either, just a slice of tender, melt-in-your-mouth fish and some plump, fresh oysters — both were quite impressive.

The seasonal vegetable platter had a brighter highlight in red wood ear mushrooms. For the rest, you can get a sense of the flavors and quality from the photos.

American Prime Grade Sirloin (680 NTD). Just looking at the marbling and texture, you know it’s top-notch. I recommend cooking it in a relatively light broth, searing each side for about 3–4 seconds until it’s slightly pink, then taking a big bite. The sweetness and richness are very satisfying, and the thick slices make the juicy, mouth-filling experience truly delightful.

American Prime Grade Beef Short Ribs (680 NTD), which also have satisfying marbling.

The short ribs may not have as thick marbling as the sirloin, but the sweetness is even better. Cook each side for about 2–3 seconds before eating. Both the sweetness and juiciness are excellent.

American Signature Snowflake Beef (380 NTD). Although the marbling and richness are slightly lower compared to the previous options, this cut wins with its tenderness and slight chewiness. Plus, the price is more affordable, making it a great choice for those who want to eat a lot of beef without breaking the bank.

American Premium Fatty Beef (380 NTD). This one has relatively lower fat content, making it more suitable for those who prefer less oil. The beef has a firmer bite and a purer sweetness, though the downside is that it lacks a bit of richness.

Finally, my personal top recommendation: “Taiwanese Golden Beef Suet Net” (380 NTD). Unlike the commonly seen Tainan fresh beef, which is usually thinly sliced, this one is cut generously.

Grab a few slices, pour the piping hot broth over them, and watch as the beef turns from red to pink. Gently shake it a few times with chopsticks, then enjoy it while it’s fresh and tender. Not only is the meat soft, tender, and slightly springy, but it also delivers a burst of juiciness with every bite. After chewing, the natural sweetness of the fresh beef is just as satisfying. This dish comes highly recommended and is an absolute must-order — it’s incredibly delicious.

Premium Matsusaka Pork (320 NTD). It wasn’t as crisp as I expected, but the fat distribution and sweetness are good. However, it’s slightly weaker in quality compared to the beef.

Gamalan Black Pig Plum Meat (250 NTD). This pork is noticeably more tender and fatty, with a texture and sweetness that really appeal to me. Though I still prefer beef, of course.

Village Village Satay Hotpot
No. 22, Lane 38, Tonghua Street, Da’an District, Taipei City
Tel: 02-2708-5262
Operating hours: 11:30 ~ 14:30, 17:30 ~ 21:30.

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