5-story luxury seafood steam hotpot in Banqiao – clams, grouper, and large sand crabs are super fresh!

Text & photos by /Kuni

(The freshly steamed clams are truly delicious!)

Who would’ve thought?? would also get into steam hotpot? I heard even students are eager to try it, so out of curiosity, I couldn’t help but make a reservation. The ?? group of restaurants has been expanding rapidly, opening more and more branches at an unexpectedly fast pace. I started with the small Hana Sushi at No. 4 Park in Shengkai, and now they’ve become internet celebrities. The videos from the ?? cooking class are constantly being shared. Their sushi restaurants have gradually expanded to central Taiwan, starting with Hsinchu, and recently I heard that a Taichung branch is also about to open – amazing!

(Entrance)

Arrived in the evening with a friend, bringing along a bottle of Tamagawa.

What we ate:
----------------------
Sand crab (NT$700)
Clams & horseshoe clams (NT$390)
Grouper (NT$390)
Snowflake beef 7oz + pork collar 7oz (NT$530)

Other ingredients
Lobster salad (NT$90)
Mixed hotpot ingredients (NT$150)
Cabbage (NT$50)
White mushrooms (NT$70)
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(Ingredient freezer)

● ETNEWS News Cloud reminds you: Don’t drink and drive, don’t drive after drinking.

(Menu)

(Discount section)

(Aquarium)

(Next time, I’m coming for the lobster!)

(Their own-brand fruit vinegar)

(Today’s Tamagawa)

● ETNEWS News Cloud reminds you: Don’t drink and drive, don’t drive after drinking.

(A la carte hotpot ingredients)

(White mushrooms)

(Self-mixed dipping sauce)

(Horseshoe clams and clams)

(Grouper)

(Large Sand Crab)

The prices seem reasonable, especially the sand crabs which are a great deal — a whole one is only 700. No wonder they have a rule that you can’t order the same dish on every level. If everyone just ordered sand crabs, the place would probably go out of business. It was my first time trying steamed hot pot. I scooped some broth from the bottom layer while it was boiling — smooth but a bit bland.

The server timed it perfectly to open the steamer. The grouper was slightly cooler, but the other layers, including the crab, were cooked just right. Especially the clams — their freshness right after steaming is the most enticing. Once they cool down and the meat tightens, they’re not as good. Today’s Yunaoka sake was excellent — not flashy, but delicate and well-balanced. Unfortunately, it wasn’t cold enough when it arrived, so we had to put it in an ice bucket. As the temperature dropped with the ice, it felt like the taste improved the more it cooled.

(Bottom Layer Broth)

(Mixed Hot Pot Ingredients)

(They don’t charge extra for raw eggs here)

(Opening the steamer!)

(The clams)

(Most delicious when just steamed!)

(Grouper)

(Sand Crab)

(Huge Crab Claws)

(Crab Roe and Broth)

(Starting to cook the hot pot using the bottom layer)

(This one is tasty)

(Two kinds of meat)

(Raw egg and white rice for the mixed rice dish)

(Asked the server to help with it)

(Actually, I couldn’t eat any more)

(Mixed rice done!)

My first experience with steamed hot pot was pretty good. The only downside was the bottom layer broth — for some reason, it felt like it lacked depth. Also, some ingredients, including the sand crabs and grouper, seemed to have been pre-steamed. This saves customers from having to wait too long for reheating on-site and ensures all layers are steamed evenly, which is efficient. The downside is that since the on-site steaming time is shorter, less flavorful essence drips into the bottom layer, which in turn affects the final mixed rice.

Overall, though, for the price, the freshness of the ingredients is up to standard. I like the concept of live steaming seafood, especially the freshly steamed clams — their umami is indescribable.

?? Steamed Hot Pot
Address: No. 4, Sightseeing Street, Banqiao District, New Taipei City
Phone: (02)2958-0987
Hours: 17:30–00:30

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