The thick slices of meat are incredibly satisfying to eat – a Taichung hotpot spot frequented by many celebrities: Three Dishes and One Pot

Text and photos byGui Xiaosun

Last week, we spotted the quietly under-renovation 【Three Dishes and One Pot】 behind SOGO on Huamei Street, and it immediately caught our eye. Being close to home and perfect for winter’s hearty cravings, we made sure to jot it down. After all, whenever it gets cold, almost every hotpot place is packed to the brim XD. Last week, my friend from many years ago came over, so we especially went out for dinner. She always has an amazing appetite and can finish almost the portion meant for two people. No wonder she’s clearly still a growing ‘teenager’ XD.

That day, we noticed a lot of celebratory flower baskets outside and realized this place must be pretty well-known. There were congratulatory messages from many celebrities in the entertainment industry, including familiar names like Sodagreen and Nado. Looks like we might just bump into some ‘celebrity sightings’ here in the future XD.

Stepping into 【Three Dishes and One Pot】, we really liked the atmosphere inside — gentle and understated, with warm lighting and wooden interior design. The spacing between seats is just right, not cramped at all. There’s a curved bar counter area, as well as four-seater and larger tables, making it suitable for everything from solo dining to group gatherings.

The space features large wooden slats as a linear backdrop, and each table has its own individual pot — very exclusive. Though it’s a hotpot restaurant, they’ve also provided WiFi service, and the password is delightfully “We love you,” which is both cute and heartwarming. With soft yellow-orange lighting that isn’t dim, the air seems to fill with the joyful anticipation of hotpot arriving any moment ^~^.

Despite the simple decor, the standards are definitely met. The selection of fresh condiments may not be abundant, but it gives off the impression of being freshly prepared on the spot. Everything feels clean and comfortable.

Flipping through the menu, main options include beef short ribs, sirloin, fatty beef, as well as pork belly, Matsusaka pork, sea bream, and seafood. We ordered two pots of Matsusaka pork, one pot of seafood, and also added their signature Prime-grade beef: beef short ribs. Just looking at the menu, I personally felt that 【Three Dishes and One Pot】 isn’t overly pricey — it’s great for dropping by anytime for a satisfying meal XD.

We never knew what 【Three Dishes and One Pot】 meant until we checked the menu — it turns out it stands for:
1. Broth
2. Meat
3. Mixed rice porridge (this was my first time hearing about it, so I was especially excited for this final part!)

The welcome hot tea came in beautiful cups, and you could instantly sense a Japanese-style aesthetic from the utensils used. Maybe it’s because I had just come from 【Luzao, Lifestyle Tableware】, but I found myself more attuned to these small details.

The dishes that came to the table were very fresh, mostly vegetables, and I particularly loved their mushrooms. They felt super fresh, especially the big mushroom marked with a star on top. I ate all three of them at the table XD.

When the broth arrived, the steam billowed out once the heat was on, filling the surroundings with that classic winter hotpot warmth. The broth itself is light and not too salty — in fact, the kids even thought it was too bland. But as adults, we actually found that quite nice — reassuring and worry-free, without any heavy after-effects.

The white radish, sliced to look like meat slices, looked really amusing. It also showed how much care and attention to detail went into the preparation — nothing was done half-heartedly. Tossing in all the vegetables let the broth absorb their natural sweetness. That big star-marked mushroom floating on top? I was dying to eat it — it looked so plump XD. There were also fresh king oyster mushrooms and enoki mushrooms.

Gently scooping from the broth, the clean and clear soup is perfect for those who prefer something lighter. Of course, if you like it stronger, you can always ask the staff to adjust — but I personally enjoy this refreshing taste XD. Once the meat slices and seafood go in, different sweet flavors will gradually blend into the broth, creating another layer of richness.

We ordered plum juice and the kid-favorite Sprite. I guess I have a habit of always going for plum juice with hotpot — especially when it’s spicy hotpot XD.

That big, plump mushroom is especially captivating. Absorbing the broth and dipped in a bit of condiment, it’s absolutely addictive XD. It was probably the most memorable big mushroom I’ve had at a hotpot place — I couldn’t stop thinking about it haha.

Then the main dishes started arriving one by one — the Matsusaka pork platter. Huge, round slices of Matsusaka pork stacked and spread out on the plate, making it look like a full-on ‘meat feast’ right in front of us. My friend from many years ago basically needs two plates of meat to be satisfied (teenagers these days sure have big appetites XD).

This Matsusaka pork is delicious. Lately, I’ve realized my friend has become quite the picky eater thanks to us — whenever we take her out for hotpot, she’ll quickly point out the slices she doesn’t like XD. But she still finishes everything, and it’s like she’s turned into a true 【food connoisseur】, speaking nothing but the 【honest truth from a child’s mouth】. So those big slices really hit the spot for her, and she ate them super fast XD.

And when the seafood arrived, you knew it was my turn. The bowl that came to the table gave off such a clean, translucent vibe, as if the seafood would melt in your mouth. It was pristine, radiating freshness and purity.

A whole plate included clams, oysters, fish slices, scallops, mussels, and shrimp — one person getting a serving like this is seriously satisfying. Looking closely at these ingredients with their tender, juicy appearance, it just makes you drool more and more XD.

By then, the two ladies across from us were already deeply immersed in their meal, eating heartily. I never worry about bringing kids out and them not focusing on eating — because the one not paying attention is probably me XD. Now that the kids know what I do, they sometimes even help me out, which feels really nice. I guess I wasn’t this well-behaved when I was their age haha XD.

At a table for just three, I truly felt like there was so much food. The meat platters, vegetables, and bubbling hot broth created a symphony of flavors. I could already see that next plate of 【beef short ribs】 waiting below XD. Its beautiful color and generous, intact slices were mesmerizing even from afar.

Picking up a slice with chopsticks and comparing it to the pot, then lowering it in for blanching. Notice how wide and long the slices are? And the 【beef short ribs】 have such a great texture. Unlike the usual thin beef slices that shrink way down after blanching XD.

I noticed they paid extra attention to the thickness — it’s about 0.2cm, which explains why it feels so solid. So if you’re a beef lover, I highly recommend trying their higher-grade beef here — you’ll really taste the quality.

Remember not to blanch the beef for too long. Just a quick in-and-out, leaving it pink and tender, is the most alluring and satisfying for any meat lover. I’m really happy I managed to capture a photo of the flat side of the meat slice — it shows how well it holds up, able to stay perfectly presentable. Beautiful and satisfying, now it’s making me want to go back for more XD.

I always switch out rice for glass noodles when I eat hot pot because some rice dishes are just too high in calories — so I skip them altogether. Plus, I love tossing the drained glass noodles with the seasonings from the topping bar — garlic, chili, scallions — then adding a bit of the broth, turning the whole thing into a bowl of dry glass noodles. And with the beef short ribs this time? Total indulgence. Just look at how the marbling spreads across those ribs — it really makes you forget everything else and just focus on eating. XD

Turns out, our oldest-and-youngest-friends duo finished their meal first — impressive, right? That’s when the staff asked if we’d like to try making 【Zatsumi】 (a Japanese-style rice porridge). We had actually forgotten all about it since we were already full, but it only hit us when they brought it up XD So we decided to use the leftover beef short rib pot to give it a try. They set up a 15-minute hourglass, a bowl of white rice, and used an oil-draining ladle to skim the fat off the top before pouring the broth over the rice. Then we kept stirring continuously until the 15 minutes were up and the liquid had mostly reduced.

But because we never stopped stirring, it actually thickened in less than 15 minutes. XD The staff was super surprised and quickly brought over eggs and seasonings to help us finish the dish. When they poured in the egg mixture, we were all super excited to see what would happen.

They also added chopped scallions and shredded seaweed, plus there was a side of pickled radish that you could enjoy on the side.

The whole thing ended up resembling a richly simmered congee — it looked so tempting. The golden egg had fully blended in, leaving no trace of white, and the texture was silky smooth and delicate. Eating it gave us such a warm, comforting feeling. You can add a bit of pepper if you like for extra flavor. We couldn’t finish a whole pot because we were too full, but we still ate every last bite and were completely satisfied. We never expected such a unique dish to come after the hot pot — it was seriously different and amazing. Highly recommend making sure you get to this final course when you go XD

After the meal, there were also little desserts — like a sorbet that tasted like ice cream, sweet and tangy, which helped cleanse the palate from the richness of the hot pot. The tropical fruits from our oldest-and-youngest-friends duo paired perfectly with the outfit she was wearing that day. XD It gave off serious beach vacation vibes. Also, we only realized while looking at the photos that she had been pressing the table so hard with her right hand that it left marks — haha, so funny. XD

Ha. Lately I’ve been trying out so many great hot pot dishes — totally getting myself ready for the coming winter. I’m also sharing these great finds with everyone. There are options for solo diners, couples, or group meals. This newly opened 【Sandao Yiguo (Three Dishes One Pot)】 is highly recommended if you like simple flavors or are a meat lover who just wants to indulge in 【good quality meat】 XD. And remember, make sure you stay for the final dish: Zatsumi. It gives you such a full sense of happiness. ^~^

Sandao Yiguo (Three Dishes One Pot)

Address
No. 85, Section 1, Huamei Street, West District, Taichung City
Phone
04 2321 1151
Business Hours
1730-0230

Article Author: [Enjoying Life Without Getting Bored. Gui Xiaosun]