So warming and comforting—Xinzhu’s peppered pork tripe chicken hot pot with its rich, milky broth

Text and photos bySir San Gao

The weather has been gradually cooling down lately, so I thought about checking out some hot pot options nearby. Previously, I’d visited Niuzhiwu (Beef House) on Jinguo Road, and right across from it, a new peppered pork tripe chicken hot pot place had opened. Hot pot with pork tripe and chicken is still relatively rare around here, so I decided to give it a try. When making the reservation, I specifically asked that the dining time be limited to 100 minutes.

Since it’s a restaurant that opened in recent years, the decor and ambiance are quite nice, and the service staff is also very friendly. The broths come in various options: original flavor, peppered, pork tripe chicken, or pork tripe and spare ribs. I ordered the peppered combo hot pot (NT$880). I took a sip of the unadulterated broth first—it was a familiar home-style taste. My mom is Hakka, and we often cook peppered pork tripe soup at home. This peppered pork tripe chicken hot pot is originally a Cantonese-Hakka dish, but the difference is that the white broth, simmered with chicken and pork bones, is richer, more mellow, and deeply savory. The pepper flavor is quite fragrant, though the pepper-infused pork tripe soup my family makes at home is even spicier and more flavorful.

The quality of the meat and tripe in the broth is decent, not bad at all. If you love the pepper flavor, it’s best to drink plenty of the broth and eat more meat early on, because once you add other hot pot ingredients like vegetables, they release water and dilute the pepper taste. The restaurant offers four types of dipping sauces. The shallot-infused soy sauce is best for dipping spare ribs and tripe, while the chili sauce is very spicy, so use it with caution. The fermented tofu sauce is a bit thin and slightly sweet, and the scallion oil sauce is the common type used in Cantonese-style roasted meats.

I ordered a portion of preserved meat claypot rice. It didn’t use long-grain rice, and there were only sausages—no waxed sausages—and just a few thin slices of cured pork. The aroma and oiliness from the preserved meats were somewhat lacking, but overall, the flavor wasn’t bad. It’s best to sear some crispy rice crust before flipping the pot for the best texture.

The hot pot ingredients aren’t cheap. I ordered squid paste and mushroom-bamboo shoot egg dumplings. Once they arrived, I could understand why the prices were higher. The squid pieces had a firm texture, and the egg dumplings were decent with a nice aroma, but considering the portion sizes relative to the price, they’re still on the pricier side.

Leftovers can be packed to go. This meal cost nearly NT$2,500 including a 10% service charge—way too much for two people, but just right for three. Though there’s one thing I suddenly remembered when I got home: huh? Where’s the receipt?

Yongfu Peppered Pork Tripe Chicken

Address: No. 384, Section 2, Jinguo Road, North District, Xinzhu City
Business hours: 5:00 PM – 12:00 AM
Phone: 03-5222611

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