Tainan Chengda Seafood Hot Pot Shop – 90 NT Seafood Hot Pot Noodles Come with a Whole Crab!

Text & Photos bySean

I noticed Shark Attack Seafood Hot Pot when it first opened, but it gave off an aura of being a bit out of reach—like “a family of four probably can’t get full without spending at least 1,000 NT.” So I just kept it on my backburner list. After all, in 2017, it felt like I only stepped on one landmine the whole year, and I wanted to keep that good record going. That’s why my recent adventure-seeking spirit index dropped to -100, until I saw a friend had gone there and learned they’d just started selling seafood hot pot spaghetti. That’s when I decided to give it a try.

The entrance is decorated with a giant octopus, and there are large fish tanks nearby—it’s hard not to realize this is a seafood shop. (If it’s not a seafood shop, then it must be an aquarium!)

Inside, there’s also a shark display, and the seating capacity is a bit less than expected.

The storage bags provided for customers to put their bags in are super large—I thought that was very thoughtful.

Menu

Two new items have been added recently.

Today, I came mainly for this bowl of spicy seafood hot pot noodles.

There’s actually a whole crab inside the 90-NT hot pot spaghetti—that’s really generous of them.

Even after ordering, I didn’t realize the 90 NT was the “takeout price.” The owner kindly made it for dine-in anyway. Sorry about that—and thanks for your kindness!

The duck blood and tofu were well-seasoned. The seafood from the market clearly beats out those hot pot noodle versions that just use imitation seafood bits. One thing the owner forgot to write on the blackboard is that you can add noodles for an extra 10 NT. On a day when I wasn’t particularly hungry, this portion was filling enough—but if you’re hungrier or have a bigger appetite, make sure to get the extra noodles.

I’m no marketing expert, I just love visiting shops and observing people’s behavior patterns. Today I had a bit of inspiration, so I figured I’d write something down. If anything I wrote isn’t great, please just ignore me.

In a work environment with an unhealthy salary structure, more and more people are choosing to start their own businesses. But entrepreneurship is a completely different pressure level compared to being a salaried employee. In the first few years of work, the stress of a fixed salary is usually lower than that of someone running their own business. Entrepreneurship isn’t as free or romantic as people imagine—you need to have a strong stomach or a solid family background if you’re going to try it. The advantage of entrepreneurship is the high leverage effect, but that comes with increased risk.

Before opening a shop, you should at least ask yourself: Who is your target customer base? What kind of people make up the consumer demographic in your area? Does the product you’re selling meet market demand? Operate while reflecting, reviewing, and evolving—until your shop hits that sweet spot. This process usually takes years. Shops that blow up and stay hot are extremely rare. (Sorry, I really can’t think of any shop that’s still in its honeymoon phase three years after opening.)

Qianfeng Road is 100% a school district. When selling things in a school district, there are two essential conditions: First, whatever food you’re selling has to be filling. Second, it shouldn’t be expensive—ideally, you could eat there five times a week without breaking the bank. Seafood hot pot averaging 300–400 NT per person isn’t actually expensive for salaried workers, but it’s not something you’d eat often. For students, shops that “feel like you need a big group to go” or “seem kinda pricey” are hard to convince people to walk in and spend money. From what I’ve observed, in universities, there are way more “outsiders” than constant party-goers, and this group tends to be far more loyal to a shop—it’s a demographic worth cultivating.

I think Shark Attack Seafood Hot Pot’s idea to offer products in the 90–120 NT range is a good direction. Their 200-NT hot pot is also not bad—I’d at least want to try it. When I walked in, I realized the seafood hot pot didn’t seem too expensive either. With winter arriving soon, I’ll probably come back to try it again. I’ll update again if I dine here in the future.

Shark Attack Seafood Hot Pot
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Business Hours: 17:00 – 23:00 (Closed Mondays)
Phone: 06 209 9138
Address: No. 138, Qianfeng Road, Tainan City

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