"Stone Hot Pot" with Real Stones Inside – Indigenous Flavors of Hualien

▲ The stone hot pot is packed with plenty of fish, which is fresh and tender. (Photo /Jingyi & Da Kui Dai’s Parenting. Travel. FoodProvided. Please do not reproduce without permission to avoid copyright infringement.)

Reporter Zhou Yrong

Taiwan’s most beautiful east coast—Hualien—not only boasts stunning mountains, waters, and scenery, but also mouthwatering authentic indigenous cuisine！Located in Guangfu Township, Hualien County, the "Red Tile House – Old Place Cultural Cuisine Restaurant" is most famous for its stone hot pot and salt-grilled fish.The restaurant also offers other uniquely flavored indigenous dishes. Even the architecture and decor are rich in indigenous style. When you visit Guangfu Township in Hualien, you absolutely must not miss the "Red Tile House – Old Place Cultural Cuisine Restaurant"！

▲ The Red Tile House – Old Place Cultural Cuisine Restaurant offers many indigenous-flavored dishes, with both set meals and à la carte options. (Photo /Jingyi & Da Kui Dai’s Parenting. Travel. FoodProvided. Please do not reproduce without permission to avoid copyright infringement.)

▲ All dishes in the restaurant are made to order. Be patient if you want to enjoy the stone hot pot or salt-grilled fish. (Photo /Jingyi & Da Kui Dai’s Parenting. Travel. FoodProvided. Please do not reproduce without permission to avoid copyright infringement.)

As soon as you step into the restaurant, you can feel a strong indigenous atmosphere, with many traditional handicrafts and carvings used for decoration. There are both indoor and outdoor dining areas. Don’t dawdle, or you might find all the seats taken. But no matter where you dine, you’ll enjoy a unique experience. The restaurant serves a wide variety of dishes, with set meals or à la carte options available depending on the group size.

▲ The restaurant interior is decorated in an indigenous style, allowing you to immerse yourself in the indigenous ambiance while dining. (Photo /Jingyi & Da Kui Dai’s Parenting. Travel. FoodProvided. Please do not reproduce without permission to avoid copyright infringement.)

▲ The restaurant also displays many handicrafts and carvings for customers to admire. (Photo /Jingyi & Da Kui Dai’s Parenting. Travel. FoodProvided. Please do not reproduce without permission to avoid copyright infringement.)

The highlight of dining at the Red Tile House – Old Place Cultural Cuisine Restaurant is the "stone hot pot"！ It includes tilapia, shrimp, and other ingredients. When scalding hot stones are placed into the soup, they make a sizzling sound and release a lot of steam—the hot pot is ready to eat！ There’s nothing overly fancy about the cookware—just the simplest and most rustic betel nut leaf baskets are used to serve the hot pot, all made from natural materials readily available at the restaurant.

▲ The moment the boiling-hot stones are placed into the soup, they start sizzling, and before long, you can start enjoying this delicious hot pot. (Photo /Jingyi & Da Kui Dai’s Parenting. Travel. FoodProvided. Please do not reproduce without permission to avoid copyright infringement.)

The stone hot pot contains a whole tilapia cut into pieces. The fish is fresh and springy. And there's more than just tilapia—the pot is loaded with shrimp. The broth is sweet and savory, with every sip offering the rich, umami taste extracted from the tilapia and shrimp, capturing the most authentic flavors of seafood！ The restaurant even uses mountain spring water to prepare the hot pot broth, making it truly different from the rest.

▲ The tilapia pieces in the stone hot pot are huge—you can enjoy the freshest flavor of the ingredients in their simplest form. (Photo /Jingyi & Da Kui Dai’s Parenting. Travel. FoodProvided. Please do not reproduce without permission to avoid copyright infringement.)

▲The stone hot pot is also packed with plenty of shrimp, and after slow-cooked, the broth becomes incredibly flavorful. (Photo /Jingyi & Dakeidai’s Parenting. Travel. FoodProvided. Please do not reproduce without permission to avoid copyright infringement)

When visiting Hualien, be sure to stop by Red Tile House – The Old Place Cultural & Gourmet Restaurant to try the most authentic indigenous cuisine. There are no exquisitely plated dishes or luxurious decorations here—just the most natural, simplest, yet most unforgettable indigenous specialties.

Red Tile House – The Old Place Cultural & Gourmet Restaurant

Address: No. 16, Lane 62, Daquan St., Guangfu Township, Hualien County
Phone: 03-8704601
Business Hours: Monday & Thursday 11:00–13:30
Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday 11:00–19:00